Preble Street staff are #CompassionInAction, and we want you to get to know them! This month we’re introducing you to Richard Kepler, Housing Support Staff at Florence House 

Name, title, and program: Richard Kepler, Housing Support Staff (overnight shift), Florence House  

How long have you worked at Preble Street? It will be nine years at the end of November.  

What is a favorite memory you have at your current program? When I first started at Florence House, the overnight staff had to create an outreach activity in order to get to know the clients. One co-worker did a weekly breakfast. Another did a movie night. I have done Ancestry.com as a hobby for 18 years, so I used that as my outreach. It has led me down the road called “Many Surprises”!  For instance, I found out that I was related to two different coworkers. One is my 2nd cousin, 16 times removed, and another is my 10th cousin, one time removed.  

But the most amazing discovery was when I was researching two clients who had become close friends. I found out that the one client’s great-great-grandfather from the Indigenous Wabanaki tribe had been in the same battle in northern Maine that the other client’s great-great-grandfather had been killed in. They told that story to anyone that was willing to listen. They even teased each other about it and did role-plays for other clients about how it might have happened. It always ended up with them laughing and hugging. 

What do you want people to understand about your job? None of the best moments would ever occur without first, a relationship. This takes time, and discernment, but the most important part of creating a relationship with anyone is to have the goal and the willingness to love people, no matter who they are, where they are, or what they are!  

What aspect of Preble Street makes you proud to work here? I strongly believe that, as human beings, every day we need to be successful and accomplish something that would be deemed important and valuable. I believe that every night when you lie down at the end of a hard day, you want to go to bed knowing you were successful, and you had accomplished something that day. No matter what happens during my shift at FH, I always go to sleep knowing I did SOMETHING in that shift to help another human, even if it is just answering a phone or handing out a towel!   

What is the best piece of advice you’ve heard? “Every day, we are faced with great opportunities, brilliantly disguised as difficult situations.” – Rev. Charles Swindoll  

Describe a funny or unique experience that you’ve had. Years ago, we went to Kennebunkport on the 4th of July to view the fireworks. I saw President George H.W. Bush walk by and told my wife and children I was going to turn around and go and try and meet him. He was going to get his boat to watch the fireworks with his family later.  With three of our young children beside me waiting on the sidewalk, he turned right in front of us and walked towards the marina. I thought, “It’s now or never,” so I ran up behind him and yelled “Hello President Bush!” (word of advice here… don’t ever do that to a president!) Immediately we were surrounded by secret service agents who were all dressed as regular people. As my mind went blank, all I could think of was to yell, “I’m Lieutenant Commander Don Kepler’s son!” My father was President Bush’s Survival Instructor at Chapel Hill, NC during his training as a Navy Pilot. He remembered my father (whew!!) and called off the agents. Much to our surprise, he invited me and the children into the marina to talk about my father and his survival training and WWII. He took time to take pictures with myself and the children and was the most gracious host!  

Anything else you want people to know? (professionally, personally, or other?) Very simply, “There, but for the grace of God, go I!” Homelessness can happen to any one of us (and has)!