Inspire Cafe opens at Samaritan Clinic
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 years, 4 months AGO
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Staff at the new Inspire Cafe at Samaritan Clinic prepare customer orders. The cafe opened in January, a joint project of the Samaritan Foundation and the Red Door Cafe.
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | February 1, 2018 2:00 AM
MOSES LAKE — The new coffee and sandwich stand in the lobby at Samaritan Clinic is the culmination of a 2017 project of the Samaritan Foundation.
The new Inspire Cafe features pastries, cookies, sandwiches, soups and coffee in partnership with the Red Door Cafe. It is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The cafe is just inside the front entry at the clinic, next to the newly remodeled Laketown Pharmacy location.
The foundation raised about $40,000 for the project, said Gretchen Youngren, Samaritan’s director of development and communications. “The fundraising was accomplished largely due to the support of the Samaritan Employee Giving club, named Inspire, hence naming the cafe after the folks who worked so hard to make it happen.” The hospital also received a grant from the AZ Wells Foundation, and a small portion of the project was funded through that, Youngren said.
The cafe started serving customers in early January and “as of right now they are fully up and running,” Youngren said.
The foundation “approached us about a year ago,” said Jan Thacker, one of the owners of Red Door. “It was quite an opportunity."
Most of the offerings on the Red Door menu are also available at Inspire Cafe, Thacker said. That includes the cinnamon rolls, scones, cookies and baked goods, the sandwiches, salads and soup, coffee, tea and beverages. Inspire customers can buy the panini special of the day, but that’s the only panini sandwich offered at the coffee shop, Thacker said.
“You can also call in a lunch order and they will have it ready to go for pickup,” Youngren added.
Samaritan Clinic is located on Pioneer Way, but in a part of Pioneer Way where’s there aren’t many places to get a cup of coffee. Giving people another option was part of the reason for opening the cafe, Youngren said at an earlier Samaritan board of commissioners meeting.
In addition to the cafe, Red Door will be a sponsor for foundation events, Youngren said, and will be providing food for foundation events. “They also pay a monthly rent, which benefits the foundation,” Youngren said.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.
MORE IMPORTED STORIES
Remodel planned for Samaritan Clinic first floor
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 8 years, 2 months ago
Homegrown goodness Red Door, Cow Creek are so much more than places to eat
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 7 years, 5 months ago
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Former Port of Mattawa director under investigation for misuse of funds
MATTAWA — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a report from the Washington State Auditor’s Office that found former Port of Mattawa General Manager Lars Leland may have misappropriated port funds. Port commissioners said in a statement that some possible irregularities were discovered while port officials were preparing for an audit.
Moses Lake Ace store closes
MOSES LAKE — Ag Supply Ace Hardware has ceased operation in Moses Lake after seven years in business. The closure was announced Tuesday.
Some road projects close to completion, others scheduled for July
MOSES LAKE — Summer construction season does not always mean road construction. A section of a downtown Moses Lake street got a new sidewalk this week. Crews from McBoyz Construction, Moses Lake, were out on Thursday morning pouring and finishing new sidewalk at the intersection of West Third Avenue and South Balsam Street. The old sidewalk was removed from about half the block of West Third Avenue, along with the corner sections and about half the block along South Balsam Street.