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Hernando Today

She works hard for little money

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By TONY HOLT

Hernando Today

Published: July 5, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - She lives in a van down by the river.

It's actually on a horse farm near a lake, but the van part is true.

She also gives encouraging advice to anyone willing to listen. She would like to make a career out of it someday - on the radio.

Tanya L. Marsh is not a character on a late-night comedy skit show. She is the real thing. Those who regularly drive through the intersection of Mariner and Cortez boulevards likely have seen her.

That's where she dances, waves and flashes peace signs to the thousands of people riding past her during the morning and afternoon.

The owners of the nearby Jersey Cafe and Golf Etc. hired Marsh to do their roadside advertising. She stands along the street corner and gives the businesses, located more than 100 yards from the road, the kind of exposure they had hoped for when they moved to one of the busiest intersections in the county.

"I would say 90 percent of it has been excellent," Marsh said of her experiences holding signs along the road.

"I did get mooned the other day," she said before letting out a loud laugh. "That was interesting. I had never been mooned before."

Most of the time, the 48-year-old brunette has seen kids wave to her, motorcyclists give her the thumbs up or men whistle and honk at her.

"When it rains there's usually a puddle here," she said as she pointed toward the edge of Mariner Boulevard under the traffic light, a few feet from where she stands. "People will go around it for me out of respect."

She smiles big and usually wears short shorts, a tank top and a baseball cap. Her roller skates are old, worn and torn. Her constant exposure to the sun has given her a noticeably deep tan.

Food also is sparse. Marsh stands almost 5 feet 9 and weighs less than 120 pounds.

A friend bought Marsh a watch at Walgreens. When she put it on, he noticed she could slide it up her arm almost to her elbow.

Another unmistakable feature is her voice. Marsh was born in Georgia, but raised in Tampa. Her parents sent her to Catholic school. She has text-book perfect enunciation and there is no hint of a Southern accent. Her voice is suited for the radio.

She hopes to land a job in the industry someday soon. Her goal is to host shows about good people doing good things.

"Good is profitable right now," she said. "People want to hear good stories."

Marsh endures tough conditions, but she doesn't complain.

She sprinkles her conversations with positive sayings. "Be thankful of what you have and don't think about what you don't have" is one of her favorites.

Joe Cuce is thankful for her. He owns the Jersey Cafe and has known Marsh for a few years. She first became a regular customer in his restaurant while she worked down the street at a car wash.

She was let go from that job, which meant her already-Spartan lifestyle was about to get tougher.

Cruce wanted to help. Both he and his customers liked having her around.

He offered her the job of holding a sign along the intersection. She would get paid a wage and get to eat at the restaurant for half price. That simple advertising idea - commonly known as guerilla marketing - has benefited both his business and his friend.

He said Marsh refuses to take charity. She expects to earn everything she gets.

"It keeps her pride intact," Cruce said.

He wishes to see her upgrade from a van to something more stable. He also would like to see her have more access to electricity and running water.

Marsh relies on a small battery-powered fan and a generator.

Cruce hopes someone will offer her an old camper to use.

"I'd like to see her get a roof over her head, one that doesn't leak and is safe," he said.

Marsh's parents died almost a decade ago. She said her brother swiped all the inheritance. She tried to get her fair share, but now the money is gone.

She hopes to hold more signs for more businesses. She even had some business cards made.

Marsh's fledgling business is called "Signs & Time."

The work keeps her going. It also means fewer hours alone by the lake.

"Getting a camper would be fantastic," Marsh said. "Being in a van has been very challenging."

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

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