For decades Jean Boekelman's father ran Mr. B Photography from the family home on Center Street.
Now, however, after Mr. Boekelman's passing, his daughter has a new calling. Although she continued operating the studio for a few years, Jean decided to focus on something entirely different -- helping the homeless.

Today Mr. B's old, large house provides shelter to men who are working on getting their lives back together. Antique cameras and faded photographs still adorn the house, pretty much like her dad left it. Jean started welcoming transients for meals, shelter and supplies while she ran the business, but customers grew weary and uncomfortable with the frequent odd visitors throughout the day. It just wasn't feasible to do both, she explained.

Boekelman partnered with Salem Vineyard Fellowship to run what she calls "Our Father's Porch." The porch itself serves an important purpose as storage for dry clothes, sleeping bags and blankets and to shelter those without a place to stay during stormy winter weather.

With recent discussion among city councilors on outlawing panhandling, Boekelman explained the common situation for those stuck in a cycle of poverty and crime. Many people are released from prison or jail without valid identification and little money if any, she explained, thus making it difficult to impossible to find work. With no Social Security card or driver's license, hiring by most businesses is out of the question.

Becoming a panhandler is one of few options.

"For most of them it is a step up from shoplifting and stealing," Boekelman said.

She remembered how it humiliated one man in particular, but she admired his resolve to quit stealing.

"It is a choice not to steal," she said.

At times competition and egos interfered with the regulars trying to make some change on the corner near Mr. B Photography, near the Center Street Safeway, occasionally ending in fights. A man named Clarence came up with a novel idea -- taking turns. One day he just got fed up with all of the squabbling, so he developed a plan and convinced everyone to sign on. For the past few years, a half hour after being approached, the person "flying" is supposed to relinquish the spot.

People say it works, too.

"Most people abide by it pretty well. It's a pretty good system actually," one of Boekelman's tenants, Scott Mathews, said.

However, panhandling would be illegal if certain politicians get their way. The legal entanglements revolving around the issue are complex, though, and most homeless know the subtleties of the law and how to avoid getting into trouble.

"I don't see standing there with a sign as panhandling," Mathews said. "What they're doing is exercising free speech from their perspective."
Some police officers know how to finesse the system as well, citing people for impeding traffic as a person steps onto the street to take money offered by generous passersby from their cars.
"They aren't going to be able to stop people. Are they going to arrest the girl holding a sign for a car wash?" Mathews asked.

If a law is passed, Mathews believes property crime will increase sharply.

"The crime rate will go up. People who do this will turn to crime. They are gonna try and get their money somehow," he said.

On his best day Mathews made $60, though he heard that some came away with as much as $90 a day during the holidays.

"It is really variable. It can be five bucks or thirty," Mathews said. "It all depends on the luck of the draw. Some days you make nothing."