The Sopris Sun is conducting a series of interviews with folks you may not have seen in the paper before – a sort of introduction to your neighbors. This week, we caught up with one of Carbondale’s newest additions: Megan Griffiths, who moved here from her home in Wales to train and volunteer at Cilundu Coffee in the Third Street Center — soon to be Blue Spruce Coffee. She’s helping with the rebranding while getting to know a new community.
The Sopris Sun: How long have you been in the U.S.?
Megan Griffiths: About a week and two days.
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about how you know Lance (Norton, who owns Cilundu Coffee)?
A: Lance and his wife Staci moved to Wales, and they lived there for awhile. They were involved in the church back in my home, so that’s how I know them. They moved back out here and they started the coffee shop, with all the funds going to the orphanage (in Zambia). I think that’s just their vision: they just want to be involved in the community with a coffee shop where everyone just feels at home. When they moved back from Wales, they asked me if I’d like to join them, but I said I needed to finish school. So I finished school, and here I am. They’ve opened up their home to me, and it’s really nice living with them, to have the locals’ view and lifestyle here.
Q: How old are you?
A: I’m just 18.
Q: How long to do foresee staying here?
A: Hopefully until about May. We’ll just see, depending on the visas (because she’s volunteering, she doesn’t currently require a work visa).
Q: What do your parents think?
A: I think they miss me, but they’re excited for me to just do my own thing and see new things.
Q: Where else have you traveled?
A: I came to the States a couple of summers ago, just for a holiday; my friends were getting married in Texas. I’ve also traveled all down the south to Florida and up to South Carolina. I’ve also been lots of places in Europe. Because it’s closer to home, I think it’s easier for us to do that.
Q: Do you have any bucket-list items while you’re here?
A: Well, I went to the hot springs on the weekend, and that was fun. And hopefully go skiing! I’ve been before, but I’d like to do that at some point. But I’m open to suggestions, if anybody wants to take me places! I want to make friends; it’d be cool to hang out with people and do what they like doing.
Q: Have you had a chance to meet people?
A: Mainly through the coffee shop, just saying hi to people and getting to remember names.
Q: What does your day look like once the coffee shop closes?
A: Well, in the beginning, I was just resting and getting over jet lag. And they’re doing a lot of new changes to the shop, so I think I’ll be involved with creating a few different things and doing that. Hopefully, my afternoons will be open to making new friends. At the moment, I’m an open book. I’m ready for anything!
Q: Are you all full-on rebranding?
A: Yes, Blue Spruce Coffee. There’s been some changes in the shop with how it looks, and there will be changes to the menu. And we’re actually changing our giving side of it; instead of all the money going to the orphanage, half of it will. Then the other half, you can choose out of three local charities with a token. At the end of the month, we’ll choose the one with the most tokens, and we’ll give back to the community that way. It will be cool, because hopefully people will feel like they’re more involved with their local community, also while supporting the orphanage out in Zambia.
If you know of someone who should be featured in “Our Town,” email news@soprissun.com or call 510-3003.
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