By Ashley Dykstra Mr. Markus Meaney searched through his shiny leather wallet to produce an equally pristine photo of himself before he lost his home, wife and livelihood. He held it up and handed it to me reverently, as ‘proof’ that he was physically in shape, clean-cut, and emotionally well-adjusted at one time. Even though
Member Profile: Jerry Deveau
By Ashley Dykstra Jerry Deveau chose a life less ordinary – a purpose driven existence punctuated by transient jobs, travel abroad, jail sentences, substance use disorders, relapses, and then recovery. Sharing in his experiences was his adoring wife, who passed away suddenly four years ago. Her memory is sobering, and Jerry is committed to staying
Member Profile: John Honn
By Ashley Dykstra “When I walk through the door, it’s a home away from home,” said John, “kind of like the show Cheers; a place where everybody knows your name – that’s not a bar.” John Honn is one of our baristas, celebrating his three-year anniversary as an active Member of the Café and his
Member Profile: Mike Perry
An Interview with Mr. Michael Perry By Ashley Dykstra Before Recovery Café Community Members break bread together, they are asked to acknowledge acts of kindness that inspire them. Interrupting the prolonged silence that follows this request while individuals search their mental rolodex of good deeds, a Member recognized Mr. Michael “Mike” Perry for his regular
Member Profile, “Keith”
The middle-aged man before me is calm, well spoken, courteous, and warm. He wears a baseball cap and a neat jacket; his language is formal and old-fashioned – almost courtly. The story that unfolds between us over the next forty minutes is about loss. It’s about mental illness. It’s about the gossamer threads that have held his life together for the last 14 years…