Episode 1: The Cafe

After five and a half years, the Broom Tree Cafe is closing its doors. In this episode, we reflect on the story of the Cafe, from opening in the middle of a pandemic to becoming a place of connection, opportunity, nourishment, and hope for our community.

Donna Abma and Jessica Brule talk about the people who made the Cafe what it was, the programs and initiatives that grew from it, and the countless ways our volunteers, customers, staff, and community have helped make an impact. We also share why The Broom Tree Foundation made the difficult decision to close the Cafe and what comes next.

While this chapter is coming to an end, the mission of The Broom Tree Foundation is not. As we look ahead, our focus is turning toward expanding our food security programs and finding new ways to provide nourishment, dignity, education, and support to women and families in our community.

This is a story about an ending, but even more so, it’s a story about what comes next.

Refuge, Restore, Rebuild.

The Broom Tree Foundation is walking alongside women and families as they move from crisis into a supportive, connected community. We offer a sustainable, whole-person approach that brings people together to offer hope, care, and lasting support.

KEEP UP TO DATE ON ALL BROOM TREE FOUNDATION NEWS

Follow The Broom Tree Foundation on Facebook
Follow The Broom Tree Foundation on Instagram
Follow The Broom Tree Foundation on YouTube

Visit our website: www.thebroomtreefoundation.com
You can donate to the Broom Tree Foundation here

Do you or someone you know need services that the Broom Tree provides? Find us on Google: https://share.google/Y4imxi1Yr7NanM7rJ or contact us.

Transcript

The Vision Behind The Broom Tree Foundation

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Okay, so like this is our first podcast. Yes. The Broom Tree Podcast. Something like that.

SPEAKER_02 0:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:11

I'm glad that you're here too, so that we can um discuss the cafe and what it means to the foundation and the community. Yeah. Yeah. I want to know how it all started. Was there a vision? A long, long time ago, um, there was a vision. Um it really pertains to um my story that kind of started the whole foundation. And one of the the stories or one of the the things that I've been through in my life is that um I was a high school dropout, so no schooling for me except up to grade 11. And so I've had numerous jobs. Like lots of experience, so many different avenues. Retail. Um I always talk about uh out at the joffee plant. I used to paint pipe. Really? Yeah, I was a warehouse manager. Um warehouse manager for uh a hair color company that it was like Tetris every day, these color cans, and I'd have to like oh yeah, it was it was like playing a game every day, but I was back in the warehouse. Um yeah, so many different jobs, so many different experiences, and um I'm sure each and every one of those experiences taught you something new about yourself and also how to lead your future now. I know I've worked in many different avenues as well, and each one taught me something different and showed me, yeah. I always went back to people connecting, sharing, serving. Yeah, it was always uh, you know, I didn't have a certain um degree or or anything like that, but I knew that I had to make money. So, you know, I I was waitressing. I I did I did that a lot. I even trained um privately to become an esthetician. And through that I became a uh makeup artist. Like there's just so many, you put your mind to it, you can do it, right? That's it. But I did get into uh the restaurant business in my 30s and um loved it. I was a hostess, I was a hostess with the hostess. Um and I loved it because it was like you say, you know, you're connecting with people and it was like it was entertaining. You open up the door and it's like hi, come on in. Exactly. Didn't sit down and have a a bite to eat. Um and I I used to, I worked at Earlston Palace in Calgary. Um, and it was it was such a gorgeous place, and it it really was like entertaining in your big grand old house. Um, worked myself up into uh weekend manager, and and the general manager that was working there just believed he believed in me and and gave me so many opportunities to learn. And really that's what it's about is learning. Yeah. Even though you may not know how to do it, you can always learn, right? So he um kind of got headhunted to this um new restaurant that was going to be opening up. There was already it was more like a Calgary's own, like it wasn't a chain. Um, and there was already one restaurant on 17th Avenue called the Metropolitan Grill, and they were opening up another Metropolitan Grill down on 8th Avenue. So I followed him because I was like, nope, I really don't want to work anywhere else but with this guy, and uh what an opportunity to actually watch it being built, and then the um the developing of the menu because everything was made from scratch. The taste tests were phenomenal, and um, and then getting to opening night and it just being like all bets are off, like what happens tossing construction into the the the closet while we got lineup out the front. Um and so I started there as a hostess, and of course the owner he he didn't know me, he just knew me because I came with um the general manager that he hired, uh, which was Harvey. And uh um man, I loved it. Downtown Calgary, it was right at the beginning of the oil boom. Um, so many people. Um, it was just hopping. And so um within the first month they were looking for a day manager. Oh my gosh, I wanted that job so bad. I wanted that job so bad. And there was another woman that was um working there, and and and they were kind of seeing how she would work for a day manager position, and I just could not, I couldn't sit still. So um the owner, Jeff Hannah, um, he was it was after lunch and he was sitting down, and and I walked over and I said, Can I talk to you for a bit? And so I basically sat down and I I said to him, I said, Listen, I I don't have a business degree, I don't have um even my high school diploma, but I know that I can do this day manager position. I know it, I know it in my bones, and um you can mold me, you can teach me, however, it is that you want to see this happen. And um, so I just I want to put in my my request for day manager, and I got it.

SPEAKER_02 6:50

There you go.

SPEAKER_00 6:52

And I I think so fondly of Jeff because he's a brilliant man, business, restaurant, he's brilliant, and he took me under his wing and gave me the opportunity to grow in leadership and management and learn all about um the restaurant, staffing, everything, the inner workings, and there's something to be said, you know, when you're going through when you're trying to heal from your past and where you've been, the people that come into your lives at certain points and and give you an opportunity to grow, or just shoulder it with you and walk with you through it is I'll never be able to replicate that. Like that grew me in so many ways in my confidence, in in my capabilities, where I shone, where I didn't shine, you know, like I am so thankful for him. Yeah, and so you know, fast forward, he gave you that chance, he totally gave me that chance, and it it was such an honor, and and I always think back about it, and so you know, we get to hear, and and I was working with um a program here in Lacombe that um walked with and supported pregnant or parenting young women, and and it was such a passion of mine from where I've come from to be able to walk with young women and and give them hope and give them um just support, right? Yeah, and so out of that time in my life, which was another job that that was my passion. And um, you know, before a year before the foundation was incorporated, I knew that there had to be an aspect of the foundation that was like employment, that there was like a cafe, there was um so that we could we could hire women that needed to work, yeah. Um and the and the skills that you learn, right? Like there's there's therapy, which is so important for us, and then there's a kind of therapy that happens when you work, yeah, like routine and you push yourself, yeah. And when you how to interact with people, right? You learn so much about yourself, and and exactly like the routine and and um meeting people and creating quality food, and and I mean I I love food. Yes, I love food, and there's such a you know, when you gather to eat, and and it's just such a it's a love language, it is such a shared love language, and like we said before, connection, yeah. Yeah, like how how else can you connect more like with a complete stranger? You have a bite of something and you're just looking at going, oh, right, right, yeah, and you just have this moment of memory, like this reminds me of, and then you're relating, yeah, and then like that stranger is no longer a stranger, yeah. And I I miss so much of welcoming people in and just you know, being able to spend time with them while they're eating and and learning about them, or um even knowing that you had we had the capability of if if there was you know two business meeting men coming in for a meeting and and they didn't look too happy or or whoever come in and they're you know coming for lunch and they're not looking happy, you have an opportunity to change their day, yeah. Right? With that first sip of coffee, just like you know, just like bitter or a sip of wine. Yeah, yeah, or a really good appetizer, yeah. So the whole concept of the cafe was to have a meeting place to be able to offer employment. One of the biggest things for me was food security. Yes, I think food security is um really amping up, um, and we're in need, and um the thought of being able to feed the community was a hundred percent, and not only that, but to have a cafe that all of the profit from that cafe would go back into the foundation to then cultivate and grow the other programs that we offer, yeah. So it was kind of like a win-win, definitely, and and it it was you know, creating the cafe was based out of what Jeff Hannah did with me, and and I wanted to be able to almost what is it, pay it forward? Yeah, yeah, be able to hire women and be like, yeah, you can do this. Like I've been there, yeah, yeah. You even though you don't know, we'll figure it out, right? And you have it in you to do it. Um so true because I've seen it, I've seen it happen, yeah, with myself, with others, yeah. It's working here, yeah. It's just so good. It is it's community, yeah, yeah. So then we were incorporated January 3rd as a foundation, okay, and then um the cafe part didn't happen until a year later, and that was in 2020, and then we hit yeah, COVID, yes, the pandemic world war. So we had to navigate that, but it was in that moment where I was so thankful that we did open because then we started feeding people, and I remember seemed to be gone, yeah, you were there, and and I remember working with um our first cafe manager, Tiffany. Um, and we I was like, we have to create something where we could hand out something instead of cash if people wanted to come and eat, but they didn't have the means to, right, right. So drove to the dollar store, found wood chips, round wood chips, square wood chips. I don't know how many packages I bought. We put them all over the table, and we had gotten our broom tree stamp, and we're stamping all of these tokens. We called them tokens, and then we put the tokens into a box, and then we took them to um mental health schools, and just said if you have a family or someone that you come across is in need, give them a token, they can come down and order, and it's like cash, yeah, and no questions are asked. Wonderful. So so many things started at the cafe before we even opened our doors to allow customers in. And you know, back back during COVID, it was like, okay, we can have people in, but only this amount. And then no, we're going into another shutdown. And I mean, out of all of that, we created the Grimtree Table Meal, which was like a pay it forward meal.

SPEAKER_02 15:27

Yeah, right?

SPEAKER_00 15:27

We would make a casserole, people in the community could buy it, and another was made for families in need. So good. Gosh, like I love everything to do with eating food, feeding people, um bringing people together, creating an atmosphere that if you come to work, the women around you lift you up. And that was, I mean, that's the mandate is that we do everything in our power to um support and and and give hope and and build skills and it's been so many things have happened. And the donors, the donors that have you know come out, co-op, as for sunny crest potatoes. Um it's been incredible to watch the community latch on to you know the idea, yeah, and being like, this is really cool. Yeah. And it also too, the cafe became a kind of the face of the foundation, right? Women weren't just wow when we started and we we renovated it. Like I I have pictures of my desk being like right here. And I have a picture of my computer looking out that window. And so literally the foundation started in here before we opened the doors to bringing food in, right? And and offering food to the community and a place to go. So it it has been so much, and women have come in that are in need, yes. And what's been so amazing about that is that they've come in and they haven't felt threatened to come in and ask for help. No, that's true. It's just been, yeah, yeah, it's been that place where you come in and it's so welcoming that my gosh, yeah. I mean, I I I'll never forget a woman walking in and and and she was not okay in being able to um offer her water and then sit down with her and and listen. Yeah, and it's amazing how just a snippet of our our time they're they're overwhelmed. And I'm like, no, how this should be more common. Yeah, but there's and you and you know it's and it's not anything against anyone, but you know, from my past walking into somewhere to ask for help can be overwhelming. You know that. Oh yes. I I was one of those, but yeah, yeah. And and you know, you walk in and there's desks and there's this and that, and so that the cafe kind of was that starting place of welcoming whoever needed help to just walk through the door. That's all you have to do, and we'll take it from there.

How The Broom Tree Foundation Got It's Name

SPEAKER_00 19:20

And just to connect the dots here, I remember in our interview for me, you know, to to join the team.

SPEAKER_02 19:29

Yeah, I had asked you uh what is the broom tree? What what is that from?

SPEAKER_00 19:34

Why is the why that name? And I know you're gonna say what it is in a moment, but the connect like it's exactly what you wanted it to do.

SPEAKER_02 19:46

That's what you what it does.

SPEAKER_00 19:48

Yeah, yeah. So the broom tree, I know it's a fascinating, it's not the broomstick. No, it's it's not the broom branch, um, it's the broom tree, and and um at a very pivotal point in my life, I uh I met God and um and that's just something that has been um a catalyst for me um in all the years that that I've walked with him. And I'm when I tried to start reading the the Bible, it's a little confusing, um, but I did come across a story of Elijah, and Elijah was this prophet of God, and he was quite the guy, and he was facing some pretty um dire situation, yeah, right? Um the king that was leading was a very not so good individual, and um they were all worshiping other gods, and God sent him to basically say, I'm the only god that you worship. So as the story unfolds, Elijah says to the king, it's not gonna rain for three years, and then God took him away and hid him because right, oh it's his fault, yeah, yeah. He predicted it, and then he would sacrifice him, they bring him back to rain. So um, when that happened, um, all of the false prophets were taken out and at the end of it, and um so God used him mightily, and then afterwards, um Jezebel, who was married to the king, basically sent a messenger to Elijah and said, Um, like, I'm I'm coming to kill you. And so in my mind's eye, I thought, okay, he's gonna. Turn around and do like a Liam Neeson, right? Like I'm coming for you. Have a set of skills. Um, no, he didn't do that. He uh ran into the desert, and I was like, You've got to be kidding me. Like he just performed this miracle and now he's running away.

SPEAKER_02 22:18

Yeah, he's stuck in tail.

SPEAKER_00 22:19

Yeah, ran uh two days into the desert. And I often wondered, and I still do, like, what was he thinking as he those two days, right? Because the desert is not a nice place to be in when you don't have any protection. Yeah. Um he came across a broom tree in the desert. In the desert, because broom trees and that type of tree is the only tree that can grow in desolate land. And sat down and asked God to take his life.

SPEAKER_02 22:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:56

Um, at that point, I may have lost my marbles, um, because in my past there was two times where I contemplated suicide. And um and here I am reading it basically in the Bible that this Elijah wanted to die. And he was chosen, and he was chosen, and you know, this big huge prophet. And God didn't come out and and say, like, pull up your pants, like grow up, like nothing is that bad, right?

SPEAKER_02 23:35

Whatever.

SPEAKER_00 23:36

God sent an angel to feed him, watched over him as he slept under the broom tree, and continued this for a certain amount of time until Elijah was rested enough and fed enough, and then the angel told him, Okay, get back up and go talk to God. And so Elijah went, found God, had a chat, and then he went back. So it was such a pivotal story for me because I thought when you are that low that you don't want to breathe anymore is one of the darkest places to be in. And I believe I believe everybody needs a groom tree. An opportunity to um be taken care of you said it during that time, be fed, yeah, be watched over while you sleep, yeah, and protected, protected, a second chance to come back to light yourself. Let's let's go back and figure it out, yeah, right? When you told me that, I was just like, does she know how like accurate this is she like it's doing that, yes, you know, like the food security, yeah, feeding. Listen, there is nothing like a nap and a snack, right? Like it can change lives, changes my life every day.

SPEAKER_02 25:28

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 25:29

We need a nap, um, but

What The Broom Tree Has Done/ Growing Pains

SPEAKER_00 25:32

it's true, and and there's so many different varying degrees of what that broom tree looks like for people, yeah. And and we've had it, we've had women show up that are homeless, and there's no question, you know. During COVID, we formulated relationships with um local hotels to get them in right away. And my biggest thing was we get them in, no 20 questions. I want you to get the toiletries they need, get whatever it is that they need, get them food, and then it's like I want you to sleep, I want you to eat, you're safe, and then in the morning, I'll bring muffins and we'll have a bath and just listen. Yeah, right? Yeah, so the cafe really represents that place to just come, yeah, and how much has it evolved? Right, it has expanded like beyond. Well, we literally are growing out of this space, right? Like it is literally, um, and and gosh, the staff and the the women that have volunteered, and um it's unreal where we've we've come like I even last night I was looking through like the first pictures of yeah, like ripping stuff out and and and the beginning of it, and me thinking, I it's just wild to look at it now and be like, oh my gosh, look at right, yeah, like how far you've come. It's uh well and it's everyone, yes, the community too, the community, the way that they've invested in us, the team, Tamara, Helma, oh my gosh, Helma, um, Keisha, like all of these women coming on board and and us doing it together, it has been nothing short of unbelievably inspiring. Yes. And really taking, you know, not just saying, okay, we really the community can look after after each other, we really can. Yeah, it doesn't have to be convoluted, but we can look after each other. What does that look like? And then all of a sudden, bing, bing, bing, bing. And and I mean, gosh, even when you came in to the foundation and and the light that you brought in, and and how we were able to be like, we're not letting this one go. Like I'm not going anywhere, right? And just seeing how when you do that and you you give that you you help somebody up, it's so simple.

SPEAKER_02 28:48

I just I I needed clothes, I needed food, and you guys helped me without asking any questions. And when I heard there's an opportunity to give back, I was yep, yeah, yes, I will.

SPEAKER_00 29:03

And uh, wow, what a journey. I know it hasn't been that long. No, I know, but it feels like we've known each other. I know, but it feels like it's been forever, right? Yes, and and and those are the kind of relationships that have developed and and grown out of this, right? Yeah, I I I don't know, it's not I don't come to work every day. I come to connect and share and rejoice, and it's not always easy, but you know, life has never been easy, and I get to share it with others now. I'm not alone anymore, I have support, I have amazing women around me. I've that's just I gotta pinch myself when right, and it's just it's so many beautiful things are coming, and I get to be a part of that. Yeah, I am blessed, I am so grateful and honored. It's a fun yeah, it's a fun time. Like, I just want people to come and and be joyous with us, you know, and just share these moments and food, and food, definitely food, because we don't want anyone hangry. No, I am not good at hangry.

SPEAKER_01 30:20

And I know that people that are listening to know me and when I'm hangry or there's like treats somewhere. I'm in.

SPEAKER_00 30:32

Yeah, if you're hungry right now, please take a moment and have a snack. But even you know, finding Julia the last little bit, and and her cooking and and her love for the the program and how much love for the program, what that woman has done with the cafe is unbelievable. It is so talented, right? What an amazing chapter in the story of the broom tree. It really is. Five and a half years. Wow, five and a half chapters. Yeah, yeah, and it's always been changed, like it. I don't think there's a moment where you just kind of went, okay, we can relax right now. There's something, a new program, something you had to pivot, something you had to face innerly, outerly. Yes, this has been non-stop. I mean, when we we think about the the foundation being six years old, and we're we're going into you know big plans of building um supportive housing for women. Like that that's massive, yeah, right?

SPEAKER_02 31:42

And you know, it's funny because it's it's literally like an iceberg, it's just like the tip, right? And like, and you don't see what's going on, like it's so much underneath, and it's changing all the time.

SPEAKER_00 31:53

Yeah, yeah. You have to learn how to pivot. We definitely pivot, yes. That is it's like it has its own life, yeah. And when one door closes, then there's always one that opens up. Yeah, and if not, you just call Jess and I'll take down a wall.

SPEAKER_01 32:09

I love that idea. Yeah, Jess, I need a wall down.

SPEAKER_00 32:13

All right, come on, yeah, yeah. We'll find yeah, we'll always find a way to help others and be there for them. Yeah, and and so you know, even when you when you're talking about that, and we were we were discussing about growing out of the space, we're literally growing out

The Early Days

SPEAKER_00 32:31

of the space. The need is is huge. I I always say huge, but it's more it's not it's almost like it's um snowballing, yes, yes, that's a great way to explain it, right? So when we started, it was like again, we're in COVID, and then the the isolation happened for people, the division happened for people. All of a sudden everything just kind of everything did literally shut down, and um so many needs got worse because there was no solution to be able to reach them.

SPEAKER_02 33:19

That's it, right?

SPEAKER_00 33:22

And um I I would have to say that by well, and and we've just all witnessed it. I mean, I don't there's not a person that has come out of it without witnessing, you know, increased cost of living is through the roof. It is um the needs, the real, you know, separating of what needs have become food security, housing, outreach, mental health, like in in so it's like it the snowball started right there, right? And then it's just been rolling and getting bigger and bigger and bigger, and and we've seen that with the foundation, not just only in the cafe, but in the foundation with the needs that are coming in, yeah, right, and other organizations bearing the weight of incredible need, yes, right? Housing is just screaming for for help. Yep, and there's not a lot. I mean, when you when you think of it and and working and it's not what we think anymore as to who is in need, everyone, everyone's in need, yeah. So um so what better way than to bring the community right? I I feel that community is one of the biggest answers to that need, but we can't stay isolated anymore. Like we have to connect, we have to share, we have to be home. Yeah, and it's it really is um creating that camaraderie. And I I just don't believe it's just for Lacomb. Like I believe in any rural community they need a hub, um, a broomtree. Where that's like the gathering place, yeah, and then from there it's it's helping the community um and make sure that everybody is looked after.

SPEAKER_02 35:44

Yeah, it's a reset, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:46

It's like yeah, when you don't know where else to go and everything's overwhelming and suffocating, so where do you go? You well, find yourself a tree, lean against it, have a little nap. Oh, an apple falls or some kind of tree. A muffin over the chair. That's the other thing that I loved about starting the cafe is because I got to name um we did this whole naming thing with the food. Oh yeah. Oh my gosh, it was fun. So one of the things is a love muffin. Yeah, my favorite. I'm like, we have to call it a love muffin because that's what I actually call people.

SPEAKER_02 36:26

Love muffin.

SPEAKER_00 36:27

I I honestly call people love muffin. Yeah. Um, so we had to do that. I remember we came up with Bridges Burrito. Bridge's burrito. Because that's our outreach. Yeah, yeah, right. We had a champion BLT, we had a hero bagel, and I was on a roll. We had the sister scramble, like we were it was so funny, and I was on such a roll that I was started to like for the love latte. Yeah, that's another saying of mine. For the love of all that is right. And um so I was going, I started naming more stuff, and then I was like, hey, I can't believe I'm gonna say this. Because there are people that honestly looked at me and went, now you need to stop. Um, I'm like, hey, you know, Americanel? Let's call it woman cannon. Yeah, that could be interpreted as a woman candle.

SPEAKER_01 37:32

Yeah, a candle. We can't, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_00 37:37

And that was literally, I think that was Helma. She looked at me like I grew like two sprouts and went. No, no, we're not doing that. We're reeling you. Okay, but it was good! No, it wasn't. It was not good, Donna. You had your moment, but yeah, I love this place. Yeah, it's we will never be forgotten. We won't let it no, no, yeah, it's transforming again, again, yes. So one of the things that I can tell you and share with you is that again, we've we are literally growing out of this. Our food security is going up, growing or going up, um, and we need to grow with it. Yes, we do. Um, the needs in the community are really uh coming to the front, and we need to be able to, it's just it's morphing. And it's really exciting because I never thought, right, starting the room tree foundation, it would be here. Like I we started Tamara and I started around our kitchen table. Right? I had the vision, I found Tamara. I was like, oh my gosh, you're good at you're so good, your gifts. And then when she stepped on, it was like, okay,

Growing the Foundation/ Where We're Going

SPEAKER_00 39:13

here we go, right? Right, and it's just morphed into okay, we need to hire outreach. Okay, we need to bring Tree Sisters program, okay, we need housing, okay. The cafe help, like, where are we going? And and the the dreaming and the the you know envisioning it and and ideas of how to help people has just been so exciting, yeah. And so I you know, doing this with you, I really did want to lay a foundation, um, and just kind of a an insight as to where the cafe came from, and when we started, and all of that, and what has happened during that, and the the community, and how they've come on board, and and we're growing more, and uh it's an exciting time. So being able to do this with you first and and communicate it all with you because I have such a passion for this cafe. I love it.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT

SPEAKER_00 40:34

What's what's coming down the pipe? And so, in this kind of journey that we just started here, um I want to take everybody with us, and some memories are gonna be coming. Yes, always, and um and we get to start to share what doors are opening. Yes, it's exciting. It's kind it's kind of scary because you know, the unknown. Oh, people do not like the unknown. I'm actually thinking getting a degree in it. I you know, because I was yeah, I was listening to to you know what you were saying, you did all these different jobs, and and I was like, it was getting you ready. Yeah, to like you're like the pivot master now. The one Donna, I what what does it look like? I don't know, but it's gonna be good. And you know what I love about you is it's your face. You have it's solid, and you're like, sounds crazy, but I trust it. Like, well, right? Because you just you believe hey no, you let's start a foundation at 48 years old with no no, and just like let's do it, let's win it, yeah. Yeah, here we are, yeah exactly, and it is a booming, it's fun, yeah, it is fun. Best ride ever. Oh my gosh, yeah, best ride ever. I am so happy I jumped on this bus. I'm so glad you joined. Yeah, well, I don't I don't think I had a choice, I think I was just destined. I know a lot of people are a bit like, oh, destiny fate. No, yeah, I came all the way across Canada. Not knowing what like I was also walking into the unknown, but I know something was calling me here. No idea it would be this, and I'm so grateful it is. I've been praying since I like a little girl to find this, you know, connection with like-minded women. You know, I've been in in the workforce where men dominate and I've been squished and I've been, you know, oh, she won't be able to do this, and you know, let's let's take everything from her and then just leave it there. Yeah. And so that's not how it has to be. No, and I know that now more than ever. Yeah. Okay, and um I want others to know this. Yeah, I want to share. I want to find a way to share, and I think we found it. Yes, I do too. Not just our voices, their voices. Yeah. So without like growing out of this space, I think it is it. This chapter is coming to a close. It is, but the book. Oh, how many the next chapter? So I gird your loins. Yeah, there you go. So I want to just keep this as as kind of the foundation piece and the the why behind the cafe, and and and that we I do want to tell everyone that we are closing our doors September 30th. I want you guys to hold on because there's big stuff coming. Oh, yeah. It's not an ending, it's not an ending. No, we're growing, and the cafe has to come along with it. Yeah, and everything that the cafe embodies, all of that is morphing into something that this we're gonna knock their socks off. Yeah, oh they better put their socks on. So stay tuned. That you have to stay tuned. Um stay with us. Stay with us because we're gonna after this, we're gonna start rolling out some things on social media and you're gonna get to know what we're doing. Exciting. Yeah. Oh I love you, community. I love everybody that has supported us. Um, I I can't wait to grow. So grow with us. Cheers, cheers, cheers to many more.