Part of The Bird on Fire’s What’s in the News

An Inside Look By Blogger Reagan Kaminsky

The Spirit Cafe is a favorite of every Palm Valley student, but we don’t seem to understand how much work, time, and money is invested into it. I interviewed some of the many people behind the cafe, so we could get the “Inside Scoop” on how much it truly takes to bring it to life. The cafe is run by the PVS Parent Association, and all of the proceeds go to helping with events like the Fall Festival and Water Day. Also, the cafe is open Monday through Friday during lunch, so make sure to stop by.

I asked Linda about how the Cafe has done this week. She said,

“We’ve been very busy this last week; it’s interesting how one day to the next the food preferences change from Chicken Teriyaki Bowls to Chicken Melts.”

Linda Yoder

I asked Monica about how she prepares the menu items. She responded,

“Linda takes the order and fills out the form, passes it to me, and from there we air fry or microwave the item, and then we prepare it on a plate with the appropriate condiments.”

Monica Mathews

Lastly, I asked LouAnne about how she opens the cafe everyday, and how they get the items to sell at the cafe. She claimed,

“I just open it up and make sure everything’s unlocked, unwrapped, and then everyone comes. When we restock, we have three buyers. One goes to Costco, one goes to Sam’s Club, and I just go around hoping for the best supply. We all just help each other; it’s a team effort.” 

LouAnne Dien

Personally, I work at the Spirit Cafe every Wednesday and Friday, and I agree. It takes a lot of work, but it’s always worth it to volunteer. Though there are many great volunteers behind the Spirit Cafe, there is one person who truly gives it her all. Elizabeth Richardson schedules the volunteers, shops for supplies, and fills in on the regular for volunteers who can’t make it. So, next time you visit the cafe, make sure to thank all of the PVS parents and grandparents for making it happen.