Success Stories

Sometimes a single event makes the difference. Kevin has never been to Dawn Farm for treatment—not our Detox, residential or even outpatient. But Kevin's story is profoundly linked to the Farm. On a Tuesday night in 1998, in Dawn Farm's living room, everything changed...

40 years of community It was 1973. My friend Gary Archie had an idea. Sober since 1966, Gary had met some folks from Quebec who had started a small therapeutic community outside of Montreal—and Gary wanted to do the same. Gary picked up Jack Scholtus and me (pictured...

singing about freedom Keri grew up in a close, creative family. From an early age, music was there. "I think I started performing when I was in preschool,"  she remembers. She had real talent, everyone saw it. But when Keri was 15 years old, she took a sip of alcohol...

Emily was born and raised in Ann Arbor. She has a loving family, went to good schools and rode horses on the equestrian team. In many respects she had an ideal childhood. When Emily was 14 years old, she experimented with drugs, and her life quickly turned in a...

Maggie and her nine year old daughter Jill came to the states from Scotland in 1983. Jill was already smoking cigarettes—and on the lookout for other "grownup" activities. "I was never good at following rules." She drank at age 10, smoked pot at 11, and getting high...

We originally wrote about Clifton Chippewa in the fall of 1994—a great story of hope and dreams fulfilled. Today, the story is better than ever. Some might say  it's award worthy. Despite a successful career as a hairstylist in Oakland County, Clifton was broken and...

Meg was, above all, a good girl. Raised in a devout Catholic home, this young woman grew up with a profound faith in God and a rich family life. Meg was the second of six children, with loving parents and a great life. She was a straight-A student and active in school...

Greg drank his first beer when he was 13 or 14—it was uneventful. He had alcohol with friends a few times in high school, but it was never a problem. Then came college. As a young freshman at Michigan State, suddenly booze began to take on a greater role in Greg's...

You have to meet Charles to believe he's real. Brimming with gratitude about his own recovery, he reaches out to others on a daily basis. It is just plain inspiring. Charles was not always that way. He grew up in Detroit, and his childhood was a colorful one. His...

Don was born in Pontiac in 1947. His family moved to Brighton when he was young, where his dad opened a grocery store. "That's where I stole my first six-pack of beer." Despite an average childhood, Don always felt out of place, like he didn't fit in. In high school,...

Erica has found a new life in sobriety. She is full of gratitude. She helps other women who are trying to find recovery. She's a hard worker and a contributing member of her community. It wasn't always that way. Born in Holt, Michigan, Erica was a good girl,...

If you meet Cameron, you never forget him. An imposing man, he is full of charm and life and passion. He greets you warmly and looks into your eyes to see who you really are. He's come a long way since that grim day in September 1999, shivering on the doorstep of Dawn...

Terry had become a bad alcoholic. Homeless on the streets, her kids in foster care, moving from state to state. A defeated woman, caught in the bottle. Until her life was transformed at Dawn Farm. Terry took her first drink at age 10, and had black outs almost...

In her own right, Lisa is a miracle. But her personal recovery from alcoholism is only the beginning of what life has brought to this extraordinary young woman. She is full of gratitude. She helps other women who are trying to maintain sobriety. She's a loving wife...

Billy was a handful. Raised in a stable and happy family in Monroe, Michigan, he attended private Catholic schools. But Billy was a curious kid; he experimented with alcohol and marijuana at age 14. By 15, he was already in big trouble. "I got kicked out of high...

Sandy, Agnes, Angela, Micki, Sarah, Michelle, Erica, Madeline, Hannah, Amy, Amanda, Betsy, Kelly, Denise, Stevie, Kelly, Andrea and Tracey. These were just the women who could come on short notice to have their picture taken. They represent dozens more young women who...

Or good deli, to be more specific. The photo above is a collection of men and women who share two great things. They all work for the nationally-known Zingerman's Delicatessen (that's co-owner Paul Saginaw on the far left). And all of their lives changed as a result...