On Friday afternoons in Fort Worth’s Berkeley neighborhood, Cathy Langston’s refrigerator is stocked and ready. Dr. Pepper, Sprite, Fanta and sometimes Coke are chilled and waiting. Before long, kids walking and biking home from nearby Lily B. Clayton Elementary begin making their way to her house.

They know it as “Dr. Pepper Friday.”

From Five Kids to a Friday Tradition

The tradition began six years ago when Cathy’s grandsons, who live just a few blocks away, started stopping by on their way home from school. Friends walked with them, and Cathy would offer everyone a cold Dr. Pepper—a special treat she always kept on hand for their visits.

Word spread, and the Friday tradition grew. Today, it’s not unusual for 20 to 30 kids to gather in her yard. But for Cathy, the drinks are just the beginning.

More Than a Cold Drink

As she hands out sodas, Cathy takes time to talk with the kids about their week. She hears stories about friends, weekend plans and the occasional scraped knee—sometimes supplying Band-Aids alongside the cans. Those small interactions matter to Cathy, in part because of her years working with children at Daggett Elementary.

“I was both a mentor and director of Kids Hope at Daggett for seven years, so kids that were struggling at home or school or felt invisible or not valued broke my heart,” Cathy says.

That experience shaped the way Cathy connects with kids today. She says knowing each child’s name is the first step. Just as important, she wants them to know the Friday treat isn’t something they have to earn.

“I want them to know that the sodas are a free gift just because—just like grace, to be received just because,” Cathy says. “No pressure to perform with academics or outside activities. And what a way to end the week of working so hard!”

Where Connection Grows

Over the years, those Friday afternoons have created connections with parents, too. Last year, a woman and her three children who lived outside the neighborhood pulled up and asked if this was where Dr. Pepper Friday happened. They had heard about it and wanted to stop by. Cathy and the mom ended up talking for more than half an hour about kids, school, church and life.

It’s a simple picture of Authentic Community, one of St. Paul’s values: engaging in life with one another and building relationships right where God has placed us. For Cathy, moments like these are what make Dr. Pepper Fridays one of the highlights of her week.

“I love the connections with kids and listening to their sweet stories,” she says. “Sometimes their plans and excitement to just play and be a kid. Always, though, smiles for something as simple as offering a drink.”

And at the end of another school week, Cathy gets to hear something else that makes her smile:

“Thank you, Caci!”

That’s Cathy’s grandmother name—and after six years of Dr. Pepper Fridays, plenty of neighborhood kids know it, too.