Dorri Partain 
Managing Editor

The Independence Avenue Community Improvement District (CID) oversees improvements along Independence Avenue. These improvements include trash collection, beautification, and assistance in a program referred to as GRIME, CRIME & CHIME. The CID’s crew of 10 Urban Street Ambassadors includes Adrian VanDusen, who has been a familiar face on the avenue for the past 6 years.

VanDusen’s responsibilities as an ambassador mostly involve landscaping– trimming hedges, bushes and watering plants and flowers. He also pitches in with trash collection as needed. For VanDusen, the outdoor environment is the perfect working condition as he really enjoys being outside– no matter the heat or cold.

He’s worked a variety of professions and has taken other job opportunities, but ends up coming back to work for the CID so he can be outside. He also enjoys interacting with people along the avenue and the business owners, and enjoys working with the other members of the street ambassador crew.

Van Dusen currently lives outside Historic Northeast, but has lived here off and on over the years and enjoys working in the neighborhood. As an ambassador, he likes that the position always keeps him busy and admits he’s a bit OCD about keeping The Avenue clean– just as he is about his own home. One challenge he’s encountered is people that “help themselves” to the plants and pots he cares for, but stated that there’s been fewer occurrences this year.

“Adrian is a valuable member of this team,” said CID Team Resource Manager Laura Birdsong. “I am so proud of the personal growth I have witnessed while he has been with the CID. His hard work has earned him a rightful place as one of our lead ambassadors.”

When he’s not working on The Avenue, VanDusen enjoys listening to music, fishing, and reading– especially about do-it-yourself projects, guns and knives. If you spot Adrian making The Avenue beautiful, wave, say Hi and Thank You.