“From Rats to Riches” By Ashley Dykstra Keith was overjoyed. He, a recovering addict with an arrest record, passed the enlistment process to be a culinary specialist with the United States Army. Two days before he was scheduled to leave for basic training, a car struck his bicycle. The driver fled the scene, leaving Keith … Continued
A theme we often see at Recovery Café is the need for closure from a lot of our Members. The following is a declaration of transformation from one of our Member’s, as told by our Founding Director Killian Noe. Names have been changed and omitted for confidentiality purposes. She slipped into my office and in … Continued
“No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away.” – Terry Pratchett When a new donor, volunteer, or community member comes to Recovery Café for the first time they inevitably ask; “What makes this place so special, what is the secret to your success?” The answer, which might seemingly … Continued
Recovery Café was honored to have both Jim Vollendroff and King County Council Member Jeanne Kohl-Welles at our recent Standing in the Gap Friend and Fundraising breakfast. A longtime Member of the Café, Victor was the co-emcee. We have shared a little bit of his story with King County in year’s past. We also recently … Continued
By Ashley Dykstra Jay believes that everyone is coded at birth with a pre-determined destiny. And his journey was majorly altered in infancy with his adoption. “My adoptive mother told me that I was special and she chose me,” but his adoption left a vacancy in his heart. “I was living a life borrowed because … Continued
By Ashley Dykstra To protect the privacy of our Members, the names and some identifying details have been changed. J. Cooley traveled more than 2,800 miles from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Seattle to end his life. In January 2015, when most of us were making and breaking our New Year’s resolutions to meet idealistic fitness goals … Continued
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 … Continued
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 … Continued
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 … Continued
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 … Continued