Get Involved | January 2017
Lets Get Active!
The new year is often a time when people set their intentions for what they hope to manifest in the coming months. For many, it is a time when they set a goal to lose weight or cut out something specific from their diet. Some set out to give up smoking or start exercising regularly. Some people have given up on the whole idea of ‘resolutions’ because, let’s face it, many of us don’t make it to February 1!
But when the world is uncertain and feels crazy, one of the most important things we can do is get more active on a local level; there are many ways to ‘get active’ besides just exercising more. We can get more active in our children’s schools, in our communities and yes, in our co-op! Did you know that North Coast Co-op hosted more than 4,000 children from around Humboldt County in October for our annual Co-op Pumpkin Patch event? Did you know that the Cooperative Community Fund granted over $18,000 last year to fund a variety of projects including school gardens, nutrition programs for seniors, foster children and homeless families, and many other projects benefitting youth and others in our community?
We are working on some exciting upcoming projects that include the pilot year of our new Co-op Access Program (CAP), which will enable more low-income community members to become members of the Co-op. We are also working on new ideas to increase member engagement and participation, including offering member-only discounts. And in order to be the best co-op we can be, we need member input!
We want to hear ideas from our members for getting more active in the Co-op and in your community at large. Please feel free to reach out to me directly with any comments or ideas. On a monthly basis, we have several opportunities for members to be involved. One of the best ways for members to get active in the co-op is to attend the Member Action Committee (MAC). The MAC is an advisory committee to the board and gives members an opportunity to come together to communicate ideas and concerns for their co-op. All members are welcome and encouraged to attend!
Members are invited to attend the monthly board of directors meeting and all committee meetings. All board and committee meetings are held at the Ten Pin Building in Arcata. See meeting times for our most popular meetings in the box to the right.
I am looking forward to tabling in both the Arcata & Eureka stores once a week in order to be available to members to answer questions, as well as listen to your ideas and concerns. I plan to be in the stores on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11am-2pm. I will also be able to answer any questions for customers who are not yet members and would like more information about the benefits of membership. As Membership Coordinator, I hope to see you get more active in your co-op, and we are always here to listen to your ideas and concerns by email or phone.We truly have an amazing community, and it is only through participation and engagement that we can come together to make a difference in our co-op and in our community. We hope to see you in our stores and at committee meetings soon. Happy New Year—in good health!
Nicole Chase is the North Coast Co-op Membership Coordinator, and can be reached at nicolechase@northcoast.coop or 822-5947 ext. 234.
