Barista Magazine is your home for the worldwide community of coffee and the people who make it.
Issue link: http://baristamagazine.epubxp.com/i/96027
PDX BARISTAS FOR BOOBS: A SPOOKY FUN SUCCESS BARISTA CARRIE WEBSTER has more friends than she thought—way more friends. Having worked in coffeehouses in Portland, Ore., and New York—which is where she's currently located—Carrie was no stranger to how loving and supportive the barista community can be. But she was nevertheless overwhelmed by the levels of emotional encouragement and financial aid her fellow coffee professionals would shower her with when they learned Carrie was battling breast cancer. Her coworker at Joe in New York, Matt Banbury, knew that even though Joe provides employees with terrific health care benefits, Carrie was going to need some serious cash for treatment copays and missed work, so he came up with the concept, Barista for Boobs. It's a latte art throwdown with a mission: gather friends and coffee lovers for a casual party, get sponsors for prizes and beer, and charge baristas to throw down in a friendly competition. Entry fees go directly to Carrie, and a raffle for the prizes earns even more cash. Knowing that the platform has been successfully raising money for Carrie in New York, Carrie's old friend, Rita Kaminsky, decided to coordinate one in Portland in October, when Carrie was due out for a visit. With the help of another of Carrie's friends, Daniel Gunter, Rita organized an event that drew baristas from as far as Idaho, and raised, all told, more than $1,700. Stumptown Coffee Roasters generously offered its new headquarters as the event locale, and more than 100 baristas and supporters showed up to watch some Halloween-themed latte art pours, and raise money for a worthy cause, not to mention a worthy woman. "It's overwhelming how much the coffee community is supporting me," Sarah Mykkanen (le ) of Heart in Portland brought a creepy doll with a sawed-off head to pour into at the Halloween-themed Baristas for Boobs event at the end of October, and won Best Vessel—duh. At right, event organizer Rita Kaminsky (in totes adorbs sailor suit costume) hugged her pal, barista Carrie Webster, for whom the event would benefit: through her ba le with breast cancer, Carrie has been overwhelmed by the love and support of the barista community expressed through hugs and cash at Baristas for Boobs events like this one, which raised more than $1,700 for Carrie's medical expenses. Carrie said at the event. "This has been such a difficult thing to go through, but it's amazing how much better I feel knowing the coffee community is behind me." —Sarah Allen Discover the Potential of SPECIALTY COFFEE Taf looks for the best coffee beans, roasts them with a unique roast profile and follows all the standards for the perfect brewing. All this expertise is transferred into the cup. • direct relationship coffees • research & education • fresh roast Visit our website www.cafetaf.gr www.baristamagazine.com 19