Before coming to Powell River just over a year ago, Daniel Rajala was, in his own words, “homeless, poor and rejected.” Since then, he has experienced a total turnaround.
“Life has gotten a lot better for me since I moved here,” said Rajala. “I’ve never been to a town like this...everyone’s a little more responsible for everyone else’s well-being.”
As an ex-cocaine addict, it’s been an uphill battle for the 57-year-old to reach this point. After losing almost a decade of his life to addiction, Rajala spent a seven-year stint in Nanaimo working on his sobriety, using poetry and painting to quell his cocaine demons.
Then, he decided to move back to Vancouver.
Though his goal was to take some courses at a reputable university, back in his old environment Rajala soon fell into his old habit. “Basically, I would have spent all my money and probably been on the streets and dead in days if I hadn’t left Vancouver,” he explained.
Rajala was reluctant to talk any further about his drug-fuelled past and preferred to focus on how people in Powell River have helped him.
Powell River, said Rajala, is a far cry from the fast-paced anonymous life of the city. “People seem to care more about each other here,” he said. “If a person loses their recovery [in the city], nobody cares. You could be out of your house on the streets with no money and nobody cares.
“In big cities, the crime and drug addiction problems are so great that people are afraid to get to know other people,” Rajala continued. He said that though many in Powell River can tell he’s had a hard life, “people here still welcome someone like me, who basically just came off the streets of Vancouver.”
Soon after arriving in Powell River, Rajala was able to find affordable housing “with a million-dollar view.” This view, along with the peacefulness of the community, has inspired him to start painting and writing poetry again. Rajala has since written two chapbooks of poetry—bringing his total to 31—and finished numerous paintings that he started in Nanaimo.
The generosity of Powell River residents has also helped Rajala to climb back on track. He was particularly impressed when, after having problems with the winter cold, some people donated money for a heater. “You know, somebody just gave me $60,” he said. “I mean, that’s incredible.”
Powell River residents have also bought every single one of the chapbooks Rajala printed and bound himself. Rajala even did a poetry reading at Breakwater Books and Coffee, with a solid turnout. “There were about 12 people who showed up,” he explained, “so that was pretty encouraging.”
Another turning point for Rajala was when he had a painting displayed in the Rodmay Hotel last spring during the Expose Yourself erotic art show. “It’s great to get some recognition,” he said.
In turn, Rajala has worked to share a little of himself with the community. Recently, he has been involved with CJMP 90.1 FM, hosting a radio show called Captain Underpants. Inspired by a humorous children’s book, “it has kind of an anarchist theme, getting rid of a lot of the boundaries people have in life.” On the show, Rajala reads poetry by himself and others, and talks about any topic he feels needs to be brought up.
Rajala said he’s thankful for the peace and sobriety Powell River has helped him achieve. “I mean, there’s always some problems. Like the other day I had some trouble doing laundry,” he said, laughing, “but you can get over that.”
If readers have a story they would like to share about their experience of being welcomed to Powell River, please contact Kierra Jones at [email protected].
