Labour of love: “Work done for the sake of one’s own enjoyment or of benefit to others rather than for material rewards.”
Dave Luce, Parkrose’s beloved Can Man, loves his volunteer work for Parkrose High School students. Only a metastasizing cancer and two trips to the emergency room in January could have persuaded Luce to cash it in—pun intended.
It’s easy to see how much he enjoys it. Despite the time-consuming, dirty and labor-intensive nature of his chosen arena of fundraising, every time he describes his precise process for collecting, sorting, bagging and transporting returnable bottles, cans and plastics, his eyes twinkle and his smile grows wider.
In more than twenty years of continuous fundraising—Luce said he’s only taken three weeks off in all that time—he has garnered more than $140,000 for the school’s booster group and the state’s longest running Senior All-Night Party, or SANP; that’s 2.8 million bottles, cans and plastic containers.
Luce keeps biscuits on hand for each home on his pick-up route that has canines. He said some dogs are so used to his regular trips that they hear his truck coming and are at the fence waiting for a treat when he arrives.
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“Dave has helped Parkrose kids and families in so many ways through his unselfish pop can recycling program,” Parkrose School District Superintendent Karen Fischer Gray said in an email. “He and his wonderful wife, Barbara, have given their personal time, love and energy to the children of the Parkrose School District for many, many years.” She added, “They are much loved by Parkrose and will forever be appreciated for what they have given to our community. Their legacy will always be remembered in our hearts.”
Luce began the monthly can drive at the old high school in 1993 when Parkrose boosters Janet Gardner and Sue Kunz, who were familiar with Luce’s work raising money for his sons’ Cub Scout groups, approached him for help raising money for the SANP. With him nearing the end of his 30-year career with the Port of Portland as a dredger and airport maintenance worker, and with both of Luce’s sons in high school, it was a canny recruitment on their part. Who would have expected Luce to not only continue his efforts after his kids graduated but also turn it into an ongoing enterprise that provides a steady stream of revenue more than twenty years later?
Luce’s volunteerism began in the mid-’90s with a monthly public pop can and bottle drive at the old Parkrose High School. When it was demolished to make way for the current building, the fundraiser, held the first Saturday every month, moved across the street to Parkrose Middle School, where it’s been since. Luce, from left, with Argay Terrace residents Sharon Mershon and Terry Jones at the old high school in 1995.
STAFF/1995
He recalled one of the first drives at the old high school: “It was January, I had rain gear on to keep the wind off me and two propane boat heaters; with that we made $40 in four hours.”
When that building was demolished to make way for the current high school, he moved the monthly drive to the middle school on the first Saturday of every month, a tradition that continues to this day. Seeing potential, in 1995 Luce went out on his own, creating a route of more than 220 individuals and businesses who donate returnables, which in turn funds the annual SANP.
In a 2000 interview with the Oregonian, Luce said he spent about three to six hours a week doing the work. Like having a part-time job, though, that turned into easily 20 hours or more per week, he said.
Because Luce collects so many returnables, he isn’t allowed to redeem them at recycling centers like the one in Menlo Park Plaza. Once a month, for more than two decades, Luce and longtime friend Joe DeMir load up Luce’s cherry-condition 1978 GMC truck and his trailer, and drive downtown to Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative on Northwest Yeon St. This co-op picks up returnables from its area centers and takes recyclables in large quantities from individuals like Luce.
He’s learned his trailer can hold up to 42 bags of 400 cans each; his truck holds exactly 100 cases of beer. This big load he meticulously secures after an incident about 18 years ago, which he looks back on now and laughs about; however, at the time it wasn’t funny. Luce vividly recalled it: “I left with 42 [bags], and got downtown with 37,” he said with a smile. He said he had to pull over on I-84 near the 33rd Avenue off-ramp to retrieve bags that had flown off the trailer. “Rain, wind—oh, it was miserable. It was brutal,” he said, with a chuckle of someone who has enough distance between themselves and a trauma-filled moment to look back and see how comical it was. “I had to stop twice on the freeway and damn near got run over.” After retrieving and re-tying the bags, Luce said it happened again before they got to the recycling center. “I got up over the Fremont Bridge and away they went again. I just got off the Fremont Bridge and had to tie it down again.” Luce said when they finally got to OBRC’s loading dock, one of their trucks pulled in behind and the driver leaned out the window and asked Luce, “Hey, you lose something? Here’s three of ’em.”
It only took that incident for Luce to install hooks on the trailer for the ropes. “I got it all measured out and installed hooks,” he said.
Luce’s 1978 Chevy truck holds exactly 100 cases of bottles, and his fully loaded trailer holds 42 bags with 400 cans in each.
COURTESY DAVE LUCE
The hardest thing about the work for Luce is lifting barrels on and off his truck and trailer, which is hard work even for a big man Luce’s size. He’s gotten three hernias from all the lifting. “Those barrels are heavy,” he said with a laugh. “But it keeps me busy.” In addition, he’s battled colorectal cancer, had two hip replacements, and rotator cuff surgery. “You name it, I’ve had it,” he said.
Luce hasn’t done it alone, just mostly; wife Barbara and friend and neighbor Brenda Cook have been instrumental in helping him make pickups on his route when he is unable. “Brenda and Barb will take the truck and barrels; I gave ’em a list, they go pick ’em up and bring ’em back,” Luce said.
An avid fisherman, Luce said he also recruits his fishing buddies to help him. He credits longtime friend DeMir for being there just about every month for the last two decades to help him unload the truck and trailer at the recycling center.
“People who took over the boosters are doing a really good job,” Luce said. He specifically noted Todd and Deanne Paltridge, who “fired everybody up and got things done.”
Two husband-and-wife teams pick up Luce’s work.
In 2012, Luce turned over the monthly can drive at the middle school to Pop Can Patty Meighen and her husband Greg (“Can Man cashes it in” MCM March 2012). The Meighens, whose son is a Parkrose junior, said they have a history of volunteering at their son’s schools, and they saw a need and volunteered. “We stepped up and said we’d help out,” Patty Meighen said in an interview. “I shadowed Dave for a couple of can drives and then ran with it.”
The Meighens recognize what an invaluable fundraising tool Luce created. “A volunteer like Dave is so unusual,” she said. “It’s a phenomenal opportunity for the kids to earn money for their student groups.” Since Meighen and her husband work nine to five, they need someone to drive loads to OBRC. Initially, Parkrose resident Bob Jolin was bringing a trailer and driving loads to OBRC, but when his health started failing, longtime Argay resident Karl Rebstock volunteered. With financial help from the Parkrose Educational Foundation and Boosters, the Meighens bought a trailer that Greg modified and makes even the Can Man envious. “I dragged Greg into it,” she said. “He’s been fantastic help.” Meighen modified the new trailer with donations from Home Depot and Tacoma Screw, who donated hardware for the new trailer. “It’s a brand-new one,” Luce said. “Big 20-foot trailer, big sideboards, tandem axel; hell, they can haul over twice what the heck I can haul.”
Meighen said they’re always looking for volunteers. “We won’t do this forever,” Meighen said. “Other people are going to have to step up to help do this, because you just don’t want to lose that momentum and money coming in to the school.”
While the Meighens are doing the monthly drive, Parkrose booster Mary Dong and her husband are taking over Luce’s pickup route. “Dave is such an icon in our community,” said Dong. “His dedication over the years to the Parkrose area and the kids of Parkrose is something very special. It is my honor to work with him as we transition this effort to the parents/students leading the fundraising effort for this year’s party.”
If you need a pickup or would like to be added to their list, call Dong at 503-251-4745. The next pick up dates are Saturday, Feb. 13, and Saturday, March 12.
In his typically noble way, Luce said he owes the Parkrose community thanks. “They all supported me,” he said. “I met a lot of nice people in Parkrose.” He went on to list some of the many businesses that supported him. “Jim Dandy [Drive-In], Bob Brown [Parkrose Tire Factory], St. Matthew’s [Episcopal Church], the fire station [Portland Fire & Rescue Station 02], Les Schwab. I really appreciate it; a lot of nice people.”
Luce said he’s finishing up in February. “I want to fill my trailer up from people, and then I’m done … yeah, yeah,” he said as his voice trailed off. He’ll miss it. “I won’t have anything to do, I’ll have to come down and deliver papers for you.”
“Luce’s parting comment: “Go Broncos!”
