There’s nothing like a really good cup of coffee to start your day off, but a local barista is hoping to offer more that just that. KB Coffee has been hosting pop-ups all over the community and providing specialty coffee as well as creating awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirited people (MMIWG2S).
“I’m originally from The Pas and have lived here most of my life,” said Gloria Ballantyne-Packo. “After I went to school, I moved to Calgary, AB, and lived there for awhile. I came back home after everything that happened with my sister, Kendara Ballantyne, to be with my family. I stayed home for a couple of years, before heading back to Calgary.
“When I moved back, I got a job with Monogram Coffee and this is where my love of specialty coffee grew. I trained with some truly talented baristas and a few of them have gone on to win the Canadian Barista Championship. One of the women I worked with was the first female ever to win the championship, and that happened just last year. Some of them have gone on to compete in the World Barista Championship.