Cups are always half-full at this Effingham café

EFFINGHAM, Ill. (WCIA) — What better way to start your day than with a fresh cup of joe? Combine that with friendly faces in Our Town Effingham, and you’re sure to be off on the right foot.

Brittany Sunderman, Manager of Joe Sippers, said she’s always up for anything. For her, that meant joining the Peace Corps and moving across the world.

“I lived on a coffee farm in Costa Rica. So, my love for coffee was exploding,” she said.

But then, COVID hit. Sunderman moved back to the U.S. and a program caught her attention in Central Illinois.

“I applied. They have a Peace Corps Fellowship Program in Macomb at WIU,” she said.

‘Literal theater magic’: Teenagers take the stage at Effingham Performance Center camp

That experience eventually led Sunderman to Our Town Effingham, where she’s brewing up coffee drinks every day at Joe Sippers. She gets in at about 7 a.m., and the good vibes quickly follow.

“I think just a smile can cure anything,” Sunderman said. “And my positivity is unlimited.”

Spreading that energy is truly her purpose in life.

“Make you smile, make you laugh, make you feel good — and you leave going, ‘Oh wow, that Brittany, she’s a funny one.’ Oh man, it changes your whole day,” Sunderman said.

Adoptions urgently needed as Effingham Co. Animal Shelter deals with crowded kennels

She’s also taking that joyful energy outside to the trails.

“I love nature,” she said. “I get out to Lake Sara. I’ve been paddle boarding, I’ve been pickleball-ing — everyone’s a pickleballer here. I’m learning!”

No matter what fills your cup, it’s obvious Sunderman is one of the many people sprinkling around bits of joy and changing lives in Our Town Effingham.

“These people are so great,” she said. “The regulars, they just light up my soul. Everyone is so nice.”

Sunderman loves watching Effingham incorporate big city ideas right here in Central Illinois. She hopes that continues — maybe even with more live music in the future.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.