By Jed Lanyon
Emergency service workers in the Yarra Valley are sure to be well caffeinated following Wesburn’s Silva Coffee’s ‘pay it forward’ program, allowing customers to purchase a coffee for those working on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic.
Silva Coffee owner Cleo Silva told Star Mail that their roastery door is frequently visited by paramedics from the nearby Yarra Junction Ambulance Station.
“Some of our regular customers will see them come here and in the past they’d lean over and whisper ‘I’d like to buy some coffees for the paramedics’ and it’d just be their way of saying thanks,” she said.
“For us here and our staff, it’s just good to be able to provide a nice moment in their day. It’s good to just check in with how they’re going and it’s nice to just bring a smile to their face and have a laugh … even though you can’t actually see the smile because of the masks.
“It’s pretty full on for them out there at the moment, so it might be nice for them to have a little oasis of good flavours and to just have a laugh.”
But last week, one customer shouted $100 worth of coffee for the paramedics and to help support the small business. This led to Ms Silva turning each donation into tickets to be pinned to the cafe’s walls displaying messages of positivity.
“It’s something that anyone who walks in the door can see and share in the happiness,” Ms Silva said.
“Now it’s become bigger than the ambos and emergency service workers. Now the pay it forward can be for anyone doing it tough or for someone who looks like they need something to brighten their day.”
“The whole pay it forward concept is just to promote kindness and allow people to have the ability to give and accept a gift at the moment.”
Ms Silva described operating Silva Coffee throughout the pandemic as a “rollercoaster” experience when having to navigate the different stages of coronavirus restrictions.
“We have three staff on JobKeeper, so we’re very thankful for the JobKeeper program. It’s been a key factor in us surviving this.
“Like many others, it’s forced us to have to think outside the box and be very dynamic with what our offerings are … We’re lucky to have a local community that’s supporting us.”
