If you are a coffee fiend who enjoys socializing and entertainment in a non-alcoholic atmosphere, a Fair Trade coffee house, dubbed Fair Cup of Joe, will be unveiled for students Saturday at the Newman Catholic Center.

Although the coffee house was organized and run from time to time by Newman’s Social Activities Committee last year, co-chairs Marissa Jernegan and Kevin Whitlock are trying to keep the coffee house a weekly staple this year.

Whitlock said the idea of the coffee house was introduced as a semi-monthly event last year by Roy Lanham, Newman’s campus minister. However, the feedback Whitlock received indicated students wanted the java joint to be open weekly.

“People came up to me and asked for more social activities,” he said. “This year we wanted to try something different and have the (coffee house) every week.”

Jernegan emphasized she and the committee want the coffee joint, which will be located in Newman’s Morarity Lounge, to be a place where students can mellow out and come for solace and companionship.

“Instead of drinking, (people) can come out to Newman,” Jernegan said. “(It will be) kind of like a bar alternative. We are going to have Fair Trade coffee and tea.”

Jernegan said the committee is also working on bringing hot chocolate and a chai coffee drink.

A coffee of the week, open mic opportunities and possibly bands are all enticing features of the coffee house that Jernegan and the committee hope will appeal to students.

“We also are going to ask people to bring baked goods,” Jernegan said. “We want to have a coffee shop atmosphere with board games, cards, people talking.”

Jernegan said there will be no specific prices for the edibles offered at the java house. However, a suggested donation box will be set up to encourage students to support Fair Trade and all it stands for. When one purchases the organic coffee, the person can be assured that the farmers who cultivated the beans were paid a fair wage for their efforts.

“(Newman’s coffee house) is kind of like a Fair Trade fundraiser,” she said. “We don’t want people not to come because they don’t have the money. We are not requiring it, but we want people to give donations.”

If a student does not have funds to donate but desires to drink a cup of joe anyway, Jernegan suggested that perhaps the person contribute an extra buck or two next time he or she frequents Fair Cup of Joe.

Besides coffee and tea drinks, she said delicious Fair Trade chocolate bars will be sold at the coffee house each week.

“I think it will be a lot of fun; I’m really looking forward to it,” Jernegan said. “We set up teams of people who will set up; and clean up; so we’ll see how it goes. It should be great.”