We ended up loading about 55 big boxes, mostly children’s books and National Geographics, onto their truck last Saturday.  Aarlie was gracious and loving, and when I thanked her for her work in this world, she said, “You know, the more we do this, the more we realize that nobody ever does anything alone.” 

Aarlie pointed to a small stack of books in a nearly empty box, maybe 12 thin children’s books.  This is what they have in probably the entire village school in the way of books. Their goal was to send a 20 foot container of reading material.  They’re now planning on a 40 foot one!  We’ll post more pictures when the container of books is delivered.  Take a look at the other projects they’re working on in the region by clicking here. That’s Aarlie with the white hair in the middle of the home page photo.

“It is amazing the stuff they find to read. I gave a night security guard a copy of a Harry Potter book and he painstakingly read for hours at a time. Another person found some old newspapers (20 years old) in the trash and was reading them. That was when I knew that any kind of decent reading material would be devoured by those who can read (even just a little).”   The base for New Guinea Traders green coffee and Larry & Aarlie, is in Centralia, Washington.

Thanks to our drop points across the county:  Three Cups Coffee House, Lucy’s Books, Astoria and Seaside Public Libraries, Cannon Beach Book Co, and Jump Start Java in Longview for being so willing to join in the effort.  Thanks to Cindy Lee of the Friends of the Astoria Library for culling about 8 boxes after their sale, and to Rodney Williams of Ocean Park for loading and delivering 48 years of National Geographics! and about 20 years of Smithsonians  (and to Friends of the Timberland Library for getting him in touch with us), and to all who brought books in!  Knowledge is power.

Thanks, hugely, to Aarlie and Larry Hull, for initiating this and all their projects in Papua, New Guinea.  They are the window to that part of the world for us, creating this opportuinty for us all to help.  They may be doing this again.  We’ll keep you posted.  Think Globally, Act Locally! 

Melissa's hallow'ed handiwork - come taste the festivity....

Join us as we work with New Guinea Traders on a BOOK DRIVE for Schools in the coffee growing region of Papua, New Guinea!

New Guinea Traders, LLC, one of the direct trade coffee growers through whom we buy green coffee, is holding a book drive for their Origin Education Project, which brings books and reading instruction to the women and children in the Madan Estate region.

They will be sending a container full of easy reading and children’s books, encyclopedias and magazines to Papua, New Guinea in January of 2010. And we’re trying to help fill it! 

If you want to join in the Book Drive, drop your books at Three Cups Coffee House in the front end of our building (279 W. Marine Drive, Astoria, Oregon), or send the books to NGT directly, at: 166 Summerside Drive, Centralia, WA 98531.

If you’re interested in helping out with your own book drive, give us a call at 503-325-2755 or email us and we will help you get set up!  We will be picking up books along our delivery route for safekeeping until NGT’s container is ready to go in January.

“The encyclopedias will be for the local schools,” says company co-founder and Managing Director Aarlie Hull. “I would love to get at least 50 sets so we could put them in each classroom. The easy reading books are for the women to practice reading and in the process their little children will be read to.”

The mission of New Guinea Traders is to partner with indigenous Papua New Guinea landholders (tribes and clans) to produce, process, and market high quality coffee, and to continually look for other ways to improve the lives of its workers and their families with projects such as new water wells, clinics and schools.

“Our goal is to set up a library near the medical clinic.” Hull is enthusiastic: “This will be a continuing project. Books, books, books…. They are nonexistent in the rural areas of PNG.” And together, we can do something about it.

“You can drop bombs, hand out condoms, build roads, or put in electricity, but until the girls are educated a society won’t change.”  from Three Cups of Tea, by veteran, climber and philanthropist Greg Mortenson

Welcome to THUNDERMUCK NATION! July 11, 2009 marked our 17th year in business, and celebrates the Grand Opening of THREE CUPS COFFEE HOUSE, our new partner handling the retail end of this venture.

This first ‘MUCK FEST! was an all-day happening that in the morning focused on how coffee gets from farm to cup, then in the afternoon shifted focus outside to a free reggae concert put on by local sensation MA BARLEY, sponsored by Columbia River Coffee, the coffee that floats the arts. This year the music was a benefit concert to raise funds for Ami Rothberg, daughter of the lead singer’s wife, Ann Erickson.

This is also a celebration of just staying in business! After buying this building, renovating the old Finnish Meat Market and outfitting the place with new equipment – ranging from new coffee roasters to ball point pens – we opened the doors to go face to face with the current recession. To say the least, it was a long winter.

Rickenbach Construction deserves acknowledgement for its fine work on the building, which earned us a Certificate of Merit by the LOWER COLUMBIA PRESERVATION SOCIETY and the DR. EDWARD HARVEY HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD. For both we are grateful.

When Nancy and I opened this company in 1992, we did so on the back of the 25 lb antique roaster you see displayed on the shelf up in the corner of the retail space. Between this, a small outbuilding we re-built, and $2,500…we were well on our way to ‘who knows where.’ We will always be The First to Roast on the Oregon Coast, back when there were 2 or 3 espresso machines in the county. Now it’s an essential part of many of our daily lives.

Back in the late 1800’s, one of my Norwegian ancestors homesteaded here in the Necanicum Valley (On a recent trip to New York, we think my daughter Autumn discovered Ole’s name on Ellis Island.) We’ve gone from Cedar Stump House to a Third Wave Coffee House! Part of the original homestead remains in our family to this day.

I am happy, and feel very lucky to have ‘homesteaded’ my own business, keeping me close to home. Enjoy this day, and thanks for supporting the coffee that supports the arts!

Tim and Nancy

President and Vice President
Caffeinnation Corporation
DBA Columbia River Coffee Roaster