About Town: 7-22-17

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Stewart receives Coffee Q Grader license

Stewart receives Coffee Q Grader license

The Coffee Quality Institute recently licensed Kelleigh Stewart, co-founder of Big Island Coffee Roasters, as an Arabica Coffee Q Grader.

Established in 2004, the Q Grader program is tasked with building a cadre of licensed coffee cuppers around the globe trained to identify attributes, defects, and score coffees consistently. Licensed Q Graders are qualified to judge cupping competitions worldwide, and classify a coffee as specialty or commercial with specialty grade being among the highest quality in the world.

The Mountain View resident underwent rigorous testing at Atlas Coffee Lab in Seattle, a lab approved by the Specialty Coffee Association. Tests included blind identification of 32 scents found in coffee, green coffee grading, cupping tests, defect recognition, sensory identification of acids found in coffees, etc.

Stewart is the sixth Hawaii resident to received the license. She was also recently named one of the top business leaders in Hawaii and honored as one of Pacific Business News’ prestigious Top 40 Under 40.

Island Heart Care now Blue Zones Project Approved Worksite

Island Heart Care recently celebrated becoming a Blue Zones Project Approved Worksite.

This is the fourth Blue Zones Project approval celebration in West Hawaii, following KTA Super Stores in Kailua-Kona and Keauhou, and Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool. For organizations to become an approved worksite, they need to achieve a certain score on a pledge process that supports and grows their wellness program for their employees.

As a part of the celebration, employees, family, Ornish Program alumni and friends participated in a little less than a mile walk near their location by Safeway.

The Blue Zones Project is a health and well-being initiative, brought to Hawaii by the support of HMSA.

A community-wide kickoff celebration is scheduled from 1:30-5 p.m. on Aug. 26 at the old Sports Authority location at Kona Commons. It will feature National Geographic Explorer and New York Times best-selling author Dan Buettner.