Celebrating 20 Years of Jaywalker

This year marked a truly special milestone for Jaywalker as we celebrated 20 years of community, recovery, and transformation here in Carbondale. Since opening our doors in 2005, Jaywalker has been dedicated to walking alongside men in recovery, offering hope, support, and the chance to build meaningful lives filled with purpose and connection. Over the past two decades, our community has grown in countless ways—expanding programs, deepening partnerships, and most importantly, witnessing the incredible journeys of our alumni.

Our 20th Anniversary Celebration was more than just a look back; it was a recognition of the many lives touched and a recommitment to the mission that started it all. The weekend was filled with opportunities to reconnect, celebrate, and honor the stories that make Jaywalker what it is today. From the celebration at Sopris Park with dinner by Plosky’s Deli, live music from our alumni and a Wisdom Panel moderated by founder Bobby Ferguson to a Sunday breakfast prepared by Chef Brian Trom and tours of our community, it was a chance for alumni, families, and friends to come together in joy and gratitude.

A highlight of this anniversary was the unveiling of the Jaywalker 20 and 20 project, a book curated by Founder Bobby Ferguson and Alumni Coordinator Sam Funger. This collection featured 20 powerful alumni stories, each reflecting the resilience, growth, and transformation that have defined Jaywalker over the past two decades. Alongside this, we were honored to share the opening of our memorial garden, a sacred space created to honor and remember those we have lost while celebrating the strength of our shared community.

As we reflected on 20 years of impact, we were filled with gratitude—for our alumni who carry the message of recovery into the world, for the families and friends who support this journey, and for the dedicated staff and community partners who have made our mission possible. Jaywalker has always been more than a program—it’s a family, a community, and a way of life.

Here’s to 20 years of walking together—and to the next chapter of growth, healing, and hope. Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate with us this September in Carbondale!