Creative Community Central Keeps the Spirit of the Cafe Alive

It all began when I had to close the GoNOMAD Cafe.  That’s when South Deerfield resident Candace Bradbury-Carlin decided she wanted to keep that community spirit that brought so many locals together for coffee at the cafe in the center of our village.

When she realized that no one was going to open another cafe, she took a different route, and created Creative Community Central, a local group anchored by a Facebook page that puts on potlucks, kids activities and other ways to bring us together.  I enjoyed meeting many in the group when I brought my grandkids to a potluck community supper last Friday night at the South Congregational Church.

It was a room full of excited kids, many too happy to be buzzing around with friends to even eat much. I brought a dish and set it down, eyeing it the way people do at potlucks. “Pick mine, pick mine!” I said to myself.  I found some men I knew and chatted with them about local politics, and the charette that was taking place to decide on a strategy to make our downtown more livable.  My younger grand daughter Sofie had fun decorating a homemade hula hoop with our neighbor Raloon Thurston-Kramer Bialek, who helped her cut the colored tape and ribbons.

At one point my grandson Nathan ran past me, a friend chasing him, yelling “This is sooo much fun!”  I too enjoyed talking to people, talking the way I used to be able to chat over the counter at the cafe.  I so miss that venue, that place where so many gathered, it was a way that we all connected here. Candace’s idea of organizing these community dinners and events is one way of keeping that great spirit alive. Good on her for doing that!