Local Coffeeshop Supports the Troops

Bev and Jim Waldenfels are the proud parents of an Army soldier.  When their son returned home from his first deployment, they understood the importance of personal support and contact with our troops overseas.  Together, Bev and Jim Waldenfels developed and coordinated the St. Stephen's United Miethodist Church Military Package Project.  For well over 5 years, the St. Stephen's United Methodist Church, located in Burke, Virginia, has worked closely with the Waldenfels in sharing their passion for bringing a little bit of home to our troops overseas.

Bev Waldenfels explains how their efforts have greatly helped the military community.

"Over 4,200 boxes (more than 47,000 pounds) have been sent to deployed personnel of every rank in every theater of war. Every service has been included. The goal of this project is to build personal relationships of support with recipients and their commands by sending boxes throughout their deployments in order to remind  them that this community and congregation support them.  [We] pray for them and their families, appreciate their  sacrifices and are grateful for their dedication to duty on our behalf. We are in close contact with many of them and exchange e-mails and letters."
 
Premium coffee is the number one item on most wish lists for those deployed.  To date, this generous program has sent coffee to over 700 service men and women.  The Waldenfels receive stacks upon stacks of e-mails and letters from service members and their families sharing their gratitude. Because it is a common practice to share package contents with all colleagues within an office, the Waldenfels have even received a great number of letters of admiration from Coalition Partners from different nations.  They are amazed at the support the United States has shared with their troops overseas.  Mrs. Waldenfels explains that the Italian and German Coalition Partners have a particularly deep appreciation for the Caribou Coffee that Americans have shared.
 
Mrs. Waldenfels went on to explain, "Each pound of Caribou Coffee is selected, purchased, ground and mailed to them by people who care. This connection means as much to them as the gift itself. This coffee has sustained command meetings extending long into the night and kept soldiers alert and alive on night excursions. Those guarding their friends have used it under the tongue to maintain their attention and focus.  It is an honor for us to be the connection between so many who want to express their appreciation and deployed men and women who need to know we care."

Liz Zelman, a shift worker and manager on duty at the Caribou Coffee in the Fair Oaks Mall, shared insight on the program and how Caribou Coffee became involved in the St. Stephen's UMC mission.

"Bev and Jim are a couple from Burke, Virginia.  They used to send coffee to their son in the Army who was stationed overseas.  The other people in their son's unit loved the coffee and would ask for it as well.  One of the main reasons is because troops abroad do not have [premium] coffee provided for them; they have to pay for International coffee.  Our troops want good old American coffee-that's what they like!"

Ed Aragon, the assistant manager at the Dulles Caribou Coffee, supplied additional information.

"The parents took it on themselves by going to the Caribou Coffee at the Kings Park Shopping Center in Burke and asked the manager there if they could start a donation program for the military.  Caribou Coffee collected all of the beans people would buy to donate and then ground the beans.  Bev and Jim would then pick up the donated coffee and with the help of their church, ship them out to the troops overseas.  This succeeded so well with that store that they branched out to all of the other Caribou Coffee stores in the area."

It's easy to participate in the program.  All one must do is visit a local Caribou Coffee where they can buy a bag (or bags) of coffee to donate.  Caribou's coffee starts at about $11.99 a bag.  A basket full of the donated coffee is displayed in the store.  Customers are encouraged to write a message directly on the coffee bag to the men and women who receive it.  All Caribou Coffee team members are knowledgeable of the donation program and can assist interested customers in the process. 

Bev and Jim Waldenfels' son is still in the Army.  He is about to start his third deployment where he will deploy to the mountains of Afghanistan.  May he be safe and may the coffee always remind him of home.

Correction: In a previous version of this article, it was stated that soldiers are not provided with coffee, which is incorrect.  They are provided with generic coffee, not premium coffee.