What Lies Ahead?
added 10/23/09
by Rosemary Fifield,
Education Director
This edition of the Co-op News rounds out our publication schedule for 2009 and has us thinking about what lies ahead in the coming year.
Meeting member needs is what our co-op is all about, and Board President Kay Litten lays it all out in her Board Report: the Board of Directors wants to hear from YOU. Linking with you is the only way your Board can know what you want from your cooperative.
And while you’re at it, you might consider running for the Board of Directors in the May election. Our Nominating Committee is actively seeking candidates at this time.
In the General Manager’s report, Terry Appleby discusses our obligation to foster better understanding among members and non-members alike of what cooperatives are, how they work, and their enormous potential for meeting common needs and goals. The year 2010 will be our Co-op’s 75th year of being in business. We believe cooperatives have much to offer, and we intend to spread that message, as well as make sure our members understand the Ends our Board has established for our cooperative in particular.
In the upcoming year we also want to broaden member, shopper, and staff knowledge of our country’s industrialized food production system and its ramifications on the health and well-being of ourselves, our planet, and our fellow beings. We plan to begin a series of discussions based on films, speakers, books, and other sources of information to foster greater awareness and action-planning around creating a sustainable food system for the future. See the complete story for more details.
The holidays are traditionally a time for giving, and we hope you will remember two very important organizations that are our Community Partners in November and December: Twin Pines Housing Trust and the Good Neighbor/Red Logan clinics. In this issue of the Co-op News you’ll also learn why purchasing Equal Exchange bananas is a gift that keeps on giving to a group of courageous banana farmers who are standing up to the five big corporations that control the banana industry.
Speaking of giving, several of our regular columnists have pitched in to give you a variety of “out of the box” gift-giving ideas for the holidays. You’ll find them scattered throughout this issue, and we hope that you find them useful.
Great holiday meals wouldn’t be complete without treats like cranberries and good local cheese. You can learn more about both with great cranberry recipes from Victoria Hicks and a fun trip through our Cheese Shops with Helen Brody.
Here at the Co-op, the holidays are a busy, happy, bustling time. We hope your holiday season is a special one, and we look forward to serving you for all your holiday needs and beyond!
What Do You Think?
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