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Coffee roaster creates a blend for first responders

By Nick Blank
Posted 10/10/18

GREEN COVE SPRINGS - Brass Tacks Coffee Co. debuted a new coffee blend, “Sheepdog Coffee,” with a portion of sales earmarked for a Jacksonville-based organization that provides support for fallen …

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Coffee roaster creates a blend for first responders


Posted

GREEN COVE SPRINGS - Brass Tacks Coffee Co. debuted a new coffee blend, “Sheepdog Coffee,” with a portion of sales earmarked for a Jacksonville-based organization that provides support for fallen law enforcement officers’ families.

Steven Kelley, Brass Tacks Coffee owner and Green Cove Springs vice mayor, said he learned of the concept from Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels and sought opinions and input from first responders about the coffee’s name and message. He felt sheepdog was apt, mentioning a popular poem among first responders and military members.

“The sheepdog poem for first responders is kind of a universal thing talking about how sheepdogs are protectors and they run toward danger instead of away from it,” Kelley said. “It’s a really cool thing.”

Concerns of Police Survivors, or C.O.P.S for short, has five chapters in the state. Northeast Florida chapter founder Charles Shinholser said his organization serves 21 counties. His son Ray, who worked for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, was killed in 1988. C.O.P.S helps grieving families and coworkers of an officer killed in the line of duty and hosts several camps and pays for retreats for grieving participants.

“We pay all of their expenses to go on a retreat. All of our programs are designed to help families with their lives, we don’t ask them for anything,” Shinholser said. “That’s what C.O.P.S is all about.”

Shinholser said all the organization’s money comes from donations and some from payroll deductions. He said C.O.P.S, which is ran by volunteers, spends more than $100,000 on survivors each year.

For every bag of coffee sold, $2 will go to the Northeast Florida Chapter of C.O.P.S until the end of the year and $1 per bag after.

“We’re doubling the benefit because we hope to make an impact for the C.O.P.S and we really want to see it benefit who we partner with,” Kelley said.

Kelley said he was proud of partnering with C.O.P.S after he learned of their presence in Clay County assisting officers and families.

“One of own police officers in town was flown out to a retreat and counseling, and stuff like that,” Kelley said. “It was pretty special. I didn’t actually know we had guys in our own police department that had been beneficiaries of it.”

As for the brew, Kelley said it’s more of a traditional blend and a mix of Brazillian and Guatemalan roasts.

“We wanted it to work for just about everything and wanted to make sure it was going to have a consistent and comfortable taste,” Kelley said. “As a roaster, one of our biggest challenges is being able to purchase enough of a coffee to be able to serve it year-round. We have to plan this stuff out pretty particularly.”

The blend is available at www.brasstackscoffee.com. It’s available in-store at Spring Park Coffee’s Green Cove Springs and Southside Boulevard locations, and The Fresh Market in Julington Creek, Riverside and Fleming Island.

Meanwhile on Sept. 20, Daniels and the CCSO held an event at Urban Coffeehouse Café in Orange Park where they unveiled “Sheriff’s Blend” coffee whose proceeds will go to fund children’s programs at the Police Athletic League.