Operation Coffee: Inn owners donate roasted beans to soldiers Janet Abbott, owner of the George Washington Inn, sips a cup of the inn’s gourmet brewed coffee. Abbott encourages Sequim residents to purchase George Washington Coffee and has agreed to pay the postage to mail donations to soldiers overseas. Photo by Ashley Miller Five-pound bags sent overseas, priority mailASHLEY MILLERSitting down and sipping a cup of hot coffee can be very relaxing. Not a day goes by when Janet Abbott, co-owner of the George Washington Inn bed and breakfast in Sequim, drinks a cup of joe without thinking about the fact that men and women serving overseas in the armed forces aren't so lucky. Soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan don't awaken to the scent of freshly-brewed coffee, made automatically in the morning by a coffeepot that kicks on at 7:30 a.m. Coffee is a luxury to them, Abbott pointed out, not a routine. To support the troops, Abbott is challenging community members to donate packages of George Washington Coffee - served exclusively at the inn and sold online - to active duty soldiers overseas, specifically those working at and recovering in hospitals far away from family and friends. For every donation made, Abbott will pay the shipping costs to send the coffee overseas priority mail. "Those are the men and women who need it the most. They are fighting for our freedom and don't have access to a lot of things over there," Abbott said. "We have this coffee and it's our way to help them out." "Soldiers work long hours and sometimes it's only the coffee that keeps them going," Abbott continued, sipping coffee from a mug as she speaks, the George Washington Inn logo etched on the glass. "This is one way we as individuals can help." George Washington Coffee is designed by Abbott and her husband and roasted in Seattle. The couple designed the coffee and trademarked the name prior to opening the bed and breakfast last February. The product is modeled after an early blend of instant coffee perfected by George Constant Louis Washington, an American inventor and businessman. Washington, rumored to be a distant relative of President George Washington, founded the G. Washington Coffee Refining Company in 1910 and distributed the coffee to the U.S. Army during World War I. The company was sold in 1943, according to Wikipedia.com, shortly before Washington's death, and the coffee brand was discontinued in the early 1960s. "It's a high quality specialty coffee," Abbott assured. "The most common thing we hear is that it's smooth and doesn't leave a bitter aftertaste - even the darker roast." George Washington Coffee is available in light, medium, dark and decaf blends. The Abbotts have sent six shipments of coffee overseas already, some of which they sent on their own accord because no donations were made but the need still existed. Coffee is sent in the form of beans, not grounds, to better withstand the Middle Eastern heat. "The best thing for us is to send a five-pound bag at a time but that requires at least $35-$40 in donations," Abbott said. Although Abbott doesn't know any soldiers fighting overseas, she has friends who do and two family members are in the armed forces. Without condemning or supporting the war, Abbott vowed to continue supporting the troops with coffee until the conflict is over and the soldiers return home. If possible, she would like to be put in touch with soldiers from the peninsula and send coffee to them, Abbott said hopefully, encouraging members from the community to contact her. Feedback from soldiers who have received packages of coffee has been positive, according to Abbott. "I'm a medic currently stationed in Tallil, Iraq," posted Robert Mongold online at Georgewashingtoncoffee.com. "I am deployed with the 250th Forward Surgical Team (Airborne). I work at the base hospital in the emergency room. Another soldier told me about your coffee for soldiers program and I'm just writing to say thank you for the support." "You have no clue how much it means to U.S. soldiers when people back home send appreciation," Mongold continued. "It really helps us through times of doubt and struggles." Sending coffee to soldiers overseas The George Washington Inn, 939 Finn Hall Road, is a bed and breakfast overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca. As well as providing lodging, the inn serves and sells George Washington Coffee, a blend available only on site and online. Owners Dan and Janet Abbott encourage people to buy and donate packages of coffee to American soldiers serving overseas. For more information or to make a donation, call 452-5207 or go online to www.georgewashingtoncoffee.com. |
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