Help Ronnie Outlaw
Donation protected
The man in this photo is Ronnie Outlaw.
Ronnie Outlaw has worked for Dexter’s for 25 years.
I have known him personally for at least 13 years of those 25 years.
He is one of the kindest human beings I have ever met in my life.
I take that back...
He is THE kindest person I have ever known.
He is completely blind in his left eye and has only 5% vision in his right eye.
Despite his disability Dexter Richardson hired Ronnie Outlaw to do prep work at the old Fairbanks Avenue location in Winter Park in 1995.
He is one of the most diligent workers I have ever met in my life. He alone knows every recipe for every sauce, marinade, salad dressing (and sooo much more) Dexter’s has ever served in those past 25 years.
If you have ever dined at Dexter’s in the past 21 years Ronnie Outlaw has made your salad dressing, your soup and the sauces
that made Dexter’s an “Orlando culinary institution”.
Whatever your opinion of Dexter or his restaurants may be, Dexter Richardson always made sure that Ronnie Outlaw had a place to work.
And not out of charity.
But because Ronnie Outlaw is a truly great employee.
And more importantly, a kind and caring Human Being.
He is always on time and always willing to lend a helping hand. No matter what is asked of him. I have never once known Ronnie to complain or ever even known him to ever have a “bad day”.
And I am sure he has.
We all do.
But if he did, he never complained about it.
I believe Ronnie’s disability has given him a unique disposition and an appreciation that most people (including myself) take for granted.
I have personally known Ronnie Outlaw for many, many years and can genuinely say knowing him has given me an appreciation for life that I cannot say I would have ever had had I never met him.
Not because of his disability.
Because he has never let his disability define him.
Or ever once used it as an excuse.
Nor would he.
As many people may know by now Dexters of Thornton Park is closing. The current owners, who bought the restaurant after Dexter Richardson (an actual person) became seriously ill, are now selling the business after only a few months. After never even really giving the place a chance to thrive again. As it has for 25 years. TWENTY FIVE YEARS!
A quarter of a century for gods sake!
I’m not sure any of the 4 “professional” “business men” who bought the old place have ever shook Ronnie Outlaw’s hand. Or ever even spoke to Ronnie Outlaw for that matter. I know for a fact they never have. Because Ronnie Outlaw is my friend an he himself told me they never did.
While I understand that restaurants going out of business are a common occurrence, Dexter’s was an Orlando landmark and, without a doubt, a pioneer and trendsetter in an orange grove known mostly for a mouse. A seed in a neighborhood that had nearly completely died. Dexter’s made Thornton Park a destination for people from all over the world. Magic Players made it the "cool" place to be seen. Neighborhood locals made it a home.
And Ronnie Outlaw was there all along.
It was hip and cool before everything in this town was hip. Or cool.
And Ronnie Outlaw was the reason all of those people kept coming back.
Ronnie Outlaw is what made Dexter’s great.
And without a care to what may happen to him, the new owners are selling the “business”, without a single care of what may happen to a living legend.
Or 44 other employees for that matter.
The other 44 employees will find jobs. Because they are good people and good employees. Employees who were dedicated and committed to making Dexter’s into what it once was. Because they believed the “new owners” were going to be as committed to keeping Dexter Richardson’s legacy alive as they said they were.
Well, it turns out they weren’t .
Ronnie Outlaw has to PAY a Lynx Access bus (4 bucks a pop.Each way!) to get around. (What do our taxes in a “civilized” society like Orlando go toward anyways? Why are people with disabilities paying for “public transpiration”?)
How do you expect a man man who is 95% blind to find a job?
The new (now old) "owners" simply did not care.
And on top of that, Ronnie Outlaw has been living independently in his own apartment in Winter Park in a $700 a month apartment for 15 years. And in typical for the times of Orlando, his landlord is “renovating” his building and his rent will be going up nearly double!!! From $700 bucks a month to ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED and NINETY FIVE $$$$ a month. After 15 years!
What the f*ck!
Yes. There are programs that help those with disabilities. I know that.
Ronnie knows that.
Ronnie does receive disability benefits.
It is crumbs.
Ronnie wants to work. He enjoys the camaraderie and the friendships and independence that a job provides. It’s not a job to him.
It is an escape.
It's his way of making a contribution in life.
The point of this long winded diatribe is not to ask for a handout. But to seek humanity.
If the kid from college sports ball game day on ESPN can raise a million dollars for beer money I would hope that WE , a humane, kind and caring society, should be able to, at the very least, help Ronnie Outlaw find a job.
That's all he wants. A job.
And to know he will have a place he can afford to live if he is thrown out of where he has lived for 15 years.
So if he has to move we would like to be able to help him out and cover the cost of first, last and security deposit in a town where rent has increased drastically over the past four years. A city where humble humans who work modest jobs for meager wages can barely afford to live any longer.
And if this gofundme strikes gold like the beer fund dude did, Ronnie Outlaw will have his own restaurant! He knows all of the recipes by heart that helped make Dexter's of Thornton Park such a beloved staple.
If you could find it in the kindness of your heart to donate a few dollars to one of the greatest human beings, I have ever had the privilege of knowing, I am positive he would appreciate it. Greatly.
As would the Universe.
Ronnie Outlaw never gave up.
Ronnie Outlaw never quit.
He keeps on trying.
No matter what the odds are.
Ronnie Outlaw has worked for Dexter’s for 25 years.
I have known him personally for at least 13 years of those 25 years.
He is one of the kindest human beings I have ever met in my life.
I take that back...
He is THE kindest person I have ever known.
He is completely blind in his left eye and has only 5% vision in his right eye.
Despite his disability Dexter Richardson hired Ronnie Outlaw to do prep work at the old Fairbanks Avenue location in Winter Park in 1995.
He is one of the most diligent workers I have ever met in my life. He alone knows every recipe for every sauce, marinade, salad dressing (and sooo much more) Dexter’s has ever served in those past 25 years.
If you have ever dined at Dexter’s in the past 21 years Ronnie Outlaw has made your salad dressing, your soup and the sauces
that made Dexter’s an “Orlando culinary institution”.
Whatever your opinion of Dexter or his restaurants may be, Dexter Richardson always made sure that Ronnie Outlaw had a place to work.
And not out of charity.
But because Ronnie Outlaw is a truly great employee.
And more importantly, a kind and caring Human Being.
He is always on time and always willing to lend a helping hand. No matter what is asked of him. I have never once known Ronnie to complain or ever even known him to ever have a “bad day”.
And I am sure he has.
We all do.
But if he did, he never complained about it.
I believe Ronnie’s disability has given him a unique disposition and an appreciation that most people (including myself) take for granted.
I have personally known Ronnie Outlaw for many, many years and can genuinely say knowing him has given me an appreciation for life that I cannot say I would have ever had had I never met him.
Not because of his disability.
Because he has never let his disability define him.
Or ever once used it as an excuse.
Nor would he.
As many people may know by now Dexters of Thornton Park is closing. The current owners, who bought the restaurant after Dexter Richardson (an actual person) became seriously ill, are now selling the business after only a few months. After never even really giving the place a chance to thrive again. As it has for 25 years. TWENTY FIVE YEARS!
A quarter of a century for gods sake!
I’m not sure any of the 4 “professional” “business men” who bought the old place have ever shook Ronnie Outlaw’s hand. Or ever even spoke to Ronnie Outlaw for that matter. I know for a fact they never have. Because Ronnie Outlaw is my friend an he himself told me they never did.
While I understand that restaurants going out of business are a common occurrence, Dexter’s was an Orlando landmark and, without a doubt, a pioneer and trendsetter in an orange grove known mostly for a mouse. A seed in a neighborhood that had nearly completely died. Dexter’s made Thornton Park a destination for people from all over the world. Magic Players made it the "cool" place to be seen. Neighborhood locals made it a home.
And Ronnie Outlaw was there all along.
It was hip and cool before everything in this town was hip. Or cool.
And Ronnie Outlaw was the reason all of those people kept coming back.
Ronnie Outlaw is what made Dexter’s great.
And without a care to what may happen to him, the new owners are selling the “business”, without a single care of what may happen to a living legend.
Or 44 other employees for that matter.
The other 44 employees will find jobs. Because they are good people and good employees. Employees who were dedicated and committed to making Dexter’s into what it once was. Because they believed the “new owners” were going to be as committed to keeping Dexter Richardson’s legacy alive as they said they were.
Well, it turns out they weren’t .
Ronnie Outlaw has to PAY a Lynx Access bus (4 bucks a pop.Each way!) to get around. (What do our taxes in a “civilized” society like Orlando go toward anyways? Why are people with disabilities paying for “public transpiration”?)
How do you expect a man man who is 95% blind to find a job?
The new (now old) "owners" simply did not care.
And on top of that, Ronnie Outlaw has been living independently in his own apartment in Winter Park in a $700 a month apartment for 15 years. And in typical for the times of Orlando, his landlord is “renovating” his building and his rent will be going up nearly double!!! From $700 bucks a month to ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED and NINETY FIVE $$$$ a month. After 15 years!
What the f*ck!
Yes. There are programs that help those with disabilities. I know that.
Ronnie knows that.
Ronnie does receive disability benefits.
It is crumbs.
Ronnie wants to work. He enjoys the camaraderie and the friendships and independence that a job provides. It’s not a job to him.
It is an escape.
It's his way of making a contribution in life.
The point of this long winded diatribe is not to ask for a handout. But to seek humanity.
If the kid from college sports ball game day on ESPN can raise a million dollars for beer money I would hope that WE , a humane, kind and caring society, should be able to, at the very least, help Ronnie Outlaw find a job.
That's all he wants. A job.
And to know he will have a place he can afford to live if he is thrown out of where he has lived for 15 years.
So if he has to move we would like to be able to help him out and cover the cost of first, last and security deposit in a town where rent has increased drastically over the past four years. A city where humble humans who work modest jobs for meager wages can barely afford to live any longer.
And if this gofundme strikes gold like the beer fund dude did, Ronnie Outlaw will have his own restaurant! He knows all of the recipes by heart that helped make Dexter's of Thornton Park such a beloved staple.
If you could find it in the kindness of your heart to donate a few dollars to one of the greatest human beings, I have ever had the privilege of knowing, I am positive he would appreciate it. Greatly.
As would the Universe.
Ronnie Outlaw never gave up.
Ronnie Outlaw never quit.
He keeps on trying.
No matter what the odds are.
Organizer and beneficiary
Daniel Boone Savage
Organizer
Orlando, FL
ronald outlaw
Beneficiary