Kind couple covers community’s cuppas

A KIND and generous gesture of an anonymous Linton couple has proved the power of community spirit in COVID times.

On Friday, 27 August the pair walked into Carl Oberhauser’s Linton Larder and placed $200 on the counter, donating the money to the cafe to cover the town’s coffees for the day.

“These regular customers come in all the time and could see me struggling. I have no staff, haven’t got the kitchen open, and am just doing pies, pastries, cakes and coffees on my own from Thursday to Sunday,” Mr Oberhauser said.

“On the Friday, they came in and offered the money, not only for my business, but so that anyone that wanted or needed a coffee could have one.

“They said, ‘please, we can give it because we’ve got it’.”

Adopting the pay-it-forward model, Mr Oberhauser said “it worked beautifully.”

With many regulars feeling the pinch of the pandemic economy, customers who might usually choose between a coffee or a cake, could enjoy both.

Others who could afford to pay for their cuppa, donated to the tip jar, ensuring their local cafe was supported, and that others who needed assistance could benefit from the initial donation.

“I told our customers that someone had donated $200 worth of coffees, and they were rapt. The energy and the vibe I got back was so awesome.

“Enjoying something as simple as a coffee and a cake can mean so much to people,” Mr Oberhauser said.

“One of the reasons to leave home during lockdown is to buy food, so people love to come in and see us, have a chat, and we welcome that.”