Sam and Rachel George: This Week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honorees

Sam and Rachel George are inspirational members of the Danville community, from creating small businesses that bring people together, to continuing to be an inspiration through tremendous grief; they are leaders and a light in Danville. Both of them come from religious backgrounds and have strong core values about the importance of serving their community. Sam is from Seattle Washington, and moved to the Vermillion County area when he was ten years old. Rachel is from Oak Park, Illinois, and moved to Champaign County for school where she attended the University of Illinois along with Sam.

They were married in 2009 and moved into the Danville area shortly after that. Now they stay because of the home they have built here. Danville was not their first choice, but it quickly became their favorite! They appreciate that Danville is affordable, there are many outdoor activities in the warmer months, and it is a great place to raise their family. They both enjoy being outside during the spring and summer, so the activities at Kickapoo and Kennekuk are something that they love taking advantage of. Sam said, “It is easier to live here and be able to take trips to Chicago or New York because Danville is so affordable.” Both Sam and Rachel’s parents moved to the area in their retirement. Rachel stated, “We can’t leave now… We dragged everyone here after all.”

In 2014, Sam and Rachel had the idea to make a communal space that people can study, hangout, or just exist in. This came from Sam having to study one night at a McDonald’s and a sports team came in after a game. It was so loud he could not focus on his studies. However, there was not anywhere else to study because all of the coffee shops in Danville closed earlier in the day, so they opened Mad Goat Coffee and it took off from there. In the first years of opening, they had two great losses in their family. Winnie and Clive are two of their children that left this world too soon. It was then that Sam and Rachel had realized what a large and supportive community they had in Danville. The love that was shown to their family was unmatched. The energy they received from people showed Rachel that many others were facing similar situations and she wrote her book Grieve, Create, Believe – Process Your Loss with Intention and Truth. It was something that she felt a push from God to do, and while talking with Sam and Rachel that seemed to be a common thread.

Everything they have done for Danville and in their lives in general always circles back to their faith. The George’s reflect that, “Opening Mad Goat south, Mad Goat north, and partnering to reopen Royal Donut… it was not planned it just happened. Nine years ago, when opening the original Mad Goat, we never thought it would turn into this.” Because of their faith, they both serve their community the way they are called to. Whether it is to open a coffee shop where everyone feels welcome, supporting their church, or even volunteering at their children’s school; they always do the right thing.

Sam and Rachel George are kind, giving, and supportive people and they are another reason why Danville is such a great place to call home. The community they have created through bringing Mad Goat to Danville is unmatched. There have been relationships started, friendships rekindled, dreams shared, families grieving, and friends celebrating at Mad Goat. This is a dream fulfilled for Sam and Rachel.