Louisbourg carpenter hitchhikes to job site to care for her kids
Rachel Wagner, a young single mother of two from Louisbourg, N.S., embodies toughness with a positive "get 'er done" attitude.
Wagner became a mom early in life and dropped out of school.
A few years later she decided to go to college. She travelled with a friend in the first year of the carpentry program, but in the second year that ride wasn't available.
She didn't have a car, but she didn`t give up. "It was the thumb or I wasn't graduating," said Wagner.
At 27, she's now a full-time carpenter and hitchhikes 35 kilometres into Sydney everyday from Louisbourg to provide for her children.
"People like to tell the story about the girl who hikes and does carpentry to support her kids," said Wagner. "I got pretty known from it and now it's not too bad. Now I wait ten, fifteen minutes; on a hard day it's fifteen minutes."
She said she's good at reading people and doesn't feel scared while hitchhiking. She said only once did she feel "creeped out" by someone she hitched a ride with, but luckily nothing came of it.
She hauls, measures, cuts and hammers as an equal on the job site. She credits her boss Arthur MacKinnon for hiring her five years ago.
"Because she proved herself," said MacKinnon. "Everyone needs a chance, let's face it, so I gave her one and she took it from here."
MacKinnon is also impressed with her no complaints, hard-working attitude.
"Anyone who will hitchhike in from Louisbourg to go to work, that's dedicated," said MacKinnon.
Roofing and decks are her favourite projects. She said she also likes the independence her skills provide.
"Being able to not need a man to help me around the house, just being able to do everything myself," said Wagner.
Wagner said she's considered getting a car, but can't afford it. So for now, proud of her work, she'll keep thumbing it, and making friends along the way.
"You learn a to gain a sense of pride from it — no longer ashamed of the things you've got to do to get to where you've got to go," Wagner said.
