GRANDVIEW ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (GAP) helps kids of all ages get back to school. With the economy the way it is and with more parents are out of work, going back to school can be quite expensive. Hard Bean Café helps every year and is asking you to do the same again. Please bring new school supplies to The Bean’s drop off tub & you’ll get  20% OFF YOUR DRINK! Check the list below for some ideas of much needed school supplies.  ONLY THRU 7/31, SO HURRY! And, THANK YOU!

HARD BEAN WRITERS’ CIRCLE – meets Saturday July 25, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.  All writers welcome. Contact cheryl@hardbean.net for more information. (more info below)

HACWN WRITERS CRITIQUE GROUP meets Monday July 27^th  7 to 9 p.m. (more info below)

FOLLOW THE HARD BEAN ON TWITTER! – Follow all the Barista’s news and favorite drinks! Receive special coupons, and announcements. Follow us! www.twitter.com/hardbeancafe

CHECK OUT THE FACEBOOK FAN PAGE! See updated videos and photos of events happening at the Bean! Concerts and artist updates. Ask your barista’s questions about coffee. http://www.facebook.com/business/dashboard/?ref=sb#/pages/Hard-Bean-Cafe/117971777496

NEW FEATURED ARTIST! With equestrian blood in our veins, we are thrilled to present  local artist CHARLENE PRYOR, who paints the most beautiful horses (and a big-eyed kitty named Sam) in acrylic and oil. Charlene’s work has been shown at the Santa Fe Connection and Wild Pony Galleries in Overland Park, Artichokes Gallery in Leawood, Wyoming Home in Cheyenne WY, The America Royal Western Art Show, Images Gallery, Grand Street Café, Bohemian Gallery, Apex Art Space, Bennett-Marak Studio, and the Kansas City Artists  Coalition/Open Studios in Kansas City, MO.  We are proud to host her work at The Hard Bean in Grandview.  If you love horses, you will love this work. If you love excellent art, you will love this work.  Please come by soon.  Her work will only be here through the end of August. 

THE ENTREPRENEUR NEXT DOOR - Watch the weekly community newspaper, Jackson County Advocate, for stories about small business owners in SKC, Grandview, Martin City.   These people  live and/or work in your town – your neighbors. The article is called “The Entrepreneur Next Door; Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things” and is written by Cheryl Wills.

You might even want to get a subscription to the Advocate, published by it’s new owners since November, to be delivered to your home each week. For just $22/yr you will meet these business owners when their stories  appear, learn about the real news in your own community, and find coupons galore for your home town!

JOIN OUR TEAMS! LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY  FUND RAISER

CALLING ALL WALKERS/RUNNERS who PLAN to JOIN US in THIS FIGHT:

We will be MEETING at The Hard Bean on Monday AUGUST 3, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Even if you have not registered with LLS for one of the two events, but intend to participate, please do try to be here for this meeting!

LLS LIGHT THE NIGHT to be held  Friday night September 25 at Corporate Woods, is a family event that also raises money for the LLS. The walk is slower paced than the KC Marathon, is only 3+ miles, and is part of many activities going on at the same time.  In order to be a TEAM, we must have a minimum of 10 members and we must commit to raising a minimum of $200 each.  If you would like to join us, we need  to know ASAP.  Of course, we can walk individually and meet up there. That works, too. 

Both teams will honor the memory of Bill Paskewich and our other family and friends – both victims and survivors.

Bill Paskewich, as many of you know, is Becca’s Uncle Bill (Cheryl’s sister’s husband.) He recently lost a valiant fight with lymphoma.  Besides being a great man who made a positive difference in the lives of many hundreds of people, Bill was a coach, an athlete and runner and supporter of the LLS. In fact, having run 15 marathons himself, he had planned to run additional marathons for LLS with his stepdaughter once he was settled into his new town last year.  That plan, of course, did not happen. However, his stepdaughter and son-in-law are still running for him, and now his wife and many others on the east coast will be joining – all to fight the monster that steals.  

KANSAS CITY MARATHON, TEAM IN TRAINING EVENT OCTOBER 17 - Here is the link for this marathon also called the Waddell Reed Run: http://www.kcmarathon.org  You can register there and also learn more details about the event. Information about training for the event:  http://www.teamintraining.org/mid/currentparticipants/training

Here is the link for Light the Night: http://www.lightthenight.org/mid   See  the Kansas City event at Corporate Woods. We should not register for this event until it’s decided if we are definitely going to have 10 members for a Hard Bean Team.  Let Cheryl know soon!

If you would like to join either team, please contact Cheryl at Cheryl@hardbean.net  Cheryl will be organizing the team, the members, and all that we will do together.  (If the email returns to you, likely it still got through. Look for a reply from her within 24 hours.)

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY told us you are will do the Waddell Reed Run but would like to switch to the Light the Night Event, let her know.  IF YOU INTEND to register for both events, let her know that, too.

SEE THE DONATION JAR ON OUR COUNTER!

All monies collected at The Hard Bean will be divided equally between all participants in our Hard Bean teams. And if you choose to do both, you will get two shares of donations from the collections.  Funds collected here is in addition to personal fund raising.

And if you’re not able to run or walk with the teams, you can support them with prayer and/or money (we’ll let you know more ways to help finance the teams at a later date).  Also, the Team in Training folks could use lots of volunteers to run the event, too!

Congratulations Latté Ladies Girls Softball Team for a Double Championship Season!!! THE LATTE LADIES Girls Softball Team OF THE SSJAA League  sponsored for the third year by The Hard Bean. We love you, girls!

HB WRITERS CIRCLE is a group that encourages people to write – people who love to write and wish they did,  people who used to write and want to get back to writing regularly and people who are published and love to share their gifts and help others. We are not primarily a critique group, though we will offer positive evaluation and criticism if the author so desires.  We offer insights, networking and resource information for writers . The HB Writers Circle is open to anyone from post high school through age 100+ and meets on the 2^nd and 4^th Saturdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

HACWN WRITERS CRITIQUE GROUP – Heartland of America Christian Writers (HACWN) Group Critique Group meets at The Hard Bean  on the  2^nd and 4^th Monday nights from 7 to 9 p.m.  Cheryl Wills facilitates this group.  Please contact her at Cheryl@HardBean.net  for information. This group is growing and is an invaluable resource for writers at every level.  NO MEETING ON LABOR DAY

KIDS’ WRITING CLUB SHINING STARS Shining Stars is open to children ages 9 thru 12 who enjoy writing – stories or poems - every chance they get, not just when assigned! This group is led by Dana Sowerby and meets twice a month at The Bean. Activities are centered around fun writing exercises, with no actual homework or assignments. This is not a place for children to be taught how to read or write or to be tutored.  Naturally, help and encouragement are integrated in the time spent together. It is more like an enhancement to what students are doing in their schools.  Parents will be required to sign permission slips for children’s participation. Parents should keep in mind that no outside food or drink may be brought into The Hard Bean and should plan accordingly for their children’s needs. WILL RESUME IN THE FALL

BOX LUNCH DEALS FOREVER! We’ve made it easy for everyone: one price for all Basic Boxes ($8.69), one price for all Momma Boxes ($8.99)! But, wait, there’s more! That’s right – more in the box!  Now the Hard Bean Box Lunch includes your sandwich, a bag of chips, a great big cookie AND a drink (coke product or bottle of water)! That’s why we’ve called it a BOX LUNCH DEAL! 

2 sizes COFFEE TOTES TO GO – We now carry not just the 76 oz size coffee totes to go (with 7 cups, stirrers, etc) but also totes that add size and save money.  Our new coffee tote will hold FIVE (5) of those smaller boxes of coffee, serving 35 cups of coffee. They’ll both keep coffee piping hot for at least 4 hours.  And, as we said, it will save you money over ordering several of the smaller totes. We do need at least 45 minutes advance notice for every one large tote ordered, but it’s worth knowing in advance that you’d like one!

LUNCH TIME DELIVERIES!  Minimum delivery order: ZERO DOLLARS ($0)! If your GRANDVIEW BUSINESS* is LOCATED west of Hgwy 71 and east of Prospect, South of Blue Ridge and North of 135^th Street, it is probably in our Monday thru Friday LUNCH TIME (11 to 2) DELIVERY ZONE!  Just a $2 delivery fee (+gratuity) will keep you on that project with no interruptions! Or just let you stay cozy inside while we brave the storms to bring  a mouth watering Panini or Big Momma Chicken Salad sandwich to your door.   CALL or EMAIL US for DETAILS! *businesses at home addresses excluded 

SATURDAY MORNINGS WITH MIKE FERGUSON – Mike Ferguson is a “loyal Hard Bean customer” but was first a loyal Grandview resident. Mike also knows the need for all people to be aware of and involved in politics; because without the involvement of the people who live in the land, a democracy cannot function at its highest level.
Mike has a bipartisan plan to bring politicians and community leaders with their viewpoints to the people, where they live, to help bridge the communication gap between them all. And to help democracy move along properly. One part of his plan is to host live recorded interviews at The Hard Bean on select Saturday mornings (watch the e-news, the What’s New or Calendar pages of our site for dates).
Please support Mike, and your community, by stopping by to meet his guests, learn who they are and where their thinking really is, and discover new ways that you can make a difference in how our great country operates. If you miss the events, the interviews can be seen online at Mike’s site: http://www.missouriviewpoints.com

CUSTOM SECIALTY CAKES TO ORDER – It’s about time we make a formal announcement that you can order specialty cakes custom made for you by our phenomenal local baker.  We’re putting together the detailed list which will be ready next week but we know you’d like a sneak preview.  So, here goes.  You can order, with only a three business day notice, any of the following:

10”round Black Forest Torte, with two layers of filling (chocolate mousse, lemon, strawberry, raspberry); Doll Cake with a little doll sitting upright in the middle; Shaped & Decorated Cakes (examples: Big Bird, Barbie, Princess, Tinkerbell, Bob the Builder, Thomas (the train), dinosaurs, racing cars, etc); Black Forest Torte 12 x 18; Chocolate Mouse Torte 12 x 18; Lemon Torte 12 x 18; Strawberry or Strawberry Cream Torte 12 x 18; ¼ Sheet Cake, decorated and filled (or not); ½ Sheet Cake, decorated and filled (or not)

HARD BEAN CAFÉ ART PROGRAM -   Hard Bean’s Art program creates a platform for local Kansas City artists to display  their work free of charge. All the artwork on display is for sale unless specified otherwise. If you see something you like ask the barista on shift about how to make it your own. Also, think of others while you are looking at the artwork, original art makes a perfect original gift.  Please support local talent.

MUSICIANS? Our talented musicians who entertain us each Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m., are gracious to play for tips and free coffee. If you or your group are interested, please email information to coffee@hardbean.net We would like to preview your sound. If you have a MySpace link, please include it with the first contact email. A CD sampling is also acceptable.

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL - Monday thru Friday, from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., when you purchase a Little Momma Breakfast Sandwich, we’ll give you a FREE TALL ROASTER FRESH COFFEE!!! Wake up and smell the coffee – mm….good!

CAPPI HOUR –  Monday thru Thursday, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Espresso drinks on our Drink Menu Board that are marked with a ‘bean’ are 50% OFF! There’s always a special at The ‘Bean!

PLANNING A SMALL GATHERING & WANT TO FEED THEM, TOO? Do you know that, with proper notice, we can make the yummiest, freshest and most affordable box lunches for up to 40 people, ready exactly when you need them for your special event? Ask us for details.

BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER  – The Hard Bean is ready to prepare fresh sandwiches for you at any time of the day. Little Momma's, Big Momma's, a sandwich on a pita or bread, or one of our delicious and filling grilled Paninis are waiting for your order. In fact, feel free to call in your order ahead of time so that it's ready when you arrive – to dine in or to go.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT  of SPOFFORD HOME for abused children in foster care during April, National Child Abuse Awareness Month.

BOOKCROSSING.COM The Hard Bean in Grandview is a BookCrossing. Bookcrossing.com is a fun, free, and first-of-its-kind book tracking website for booklovers everywhere.Press release info: "We teach BookCrossers, our members, the '3 Rs' of BookCrossing: to Read, Register, and Release their books for others to enjoy," says Ron Hornbaker, President and CTO of BookCrossing.com's parent company, Humankind Systems. "Sharing books with your friends and neighbors is a natural instinct... what we've done is created a tracking database so that you can see where your books are, and read the journal entries along the way. BookCrossers register a book by going to the website at www.BookCrossing.com, entering the ISBN number of the book, and getting a unique BCID (BookCrossing ID number) that is then written inside the cover (or on a bookmark) along with the website address. Convenient and eye-catching BookCrossing bookmarks can be printed from the website, making the registration process quick and easy. "Just think!" exclaims the originator of the site. "Books are forever... people don't throw them away. A hundred years from now, your great-great-grandchild might open a book, find a website address with a BookCrossing ID number, and go read a journal entry that YOU wrote. How cool is that?"Copy and paste the following url into your internet browser address bar: http://bookcrossing.com /mybookshelf/TheHardBean 

KUDOS TO OUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS - The Grandview Chamber of Commerce recognized The Hard  Bean as one of  two small businesses in 2008 for Leadership, Support & Involvement in the Grandview Community on March 27. We couldn’t have done it without you – thank you!

COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP & PRAYER WALK All Nations Ministry and several other local ministries and businesses hosted a community prayer walk this Spring ‘08. Their goal, which was met in 3 weeks, was to walk every street in Grandview , praying as they walked, for the city’s abundance, picking up trash along the way. Hard Bean Café was the designated center where the map was displayed and  where the walkers colored in streets after their walks.  Thank you All Nations, for keeping Grandview on the ‘prayer map’ so to speak.