Thank You!

As we come to the end of our 45th season, we would like to extend our deep gratitude to all the volunteers who make The Coffee House possible. Thanks to The Coffee House volunteer board for taking care of the day to day business. We couldn't do it without you! - Paul Anderson, Janine Arseneau, Ralph Bronner, Jeanie Dean, Dave Fenner, Lyn Flynn, Mary Gaar, Sharon Giesfeltdt, Joe Holland, Cheryl Johnson, Brett Kemnitz, Gordon Kirchoff, Peter Lee, 'Mud River' Lee Modder, Jeff Nesta, Don Schiewer, Amanda 'Sook' Suchow, Sandy Weisto and Steve Yeo. Thanks also to Tom Bersh, Bruce Brookman, Frannie Brown, Evonne Carr, Daniel Connaly, Jerry Danks, Fred Jaeger, Zach Kopka, Louisa Loveridge Gallas, Ben Merens, Jym Mooney, TJ Oman, Larry Penn, Craig Siemsen, Chris Straw, Greg Wong, Simply Folk, Anodyne Coffee Roasters and Clark Graphics for their support and help. Thanks to all the performers who gave their time and talents to make our Food Pantry Benefits and Living Activism Nights enjoyable and successful events. Thanks to Shelley Bruehling and the staff and congregation of Redeemer Lutheran Church for their longtime support of The Coffee House. Thanks to everyone who brought food to support the Central City Church's Food Pantry. And thanks to YOU, our loyal patrons for the past 45 years!

The Coffee House Picnic - July 22nd
Bring your musical instruments, voices and food to share. Join us for our annual summer picnic on Sunday, July 22nd, from noon until 6pm, in Picnic Area #5 at Lake Park on Milwaukee's East Side. Come to play music or just to enjoy an afternoon in the park with Coffee House friends. We'll have ice, grills & charcoal, and some food available. Fun for everyone, and it's absolutely free!

Coffee House Snail mail / Email List Updates
If you move or change email addresses over the summer be sure to change your address with us so you'll continue to receive our calendar of events in the fall. You can make address updates on the "Contact" page at www.the-coffee-house.com

CENTRAL CITY CHURCH'S FOOD PANTRY
Just a reminder that donations for the food pantry are now accepted at all Coffee House shows. Please consider bringing a non-perishable item if you are able. Times are tough. Help us fill the BIG barrel!

SPECIAL OFFER FOR STUDENTS:
Receive a free cup of coffee by showing your valid student ID. What a deal!
Reminder: kids 12 & under are always admitted free when accompanied by a responsible adult.

Pictures from our 40th Anniversary Show

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We need YOU to keep The Coffee House going for another 40 years!

If you enjoy attending events at The Coffee House, or if you're a performer who appreciates having a great venue to perform at, consider joining our volunteer team. We always can use more volunteers to staff the door and set-up & tear-down the refreshments. Be creative! If you have a great idea, join our board and chair a new committee for your idea. For example, two years ago a volunteer got the idea for and organized our first Gallery Night event.

If you are interested in any of these volunteer jobs, please come to our next board meeting or contact us via email through www.the-coffee-house.com or our info line, 414-534-4612. All of these positions report to the board and The Coffee House Board will have the final decision in who to appoint to these jobs.

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History

The Coffee House was founded in 1967 by the late Rev. Alan Davis of Lutheran Campus Ministry and Rev. Chuck Witt and Ms. Agnes Zeidler of Redeemer Lutheran Church as an outreach to the surrounding community including Marquette University. Over the years we have hosted a variety of programming including films, jazz, poetry, dances, a clown troupe and folk and acoustic music. We were the home of Theatre X until they acquired their own theater in 1972.

Open Hours

The Coffee House is open for performances from Labor Day through Memorial Day every Friday and Saturday night and two Sundays a month.

Open Mics

Many performers have had their first experience in front of an audience on our stage at our twice a month “open mic.” The supportive atmosphere nurtures new performers. Now well-known performers such as Paul Cebar, Bill Camplin and Pamela Means performed on our stage at the start of their careers.

Food Pantry Benefits

The first Friday of each month is reserved for a food pantry benefit. The entertainers donate their time for these events. Patrons are asked to bring two cans of food and $3.00 for admission. The food and half the money goes to the Central City Churches food pantry. The other half of the money goes to keep The Coffee House going.

“Living Activism” Program

In the late 1960s The Coffee House stressed its role as an open and friendly place for discussion on social issues. We saw a need for this again in today's world and in 2001 added a "Living Activism" night to our monthly schedule. Activist groups put on a program consisting of both a presentation about their organization or issues and entertainment. The second Sunday of the month has been reserved for "Living Activism.” A free-will donation is asked at the door with all the money going to the featured activist organization.

The mission of "Living Activism" is to aid groups in reaching a new audience and signing up new volunteers while raising awareness and money for their group. By taking care of the set-up needs of an event, we allow the groups to focus their energy on their issues. Featured groups have included Casa Maria, Hunger Task Force, Peace Action Center, Lutheran Volunteer Corp., Literacy Services, Urban Ecology Center, and W.A.V.E. (Wis. Anti-Violence Effort).

Staffing

The Coffee House has been run mainly by volunteers all these years. Volunteers do everything from greeting patrons at the door at each performance, making the coffee and tea, booking the entertainment, creating the printed calendar of events and preparing it for mailing, managing the mailing list, buying the supplies, sending out press releases to the media, creating posters and managing the treasury. Two paid managers have key-carry responsibility and set up and run the sound equipment.

Invitation

We are proud to be one of the longest running non-profit Coffee Houses in America. We hope you will stop in for an event. We would love to share The Coffee House with you!

Managers: Sandy Weisto & Joe Holland
Telephone during open hours: (414) 534-4612
The Coffee House Information Line: (414) 534-4612

We serve coffee, herbal teas, soda, and baked goods. Free parking is available in our lighted lot. The Coffee House is wheelchair-accessible.