|
Bobbi McKeeFounder and CEOBobbi McKee is a graduate of Heidelberg University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Business Administration. Her passion to begin Spotted Cow Coffeehouse began to take shape with the help of her younger brothers, Eric and Levi, both born with Down's syndrome. Bobbi combined her heart for her younger brothers, with a similar passion in coffee.
|
Check out the articles below to learn more about the making of The Spotted Cow and our new location , The Spotted Owl!
A LETTER FROM BOBBI
When I was two, our family changed forever with the birth of my brother Levi. He was cute, he was sweet, but he was born with Down’s syndrome. From internet sites to pamphlets, my parents stocked up on loads of information on how to raise a child with a disability. One of these little go-to guides featured a section on children with Down’s that were up for adoption. This is where our family stumbled across the picture of a cute little blonde named Eric. Adopting Eric was a flawless idea. What better than to give Levi a companion to grow up with! But from 911 prank calls to filling up the gas tank with water the little dynamo sure gave us a run for our money.
Even at this age I was already developing my passion for working with individuals that weren't considered typical. In preschool, my best friend was a young girl in a wheel chair who couldn't speak. And at age 7, I asked my older brother, Gabe, to build me a bus (he was a Honda associate at the time.) While my parents and brother snickered, I explained that I planned to start a school for people like Eric and Levi.
When I was eleven, my dad began a job as a social worker, and my parents became respite care providers for the same company. It was an exciting ride to get a new brother or sister every week. Most of them were sweet (but there was one knuckle-head that dismantled his bed and threw it out the two-story window!) Then there was Randi. While taking her in for a week or so Randi’s foster parents decided to extend their time without her, forever. She has lived with our family ever since.
After a series of events that led the company that my dad worked for to close, the family started on a new adventure. My dad took his three main joys and made it into an occupation: Farming (he was dairy farmer in Wisconsin for 20 years), Ministry (he was a pastor for 12 years), and his ability to give grace to everyone, especially people with disabilities. With this combination, as well as my older brother’s new degree earned in business, our family started brewing up the new family business: a farm setting for adults with disabilities, where they would strive to live, live, laugh, love, learn, and leave a legacy. In 2006 however, the plans stopped unexpectedly when my older brother was killed in a car accident. Though the rocky interlude, our family persevered and through the grace of God, Downsize Farm Support Services opened its doors for the first time in 2007.
My dad's passion to start Downsize Farm is what truly inspired me to open the Spotted Cow Coffeehouse. He took his skills: Farming, Ministry, and Heart, to form a business with a social complexity that is inimitable. I thought, what of my own passions could I combine to create something similar. Coffee was the choice. I knew I loved the taste of Coffee, and my networks to the industry were God breathed: 1. A cousin that works with a fair trade program in Africa. 2. Another cousin who owns a coffee shop, and 3. A close family friend who roasts coffee. I began my mission through an internship at a small coffee house in Tiffin, Ohio, The Juniper Tree. From that moment on, I knew that this vision was truly what I was meant to do for years to come.
Even at this age I was already developing my passion for working with individuals that weren't considered typical. In preschool, my best friend was a young girl in a wheel chair who couldn't speak. And at age 7, I asked my older brother, Gabe, to build me a bus (he was a Honda associate at the time.) While my parents and brother snickered, I explained that I planned to start a school for people like Eric and Levi.
When I was eleven, my dad began a job as a social worker, and my parents became respite care providers for the same company. It was an exciting ride to get a new brother or sister every week. Most of them were sweet (but there was one knuckle-head that dismantled his bed and threw it out the two-story window!) Then there was Randi. While taking her in for a week or so Randi’s foster parents decided to extend their time without her, forever. She has lived with our family ever since.
After a series of events that led the company that my dad worked for to close, the family started on a new adventure. My dad took his three main joys and made it into an occupation: Farming (he was dairy farmer in Wisconsin for 20 years), Ministry (he was a pastor for 12 years), and his ability to give grace to everyone, especially people with disabilities. With this combination, as well as my older brother’s new degree earned in business, our family started brewing up the new family business: a farm setting for adults with disabilities, where they would strive to live, live, laugh, love, learn, and leave a legacy. In 2006 however, the plans stopped unexpectedly when my older brother was killed in a car accident. Though the rocky interlude, our family persevered and through the grace of God, Downsize Farm Support Services opened its doors for the first time in 2007.
My dad's passion to start Downsize Farm is what truly inspired me to open the Spotted Cow Coffeehouse. He took his skills: Farming, Ministry, and Heart, to form a business with a social complexity that is inimitable. I thought, what of my own passions could I combine to create something similar. Coffee was the choice. I knew I loved the taste of Coffee, and my networks to the industry were God breathed: 1. A cousin that works with a fair trade program in Africa. 2. Another cousin who owns a coffee shop, and 3. A close family friend who roasts coffee. I began my mission through an internship at a small coffee house in Tiffin, Ohio, The Juniper Tree. From that moment on, I knew that this vision was truly what I was meant to do for years to come.
