For peers who maintain rules and exhibit leadership at Perry Wellness Center, recognition of their excellence may include field trips to locales throughout Southwest Georgia. Particularly during the spring and summer months, selected peers and staff enjoy these visits, which can also serve as a learning experience.

Recently, PWC founder and CEO Stuart Perry asked staff member Kelly Jansen to organize a group of peers for a visit to the Town House Restaurant in downtown Buena Vista. The former “Sign of the Dove” was recently renovated and turned into Marion County’s newest restaurant. As previously reported, the Perry family knows owner Clay Snider well, as he worked at the Perrys’ service station in Buena Vista many years ago.

“Clay is another generation of the Snider family who has been good to us,” Stuart states. “All of his family has supported the mission of Perry Wellness Center, Happy Patch Market, and all our endeavors to help those with mental illness or substance abuse problems.” Given the support of the Snider family, Stuart took the opportunity to show his own support when Clay Snider started his new business. He sent two ferns from Happy Patch to the restaurant as a “house warming” present and planned a lunch outing for peers at the Town House.

The visit was a success, and Marion County staff member Mulkey McMichael received positive feedback on his most recent visit to the restaurant. He was approached by restaurant staff and guests who had been present at the visit of the PWC peer group. They offered compliments for the peer visitors’ manners and behavior.

“I wish I had known of their visit to Buena Vista so that I could meet them. It was great PR for our campus,” says the veteran public relations man. Mulkey made a point to visit with the peers who had attended the outing.

In the photo above, Kelly Jansen, second from left and Stuart Perry, third from left, meet with the exemplary group of peers for a group photo. Left to right are: Nakia Rhone, Jansen, Perry, Nate Thomas, Kaylon Holt, Irvin Cook, Shanoria Robinson, Shanesha Edge, and Jamica Colbert.