PORT CLINTON - A local couple’s efforts to thank the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office for watching their home while they vacationed in Florida inspired Coffee Express to create a program that provides free meals for area first responders during the pandemic. The Feed a First Responder Team from Coffee Express has delivered meals to local law enforcement offices, fire departments, hospital staff and even a grocery store.
For the past several years, Kent and Cheryl Cooper of Oak Harbor have utilized the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Home Watch Program. Whenever the Coopers are out of town for an extended time, the sheriff’s department makes routine checks on their house. As a thank-you, the Coopers normally hand-deliver gift cards to the department. But this year, the need to self-isolate and practice social distancing made that impossible.
As she tried to come up with an alternative, Cheryl read in a Facebook post about Coffee Express delivering a complementary lunch to Magruder Hospital’s emergency room staff. She contacted Rebekah DeTray, who owns the shop with Tina Thompson, and asked if the meals were sponsored. She learned that DeTray and Thompson had paid for the lunches themselves.
“I told her I had an idea and asked if they would deliver lunch to the sheriff’s department for us. She was ecstatic,” Cheryl said. “The sheriff’s department was very appreciative, Coffee Express was appreciative for the business during this difficult time, and we were appreciative of everyone taking care of us and each other.”
Through the Feed a First Responder Team from Coffee Express program, people sponsor a meal, several meals, or enough meals to feed a department, and Coffee Express employees prepare and deliver the food.
“It’s been just great. So many people have contacted me, so we’ve brought meals to the Danbury fire department, the Catawba police department, the Port Clinton police department, dispatchers and so many different people at the hospital it’s unreal. One company, Coastal Yacht Detailing, paid for meals for about 75 people at the hospital,” DeTray said.
Because this unique time in America has created unique heroes, Coffee Express wanted to make sure everyone on the front lines is acknowledged and thanked for their service, including Kroger cashiers.
“We fed all the Kroger cashiers one day because they are there working. They are first responders, too,” DeTray said. “We’re trying to do as many as we can.”
The program’s success has been due to great community support.
“The people have been awesome. Our town is just stepping up. We’re doing everything we can to help people,” DeTray said.
The program served a bonus purpose: It’s helping DeTray and Thompson provide work for their employees during a time when, as a small business, the social distancing rules have hit the coffee shop financially.
“It’s helping us keep our people busy at work,” DeTray said. “We have some great customers. Our kids have been getting really great tips. We just want to keep our kids working and support our town anyway we can.”
Coffee Express has remained open during the pandemic. Although dine-in eating is not available at this time, curbside pick-up and delivery were instituted to meet current needs, and in-shop pick-up is available. The shop’s full coffee, sandwich, soup, salad, quiche and baked goods menu can be viewed on the Coffee Express Facebook page.
“I’ve been trying to think outside the box and do whatever I can to stay open,” DeTray said.
Cheryl is glad the program has helped Coffee Express and the community.
“I’m so happy for them. I couldn’t think of better people or business to feed our community’s first responders,” Cheryl said.
Coffee Express is at 128 W Second St., Port Clinton. Donors can choose to sponsor one meal or an entire department. For information on being a sponsor or to order food, call 419-734-2089.
Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.
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Meet Your Neighbor: Coffee Express launches Feed a First Responder program - The News-Messenger
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