Life changed for Jim Christensen at a Utica, N.Y., playground on June 4, 1994.
While baby-sitting his niece, Christensen fell out of a swing and broke his neck.
"I instantly went paralyzed, right then and there," said Christensen, 33. Paralyzed below midchest, he has had to use a wheelchair since.
After a move to the Richmond area, his life changed again in fall 2005. That's when he was hired as a host at the Positive Vibe Café in South Richmond.
The nonprofit employs physically and mentally disabled people in its restaurant. It also offers classes that teach the disabled how to work in food service.
The Positive Vibe, which opened during an ice storm on Jan. 15, 2005, is celebrating its fourth anniversary this chilly weekend.
Before he worked at the Positive Vibe, Christensen had trouble finding a job. "It's a problem sometimes when you have to compete with everyday people who have more speed than you do."
The biggest benefit of the Vibe job, the Chester resident said, was getting back among people. "You don't want to just sit at home and rot away."
The Vibe is unusual, if not unique. It takes no tax dollars. It operates on donations, grants, volunteer work and revenue from the restaurant. The place has won awards and drawn international news coverage.
Situated in the Stratford Hills Shopping Center, the Vibe expanded a month ago into a former bank branch next door, increasing seating in its main room from 55 to 85.
"It has spread in a way that we never, ever anticipated," said Garth Larcen, who founded Positive Vibe with his son, Max, 30.
Max, who has muscular dystrophy, was also having trouble finding work a few years ago.
"He got to the point where he was just giving up," his father said.
The Positive Vibe became the solution. "It has given me a lot more confidence," Max said yesterday over the hubbub of the restaurant.
"When I first started, I was real nervous talking to people. I'm definitely better at that now."
Seventeen of the restaurant's 25 paid employees are disabled. The chefs are professionals. The servers and bartenders are volunteers, working for tips. The restaurant's eclectic menu ranges from seafood and vegetarian fare to buffalo burgers.
The Positive Vibe celebrated its anniversary yesterday afternoon and night with music from eight bands. The artists, including Susan Greenbaum and Page Wilson, performed for free.
Tonight, the celebration continues with a special dinner prepared by French chef Paul Elbling. The cost is $200 a couple, wine included.
"It's a big weekend for us," Larcen said.
Contact Rex Springston at (804) 649-6453 or rspringston@timesdispatch.com.
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