Welcome to the COKANNA Virtual Coffee Shop!
How it started
When the Coronavirus rained down on us 4 months ago, the virtual coffee shop was a temporary measure. I hastily opened up the Facebook group online to replace the coffee shops I was hosting in my home. It was a way to keep in touch with all of you in the community. I had no idea what I was going to do with it, or even what I was going to post. But, you hopped onboard right away.
Then came Zoom
And then, Zoom became our friend, our go-to face-to-face connector, overnight. Just as social and physical distancing entered our everyday language overnight. And then, became our way of life. I started weekly coffee shop chats on Zoom. We welcomed the chance to see each other’s faces, hear each other’s voices, and check in to see how each of us was doing.
Then I came across an alpaca farmer doing a pop-in on another Zoom meeting. I invited Judy Kingsbury and her Pondview Farm alpacas and llamas to join us in the coffee shop. Did I mention I love llamas and alpacas? They are such characters and Judy’s boys and girls, who all come with their own names and personalities, proved me right. And that as they say is history.
Weekly guests
From then on, we’ve had a guest in the coffee shop every week. We’ve had a psychic medium, Candice Arseneau, doing tarot card readings, a photographer, Anna Epp, who taught us how to look good in photos, a Wordplay writing exercise with Meg Max, a financial literacy expert, Pamela George, a meditation session with Alex Ure, a breathwork facilitator & guide, Krista Reid, and a COKANNA fashion show, to name a few.
It’s a way to introduce new ideas, activities, people, and businesses to our community. You can get a taste for something unique and different, something you might not try on your own. It’s an opportunity to learn something new. It’s also a way to create awareness, interest, and support for local small businesses especially during these uncertain times.
And finally, it’s a safe space to have open, honest, and authentic conversations. Sometimes those conversations may be difficult, uncomfortable, and awkward, and that’s okay. We can learn and grow and be awkward together.
Here to stay
All this to say, I think the Virtual Coffee Shop is more than a temporary solution. I believe it’s here to stay. As with all new endeavours, it’s evolving over time and I’m learning as we grow.
I’d like to share with you what’s coming up in the coffee shop over the next 4 weeks.
If you haven’t joined the group on Facebook yet, then hop on over to the COKANNA Virtual Coffee Shop and request to join. And, I hope to see in the coffee shop soon. Just remember to bring your own coffee and dessert.
Until next week,
~ Colleen
I’m a recovering Chartered Accountant and Breast Cancer Champion turned Fashion Designer.
I create COKANNA Canadian made bamboo clothing for women that’s all about comfort and style.
Giving back to the community is important to me so I support Rethink Breast Cancer’s metastatic breast cancer support, education, and advocacy work.
