Free coffee for people in uniform
Javaroma owners say they want to recognize firefighters, soldiers and police officers
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Published Friday, November 14, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A downtown cafe is using complimentary caffeine to reward the men and women who help others in the community sleep a little more soundly each night.
Javaroma co-owners Rami Kassem and Fadil Memedi are offering free coffee and tea to members of the military, police officers, firefighters and municipal enforcement officers for the rest of 2014.
The gesture, designed to recognize those who risk their lives so other residents can be safe, was inspired by the countrywide mourning that followed the Oct. 22 murder of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, a Canadian soldier on ceremonial sentry duty at the Canadian National War Memorial at the time.
"The shooting in Ottawa last month of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo got us thinking, what can we do to give back?" said co-owner Fadil Memedi. "We wanted to do something to recognize the people who put their lives on the line for us on a daily basis, and this is what we came up with."
Beginning earlier this month, Javaroma staff have stopped charging for coffee and tea for security and emergency professionals in uniform or who show identification related to their profession.
Men and women who provide safety, security and assistance to the public deserve to know their efforts are appreciated, said Kassem.
"We also want to encourage other people and businesses to do what they can to recognize our brave soldiers. police officers and firefighters," Memedi added. "I was born in Macedonia. I grew up in Albania. I lived in Brooklyn, New York. But I've been in Yellowknife for about 20 years. Canada is my home. It's where my kids were born. It is my country and I want to give back for all it has done for me."
Kassem said he's noticed a slight increase in the number of military members taking advantage of the deal.
"We are not keeping count, but it's actually been a lot of free coffees that we've given out. On occasion, the whole lineup is army. We see many of these people on a regular basis anyhow, we know their faces," he said. "They were coming in before we made this offer. They come during the week with their fellow soldiers. They came on the weekend with their families."
The cost of all the free coffee and tea is not an issue, he added.
"It's a small price compared to these people risking their lives everyday," he said.
