University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Weekend, October 9-12, 2014
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Meet Mark Sperry By Hallie Mellendorf THE DAILY CARDINAL
HALLIE MELLENDORF/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Mark Sperry, a former welder who is now homeless, sells newspapers while trying to find stable housing in Madison.
A bleak October afternoon near the eastern corner of Capitol Square is made brighter by a red Badger baseball cap adorning the head of an otherwise unobtrusive newspaper salesman. Although his headwear supports the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Mark Sperry never had the opportunity to go to college himself. As the frigid winter months edge closer, Sperry will also be without the opportunity to appreciate a home or bed of his own. Sperry first became homeless after an overseas company bought out the welding workshop where he had worked for 17 years, forcing him onto unemployment benefits. The welding shop hired Sperry straight out of high school, an accomplishment he said he took exceptional pride in at the time. Sperry estimates he now earns between $18 and $30 a day selling Street Pulse newspapers. “It’s not good for your attitude,
or for anything really,” Sperry said. “You have to overlook some things just to keep yourself motivated.” Sperry tries to save what little money he makes but said it is difficult. He spends his nights at Porchlight’s emergency shelter or at the house of whichever friend will take him in. Downtown Madison doesn’t feel like home to Sperry, who grew up hunting deer and fishing walleye with his older brothers in DeForest. He expects he would be much happier in a smaller town where he could more readily integrate nature into his daily interactions. However, Porchlight’s temporary housing is currently Sperry’s best option. He applied for its semi-permanent affordable housing program on two separate occasions, but said he was not accepted because the jobs he was working at the time did not meet the qualifying requirements. Despite these setbacks, Sperry makes the best of selling newspapers to keep his spirits up. “I try to be a good person,”
Sperry said. “I try to do what I can do, you know.” Sperry said the hardest part of selling papers isn’t the small income or the cold temperatures. It is the mental battle. “It’s really the no change,” Sperry said. “You battle that because you’re out here every day, trying to sell, trying to get ahead, trying to do something and you’re not really living anywhere… that’s tough.” The monotony of each day may take a toll, but Sperry said he focuses on interacting with the people who pass him on the street in order to increase his sales. When he feels exceedingly disheartened, Sperry said he allows himself a brief retreat into his thoughts. “You just kinda try to think of other things, you know? Think of old times or think ahead about things that I want to do,” Sperry said. “I want to get out of the situation, find a place to live and get back to, per say, normal. Whatever that may be.”
Residents use social media for assistance during home invasion Brin Riley, a University of Wisconsin-Madison senior, woke up to the iconic sound of a Facebook message iPhone notification from her roommate Saturday when she found out her residence was being robbed. According to Riley, her roommate in their West Gilman Street apartment first woke up to the sound of the intruder, 33-yearold Xavier Garner, attempting to enter through one of the doors. Garner eventually made his way into the apartment and allegedly peered into the roommate’s bedroom, according to a report from Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain. The roommate contacted police once
he realized the intruder was not visiting a friend. A third roommate confronted Garner after waking up around 3 a.m. to use the bathroom, according to Riley. The report states Garner armed himself with a screwdriver and commanded the third roommate to sit in his room and wait until police left the scene. “This whole time, myself and my roommates were basically on the Facebook group chat talking to each other,” Riley said. “We were also getting instructions from the police dispatcher through my roommate Brian who was on the phone with them.”
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LAKE WINGRA
Blood Moon
The second total lunar eclipse of the year creates a Blood Moon as seen over Lake Wingra early Wednesday morning. Sunrises and sunsets across Earth reflected onto the moon’s surface during the eclipse to create the coppery red color. + Photo by Kaitlyn Veto
The Capitol Profiles: Spotlight on homelessness and Porchlight Inc. As another frigid Madison winter approaches, the homeless community is once again burdened by the logistics of local shelter resources. Porchlight, Madison’s men’s homeless shelter, can serve approximately 175 men each night, according to its website. However, beneficiary Mark Sperry said he doubts
they have 100 beds to offer across their three locations. Porchlight’s website claims the organization offers more than just emergency services, with approximately 300 units for homeless families and individuals through its more permanent affordable housing program. However, the sum of the units
Why you need to VOTE
+OPINION, page 5
offered across seven different programs puts the available units closer to 169. Affordable housing is designed to meet the specific needs of applicants, offering accommodations ranging from family housing and veteran assistance to “transitional housing” for individuals suffering with alcoholism or mental health issues.
Residency at certain sites also requires participation in intervention services and life skills training. The single room occupancy units on Broom Street, for which Sperry has been on the waiting list twice, requires applicants to provide proof of permanent employment of at least 20 hours per week. Sperry said he was never placed
in housing because the first time, although he was working full-time hours, his official employment with a temp agency was not considered “permanent.” His current occupation with Street Pulse, Madison’s homeless cooperative newspaper, also does
The quarterback
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+SPORTS, page 8
QUESTION
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”