Volunteers mix a mean cup of joe at Mat-Su Regional

PALMER — Of the dozens of places to get a morning caffeine fix, Joe and Maryann Lisenby’s stand is a little hard to find.

For employees and patients at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, the Lisenbys serve up more than fresh coffee and lattes from the hospital’s lobby espresso bar. The retired Palmer couple has been brewing fresh-ground coffee and whipping milk into froth since 2003 as hospital volunteers. But it’s their trademark upbeat attitude and warm smiles that keep staff and visitors coming back.

“Oh, they’re just wonderful,” said Babbette Robertson, a registered nurse on a quick coffee break. “I reward myself on particular days. It’s a treat.”

On this day, it’s a chocolate mocha with cherry syrup and whipped cream, expertly made by Joe, an enthusiastic barista.

Owning a coffee shop “was my dream when I was still working,” he said. “My mistake was waiting until I was retired. Now I enjoy retirement so much I don’t want to be (tied) down.”

The couple moved to Palmer in 2002, and after about a year had passed, Maryann said they began looking for ways to become involved in the community. In addition to manning the espresso bar, she volunteers to serve on Matanuska Electric Association’s scholarship committee and is on the welcoming and landscaping committees of her subdivision. Joe also volunteers with the American Red Cross and at Sportsman’s firing range.

“It’s a great way to give back to the community,” Maryann said about the couple’s volunteer work. “But my main reason for starting to volunteer is because we moved out her a little over seven years ago and didn’t know anyone. We moved here from Anchorage, so it was a great way to meet new people so when you went to the post office you know someone in line.”

It was a television spot that first turned the couple on to volunteering at the hospital.

“I was watching the TV, and I was flipping the channels and I saw the thing come up on the screen where they’re looking for volunteers,” Joe said. “So I went in. I initially was going to go (to another department) to volunteer. When I got in there, the volunteer coordinator looked at me and smiled. I said, ‘Let me guess, someone didn’t show up for espresso.’ So I went in there and got to having so much fun I said, ‘That’s for me. I’m going to stay right here.’”

Don’t let their infectious smiles and upbeat attitude fool you into thinking they’re not serious about coffee. They grind the beans fresh and are quick and efficient in mixing up dozens of different combinations.

Joe prefers a “wet cappuccino,” which he describes as “just a foamy latte,” while Maryann is a traditional straight black coffee drinker. At home, however, Joe’s the barista.

“It’s ‘Joebucks,’” he jokes, referring to the popular Starbucks coffee chain. “I trained her to be a barista and here I am making all the coffee. … We just have fun. We wouldn’t do it if it weren’t fun.”

Now veterans in the espresso stand, the Lisenbys also help train new volunteers, said Kerry Aguirre, director of marketing and public relations for Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.

“Joe and Maryann are just a very happy-go-lucky couple that take their volunteering very seriously,” she said. “They are super friendly to all of us. They know a lot of people here in the hospital and they help in lots and lots of ways. They’re great ambassadors for the volunteer program at the hospital.”

And their prowess at juggling the java isn’t lost on Aguirre. “I like the 20-ounce skinny latte — with a lot of caffeine — and they make it perfectly.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.