HELENA – A Helena family is honoring their late daughter with a special blend of coffee that is available at the Last Chance Stampede and Fair this weekend.
Mariah’s Blend Organic Fair Trade coffee will be on sale at the “Fair” Grounds Coffee Shop. The blend is named after Mariah Swingley who died in a car crash two years ago at the age of 17.
Swingley’s family has operated the coffee stand since 2006 and her father Jeff said Mariah loved to work the stand with them.
“She was always happy when she got to run the stand on her own, she got to keep all the tips,” said Jeff Swingley.
Proceeds from the coffee blend go to a Capitol High scholarship fund and supporting the Niceness is Priceless club which was created in Mariah’s honor. Before she died, Swingley had established a Facebook page to encourage others to be kind.
The Niceness is Priceless club at Capitol High School hosts events and activities to make sure kids feel included and welcome.
A second Niceness is Priceless Club has begun at C.R. Anderson Middle School and other schools in the area are considering starting their own version of the club.
Mariah’s father said losing a child is nothing any parent can prepare for, but he is proud to honor her memory with something positive.
“We’re looking to pass on the dream and the thoughts that Mariah had which is to be nice to people and treat everyone with respect,” he said.
Two scholarships were awarded last spring to local students who share some of Mariah Swingley’’s characteristics of kindness, compassion, and having the ability to put a smile on someone’s face.
