.

This year, in celebration of our 40 years, we are combining our Annual Membership Meeting with a party*!

This means lots of delicious food, fun music, helpful information, and we are preparing a visual celebration! We would love to document the wild, beautiful world of all the years we have been a part of this community, from 1977 through 2017! We are seeking material from all of these years…

do you happen to have any pictures?

maybe a short video from an event you attended?

perhaps a story you want to share?

Anything may be useful to add some spice to our document… we would love to hear from you! Contact us at this email:

40yearsofc@gmail.com

here is a start from us – our newsletter from 1978 –
fourteen ounce Okie doke

*party details

Annual Membership Meeting & Anniversary Celebration

Saturday, October 28th, 2017
3pm – 8pm
Olympia Community Center
222 Columbia Street

Barbecue at the Park

Sunday, July 23rd

noon – 4pm

Priest Point Park, Shelter #3

Join us for food & fun times…
it’s a summer shindig to celebrate YOU!

For more information,
or to make sure there will be food you can eat
(for food requests, email by July 15)
workingmembercat@olympiafood.coop

To our wonderful working members!

Thank you for all your hard work, day after day, keeping the stores running with ringing up groceries, stocking shelves, making produce fresh and available, creating and maintaining the Eastside butterfly garden, serving as Board Members, packaging cheese, opening and closing the stores, and all the various administrative jobs with policy development, filing, member relations! The list goes on and on… and…

We are very grateful!

Without you, the Co-op would not be what it is!!!

Become a Working Member! here’s more info…

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Beginning July 3, the Senior and Disability Memberships will no longer include an additional 10% discount off of membership prices.

If you are finding the additional discount is needed, we encourage you to consider changing your membership to the Cooperative Access Program where this additional discount will remain.

When determining if your income is below self-sufficiency for Washington State, a qualifier for the Cooperative Access Program, here is an excellent tool www.thecalculator.org

To change your membership, here is the form to give to a cashier or the Customer Service desk. Let us know if you need assistance  Membership Form PDF

For information about the process of arriving at this decision and how we implemented it in stages, here is an article in our Table magazine

We welcome you to contact us by phone, or email customerservice@olympiafood.coop

Here are some charts with interesting data

The Westside Garden Center
will be hosting a big
Summer Sale and Clearance Event!

This weekend!
Saturday and Sunday
June 23rd and 24th

10am – 7pm

Spend $20 and receive a
free 4″ herb start from
Rising River Farm!*

*Westside Garden Center only

Check out our wide selection of specially priced garden supplies!

Here is our latest Thurston Talks article,
Garden Goodies at the Olympia Food Co-op!

If there is something you are looking for, and it’s not here, let us know, maybe we can get it for you!

Looking forward to seeing you!

Saturday June 23
and
Sunday June 24

10am – 7pm

want this wagon?

hurry in to enter your name!! There is only one week left!
raffles are held at both stores
– and, yes –
there is a wagon for each store!!
no purchase necessary!!

one more week left to enter your name for the drawing!
open until 9pm Tuesday, May 30th

Here is a word from the sponsor – National Co+op Grocers – of this great give-a-way….

This May, WOODSTOCK wants you to get Hooked on Organic. This month there are sales, coupons, and a chance to enter to win a coveted WOODSTOCK wagon!

WOODSTOCK celebrates foods that make you feel great about what you buy, eat, and serve your family. They believe in options that are simple, pure, and good for our world. Give your barbeque the perfect finish with WOODSTOCK’s organic condiments and pickles. Because Organic is always Non-GMO and so much more, WOODSTOCK invites you to get Hooked on Organic this summer!

We welcome you to Join us for a mini
Co-op Conversation on the implementation of our
new Cooperative Access Program!

Wednesday, June 7
6pm – 8pm
Olympia Community Center, Room 100
222 Columbia St NW (click for Google map)

There will be a brief presentation outlining the history of our discount program, from the fruition of the Discount Task Force to the approved implementation plan for our new discount program by our Board of Directors. Light snacks, treats and beverages will be provided. This event will by hosted by the Member Relations Committee, comprised of staff members, board members, and members-at-large.

Here is an article from the spring Table magazine…

Membership Form PDF

Today – our first taste of summer with sunny skies and 75 degrees – we got a chance to peek into the Garden Center at the Westside Co-op to see what was up … and … wow!

Folks finding the perfect starts to their gardens

Danielle and Sylvan, Staff Collective Members, are often here at the Garden Center, ready to help you with your gardening ideas

And, what is in the big package? Today Sylvan will be unpacking it – getting ready for the big two week sale of clay pots that starts tomorrow, May 4th!

If there is something you are looking for, and it’s not here, let us know, maybe we can get it for you!

Sign up is now OPEN!

30th annual Bicycle Commuter Challenge!

Folks who participate get to log their miles for the month of May, get treats and prizes from participating businesses they visit on their bikes.

Sign up is now OPEN!

And… this year… the Olympia Food Co-op has a TEAM!

Join our TEAM when you register!

Here is the website to register

Want to get a head start?
Join the Earth Day Market Ride

Sign up is now OPEN!

The Olympia Food Co-op will be closed on
Monday May 1st
in solidarity with workers everywhere
honoring International Workers’ Day

In the past, for a very long time, both stores were closed seven days of the year, including May 1st.  Over the years, in consideration to better serve the membership and staff, and in acknowledgment that it is unrealistic to close for all holidays celebrated by everyone, we settled on being closed one day a year, January 1st, for inventory.  Now that our inventory procedures have changed, we have decided to return to closing on May 1st, and to be open on January 1st.

Why May 1st? International Workers’ Day has a long history in this country and others, originating with the United States labor movement in the late 19th Century. On May 1, 1886, unions across the United States went on strike, demanding that the standard workday be shortened to eight hours. This was an important step in workers right to organize and to seek fair treatment from employers. While that particular day had a bloody ending and successes were slow, we look back on May 1st as a day that changed things for workers here and around the world.

Our mission, which includes to “support efforts to increase democratic process” and to “support efforts to foster a socially and economically egalitarian society”, drives our decisions in how to be a cooperative progressive business every day. We believe our position, as a collective with an egalitarian labor structure, makes it appropriate to choose International Workers’ Day as a day off in solidarity with others.

Our collective would like to acknowledge that other workers have to go on STRIKE to take this day of observance off, while we here at the Olympia Food Co-op have privilege to discuss the issues and come to a unified decision together, ultimately deciding to close in solidarity with the movement.

In recent years, May Day celebrations and rallies have focused on the struggles of oppressed communities and immigrant rights. This year is bound to be no exception, as many unions and groups allied with supporting immigrants and low wage workers are planning a day of action.

As this day is celebrated in numerous countries, with a variety of history and current events, much information can be found online. Here are some links we found to share with you:

Industrial Workers of the World – A Union for All Workers
The Brief Origins of May Day

Grassroots Global Justice Alliance
Beyond the Movement: Uniting Movements from April 4th to May Day

Beyond the Movement: Uniting Movements
Opt in to updates

Organized Workers for Labor Solidarity

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project

National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

We thank you for your support and welcome your comments and questions at customerservice@olympiafood.coop

The Olympia Food Co-op Staff and Members celebrate the send-off of donated funds and supplies for Standing Rock Water Protectors.
November 2016

Pardon our mess over the next couple of weeks as we shift things around to freshen the store up a bit.

Happy Spring!

We have a new Cooperative Access Program membership!

Beginning July 3, Senior and Disability Memberships will no longer include a 10% discount on purchases.

Any member who qualifies is encouraged to change to a Cooperative Access Program membership, and to continue receiving the included 10% discount.

This is an annual membership, and will need to be renewed.

For more details, click here for article in our Table magazine…

Membership Form PDF

folks from Thurston County Food Bank will be
collecting fresh produce at
both Co-op locations

Saturday March 25th
10am – 3pm

Come on in, buy some fresh produce, then bring it to the table
in front of stores these days

For more information on Thurston County Food Bank

At the Co-op, we’re proud of the fact that our membership is afford­able and accessible to anyone who wants to join us. Almost 20 years ago, the Co-op began offering a free annual membership, including a 10% discount, to anyone who identified as low-income. In addition, we’ve offered free membership and a 10% discount to anyone with a disability or over the age of 62.

Over the years, these memberships have been extremely popular, and we’re pleased to report that the Co-op has provided thousands of members with millions of dollars in discounts on their purchases. But as the years have gone by, the proportion of discount usage has been steadily creeping up. In 2016, 10% discounts amounted to more than $750,000. In order to ensure the Co-op’s sustainability, we decided to research some options for modifying our discount memberships.

A Discount Task Force convened in June of 2015, comprised of Staff and Board members. They set out to look at OFC’s current discount systems and propose possible modifications to the staff and Board. The goals of the Discount Task Force were to:

• Establish an advisory council comprised of discount members and community service providers. The staff task force members created a system for selecting organizations and individuals to serve on this council.
• Develop a work plan that included various ways to solicit mem­ber and community input.
• Produce a report including options for modifying the discount structure for the Board and staff to review, with the Board having final consent on an option.

Our Co-op Advisory Council consisted of four Co-op members– at–large. Together with the Task Force, council members actively participated in conducting membership surveys and focus group discussions, and the results led the Task Force to create some rec­ommendations for how to proceed. At the 2016 Annual Membership Meeting, the Task Force presented those recommendations and col­lected comment cards from members attending. The recommenda­tions are:

1. We are adding a new way to determine eligibility for annual Co­operative Access Program Memberships. When we created the Low-income membership, we decided that we wanted members to decide for themselves whether or not they qualified. So we created a list of criteria that prospective members could refer­ence to help determine whether or not they would be considered low-income. The criteria included issues of employment, home­lessness, temporary disability, and dependent support. We are now adding the use of a more measurable method for determin­ing qualification, the WA state self-sufficiency calculator, offered by the Workforce Development Councils of Washington State.
2. Senior and Disability memberships will no longer include a 10% discount. We conducted surveys of over 1000 members and came to the conclusion that many members who qualify for these memberships do not financially need the accompanying discount. We believe that this is the best way to accomplish the Co-op’s goal to “Make good food accessible to more people.” The changes to these membership types will be implemented in stages, beginning April 15 for new members, and July 3 for existing members. Any member who qualifies is encouraged to switch to an annual CAP membership (formerly Low-income membership), and receive the included 10% discount. This is an annual membership, and will need to be renewed.

The Board of Directors approved these recommendations at their November Meeting, and we’re working toward implementing these changes starting April 15, 2017 for new members joining these mem­bership types, and continuing through July 3, 2017, for existing mem­bers with senior or disability memberships.

The Co-op will continue to offer free memberships with no dues pay­ments to anyone over 62 or with a disability.

We also continue to offer free annual memberships for anyone who qualifies for the Cooperative Access Program (formerly known as “Low-Income Membership”). The purpose of the program is to make Co-op membership available to anyone whose access to the Co-op is limited due to financial hardship. The membership is good for one year, and includes a 10% discount on purchases.

COOPERATIVE ACCESS PROGRAM

The Cooperative Access Program offers a free annual membership, with no dues and a 10% discount. The membership is available to anyone whose income falls below self-sufficiency, as described be­low. Purchases must be for use by the qualifying individual and their financial dependents – this does not include friends, housemates, etc.

Criteria:

• The Coop recognizes the WA state self sufficiency calculator to determine income or monthly budget eligibility. If you fall below the self sufficiency standard you qualify for this annual member­ship. If you need help accessing the calculator, please ask us. Here is the website to access the calculator. http://www.thecalcu­lator.org/calculator.php
• Underemployed (hours, pay, or income is too low to reasonably cover expenses, and not by choice)
• Unemployed (not by choice) and without familial support and/or other financial resources
• Unable to make a reasonable living due to physical or mental challenges
• Supporting dependents without adequate resources
• Homeless

By Tamara Urich-Rintz
Staff Member

Reprint from Table: A Quarterly Publication of the Olympia Food Co-op
Spring 2017
click here for PDF of the magazine

March 8th is International Women’s Day

In the spirit of service towards an organization which supports women in our community, some staff will be utilizing the day to collect supplies for the Interfaith Works Shelter at both our Eastside and Westside locations from 10am – 4pm on March 8th

We invite you to look at the list below and see if there is something you can donate. You may have some of these items at home already. All donations will be taken to the Interfaith Works Shelter to be distributed to those in need.

Click here to donate directly to the shelter

The Olympia Food Co-op will continue to collect donations at our Customer Service desks through May 8th.

click here for PDF of this flyer

PERSONAL CARE ITEMS
Anti-acid
Anti-biotic ointment
Band-Aids
Chapstick
Cough Drops
Deodorant
Disposable razors
Earplugs
Floss
Foot/body powder
Gauze pads
Ibuprofen
Medical tape
Multi-Vitamins
OTC Cold Medicine/CoughSuppressant
Small first aid kits
Tampons and Pads
Toilet Paper & Paper Towels
Tooth Brushes
Tooth Paste
Travel size-Shampoo-conditioner-lotion
Tylenol
Vitamin C

FOOD
Bars and other small non-perishable snacks
Cereal
Coffee (decaf and regular)
Dried Fruit/Nuts/Trail Mix
Instant Soups
Powdered Creamer
Sugar
Tea bags

CLOTHING & GEAR
Backpacks
Batteries
Blankets
Coats & jackets
Flash lights
Hand Warmers
Hoodies
Long Underwear & Leggings
Pants
Rain gear
Rain ponchos
Sleeping Bags
Tarps
Tents
T-shirts & Long Sleeved & Flannels
Underwear
Waterproof boots & shoes

In addition, the Co-op supports A Day Without A Woman, a general strike in recognition of the enormous value that women of all backgrounds add to our socio-economic system — and the pervasive and systemic gender-based inequalities that still exist within our society, from the wage gap, to vulnerability to discrimination, sexual harassment, and job insecurity. Women of all backgrounds add to our socio-economic system–while receiving lower wages and experiencing greater inequities, vulnerability to discrimination, sexual harassment, and job insecurity. We recognize that trans and gender nonconforming people face heightened levels of discrimination, social oppression and political targeting. We believe in gender justice.

The Women’s General Strike demands
An end to all forms of violence and oppression against all women
An end to domestic and sexual violence
Complete reproductive freedom and access to safe medical services
An end to the systemic oppression of black, indigenous, Muslim, immigrant and trans women
An end to workplace harassment, discrimination and the gender wage gap
Free childcare and full funding for public education
RESPECT for all women of the world

Click here for more information on the general strike

Member Relations Committee of the Board Application PDF

Thank you for your interest in the Member Relations Committee!

This Committee of the Board, a group of members-at-large, Board, and staff members meets monthly and is tasked to facilitate communication between the membership and the organization.

You will receive working member credits for your time plus work with a fun and collaborative team!

Deadline for submission March 15, 2017

Application PDF

For more info memberrelations@olympiafood.coop

We will be open
weekends in December and
for the full week of December 19th – 24th

Here are the participating artists

Boom Gallery
Various Jewelry and Pottery Items

Deborah Smith
Crochet Hats & Children Sweater/Hat Sets

Diana Teachout
Handsewn Fabric Ornaments – Sticks, Stones, and Fiber

Fabian Romero
Queer Indigenous writer, performance artist and activist

HoJo Clay Arts
Stunningly Unique Pottery

Jasmine Doughty
Beautiful Prints of Plant and Insect Design

Laurel Henn
Fine quality original design printed tea towels

Margaret Culbertson
Handmade Rugs & Re-purposed Gift Bags

Mike Stark
Woodcraft Cutting Boards & Coasters

Onyx O’Lovely
Prints

Positively Crafts & Things
Lovely Gemstone and Wire Jewelry

Poppy la Fae
Felted Plants and Plant-based Jewelry

Roxanna Groves
Handmade Garden Baubles

Windsparrow Studio
Handcarved block prints on Tee Towels and Flags

Other fun things to be found in the Garden Center
Interesting high-quality gardening tools
Books on gardening, nature, diets and cooking
Alaffia baskets and handbags
Hats and Teeshirts
Large Aloe Vera plants in beautiful pots

the election results are in!

thank you to all who voted for your Board of Directors!

In order of most votes, here are the selections

Desdra Dawning, 3 year term
Raven Redbone, 3 year term
Jaime Rossman, 3 year term
Jim Hutcheon, 2 year term
Casey Hook, 1 year term

for more information on their statements, scroll below

Thank you for your participation!

*******

election held October 15 – November 15, 2016

Ballot boxes are set up at both stores!
Westside’s box is found next to the calendars
Eastside’s box is in front of the registers

click here for ballot PDF

Scroll below for candidates and their thoughts…

Your vote is your voice: use it to help shape the future of the Co-op. These elections have been decided by 1–30 votes in the recent past. One vote — YOUR vote — can make a difference! Voting changes the future, from budgets to boycotts to the overall trajectory of the organization. Who you choose influences your Co-op! By casting a vote, you participate in 39 years of tradition, and help us to continue to drive our mission and values by selecting members of our community to serve the Co-op on your behalf.

The Board of Directors is the elected body that represents the membership by establishing policies, overseeing the operating and capital budgets, approving plans and recommendations, and setting general guidelines for the staff collective and working members. The Board holds ultimate legal responsibility for the operations and actions of the Co-op.

Use your vote to make sure our Directors represent your vision for the future of our cooperative! Every year we have three positions open for a 3-year term. This year, we have two additional positions open due to resignations. The term lengths for election this year are: three 3-year terms, one 2-year term, and one 1-year term. We have 5 positions open on our Board this year and 8 candidates!

Vote for 5 candidates

Candidates were asked to answer the following questions:

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
2. What general abilities and skills will you bring to the Board?
3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
4. What else would you like to share?

Caleb Baldwin

1.  Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
I want to be on the Board of Directors because I want to serve the needs of the membership, and respond to any needs or concerns they may have. I am a people person and a problem solver. I am also a good listener. Another reason I would like to be on the Board of Directors can be summed up in one word: EXPANSION. We love our eastside Co-op, but the store opened in 1994 and was converted from an RV store. It has served us well, but I have talked to many members, a lot of whom have come through my volunteer cashier line, and most have expressed the same feelings. They convey that it’s time to design and build something with bigger aisles, an expanded deli, more parking, etc. I would love to hear more input on this if I am elected. I know that Board Members are not the only ones that are involved in this big decision, but I would like to be as involved as possible.

2. What general abilities and skills will you bring to the Board?
First of all, I know the Co-op and the community very well. I was born at St. Peter’s Hospital in Olympia in 1989, and have lived here my entire life. I began at the Co-op as a produce volunteer three years ago. About six months after that, I transitioned to cashiering. I love being upfront, being able to greet people, and help them answer questions and concerns. My whole career up until now has focused on public service and volunteering, including serving on the Lacey Park Board, and a Community Service Officer for the City of Lacey. I also spend 20 hours a week taking care of a wonderful young man with cerebral palsy. I think my people skills, and all of the skills I’ve learned in serving my community thus far will help me as a Board Member.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
As I stated before, I envision an expanded Co-op. One we build from scratch where more than two carts can fit down an aisle. I also think I envision a lot more of the same great service the Co-op has been providing since 1977: Quality, local, organic food, at reasonable prices. I also envision us focusing on recruiting more superb working members, without whom we most certainly could not survive.

4. What else would you like to share?
I promise that if elected I will take anyone’s call on any issue, and fight hard for every single member so that we can become the best Co-op possible. Thank you for reading my plans for the Co-op and I cordially ask for your vote.

Dylan Brooks

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
The reason I would like to be on the Board is that ever since I moved here, over a year ago, and learned of the Co-op I have been impressed with its organizational model. I am a strong believer in worker control on the job and I feel that organizations like the Olympia Food Co-op is one example of how that might look, and it is important to have examples that people can look to and learn from even as the Co-op learns how to do these things better.

2. What general abilities and skills will you bring to the Board?
My abilities and skills include research, both academic and also in regards to labor organizing. I have some skill at using Microsoft Office, as well as Dropbox, Google Drive, etc. I am the secretary of the Olympia Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World which requires me to keep track of our books, maintain our member database, attend our branch meeting once a month, as well as other meetings. I am good at mediating situations with an eye towards what is right. I use email a lot and maintain several email accounts as well as oversee two listservs at the moment, so I am proficient at keeping up with emails. In my capacity as an organizer I am much stronger on the paperwork side of things. That may sound odd but in general I like meetings and such. The process of how these things work has always been of interest to me.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
My vision for the Co-op is for it to enhance and increase its focus on the community in terms of its worker-run model and what this means. My vision would be to focus on, “support efforts to foster a socially and economically egalitarian society.” In my experience so far I feel that the community knows less about this aspect of the Co-op and I would seek to bring this to the forefront.

4. What else would you like to share?
The only other thing I would like to share is my interest and passion lies with helping the poor and working class and I think that the Co-op is a good vehicle for this. Not only in the food and services it provides but also in its worker run model, which can and should be a model for the whole community.

Desdra Dawning

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
I have served on the Olympia Food Co-op Board for almost two years as an appointee. During this time, I have come to more clearly understand how our particular Co-op functions and I now recognize the value of a strong and yet flexible Board. While I came into this position with a love and appreciation for our Co-op, my gratitude for its presence in Olympia has grown even stronger. My primary motivation as a Board of Directors member has been, and continues to be, to ensure the health and on-going continuity of Olympia Food Co-op well into the future. I would very much like to continue my service to both our Co-op community and the larger Olympia community.

2. What general abilities and skills will you bring to the Board?
I have always greatly valued the cooperative movement and what the Cooperative Principles stand for. I have written many articles for our Co-op Newsletter. Being on the Board has taught me about consensus, and the value of its process. Working on many committees and task forces, I have developed a friendly, working relationship with Staff Collective members, and Working Members, and have a deeper understanding of the inner workings of Olympia Food Co-op. I would like to continue my work on these committees and task forces.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I see the Olympia Food Co-op as a thriving part of the Olympia community, serving us all not only with good healthy food and other products, but as a vanguard for social justice and a sustainable local economy. No other grocery store anywhere offers this. I see us growing in membership and I trust that conscious decisions will continue to be made as we make the necessary expansion changes that will allow us to more effectively continue to serve our region. I see us in a larger facility with plenty of parking, and perhaps even eventually a downtown presence. And I see the Staff Collective, Working Members, and Board of Directors working gracefully together to ensure the health and well-being of all Olympia Food Co-op members. I also see more enthusiastic involvement from the greater Olympia Food Co-op membership.

4. What else would you like to share?
From the beginning of my time as an Olympia Food Co-op Board of Directors member, I have experienced personally the terrible division and deep emotional divides that have developed from the boycott of Israel products and the ensuing lawsuit. While I support the boycott for its political message to the current government of Israel, I am also deeply concerned about the shut-down of communication that the lawsuit brought with it. As an Olympia Food Co-op Board member, I see my position as one that represents all Olympia Food Co-op Members, and would like to work toward some sort of reconciliation, both among Staff Collective and Board of Directors members, and with our larger Olympia Food Co-op membership. How that can be accomplished, I am not sure, but I feel that it is imperative that we somehow take steps to heal these wounds through open dialogue and whatever other measures we can muster. If we can’t bring peace to the Co-op, how can we possibly expect to bring peace to the larger world?

Mardi Halvorsen

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
I want to run for the Board of Directors because I believe in the Co-op as community. I put my money where my mouth is, both in what I eat and figuratively. I walk the walk, or at least try.

2. What general abilities and skills will you bring to the Board?
The abilities that I have equal my skills, jack of all trades, master of many, including creative reuse (I sew and sell up-cycled coffee filters sewn from fabrics that are reused, obtained primarily from the Free Store), I’m a yogi (500 hours trained), and a pet sitter (small business owner.) I’ve lived in Olympia since 2014.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
My vision for the Co-op is to bottle that terrific Co-op smell and sell it! Just kidding! Seriously, I would keep the good things good and really, it’s all good. I’ve spent most of my working life in customer service and I am so inspired by all the staff I have the honor to work with at the Co-op. Olympia and the Food Co-op are the embodiment of everything I try to live. It only took my moving here to finally find my perfect partner in Douglas Goslin, long time Co-op working member and my Co-op community. With Douglas’ encouragement I began my volunteer career with the Co-op in early 2015. This summer, my daughter began volunteering with me. Family communication and cooperation are values I strive to live and to teach. Thank you for the opportunity to contribute back to a community and dare I say, family that has empowered me in my life here in Olympia.

Casey Hook

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
Having basically grown up in the Co-op I value it and its impact on the community a great deal. I want to help the Co-op to grow and flourish. I am also preparing for a masters in nonprofit administration at Evergreen and think that a term with the Co-op Board would provide useful experience.

2. What general abilities and skills will you bring to the Board?
I have strong communication skills and am good at collaborating. I am good with and enjoy math. I have a lot of energy and passion about the well-being of the Co-op.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I would like to see the Co-op someday grow to compete meaningfully with the big box grocery stores in Olympia. People should have access to better food than they generally offer, and the Co-op will need to grow to offer that. From a more reasonable/short term perspective, I think it is high time we have another branch. I also like the idea of helping to provide more ready access to good food for Evergreen students, perhaps a grocery truck that could show up regularly on campus.

Jim Hutcheon

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
I have been a working member, volunteering in produce, for almost 5 years. This has given me a chance to see one facet of the Co-op. My volunteer experience has also nurtured in me the desire to give back more to the Co-op. I feel that my experience and skills would enable me to contribute in a meaningful way to the Board of Directors.

2. What general abilities and skills will you bring to the Board?
I am organized, analytical, and a good communicator. I have a lot of practical experience motivating people. In addition to my work as a biology professor, I have organized field work in foreign countries. In addition to basic administrative skills, I have worked with funders, organized volunteers, interacted with local stakeholders, organized budgets, and supplied field staff with food and resources.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
My vision is for the Co-op to keep creatively finding ways to fulfill its mission. Although all of the goals of the Co-op are important, I am particularly interested in the first two goals: Provide information about food; make good food accessible to more people.

4. What else would you like to share?
I have been a vegetarian for 35 years and involved with food co-ops nearly all my adult life. I have a long-standing commitment to the health of the individual, the community, and the planet. I believe strongly in the values set forth in the Olympia Food Co-op’s mission statement. Our food and our diet makes up a significant portion of most people’s monthly expenses and as such, I believe we all have a fundamental right to good and healthy food choices.

Raven Redbone

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
In becoming a Board Member of the Co-op, I would aid and add to the already support of the voices less heard in our world. I would like to bring and support the voices of Indigenous Peoples of the World, mainly focusing on our Northwest Tribal Nations here that we all live in their back yard. I would do my best to bring awareness of the Tribal Issues to the Co-op. In doing so, this will help in fostering stronger relations between the Co-op and the Indigenous Peoples of the World.

2. What general abilities and skills will you bring to the Board?
I will bring to the Co-op strong planning, organization and project management skills. I am an excellent communicator with the ability to bring groups together – an important skill when working on a consensus board. I also bring an innate understanding of the needs of our community, and have worked with many leaders, including Native Elders like Billy Frank Jr., City Hall, and Tibetan monks. My educational background includes a Bachelor of Science, Business Management and Marketing from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and a Master in Public Administration from The Evergreen State College. I bring many connections from the Olympia community as a volunteer for organizations such as CIELO Project/Radio Ranch, Olympia Food Co-op Terra Commons, KAOS Community Radio and Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR). I also host my own radio show on KAOS Radio, called “Make No Bones About It”, and I have been a Co-op volunteer for many years!

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I would like to be a part of the healing that the Co-op is already fostering in our community. It is my hope that in becoming a part of the Co-op Board I can support, aid, and foster deeper relationships between our community and our Tribal Nations. It is through working together we can heal the world first locally then globally.

4. What else would you like to share?
I was born in Akwesasne, New York, and also go by the name Raven Redbone. Before moving to Olympia, Washington I lived in many other places throughout the United States. I love Irish, Folk, Appalachia, classical and Native music. In 2014, I received an award from Censored News called “New Perspectives in Resistance in Radio.” As well as organizing many events in the community such as the Sunrise Ceremony, Indigenous Peoples Day, Educational Films about Indigenous Peoples Today, and I collect warmth for all of Indian Country as Executive Board Member of Goodthinking 4 All our Relations. I live in Olympia with my wife of 12 years, Paulette Frisina, and my 2 kids, Tekla Frisina age 11 and Nataani Frisina age 9, and let us not forget our cat Gaia who is 16!

Jaime Rossman

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
Our Co-op is an extraordinary community resource. We make great food available at fair prices, support local producers, strive for social justice, and employ nearly one hundred of our neighbors in living wage jobs with great benefits. The Co-op wouldn’t have this impact without the dedication of hundreds of volunteers. Over the years I’ve cashiered, counted ballots for Co-op elections, and provided childcare for a collective staff member. I’d like to join the Board of Directors to apply my professional skills and academic background to help keep the Co-op thriving for the next three years, and beyond.

2. What general abilities and skills will you bring to the Board?
I work as a Policy Advisor for the State. My responsibilities include research, economic impact analysis, budgeting, strategic planning, and program development and evaluation. I represent my agency on a number of boards and work groups, and served on the Board of Trustees when I was a student at Evergreen, so am familiar with the workings of complex organizations. I also have experience with consensus decision-making, serving on and then coordinating Evergreen’s Services and Activities Fee Allocation Board. I went back to Evergreen for a Masters of Public Administration, where my studies included nonprofit administration, strategic planning, and performance management. Combined, these skills will make me an asset as a member of the Board of Directors. I work effectively in groups, and am familiar and comfortable with the Co-op’s unique ways of doing things. I have years of experience developing and evaluating budgets, and helping organizations advance their missions through research, good planning, and adaptively responding to unforeseen issues as they arise.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
The Co-op faces big challenges over the next decade. Rising costs of living have eroded the value of the Co-op’s pay structure. New sources of organic, even locally-produced, food threaten revenue growth. And collective staff members struggle to balance the day-to-day work of running the stores with the time-intensive and emotionally-weighty process of consensus decision-making. I don’t have a neat solution to these challenges, but I do envision a Co-op that treats them as realities and does the hard work needed to find paths forward. I believe I can help the Board work in partnership with the staff collective, working members, and the rest of the membership, to do just that.

4. What else would you like to share?
Beyond my skills and short-term vision, I would bring a passionate belief in, and commitment to, the Co-op’s mission. It is a continual struggle for the Co-op to honor all aspects of its mission. I’ve seen up-close and personally how hard it can be for the Co-op, and for each member in our organization, to balance these competing interests. But by maintaining a radical commitment to equitable decision-making, by doing so much good in our community while also taking courageous stands on issues of international importance, the Co-op truly lives its mission. I’m proud that my community has continued to sustain this dynamic organization for decades. As a Board member, I would be honored to help do the same.

click here for list of candidates PDF
vote at either store

click here for ballot PDF

Every year in the fall, we celebrate YOU, by holding your Co-op Annual Membership Meeting to bring you Co-op updates and more! This year it will be held on

Saturday, November 12, 2016
11am – 2pm
Olympia Community Center, Room A
222 Columbia Street NW
downtown Olympia

The Olympia Food Co-op’s mission is to contribute to the health and well being of people, with goals to “Support efforts to foster a socially and economically egalitarian society” and “Assist in the development of local community resources.” Food Sovereignty and Native rights, the theme for this year’s meeting, relates to efforts which the Co-op has been engaged in this year, including the collaborative mural projects featuring the art work of political prisoner Leonard Peltier at both stores, support for the Paddle to Nisqually inter-tribal canoe journey, the upcoming register round-up donation to support the Standing Rock Tribe’s legal campaign to halt the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline across their sacred grounds and water resource, etc. Come hear local leaders, Sonny Davis of Native Harvest, Elizabeth Campbell and Aleta Poste of the Squaxin Tribal Garden, speak on their work around cultivating food sovereignty and native rights for tribal communities here in the Pacific Northwest.

Learn about the latest Co-op ideas and decisions through reports from your Co-op Board and staff collective, meet the Board candidates running in this election cycle. And top it all off by feasting on traditional and seasonal Northwest food provided by Twana Catering (Skokomish) and salmon by Native Harvest– along with local sweets and beverages. A space for your children to play and be entertained will also be provided at this family-friendly event. This is an excellent opportunity to reconnect with old friends, learn about the latest Co-op comings and goings, and become involved in our Co-op community.

We hope to see you there!

Saturday, November 12, 2016
11am – 2pm
Olympia Community Center, Room A
222 Columbia Street NW
downtown Olympia

Stand in solidarity with Standing Rock every time you shop at the Co-op!
Stop the Dakota Access Pipeline

Round up at the Register
and the Co-op will match all donations up to $1000!
Proceeds will benefit multiple organizations, these as well as others:
Standing Rock
Sioux Nation Youth Council
Sacred Stone Camp Legal Fund

Bring to the Co-op much-needed supplies
and they will be delivered to Sacred Stone Camp!
Scroll below to find out what is needed

For the latest news
sacredstonecamp.org

Donate directly to Sacred Stone Camp through Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/196PVIWRDX1M4

Petition
change.org/rezpectourwater

Solidarity Poster design
justseeds.org/solidarity-with-standing-rock

Supplies List as requested by Sacred Stone Camp
Gift Cards Lowes, Menards, Amazon, Verizon
Tents (Especially Winter Tents)
Sleeping Bags for Subzero Temperatures
High Quality Winter Jackets
Battery Packs & Solar Chargers
Carts, Wheelbarrows, Snow Tires
Ropes, Tie-downs
Heavy Duty Tarps
Heavy Duty Storage Bins
Power Invertrrs and Solar Panels
Walkie-Talkies and CB Radios
Gas Cards, Paint, Money
Do Not Bring
Clothing or anything not on this list

links update, November 3, 2016

Raven Redbone, of Olympia, hosts the “Make No Bones About It” show Sundays, 4 – 6pm, on 89.3 KAOS Radio. We requested Raven to provide us with links for folks to access accurate information about Standing Rock. Here’s what was sent our way…. thank you, Raven!

#WorldWaterOne

Indigenous led movement to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline
https://nodaplsolidarity.org/

Red Warrior Camp
https://www.gofundme.com/redwarriorcamp

Goodthinking 4 All Our Relations is a registered nonprofit organization founded in July 2009 to address and meet the needs of the seemingly forgotten and overlooked children and Elders in “Indian Country.”
http://4allourrelations.org/?page_id=2

This group is to help facilitate transportation to the protest due to emergency need of help
https://www.facebook.com/groups/noDAPLtransport/537541309780609/?notif_t=group_activity&notif_id=1475069554002032

No DPAL Stand Up for Standing Rock: 100% of all funds are going to 501 (c) 3 nonprofit Goodthinking 4 All Our Relations
https://www.gofundme.com/2ryy8uxg

Censored News is a service to grassroots Indigenous Peoples engaged in resistance and upholding human rights.
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Censored-News-428451600511125/?fref=ts

Honor The Earth, creating awareness and support for Native environmental issues and to develop needed financial and political resources for the survival of sustainable Native communities
www.honorearth.org/

Indigenous Environmental Network, an alliance of grassroots Indigenous Peoples whose mission is to protect the sacredness of Mother Earth.
www.ienearth.org/

In anticipation for our
Annual Harvest Party and Local Eats Celebration
Westside Olympia Food Co-op
September 18, 1pm – 5pm
here is a blog post from a staff member’s experience of being a Local Artisan …

remember this calendar from 2001?

Twenty two years ago, after graduating from college, I was determined to “make it as an artist”. After several years of exploring ideas utilizing my natural talents and interests, I ventured to take some pictures of downtown buildings, printed them in the local college darkroom, found some discarded card stock from the local frame shop, and put together little cards and went to the Olympia Food Co-op, shyly asking if they would be interested in carrying them.

The staff member who helped me was so kind, and immediately purchased a handful. Within a month I was selling a dozen a week. This inspired me to go to other stores. Within a year, I produced a handmade calendar (Xeroxed!) with the images, carried in 13 stores with a high turnover. The next year, I produced another calendar with more success. This gave me the confidence to continue as a self-employed artist, creating more projects that enriched our community, branching out to music and dance, and hiring – and paying well – local bands, performers, and teaching assistants for community and school cutural events .

This all started by the Olympia Food Co-op being so willing, so kind, to carry my art project, and this beautiful community of folks who appreciate local products enough to support with their hard-earned money.

This story is to demonstrate how one little seed, one little purchase of something local, can directly contribute to a community that is enriched with creativity.

It takes a great deal of creativity to come up with how one can run a business, starting with an idea. Many small businesses start with a simple idea, maybe something like – hey! other folks might appreciate this! And from there, it is often to find that a mere 20% of one’s time is devoted to the craft, while the other 80% is wrapped up in business tasks. Thus, one can arrive at a place to question the validity of their hard work. And, often, it is the dollars that will make the difference. The dollars that you give to them.

When shopping, and I find myself faced with a decision to spend an extra dollar on something because it is local, handmade, etc., it is interesting to observe my thoughts. Often I find that immediately – perhaps because of my consumer training – I reach for the cheaper product. And then, suddenly something happens, what it is? Perhaps a memory of how it feels to be a small business owner, providing work for folks in my community? What is this urge to support local? Is it to take this opportunity to provide a sustainable future for my community by spending only an extra dollar? To support anything that will allow folks to have good jobs within their passions and talents?

Whatever it is, it feels good, and I want to go there.

The idea that my dollars will go directly to folks who made this – who came up with the idea – who risked their finances to put together a business built on passion – who daily work hard to make it work. That extra dollar is worth all that for me. Not only that? Likely it will taste better, feel better.

Now, for a tip-toe into the Olympia Food Co-op’s Local Farm program… in my new staff training I was introduced to this program, and was amazed. As I recall, it all started with something like – hey, we were getting multiple farmers coming into the store with the same products and we had to turn many of them away. The produce department staff came up with an idea where they could work directly with the farmers before planting season. Over the years, this has bloomed into an incredible program, where the participating farmers rotate crops (creating sustainability of their land), and grow product that our members will readily purchase, while ensuring that our stores will have a variety of product.

And, a final thought of voting with my dollar. When I focus on selecting foods that are grown locally, I feel that I am able to say – hey! ! I want our local land to be used for farms! I want to eat food grown around here! I want a future for my son where he can eat food grown in the region! I cannot help but to think… if a land is bulldozed and poured over with cement, how easy would it be for someone down the road to want to put a farm in there? This is worth that extra dollar, which is my vote.

Thanks for reading through my personal journey of exploring local. Here are some other ideas found out there in the world wide web….

CUESA – San Francisco
A nonprofit organization educating urban consumers about sustainable agriculture and creating links between urban dwellers and local farmers.
A Year of Eating Locally. Katrina Davidson, blogger in Bay Area

Grace Communications Foundation – New York
Developing innovative strategies to increase public awareness of the critical environmental and public health issues created by our current industrial food system, and to advocate for more sustainable alternatives
Why Buy Sustainable?

EcoWatch
An online environmental news resource, combining insights from environmentalists and business leaders, and has prominent board members including Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
9 Ways to Support Your Local Food Community

National Co+op Growers
Our partnership with other co-ops, bringing excellent pricing in our stores. They are the supporters of our Co-op Explorers Program where kids get free fruit when visiting
Healthy Foods, Healthy Communities

link to magic kombucha fundraising campaign

Recently, there was a tragic fire at the Magic Kombucha production facility and warehouse storage site. This business is an Olympia treasure, one that produces a very popular beverage here at the Co-op.

check out their FaceBook page here!

The Olympia Food Co-op Chill Managers have come together to find ways to support the re-building of the business by posting information on the cooler doors, and donating remaining backstock to Rachel to help her effort to rebuild her supply of kombucha mothers.

They are also encouraging folks who might have un-opened bottles to do the same.

link to magic kombucha fundraising campaign

a letter from Magic Kombucha

hello fabulous customers & friends. i write with a heavy heart & some tragic news—as some of you may have heard, the magic kombucha warehouse burned to the ground late last night. it’s a total loss. fortunately nobody was hurt or injured. the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

obviously magic operations are on hold indefinitely while we sort out insurance claims & rebuilding plans…at this point it’s hard to estimate how long such things will take, but we are determined to rise out of this stronger, healthier & more impassioned than ever. in the meantime, we may need to do some crowdfunding to cover unexpected &/or legal expenses. we will keep you posted.

thanks for loving our booch, & being such a supportive, loving family of rad local businesses. please keep those good vibes coming. xoxo
Best,
Rachel Carns

text from fundraising campaign site

The Story

Anyone who’s ever been lucky enough to sip Magic Kombucha knows that the name isn’t an exaggeration. The stuff is pure joy, brewed and “Bottled by Geniuses” (says so right on the label!)…or more specifically brewed and bottled by owner Rachel Carns and her 8 employees – artists, musicians, writers, performers – who lost their entire livelihood in a devastating fire that took out their 100-year-old warehouse in the wee hours of July 5, 2016.

The entire Magic operation is a loss. Everything is gone, literally up in smoke, with nothing left but a blackened skeleton of a building and piles of twisted metal and scorched green bottles. It’s truly a heartbreaking sight. Even more tragic is the fact that the employees are left with no income for an indefinite period – and this is where Magic can use your immediate help.

Let’s take a moment to paint a happier picture, because there’s something special about Magic Kombucha. They brew their kombucha in small batches (using Olympia’s famous artesian well water!), & fill, cap, & label each bottle by hand. Each kombucha tub, now lost, had a tag, named for pets, friends, ancestors, revolutionaries, cultural icons. The love and care that goes into their “booch” – a sweet-sour, bubbly fermented health tonic made with organic green tea – has made Magic a beloved staple of Olympia and beyond. Even the Seattle Seahawks drink it for post-game recovery; their nutritionist puts it in their smoothies!

Magic had expanded production a few months back, so the warehouse was crammed to the gills with booch – literally floor to ceiling with just a narrow aisle to maneuver through, a full six months’ worth of bottled kombucha. They had just started selling in a number of stores in northern California, and their distributor was in the process of getting Magic Kombucha into 30 regional stores of a national grocery chain. They were poised to take things to the next level.

Unfortunately, as Magic had been growing rapidly, they were running on an outdated insurance policy from several years ago that is capped at $77,000 – a mere fraction of the costs needed to cover employee wages while out of work, finance building out a new space, and provide living expenses for Rachel and the crew during the first few months of production. Magic’s lost product inventory alone is estimated at over $175,000, and that doesn’t include equipment. They are going to need immediate emergency financial assistance to help get them through the weeks-to-months before the insurance pays out – & to help cover the many losses and expenses that their insufficient insurance policy won’t.

Rebuilding the company is further complicated by the fact that you Just Can’t Rush Kombucha: from start to finish, the Magic brew needs 3-4 months (depending on weather) to properly ripen. That means 3-4 months of full-time work before income starts coming in.

Beyond that, this timeline doesn’t account for the weeks it will take to grow new kombucha cultures from scratch, or how long it will take to find a new space and build it out to Magic’s unique production needs. Magic’s employees may be without work for quite a while.

It’s a sad picture, but with your help it is also a rare opportunity to rebuild a Magic Kombucha that is stronger, healthier, and more impassioned than ever. Many have reached out to offer kind words and emotional support, and the Magic family is truly feeling the love. If you can, please consider donating to help bring that love to the table. However you can help, in word or deed, the entire Magic crew is eternally grateful, totally humbled, and in awe of the support and love from Magic Kombucha lovers near and far.

THANK YOU.

link to magic kombucha fundraising campaign

Fundraiser Updates

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Friends of Magic Kombucha

HEADING TOWARD $9000!!!thank you friends. Magic has a long road ahead, so don’t stop now! please continue sharing this page & giving if you can. still embroiled in insurance red tape…will post more info when we have a clearer picture of what might happen. meanwhile, we are putting out a call for HALF GALLON OR LARGER GLASS JARS!if you are in the olympia area & have some to spare, send us a facebook message– we’d love to take them off yr hands. MASSIVE SCOBY REGENERATION IN PROGRESS!

Posted on July 11, 2016 by Friends of Magic Kombucha

YAY! just passed $7000! this will help pay out partial wages for the Magic employees during the months of transition ahead. THANK YOU! we have a long way to go…& even if you can’t give money, there are many ways to help. local Magic fans & Olympia businesses have been donating their precious Magic Kombucha stock so we can grow new kombucha culture (better known as SCOBY, an acronym for Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria & Yeast); these booch angels have driven from port townsend, portland, seattle & beyond – every bottle counts! meanwhile, seattle komo news 4 interviewed Rachel & ran a clip on our story over the weekend – watch it here!

Posted on July 9, 2016 by Friends of Magic Kombucha

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW you all are the best! only one day in & already at $4000!!! THANK YOU. days & days of endless meetings & messages & phone calls with insurance people & other insurance people & then some different insurance people…so happy the weekend is here. meanwhile, the local newspaper ran a cool story on Magic today–check it out by clicking here!

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link to magic kombucha fundraising campaign

A Really Sad Story about Fruit and Hail
Excerpt from August 2016 Produce Department Newsletter

Last week we received an email from Mike Brownfield, one of the Co-op’s primary growers for Washington fruit, including stone fruit (peaches, apricots, etc), apples and pears that had the following information:

“Greetings to our loyal customers, I’m afraid the prospects of a great season for us have vanished. We suffered a vigorous hail storm Tuesday afternoon. It lasted about 7 minutes and severely damaged around 50% of our fruit….Since we sell all of our stone fruit to our I5 customers, the quantity currently available has been greatly reduced by this storm. The peaches, etc. were in an area that received the brunt of the hail, wind and rain. Concerning our apples and pears, one end of the orchard appears to have 30% damage while the other end has around 70%.”

What this means for you as Co-op customers, is that we will likely see less of Brownfield’s delicious fruit than we normally do, and that the fruit we receive may have some damage. Mike has also let us know that he expects to have many cases of fruit available for canning, so if you are interested in purchasing a case of slightly damaged fruit, please let a produce worker know and we can get you information on pricing and availability.

It’s really sad how such a short and unusual weather event can cause such a horrible amount of damage, and it should remind us all of the risk that farmers take every day to bring us the fresh, high-quality, healthy, organic produce. I wrote about this last month, but I want to reiterate that as climate change continues to happen, we will likely see more weather events like these, more pest infestations, and a harder time controlling plant diseases. So take a moment to appreciate your produce, even when it’s not cosmetically perfect.

A picture of Brownfield’s delicious apricots pre-storm

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The Nisqually Tribe welcomes and celebrates all nations and visitors to Canoe Journey 2016! The Tribal Canoe Journeys – Paddle to Nisqually – will take place July 30th through August 6th, 2016.

Canoe Landing in Olympia on July 30th
Port of Olympia North Point

One of the ways we are supporting this effort is by offering Olympia Food Co-op Working Member credit in exchange for volunteering for the event. These links to take you to the volunteering opportunities:

Volunteer for the Canoe Journey

Volunteer for the Canoe Landing – Port of Olympia

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are you 12 or under?

come by the Member Services desk for a piece of free fruit every time you visit the Co-op!

and, a note for caregivers….

Co+op Explorers is a free fruit program for NCG co-ops. The benefits of a free fruit program include promoting healthy eating for kids (and appreciation by parents and the larger community) and a more engaging and fun shopping experience for both parents and kids.

Queer People of Color, Queer Trans People of Color, LGBTQ+ people …

… the Olympia Food Co-op loves you!

Many queer staff and allies are grieving the violence against people every day in this country. Native lives, black lives, brown lives, queer lives are lost every day.

We stand in solidarity with our community through yet another tragedy. We stand in solidarity with the victims of Pulse, with the victims of hatred and intolerance.

The community is invited to show it support by filling our store windows with hearts and rainbows with notes of support for the rest of June.

You can find hearts at each store or you could bring a heart or rainbow you made at home.

Let’s show some love because hatred is killing people.