After the Sept.

Monday, December 10, 2001

After the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, Heidi Morreim, like many, wanted to do something to help.

She got the idea that she and her co-workers at the Lakeside Cafe could donate their tips for a week to relief efforts.

&uot;I thought about it for about a week, then I asked my boss (Pootie Reed) and she thought it would be a great idea,&uot; Morreim said.

Soon after, Morreim was sitting down to dinner with her parents when President George W. Bush addressed the nation and asked all schoolchildren in the U.S. to donate $1 for the children of Afghanistan.

&uot;I got up from the table and called Pootie,&uot; Morreim recalled. &uot;I said, ‘Do you have the TV on?’ and she said, ‘So you want to send it there? OK.’&uot;

Of her co-workers at the Lakeside Cafe, mostly students like herself, Morreim said they knew the idea was for a good cause. &uot;I knew everybody would do it,&uot; she added.

They got a candleholder from the adjoining Ben’s Floral and Frame Designs, and decorated it with a parade flag. A sign told that their tips for the week would be going to the Afghan Children’s Fund.

The results surprised her.

&uot;On a normal day, we get $15 or $20, and we all split it,&uot; Morreim said. &uot;After we put up the sign, the amount almost tripled. One day we brought in $85. It just blew my mind.&uot;

For the week, they raised $307.61.

They got a money order for the tips and composed a letter to the president.

&uot;The mayor even signed it when he was in for lunch,&uot; Morreim said of the letter.

She’s grateful for the support they got for their effort.

&uot;I want to send out a special thank you to our customers and the people of Albert Lea,&uot; Morreim said. &uot;It just felt like Albert Lea wanted to do something, and this was a chance to do it.&uot;