- In 2005, I spent a majority of my time
when I was deployed with Iraqi civilians.
We would patrol and get
invited in to people's homes
all the time.
They would offer us
food and so my thing was
to my marines go, sit down, have tea,
share bread with them.
And I could see that
even though it was a time
of conflict, I could
do something positive.
And so I think for me
transitioning to civilian life
I still felt like I wanted
to have a broader mission.
We're in this society
that is becoming more
and more polarized where
people don't communicate
with one another face to face,
and they may be neighbors but not talk
to one another.
And I see what we're doing as, you know,
in a very small way as a hedge on that.
It's this disarming thing
to be able to be generous
and give someone a cup of coffee.
I think that kind of
brings down people's guard.
When you tell people, I'm gonna create
a trail side coffee service,
you usually get the nod
of yeah sure you know neat idea.
And nobody takes you seriously that you're
actually going to execute.
And I became very entrenched in it.
No I was going to execute
and I was gonna bring
this about because I believed in it.
I serve cold brew coffee on nitrogen.
It helps give it kind of a head
like a Guinness beer would have
and it makes it really creamy.
I started serving coffee for free
and I didn't accept tips.
I didn't accept donations.
And this really cool
community element formed
around what I was doing.
Good morning.
- Good morning.
- There's a first pooch.
- You know runners, bikers,
people hike with their kids.
They all kind of convene and you can see
them cross pollinated in the real world.
How far are you riding today?
- Just up here to have coffee.
- Alright!
- I'm meetin' some friends
that are on the trail
right now on foot.
- You know they put down their devices
and they were just hanging out,
enjoying a cup of coffee,
looking at the scenery,
and you know petting my mule.
- Hi Richard.
- Hey Richard.
- Everything I've done
I can always look to
and I felt like I could
see a broader purpose.
You know there's this
stigma, people are different
and you don't understand them
and there's this resistance.
The minute you sit down
and literally break bread,
it no longer becomes the other.
You become oh yeah they were here
and they seem like decent people
and now maybe I can
understand a little bit more.
I think there's this great commonality
that we all have as humans
to connect with one another
and there's power there
for building community.
(upbeat music)
