Coffee & Craft was an idea born from the desire to create spaces of connection and joy. Claire, a community event organizer reached out to a local artist to run a workshop focused one one particular craft while Claire provided local coffee, tea and snacks. We looked for a space that was accessible to both commuters and drivers, and Richmond Caring Place was available for our date! We posted our event on social media, and it sold out in 10 hours, an indication to us that folks are looking for these types of events.
On August 16th, we hosted our Coffee & Craft activity. Despite the heavy rains the day before, the sun cleared up beautifully for our Saturday morning event. Everyone who signed up showed up (which is an amazing feat for any event) and they were excited to make their crafts and sip on nice coffee/tea.
So often we are rushing and so busy with our lives, so it’s nice to have a moment to put our phones away and connect in a meaningful way in person.
“Coffee & Craft” welcomed 13 attendees of various ages, which created a layered learning experience and strengthened the feeling of living in an intergenerational community. We initially planned for 12 attendees, but wanted to welcome an extra member of a family who came to support a younger attendee. We had prepared extra materials so we were able to accommodate this request.
We started the event with a short introduction, general instructions, and then once folks were comfortable, Dahee went around to make sure everyone was given the instructions and care they needed. Claire took drink orders so the attendees could sip while they crafted. After the event, there was a grazing board with tasty snacks for them to enjoy.
Through this workshop, we as facilitators learned how to engage with a diverse group of experiences and backgrounds and are excited to bring these lessons into future projects.
“Thank you for creating the space (literally and figuratively) for community and crafting. Looking forward to more of their” a sentiment shared by a participant. They were happy to have been able to take home a handcrafted project and are looking forward to more spaces to connect in this way.
