Category Archives: Updates

MEMBER SURVEY- QUESTIONS ABOUT SELLING TURKEYS

 

Member Survey– we have questions about selling turkeys at the Co-op!

For decades, the Olympia Food Co-op has been selling turkeys in the one to two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving Day. Increasingly, there has been discussion of whether this is in line with our values as an organization. The history of Thanksgiving, the common narrative of the holiday vs historical realities, and the negative impact the holiday has on some people, especially Indigenous Americans, are worth consideration. These conversations have been happening among staff members for years.
While the Olympia Food Co-op does a lot to adjust to the increased sales associated with this holiday, such as having more canned pumpkin, cranberries, yams, green beans, and of course turkeys in stock, the turkey seems to be the biggest signifier of the holiday and can convey different connotations for each person that other items might not have.
As a member-owned business, it is important to incorporate our member-owners into this conversation. We would like to hear from you! We created this survey to better understand where the membership stands on this issue. Click here to join the survey.

OFC BOARD ELECTIONS 2023

Thank you for exercising your member right to vote in the Olympia Food Co-op 2023 Elections. By casting your vote, you’ll be participating in over 40 years of tradition. By selecting members of our community to serve the Co-op on your behalf, you’ll drive our mission and values.

Ballots accepted from 9 a.m. September 20th- October 20th. Once you submit your ballot, you will not be able to edit your responses. Your name and either address or email are required in order to verify your membership. Your ballot will not be considered valid without this identifying information.

For help contact: memberrelations@olympiafood.coop

Board Candidates


Ruth M Brownstein

  1. Why do you want to join the Co-op Board of Directors?
    I do not see myself (or other folks like me) on the board – and I have long wanted to see that representation. When I complained to friends who are currently staff at the coop I was encouraged to apply, so here I am.

2. What skills and abilities would you bring to the Board?
I am into my 2nd of year of early retirement and feel this would be a good way for me to give back to my community and a good way for me to keep myself engaged as well to be honest. I worked as a volunteer at the coop (early deli days for sure!) and then became a staff member for nearly a decade 1999-2008. I then worked at KAOS radio in several management roles for over 12 years after which my job was eliminated due to ‘covid cutbacks’ at Evergreen. I am hopeful I could bring some thoughtful insights and perhaps a fresh perspective. I worked in radio (KAOS, The Mountain (when it existed), KPLU (when it existed), KNKX)- know a ‘few’ things from all of these experiences over the years

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
Visions- Collaboration. Consistency. Cooperation. Growth.

4. What else would you like to share?

I am currently writing (working on) a book, about reconnecting with my birth family after 50+ years of being absent from their lives- hope to have it published sometime next year.


Paul (Tim) Chenette

  1. Why do you want to join the Co-op Board of Directors?
    I recently moved to Washington State in 2021 from the San Francisco Bay Area and we settled in Lacey. I found the Co-Op and was impressed with the variety of items and the fact that it was staffed with volunteers. I visited the other site awhile later and had the same feeling. Having been a Vegan for 40+ years, I’m always looking for the opportunity to find stores like Olympia Food Co-Op and was recently informed by a friend that there would be a potential opening on the Board. I feel my career and life experience would be an asset to the organization to help the  community I now call home

2. What skills and abilities would you bring to the Board? I worked for a City Recreation and Community Services Department for 31 years, 24 as a Supervisor. I worked in several program areas including Day Care, Summer Camps, Community Events and for the last 15 years, Sports and Athletics, overseeing a staff of 80 part-time employees and 2 full-time. I was responsible for recruitment, interviewing, hiring, training and supervising all staff. I oversaw a budget of approximately $600,000 in my program area as well as input to the overall Department budget of several million. I was part of several building projects, including my last one as Department liaison with the builder and architect for a City gymnasium. In addition, I had many opportunities over the years to speak in public doing presentations and leading Community meetings with City Council, Park and Recreation Commission, Community Boards and Friends of Parks and Recreation, a non-profit I started among others.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op? My vision for the Co-Op would be to help evaluate the current administration of the operations and with my background try to assist with any potential improvements to make it an even greater addition to the Community.

4. What else would you like to share?  After I retired I spent 11 years volunteering with the Peninsula Humane Society as a cat TLC volunteer, eventually training new volunteers as well as incorporating new ideas for animal policy and care. I also managed an apartment building for 8 years for a Property Management Company and also showed outside rental properties and did property inspections. References available. I exercise daily, love to hike and bicycle and am a huge hockey fan.


Jennifer M Falknor

  1. Why do you want to join the Co-op Board of Directors?
    I believe the Board to be a critical part of the Co-op, and it needs fair representation from all facets of the membership. A robust Board is one that can process opinions, knowledge and experience from many avenues, process new ideas as well as keeping in mind the history, guidelines and present state of the Co-op.

2. What skills and abilities would you bring to the Board? I have served on a number of Boards over the decades, as well as in other “official” capacities – as President, CEO, CFO, Treasurer, Production Manager, Services Manager, Store Manager, and in many other capacities in a variety of businesses; from self-employment to non-profits, business associations and other forms of business. I hope that my broad perspective can help in enhancing the functionality of the Board.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I would love nothing more than to have every organized business function as a co-op. I see our co-op as one of the most organized and progressive that I have experienced, with a heartwarming dedication to the spirit of community and the the never-ending dedication to “Feed The People”. We’re not perfect – nothing and nobody is – but I love that everyone is always willing to improve. I would love for us to continue to be supportive and interactive with other co-ops, and to continue to expand the ways in which we help people obtain good food.


4. What else would you like to share? I’m also applying because I want more people to run for the Board. More choices are always better. So, I’m running, in part, just to give our members more choices, and show other members that this position is easily accessible to anyone who wants to help make a difference, in yet another way.

Ike C. Nwankwo

  1. Why do you want to join the Co-op Board of Directors? I recently retired from the Washington State Department of Commerce as a Deputy Managing Director and now have time for volunteer work. I would love to give back to the community.

2. What skills and abilities would you bring to the Board?

As a Deputy Managing Director, I was responsible for technical and financial assistance for the development and adoption of the comprehensive plans and development regulations for all cities and counties in Western Washington. This includes public participation, land use/zoning decisions that guide both residential and commercial developments. Comprehensive plans delineate policies and regulations for the development of housing, commercial businesses, transportation, population growth, economic development among others. I managed a group of professionals that worked with city and county staff and elected officials along with citizen involvement to develop plans, policies and regulations that fit their community. I personally worked with city council members, mayors, county executives to address issues facing the community. It helped to also provide them with grants. 

I served on the City of Olympia Planning Commission for two terms.

I currently serve on the Community Youth Services of Olympia Finance Committee.

I am also currently on the University of Washington College of Urban Design and Planning Professionals Council. We mentor graduate students and help the college develop curriculum for architecture and planning students.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I love Coops and take every opportunity I get to check them out in every city I visit. Based on all I have seen, the Oly Coop needs an upgrade. A bigger building with modern amenities and more parking would attract more membership and make us more profitable. I was impressed by the Mt. Vernon Coop. It has more products in stock, more shelf space, a good sized lunch space with microwaves and other amenities and ample parking. It was the place to have a healthy organic lunch and it was teeming with people of all ages. My vision is for the Oly Co-op to adopt a similar model.

4. What else would you like to share?  I have lived in Olympia for more than 30 years and love this city.  I moved here from Philadelphia where I was working on my Ph.D at the University of Pennsylvania. I have degrees in architecture and urban planning.

Dave Toler

  1. Why do you want to join the Co-op Board of Directors?   When I relocated to Olympia in 2022, one of the great discoveries I made was that we have a real food coop- not just a consumer coop but a worker coop managed and operated by the workers. It is a model I fervently believe in and would like to do my part to ensure its vitality.

2. What skills and abilities would you bring to the Board?

 I have been a member of 12-15 nonprofit and local governmental Boards. I was Chair of a domestic violence organization, a mental health regional organization, a School Board and several other organizations. I have also been an administrator and have grant writing and other resource development experience.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I would love to see the coop be able to operate in a more environmentally friendly way such as efficient HVAC, lighting, cooler/freezers etc. I think the community would support it and it would certainly help the coop’s bottom line. There are grants out there! I also wonder if there could be more participation from worker members because I think they are your most dedicated supporters of the coop. I believe that by providing worker members more of a voice in the coop, there would be a real benefit to the organization. Finally, improved compensation of the staff would also be a key goal. Through more efficient operations in other ways, we could hopefully better afford to increase the compensation package of the staff.

4. What else would you like to share?  I love the Oly Food Coop!

Temporary Limited Hours & suspension of Order & Pickup

Temporary Limited Hours
Starting Thursday, March 26

Eastside Store
9am to 6pm
Everyday

Westside Store
9am to 1pm AND
2pm to 9pm
Everyday

Westside Garden Center
11am to 7pm
Thursday thru Monday only

Our revised East and West store hours will be in effect seven days per week and are necessary to keep working towards clean, well stocked shelves, and adequate space for shoppers practicing social distancing. To this effect we are continuing to limit customer counts East to 20 and West to 7 – 10.

Inventory Updates
The supply of grocery items continues to improve and our perishable departments of produce, meat, cheese are dairy are also generally well stocked. Due to increased demand and inconsistencies in shipping volume, we are still unable to take special orders at this time.

Order and Pick Up System has had some successes (its popular!) and some challenges. We are suspending the system for several days as we catch up on orders, improve staffing, and make adjustments to improve it’s sustainability. If you’ve already place an order, it will be filled and we will call you with payment and pickup instructions. Please wait for us to call you and don’t call or come to the store until instructed to do so. Thank you for your patience and support as we learn together.

 

shopper update – Saturday, March 21st

Saturday, March 21, 2020.

Dear Co-op Shoppers,

In an effort to promote the safest possible social distancing in our stores, the Co-op has decided to limit the number of customers shopping at one time.

We will be making adjustments to this process as we go and are learning with every step. Thank you for your patience and understanding. For now, customers will be limited to 20 shoppers at the Eastside and 10 at the Westside.

To help with store crowding, if you are able to send in only one person per household that will help.

In addition, due to stresses placed on our supply system, we are unable to take special orders at this time for any department. We will go back to supplying special orders as soon as we can.

We will be announcing the steps to begin an order and pickup system on Monday, March 23 which will also help our efforts to continue to get food to our community.

Thank you for your patience and understanding,
The Staff and Board of the Olympia Food Co-op

stores open late on Saturday by 11am

Both East and West Co-ops will open late Saturday, March 21, by 11 AM. We apologize for the inconvenience but find it necessary to safely restock our shelves, thoroughly clean and work towards better social distancing measures in response to the continued spread of COVID-19 in our area. Please stay tuned for more updates about limits to customers in the stores and the beginning of our order and pick up service starting early next week.

Thank you as always for your support and community spirit as we work together to keep providing good food to more people.

In cooperation,
The Staff Collective of the Olympia Food Co-op

co-op kitchen remodel news!

Dear Customers,

The Co-op Deli Kitchen is being remodeled! Work will start Saturday,
February 8th and we will have to close the kitchen for 6 weeks (if all
goes to schedule…).

We will do our best to continue to provide Co-op Salad Bar salads,
soups, and sandwiches as “grab n go” items (working from an offsite
kitchen). Soups will be sold cold, but can be heated in our new
microwave near the eating area!

We apologize for the inconvenience for fans of the salad bar but the
Deli team looks forward (along with Cheese and Bulk Dept. folks!) to
working in a larger and safer kitchen. Updates will be posted on the
Olympia Food Co-op website and on social media.

Thank you for your support over the years!
Olympia Food Co-op Deli Collective


Update March 12, 2020

Thank you for your patience while we enlarge and update our kitchen.  Our Cheese department has been working hard to continue to bring you a variety of cheeses and our Deli Department is trying out some new things at our temporary offsite kitchen, like this jackfruit vegan taco kit.  We hope you enjoy them.

Our kitchen has been taken down to the bare bones and is starting to take shape!  The walls and floors are done and painting will begin.  Equipment will start being fitted in next week.  We still hope to be up and running by the end of March.

westside garden center opens on Feb. 1st!

We are looking forward to a new year of wonderful garden center goods!


The westside garden center opens February 1st, 2020!

11am – 6pm
Thursdays – Mondays
(closed Monday, February 3rd)


The eastside garden center is open during regular business hours

open January 1st!

The Co-op will be open
January 1st
8am – 9pm


The staff collective would like to recognize the diversity within our community. If you have thoughts on our store hours we would love to hear from you!


 

westside garden center open weekends

westside Garden Center
open Saturdays & Sundays
10am – 6pm
until December 22 – reopening on February 1st, 2020


eastside Garden Center
open Everyday
8am – 8pm


open november 28 until 5pm

Both Co-op locations will be open on
November 28th, 2019

8am – 5pm

The staff collective would like to recognize the diversity within our community. If you have thoughts on our store hours we would love to hear from you! Email here


A message from
Jaclyn Roessel
Director of Decolonized Futures & Radical Dreams
US Department of Arts & Culture
November 22, 2019

Growing up as a Diné woman, I was taught to carry on my cultural practices of reverence for land and place. I was molded by the beliefs, prayers, and encouragement of my parents and grandmothers, and was raised hearing stories of our creation—stories that relate us to the world around us. In my community, fall brings with it a full of appreciation of the harvest and new practices to welcome the colder months.

While this time is filled with reverence internally, outside of my community the fall season is also full of cringe-worthy debacles. Between the racist costumes that arise around Halloween, the offensive mascots that storm the field, and the continued perpetuation of the false history of Thanksgiving, this season is challenging as a Native person.

Since the 1990s, the federal government has declared November “Native American Heritage Month.” This year, however, the White House made another tactical effort to malign Native communities and Nations, proclaiming November as “National American History and Founders Month.” The announcement centers colonizers and “founding fathers,” invisibilizing the Indigenous people whose land was taken and the millions of Indigenous lives lost since contact because of genocide.

As Philip Deloria asks in his essay, “The Invention of Thanksgiving,” “how does one take on a myth?” At the USDAC we know that is not as simple as saying Indigenous peoples “are still here.” These times call on all of us to deconstruct the myths and falsehoods related to the “founding” of this country, and to work in active solidarity with Native communities. At the USDAC, we want to offer a few ways we might start.


Photo of Jaclyn Roessel by Warren Montoya

Start Conversations + Take Action

      • Begin conversation around your turkey dinner this year. Use the USDAC’s #HonorNativeLand Toolkit to investigate whose land you’re gathering on and offer a land acknowledgment as a way of opening conversation. Discuss with your loved ones the history you learned or didn’t learn about Native peoples. Brainstorm together how can you move beyond acknowledgment and into allyship and action. Is there a commitment you can make together to learning more about the history of the Indigenous communities that have inhabited the land you occupy? Are there Indigenous-led organizations in your community that you can support?
      • Understand that 100% of the land this country is on is occupied Native land. All. Of. It. In the video “The ‘Indian Problem’” Suzan Harjo shares, “There was no land brought here, the land here was Native Nations’.” She shares the power of myths and falsehoods and how critical they are to the continual dispossession of Native Peoples of their land.
      • Join the movement to recognize Native American history as American History. This social media campaign is working to visually represent how there would be no American History without the Native American contributions, protection and stewardship of Turtle Island (the above photo of me is part of this campaign).
      • Indigenous peoples and communities are on the frontlines of the protection of Earth Mother. USDAC, has been working to support Climate Strikes through the USDAC Bureau of Energy, Power, and Art. We feel strongly this intersection is one we will grow in the next year and encourage you to show up for the next Global Strike on Friday, November 29th.

When I dream of future worlds, I see one that includes and centers Indigenous peoples through a true telling of history, where Native sovereignty and culture is protected and Native land recognized and stewarded with respect. When you understand the history of this country and the treatment of my ancestors, you understand how truly radical this dream is.

Ahe’hee,

Jaclyn Roessel
USDAC Director of Decolonized Futures & Radical Dreams


Our Anti Oppression Coordinators have recommended the book,
500 Nations: An Illustrated History of North American Indians, by Alvin M. Josephy Jr.,
for staff to learn more about the history of Thanksgiving.

Starting on page 206, a beautiful story is woven of native homes, abundant food resources, spirituality, and a brief overview of the political structure of the many villages in the New England area. As the story continues, we learn the history of the beginnings of our Thanksgiving holiday.


The Co-op News, editors note, November 1997.

celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day!

The Olympia Food Co-op celebrates
Indigenous Peoples’ Day!

Monday, October 14th, 2019

Sampling from 1-5 PM

Paintings from Indigenous artist
Leonard Peltier will be on display!

Join us in honoring and supporting Native and Indigenous Food Sovereignty by purchasing products from the following Native/Indigenous-owned vendors featured thru October

Quinault Smoked Salmon
Native Harvest Manoomin Wild Rice (eastside only)
Fog Woman Coffee
Jalisco Tortilla Chips
Maggie’s Salsa
Three Sisters Blue and White Corn Tortillas
Native Northwest Mercantile (eastside only)

Ojibewe Tribe
Here is a great video of how manoomin rice (wild rice) is harvested and produced by the Ojibewe Tribal members.

PDF of poster

Join the Board of Directors! due Sept 30

THE APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO

SEPTEMBER 30TH!


Join the Board of Directors!

Take this opportunity to be an active participant in our Co-op’s future and the future of our community

The Board of Director seats are open to all current members of the Olympia Food Co-op who have accurate contact information on file, and agree to the following commitments:

  1. Fulfill a three-year term
  2. Meet monthly on third Thursdays from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
  3. Serve on committees such as: Finance, Expansion, Co-Sound, Eco-Planning, Standing Hiring, Local Products, and Member Relations
  4. Volunteer 10+ hours each month

All materials due by
9pm on September 30, 2019


Board of Directors Application

Please provide the requested information.
Limit your entire response to 500 words.

Attach a current .jpeg photo of yourself

For questions / accommodations, email
boardapplication@olympiafood.coop

1a) Name     1b) Email Address     1c) Phone Number

2) Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?

3) What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?

4) What vision do you have for the Co-op?

5) What else would you like to share?

Submit all materials by email only to
boardapplication@olympiafood.coop


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the basic requirements?
The Board of Director seats are open to all current members of the Olympia Food Co-op who have accurate contact information on file, and agree to the following commitments:

  1. Fulfill a three-year term
  2. Meet monthly on third Thursdays from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
  3. Serve on committees such as: Finance, Expansion, Co-Sound, Eco-Planning, Standing Hiring, Local Products, and Member Relations
  4. Volunteer 10+ hours each month

What does the Board do?
The Olympia Food Co-op Board of Directors is the body elected to represent the membership, and hold ultimate legal responsibility for the operations and actions of the Co-op. The Board of Directors establishes policies, oversees the operating and capital budgets, approves plans and recommendations, and sets general guidelines for staff and working members.

When and where are the Board meetings?
Once a month, third Thursdays, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Interested persons are encouraged to attend the meetings.
610 Columbia St SW. Olympia. 98502

How long is one term?
Three years.

What is the time commitment for a Board member?
Board members volunteer around 10 or more hours monthly. This includes Board meetings and work within the Committees of the Board (each Board member is required to join 2 – 3).

What are the Committees of the Board?
They are made up of members-at-large, Board members, and staff members. Each committee develops and recommends plans and policies that are passed to the Board for approval. Committees include Co-Sound, Eco-Planning, Expansion, Finance, Local Products, Member Relations, and Standing Hiring.

How do the Board and Committees make decisions?
Guided by the Olympia Food Co-op bylaws and consensus decision making practices, the members work together to build consensus.

Will there be training for the newly elected Board members?
Yes. They will receive an in-depth training on consensus decision making, finance, organizational overview, and more.

Who is eligible to run for the Board?
Board of Director seats are open to all current members of the Co-op who have accurate contact information on file and agree to the following commitments: attend the monthly Board meetings, serve on Committees of the Board, and volunteer 10+ hours each month.

How do you run for the Board?
Complete the application process by 9pm on September 15th. Here is the application PDF. For further accommodations, email boardapplication@olympiafood.coop

What happens after you apply?
The Board and staff will prepare the election materials for the October 15th – November 15th elections. And, December will be the first meeting with our newly elected Board Members!

Will there be opportunity to communicate to the membership?
Yes. Each Board applicant will be invited to the make a short speech to the membership at the 2019 Annual Meeting. Also, the election materials will consist of the photograph, and the answers to the questions in the application. These materials will be available online and in printed formats in the stores.


Board of Directors Application

Please provide the requested information.
Limit your entire response to 500 words.

Attach a current .jpeg photo of yourself

For questions / accommodations, email
boardapplication@olympiafood.coop

1a) Name     1b) Email Address     1c) Phone Number

2) Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?

3) What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?

4) What vision do you have for the Co-op?

5) What else would you like to share?

Submit all materials by email only to
boardapplication@olympiafood.coop

open regular hours January 1st!

 

Both locations of the Co-op will be open
January 1st
8am – 9pm

The staff collective would like to recognize the diversity within our community. If you have thoughts on our store hours we would love to hear from you!

pop up bakery at westside garden center

The Co-op’s very own
Pop Up Bakery
at the
westside garden center!

November 26 – December 14, 2018
Tuesday – Friday
8 am – 11:30 am

What a great way to use our beautiful garden center in the winter months!

Featuring baked goods from the personal recipes of our talented deli staff, the bakery selections will be traditional and vegan, and drip coffee will also be available.

So, come on down, warm up with us on these cold days, have some treats, and shop our  garden supplies, too!

 

vote for your board & bylaws!

Membership is ownership! Thank you for participating in our democratic process.

election held October 15 – November 15, 2018
results will be posted by November 22, 2018

ONLINE VOTING
scroll to view the Board candidate’s essays
CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR ONLINE VOTE

VOTING IN THE STORES
2018 Election Information Packet PDF (also in stores)
2018 Membership Ballot PDF (also in stores)
Only ballots inside envelopes inscribed with names and addresses of current members will be counted:

  1. write your name and address on an envelope provided at the ballot box
  2. insert one ballot into the envelope

 

apply to become a board member!

Take this opportunity to be an active participant in your Co-op’s future
and the future of our community!

Join the Board of Directors!

Board of Directors Application (pdf)

Applications Accepted
August 1 – September 15 (by 9p.m.)
Elections held October 15 – November 15

The Olympia Food Co-op 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 staff and working members. The Board holds ultimate legal responsibility for the operations and actions of the Co-op.

The Board meets once a month on the third Thursday of the month from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Each Board member is required to join 2 – 3 committees which also meet 1 – 2 times per month (though this will vary from committee to committee).  Board committees establish plans and policies that are then passed on to the Board or membership for approval. The standing committees include Finance, Expansion, Co-Sound, Ecological Planning, Standing Hiring, Local Products, and Member Relations.  Board members volunteer 10+ hours each month.

Click on these links for more information about the Committees of the Board, our mission statement, and our bylaws.

To be eligible to run for the Board you must be a member of the Co-op with a current address on file, and you must be willing to make a commitment through December 2021.

Each Board Applicant is invited to the make a short speech to the membership at the 2018 Annual Meeting!

Each year the memberships elects three new Board Members.
Elected Board Members serve a three-year term!

The newly appointed Board members will receive an in-depth training on consensus decision-making, finance, organizational overview, and more

Olympia Food Co-op
Board of Directors Application (pdf)

Submit all materials by 9 p.m. on September 15, 2018

Please answer the following questions and email them here  along with a current digital photograph of yourself.

There is a strict, combined 500-word limit to your responses below.

NAME

EMAIL ADDRESS

PHONE NUMBERS

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?

2. What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?

4. What else would you like to share?

*Applications will only be accepted by email, unless a reasonable accommodation is needed and requested.

Board of Directors Application (pdf)

garden center open daily!

Garden Center at the westside 
open daily 10am – 6pm

Here you will find tools, soils, starts, seeds, books, and so much more!

located across the Westside parking lot to the south.

*

Garden Center at the eastside
open during store hours, daily 8am – 9pm,
located at the entrance of the Eastside store.

A new seed display has been built inside the store, next to produce,
with vegetable and culinary herbs!

closed on may 1st – international workers day

The Olympia Food Co-op
will be closed May 1st
for International Workers Day
in solidarity with
striking workers around the world

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

 

 

 

2018
Join the call from the Food Chain Workers Alliance for a National Day of Action on International Workers Day by endorsing their statement

 

2017
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

garden center open daily!

The first vegetable starts of the year are now in!

Peas, lettuces, kales, so many to choose from waiting for you …

and more lovely culinary and medicinal herbs, of course!

There are also blueberries, strawberries, plenty of seed potatoes, some onion sets, and spring/summer cover crops.

Westside Garden Center
open daily 10am – 6pm,
located across the Westside parking lot to the south.

Here you will find tools, soils, starts, seeds, books, and so much more!

Eastside Garden Center
open during store hours, daily 8am – 9pm,
located at the entrance of the Eastside store.

A new seed display has been built inside the store, next to produce,
with vegetable and culinary herbs!

crosswalks at Pacific – construction begins March 12

We are relieved to announce that The City of Olympia will be constructing ADA accessible pedestrian crossings at the intersection Pacific Avenue & Landsdale Road for safer access to our Eastside location!

Construction begins Monday, March 12, and will be complete the end of April 2018. Travelers should expect lane restrictions, driveway disruptions and traffic delays during construction. Flaggers will direct motorists and pedestrians through the construction.


Here is the copy from the postcard….

Pacific Avenue Pedestrian Crossing Improvements

Construction Begins
On Monday, March 12, the City’s contractor will start work on the Pacific Avenue Pedestrian Crossing Improvements project. This project will install pedestrian crossings, including pedestrian refuge islands, on Pacific Avenue at the intersection of Devoe Street and at the intersection of Lansdale Road.

Potential Impacts

  • At least one lane of traffic in each direction will be open during construction. Travelers should expect lane restrictions and traffic delays during construction.
  • Access to driveways that are in the immediate area of the project locations may be temporarily disrupted at times during construction.
  • Flaggers will direct motorists and pedestrians through the construction area.
  • The project is expected to be complete by the end of April 2018.

open December 25th, 8am – 5pm

The Olympia Food Co-op will be open on
Monday, December 25th, 2017
from 8am – 5pm
both East and West

The Staff Collective would like to recognize the diversity within our community.
If you have any thoughts on our store hours, we would love to hear from you.
customerservice@olympiafood.coop

vote today! ballot boxes at both stores!

election held October 15 – November 15, 2017

candidates PDF … or scroll below for the info

ballot boxes are set up at both stores!
westside’s box is at the front door
eastside’s box is next to the customer service desk

Board of Director Elections 2017

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 40 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.

Vote for 3 candidates

Candidates were asked the following questions:

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

Joanne McCaughan

Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
My offer/desire to serve on the Co-op Board is based on my prior experience as a Board member; I believe the Co-op is an important asset to our community, and appreciate the critical con­tributions made by staff and members every day. I was honored to serve on the Board from 2003 to 2006 and worked on several committees, including the hiring committee and the newsletter committee, while also working full-time in other employment. Over the last ten years I continued working and found some time for volunteer work, including serving as a community representative to the Lincoln Options Board, and as a mediator at the Dispute Resolution Center. I was an active union member with WFSE Local 443 throughout my state career, and recently retired from state employment. I now have the time and energy to offer to serve on the Co-op Board once again. I am currently a volunteer cashier at the Eastside store/loca­tion.

What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?
I would bring to the Board: a sense of workplace justice; an understanding of volunteer needs and commitments; prior Board and Committee experience; clear communication and media­tion skills; a sense of irony and humor, along with a strong desire to work with other members to create and maintain the best Olympia Food Co-op yet. I am very interested in continuing the discussions around expansion and envision new opportunities for our communi­ty in this regard.

What vision do you have for the Co-op?
My basic vision for the Co-op is to continue follow the mission statement, which provides the core values we maintain as an organization and a community. I am happy to note that the Co-op has continued to evolve into a more inclusive and diverse community, reflective of the membership we welcome and support, and I believe we will continue to grow and create an inviting space for amazing food and community resources. In my expanded vision, I imagine a future Olympia Food Co-op store with more space for food preparation and service (in addition to the eastside deli bar/sandwiches/soup, etc), where community members can gather to eat, drink and be merry (or not), to hold gatherings, committee meetings, and/or small events/classes. I envision this in collaboration with other community partners, especially those working for food justice issues, and truly believe that it can be achieved.

What else would you like to share?
I believe it is in our power to work together as a community partner to ensure that future generations benefit from the work of our Co-op, i.e., to support healthy choices for ourselves, our community, and our planet, and to follow our mission statement for another 40 years and beyond.

Casey Hook

Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
I basically grew up in the Co-op and value its impact on the community a great deal. Having already served one year on the Board, I want to use my experience to help the Co-op continue to grow and flourish.

What general abilities and skills would 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 for the Co-op. After serving a year on the Board already I have a good understanding of the work environment.

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. Realizing our goal of providing good food to more people is going to require us to expand. I intend to continue my work with the expansion committee to help realized this goal.

Peter Brown

Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
I have been a member of the Co-op, since I moved to Olympia. Remembering the days as a co-op member in Vermont when we would all gather once a month in a local grange hall and divide up the 50 and 100 pound bags of grains and various fruits and vegetables was a simple means of gaining access to healthy food inexpensively and communally. Fast forwarding to the present and entering a store that offers a diverse selection of foods, goods and services with the same philosophy of the members arriving and helping to make the food available in an affordable manner is still important as ever. The Olympia Food Co-op has grown into a community of workers, members and suppliers. The possibilities to expand and deepen these relationships while reflecting a model for being engaging, encom­passing and compassionate is exciting.

What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?
I have worked in the not for profit world for many years as a staff person, fund-raiser, executive director and board member. I am familiar with the legal and financial aspects of running a co-op, having been a founding member of a co-op, and the dynamics of supporting a service business where the bottom line is not the dollar, but the people serving and being served. My most recent involvement locally was as a Board Member of TULIP Community Credit Union which arose and lived in the eastside store from its beginning more than 10 years ago until it grew to a point of needing a larger office to combine its two locations in downtown Olympia to better serve TULIP’s low-income members.

What vision do you have for the Co-op?
The Food Co-op has become an integral part of the greater Olym­pia community through providing accessible healthy food, support of local growers, artisans and business people and as a model for business and personal interaction. My vision is to continue these goals and objectives and insuring the financial viability of the east and westside stores. Part of this goal is to help with an understanding of how well we are reaching and making ourselves accessible to not only the low-income population through awareness and accessibility but other segments of our community who have never walked through our door.

What else would you like to share?
I have been a volunteer for many years at the eastside store through offering classes and other projects. I have an active sense of the feeling and support coming forth from the volunteer members and shoppers. This combined with the dynamic going on in our world and our local community that is different than most of us have ever seen before. We are being presented with an us and them perspective. This way of looking and being in the world is hurting everyone. The model and relationship that the Co-op has are important living examples. I am very interested in deepening this along with propagating the co-op way in our region.

Benjamin (Ben) Witten

Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
The Olympia Food Co-op has offered me a welcoming resource to acquire healthy, deli­cious, and responsible food for my family. There are many people who help make this happen, and I would like to contribute to the organization by rep­resenting the members and mission of the Co-op by serving on the board of directors.

What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?
For 19 years, I have worked collaboratively with nonprofit and professional organizations to help achieve their goals while embracing the principles of responsibility and democracy. I previously served as a trustee at the Olympia Masonic Building Associa­tion for five years, and I served for four years on the board of directors for a cemetery. In 2016, I facilitat­ed equitable meetings supporting the principles of brotherly love, relief, and truth as Worshipful (meaning respectful) Master of Olympia Lodge #1 Free and Accepted Masons, and I remain the co-chairman of the Lodge’s scholarship program. I have attended several Olympia Food Co-op board meetings over the last year, and I agree with the values of the mission statement and admire the board’s decision-making processes. Professionally, I am a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch in downtown Olympia.

What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I would like to see the Co-op continue achieving the goals outlined in the mission statement and to expand or relocate the eastside location if and when it is financially responsible to do so.

What else would you like to share?
The Olympia Food Co-op is a treasure to its members and helps define our city. If elected, I would act in good faith to assist the organization fulfill its goals. Having attended some of the Co-op board meetings over the last year and relating to its culture, I feel I would be a good addition to the board. I usually shop at the eastside store and enjoy the salad bar and trying out staff picks. Thank you for your consideration.

senior & disability memberships update

.

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

Westside Garden Center sale this weekend!

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

support magic kombucha fire relief

majic kombucha 80w

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

majic kombucha 80w

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

majic kombucha 80w

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.

majic kombucha 80w

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!

.

link to magic kombucha fundraising campaign

majic kombucha 248w

magic kombucha fire update & how you can help. click here…

majic kombucha 80w

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

majic kombucha 80w

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

majic kombucha 80w

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.

majic kombucha 80w

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!

.

link to magic kombucha fundraising campaign

majic kombucha 248w

local farms featured in salad bar!

Here’s what’s local on the salad bar this week, July 6th – 12th
click here for PDF of flyer

Looking to sample goods from your Local Farms? Check out the Eastside Salad Bar where Deli staff are working with local farmers to bring you the freshest local and organic produce possible!

Weekly we will be posting a new flyer, detailing which farms are providing vegetables for both the salad fixings area and in the prepared salads.

Cool, huh?

salad bar lettuce 540

all plants 25% off! click for more info…

at both locations – Eastside & Westside Garden Centers

25% off ALL plants!

plant sale closeup 540

Plant start season is slowing down somewhat. We will continue to carry herbs and some veggies as available, and then will pick back up again with fall garden veggies in mid-August.

We will be marking down many seeds in the coming months.

plant sale zoe 540

Please fill out our co-op discounts survey!

 

Click this link to fill out a survey regarding the discounts offered at the Co-op!

The Co-op offers a few member discounts beyond the low shelf prices for all members.  Discount usage has been steadily growing, as have our sales. However, discount usage is growing slightly faster than sales, and has for several years. With our aging shopper base and ongoing economic problems, it is highly likely that this trend will continue, possibly affecting our sustainability.

We have formed a task force to facilitate organization-wide reflection and conversation around our discounts, and to develop and propose changes to our discount systems if needed. Any changes will include member voices and the Co-op Board will have final consent.

When this work is completed we will have confirmed the intent of each discount offered, insured that the details of the programs support the stated intent, and assessed the long-term sustainability of each discount program. Please contact customerservice@olympiafood.coop with any questions.

Special Opportunity to Serve on our Board of Directors

There are 3 open seats on the Olympia Food Co-op Board of Directors!
unspecified
 
To fill these vacancies, the Board is soliciting applications.
Applications are due February 7th by 9 pm 
Applications will be submitted to boardapplication@olympiafood.coop.
 
Appointed seats are a 1 year term as prescribed by the Bylaws.
 
A Special meeting of the Board will be held on February 11th at 7pm.
At this meeting the Board will be reviewing the submitted applications.
Applicants are invited to attend the meeting and will have the opportunity to speak to their interest and qualifications.
 
Applicants will be selected by Consensus of the Board.
 
Please contact ofcboard@olympiafood.coop if you have any questions

Join the Discount Task Force Advisory Council!

logo
Passionate about getting involved in your Co-op?
This group of members-at-large, Board, Staff, and community advocacy groups will meet monthly beginning in January through May of 2016. The Council will collaborate with the Discount Task Force to present a discount system that values the work of staff and working members and fulfills the mission-driven mandates of making good food accessible to more people, supporting efforts to foster a socially and economically egalitarian society and seeing to the long term health of the business.
When this work is completed the task force will have confirmed the intent of each discount offered, insured that the details of the programs support the stated intent, and assessed the long-term sustainability of each discount program.
Deadline for submission is December 15, 2015, download the application or for more information email discounttaskforce@gmail.com

Board of Directors Election Oct. 15 – Nov. 15

2015 Board of Directors Poster

Board of Directors Elections 2015
election held October 15 – November 15

Click here for Ballot PDF

Four candidates for the 2015 Board elections were received by the Sept 10 deadline. We realize that having one candidate per position is less than ideal. We strive to always having contested elections although we don’t have that this year, we are committed to running the election as prescribed by the bylaws article 3 section 4 which states “elections shall be held annually.”

The Board is researching and gathering feedback on reasons for the current low interest in running for the Co-op Board, and we welcome your opinion. Let us know at ofcboard@olympiafood.coop any thoughts you might have on the state of board elections.

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 would you bring to the Board?
3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
4. What else would you like to share?

Eric Mapes

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
The Co-op plays an important role in the Olympia community, making good food more accessible, providing living-wage jobs, and promoting social justice. The Co-op’s growth and prosperity over the last four decades demonstrates that a business model driven more by values than profit can succeed. I feel fortunate to have the Co-op in my neighborhood and want to do my part to keep it both economically viable and true to the Mission Statement.

2. What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?
I am committed to our consensus-based process, and have the skills to participate effectively in it. Having served as an elected member of the Co-op Board from 2009 to 2012, and as an appointed member since February of this year, I have experience with the Board’s process and understand the issues the Co-op currently faces. With a B.A. from the Evergreen State College and a J.D. from the University of Washington law school, I have developed strong written and oral communication skills. I am a licensed attorney and spent more than two years doing legal research and writing at the state Court of Appeals, so I have a good understanding of Washington law. I also spent about five years living and teaching in Japan, an experience that helped me appreciate the difficulties visible minorities face here.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I see the Co-op not only as a welcoming place for all people to access good food, but as a force for positive change in Olympia and the world. In terms of specific goals for the near future, I see the Co-op developing a workable, financially sound plan to expand our retail and warehouse space, investing in alternative energy systems to power our operations, and implementing a system to foster increased member input and involvement. I would also like the Co-op to revisit the issue of selling locally-produced beer and wine: I believe we can meet member demand for these products, strengthen our business, and support local producers in a way that both respects the needs of people suffering from alcohol addiction and preserves our working-member cashier system.

4. What else would you like to share?
After I moved to Olympia in 1994, I worked as a cheese packager at the Westside store for many years. The Co-op both nourished me and inspired me to imagine a better world- the working member discount allowed me to enjoy a quality of life I could not otherwise have afforded, and seeing the Co-op function inspired me to think critically about the injustice in our economic system. I will always be grateful. I humbly thank you for allowing me to serve as a director of this amazing organization, and would be honored to have your vote again.

Marc Hartung

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
I want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors so that I may contribute to sustainable, and accessible, healthy food in my community. I am passionate about food and believe that it is the cornerstone of health. I am also passionate about social justice, open communication and collaborative processes. I would like to help the Co-op continue to move forward as a leader in the community in providing healthy affordable food, and applying anti oppressive practices in an open and inclusive manner.

2. What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?
I am familiar with consensus decision making and non-violent communication and I am committed to continuing to examine my place in our community through an anti oppression model. I do not shy away from struggle or discomfort. I believe these qualities will serve my position on the board by allowing me to facilitate moving forward in addressing difficult issues with both self and community awareness. I have experience working in logistics and I am skilled at seeing things from many different perspectives, asking a lot of questions, and working towards efficient solutions where necessary. I am insatiably curious and always eager to learn and contribute.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I envision the Co-op growing and evolving with the needs of the community as it pertains to maintaining or increasing access to food as well as increasing awareness within our community of discrimination and oppression that continue to permeate our culture. I believe that the Board of Directors exists to ensure that the Co-op remains a safe place that exists primarily to serve the whole community as well as its employees.

4. What else would you like to share?
I graduated from The Evergreen State College with a BS emphasizing pre-medical studies, medical sociology and ethics. I have two children and I love getting out into the wilderness with them to foster their love and stewardship of our earth. I currently work part time as a care-taker, and volunteer at the Olympia Free Clinic while pursuing a career in healthcare.

Sam Green

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
I want to serve on the Co-op’s Board of Directors to ensure that the cooperative continues to effectively serve its members, empower its workers, and reach out to the greater Olympia community. The Co-op is not only a great resource for food and groceries, but living proof that people can use the cooperative model in an empowering and relevant way. I fully understand that our Co-op’s success is only possible because of the hard work of its volunteer members, staff collective, and Board of Directors. With this recognition, I am offering my time and my hard work to ensure that this great project we call the Oly Food Co-op continues to thrive.

2. What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?
I will bring years of experience in non-profit management, industry knowledge in cooperative development, and a solid understanding of community organizing to my work on the Board of Directors and for the overall cooperative. As a union organizer, I learned the importance of bringing people together, addressing the needs of our economic lives, and looking to our principles for guidance. Later, as a chief administrative officer for a labor union, I learned the skills of financial stewardship, accountable communication, membership engagement, strategic planning, and project management. These experiences will play directly into my ability to serve on the Board as a resource and as a cooperator. Most recently, I oversee the finances for a small local building company, and work part time as a cooperative development specialist with a non-profit, here in Olympia. These experiences have offered me the ability to hone my financial management skills and dig deeper into how cooperatives succeed and flourish.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I envision the Olympia Food Cooperative as an engine for not only meeting our community’s need of food, but for providing great jobs and connecting us with great farmers. Further, I want to see the cooperative as a resource for new cooperative endeavors and small-scale, added-value food projects. I want our Co-op to be a model of how consumer cooperatives may financially succeed while sticking to their principles and fulfilling their mission.

4. What else would you like to share?
I am really excited to see how our Co-op grows and changes in the coming few years. Being born and raised in greater Oly, I have always admired the way the Food Co-op overcame challenges to emerge stronger. It is my hope that whoever is elected to the Board will embrace these exciting times, navigate the unforeseen challenges, and keep our cooperative committed to its mission.

David Coppley

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
Co-ops changed my life. Growing up a jaded, cynical kid, exposure to the cooperative model in my young adult years provided me with an opportunity to try to do something better than the status-quo for which I held such contempt. Some twenty or so years later, I have had the good fortune to work in a number of cooperative organizations—from national retails chains, to tiny non-hierarchical collectives. Throughout my career, which has included a variety of positions in the public, private, and non-profit sectors, I have always strived to champion the values and ethics we built in the co-ops. While my current employment in as a bike-promoting, youth engaging, all around do-gooder is very rewarding, I miss co-ops. So just toss me a vote, why don’t you, and together we can keep making this community of ours even better.

2. What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?
Well over a decade of retail experience, including approximately 7 years in cooperatives. I have worked in a variety of capacities in food cooperatives, doing everything from writing the paychecks to scraping the raisins off the floor. Extensive professional program management experience (about 10 years), with a focus of cooperative, volunteer-based workforces. I know how to keep a group productive and inclusive while having a good time. Public engagement – I am a confident, engaging speaker and active listener. Experience leading/supporting effective and inclusive meetings. I am a big idea person. I love to creatively envision, and have enough knowledge and experience to produce ideas that are achievable and relevant. My tofu salad is pretty bad-ass. Just sayin’.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I think the Olympia Food Co-op is doing pretty damn well as it is. My vision will come after I have had the opportunity to hear the interests and concerns of staff, volunteers, and patrons which make up our happy little community.

4. What else would you like to share?
Edward Abbey once said, “Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul.” If you are reading this, you obviously give a damn. So do I. Let’s keep making things better . . . together. I promise I am not as pretentious as my verbiage may imply. I am a pragmatist at heart and will get things done!

vote for the board! click for info

2015 Board of Directors Poster

Board of Directors Elections 2015
election held October 15 – November 15

Click here for Ballot PDF

Four candidates for the 2015 Board elections were received by the Sept 10 deadline. We realize that having one candidate per position is less than ideal. We strive to always having contested elections although we don’t have that this year, we are committed to running the election as prescribed by the bylaws article 3 section 4 which states “elections shall be held annually.”

The Board is researching and gathering feedback on reasons for the current low interest in running for the Co-op Board, and we welcome your opinion.

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 would you bring to the Board?
3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
4. What else would you like to share?

Eric Mapes

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
The Co-op plays an important role in the Olympia community, making good food more accessible, providing living-wage jobs, and promoting social justice. The Co-op’s growth and prosperity over the last four decades demonstrates that a business model driven more by values than profit can succeed. I feel fortunate to have the Co-op in my neighborhood and want to do my part to keep it both economically viable and true to the Mission Statement.

2. What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?
I am committed to our consensus-based process, and have the skills to participate effectively in it. Having served as an elected member of the Co-op Board from 2009 to 2012, and as an appointed member since February of this year, I have experience with the Board’s process and understand the issues the Co-op currently faces. With a B.A. from the Evergreen State College and a J.D. from the University of Washington law school, I have developed strong written and oral communication skills. I am a licensed attorney and spent more than two years doing legal research and writing at the state Court of Appeals, so I have a good understanding of Washington law. I also spent about five years living and teaching in Japan, an experience that helped me appreciate the difficulties visible minorities face here.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I see the Co-op not only as a welcoming place for all people to access good food, but as a force for positive change in Olympia and the world. In terms of specific goals for the near future, I see the Co-op developing a workable, financially sound plan to expand our retail and warehouse space, investing in alternative energy systems to power our operations, and implementing a system to foster increased member input and involvement. I would also like the Co-op to revisit the issue of selling locally-produced beer and wine: I believe we can meet member demand for these products, strengthen our business, and support local producers in a way that both respects the needs of people suffering from alcohol addiction and preserves our working-member cashier system.

4. What else would you like to share?
After I moved to Olympia in 1994, I worked as a cheese packager at the Westside store for many years. The Co-op both nourished me and inspired me to imagine a better world- the working member discount allowed me to enjoy a quality of life I could not otherwise have afforded, and seeing the Co-op function inspired me to think critically about the injustice in our economic system. I will always be grateful. I humbly thank you for allowing me to serve as a director of this amazing organization, and would be honored to have your vote again.

Marc Hartung

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
I want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors so that I may contribute to sustainable, and accessible, healthy food in my community. I am passionate about food and believe that it is the cornerstone of health. I am also passionate about social justice, open communication and collaborative processes. I would like to help the Co-op continue to move forward as a leader in the community in providing healthy affordable food, and applying anti oppressive practices in an open and inclusive manner.

2. What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?
I am familiar with consensus decision making and non-violent communication and I am committed to continuing to examine my place in our community through an anti oppression model. I do not shy away from struggle or discomfort. I believe these qualities will serve my position on the board by allowing me to facilitate moving forward in addressing difficult issues with both self and community awareness. I have experience working in logistics and I am skilled at seeing things from many different perspectives, asking a lot of questions, and working towards efficient solutions where necessary. I am insatiably curious and always eager to learn and contribute.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I envision the Co-op growing and evolving with the needs of the community as it pertains to maintaining or increasing access to food as well as increasing awareness within our community of discrimination and oppression that continue to permeate our culture. I believe that the Board of Directors exists to ensure that the Co-op remains a safe place that exists primarily to serve the whole community as well as its employees.

4. What else would you like to share?
I graduated from The Evergreen State College with a BS emphasizing pre-medical studies, medical sociology and ethics. I have two children and I love getting out into the wilderness with them to foster their love and stewardship of our earth. I currently work part time as a care-taker, and volunteer at the Olympia Free Clinic while pursuing a career in healthcare.

Sam Green

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
I want to serve on the Co-op’s Board of Directors to ensure that the cooperative continues to effectively serve its members, empower its workers, and reach out to the greater Olympia community. The Co-op is not only a great resource for food and groceries, but living proof that people can use the cooperative model in an empowering and relevant way. I fully understand that our Co-op’s success is only possible because of the hard work of its volunteer members, staff collective, and Board of Directors. With this recognition, I am offering my time and my hard work to ensure that this great project we call the Oly Food Co-op continues to thrive.

2. What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?
I will bring years of experience in non-profit management, industry knowledge in cooperative development, and a solid understanding of community organizing to my work on the Board of Directors and for the overall cooperative. As a union organizer, I learned the importance of bringing people together, addressing the needs of our economic lives, and looking to our principles for guidance. Later, as a chief administrative officer for a labor union, I learned the skills of financial stewardship, accountable communication, membership engagement, strategic planning, and project management. These experiences will play directly into my ability to serve on the Board as a resource and as a cooperator. Most recently, I oversee the finances for a small local building company, and work part time as a cooperative development specialist with a non-profit, here in Olympia. These experiences have offered me the ability to hone my financial management skills and dig deeper into how cooperatives succeed and flourish.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I envision the Olympia Food Cooperative as an engine for not only meeting our community’s need of food, but for providing great jobs and connecting us with great farmers. Further, I want to see the cooperative as a resource for new cooperative endeavors and small-scale, added-value food projects. I want our Co-op to be a model of how consumer cooperatives may financially succeed while sticking to their principles and fulfilling their mission.

4. What else would you like to share?
I am really excited to see how our Co-op grows and changes in the coming few years. Being born and raised in greater Oly, I have always admired the way the Food Co-op overcame challenges to emerge stronger. It is my hope that whoever is elected to the Board will embrace these exciting times, navigate the unforeseen challenges, and keep our cooperative committed to its mission.

David Coppley

1. Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
Co-ops changed my life. Growing up a jaded, cynical kid, exposure to the cooperative model in my young adult years provided me with an opportunity to try to do something better than the status-quo for which I held such contempt. Some twenty or so years later, I have had the good fortune to work in a number of cooperative organizations—from national retails chains, to tiny non-hierarchical collectives. Throughout my career, which has included a variety of positions in the public, private, and non-profit sectors, I have always strived to champion the values and ethics we built in the co-ops. While my current employment in as a bike-promoting, youth engaging, all around do-gooder is very rewarding, I miss co-ops. So just toss me a vote, why don’t you, and together we can keep making this community of ours even better.

2. What general abilities and skills would you bring to the Board?
Well over a decade of retail experience, including approximately 7 years in cooperatives. I have worked in a variety of capacities in food cooperatives, doing everything from writing the paychecks to scraping the raisins off the floor. Extensive professional program management experience (about 10 years), with a focus of cooperative, volunteer-based workforces. I know how to keep a group productive and inclusive while having a good time. Public engagement – I am a confident, engaging speaker and active listener. Experience leading/supporting effective and inclusive meetings. I am a big idea person. I love to creatively envision, and have enough knowledge and experience to produce ideas that are achievable and relevant. My tofu salad is pretty bad-ass. Just sayin’.

3. What vision do you have for the Co-op?
I think the Olympia Food Co-op is doing pretty damn well as it is. My vision will come after I have had the opportunity to hear the interests and concerns of staff, volunteers, and patrons which make up our happy little community.

4. What else would you like to share?
Edward Abbey once said, “Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul.” If you are reading this, you obviously give a damn. So do I. Let’s keep making things better . . . together. I promise I am not as pretentious as my verbiage may imply. I am a pragmatist at heart and will get things done!

annual meeting october 17 ~ click here

annual meeting graphic 540

Saturday October 17
11am – 2pm

Olympia Community Center
222 Columbia St NW
Olympia, WA 98501

Live music by Erev Rav
Co-op Business News
Panel speakers from Cecosesola
Delicious food catered by Ninevah and Arepa
Drinks from Magic Kombucha and Kefir Soda
Desserts from Cobb’s and Peace, Love & Raw
Jusby the Clown to entertain the kids

The Annual Meeting for the Olympia Food Cooperative will be held this year on October 17 at the Olympia Community Center, 222 Columbia, in downtown Olympia, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

A lunch buffet will be catered by two wonderful local food truck restaurants: Arepa, offering delicious Latin cuisine from Venezuela, and Nineveh with its unique Assyrian fare.

In addition to annual committee reports from the Board of Directors, we will also be graced with a panel of folks from the Cecosesola Cooperative who will just have arrived in Olympia from Venezuela. They will be getting a warm welcome from our members and at the same time will be accepting questions from the audience about their own excellent cooperative organization.

With the Board Elections moving into full swing, all members who have applied to run for a position on the Olympia Food Co-op Board of Directors will have the opportunity to take the mic and introduce themselves to all of those in attendance.

Children are welcome and will have a space to gather and play during the meeting and we may even have a clown join us!

This meeting is a good chance for members of the Olympia Food Co-op to get the latest news on Co-op business, meet up with old friends, share some scrumptious food, meet Board candidates, ask questions of the current Board, and learn about how the folks in Venezuela manage to run such a huge, successful cooperative business in their country.

Please put this date on your calendar. This is your Co-op. Your participation is what helps to invigorate and enliven it!

TODAY! Harvest Party POTLUCK! click for more info

HARVEST_PARTY_2015_SOCIAL_BlogSunday, September 20
1pm – 5pm
Westside Olympia Food Co-op
921 Rogers Street N.W.

Join the fun at our eleventh annual Harvest Party Potluck and Zuke Fest!

You are invited to our annual food party, where we will be celebrating the incredible bounty of our local harvest and producers! Prizes for biggest home grown zucchini, baked zucchini good, and derby contestant.

Bands! Food! Games!
Celebrate Local!

join the Board of Directors! click for more info

2015 Board of Directors Poster

Board of Directors Application PDF

applications due September 10
election held October 15 – November 15

BOARD OF DIRECTORS INFORMATION
The Olympia Food Co-op 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 staff and working members. The Board holds ultimate legal responsibility for the operations and actions of the Co-op. Serving on the Board is a great opportunity to be an active participant in your Co-op’s future and in the future of our community!

The Mission Statement for the Co-op (from Section I.2. of The Bylaws) is:
The purpose of the Cooperative is to contribute to the health and well-being of people by providing wholesome foods and other goods and services, accessible to all, through a locally-oriented, collectively managed, not-for-profit cooperative organization that relies on consensus decision making.  We strive to make human effects on the earth and its inhabitants positive and renewing and to encourage economic and social justice.

Our goals are to:

A. Provide information about food

B. Make good food accessible to more people;

C. Support efforts to increase democratic process;

D. Support efforts to foster a socially and economically egalitarian society;

E. Provide information about collective process and consensus decision making;

F. Support local production;

G. See to the long term health of the business;

H. Assist in the development of local community resources.

Board Responsibilities (as outlined in Section III.12. of The Bylaws) are:
13. BOARD DUTIES

Except as to matters reserved to membership by law or by these bylaws, the business and affairs of the Cooperative shall be directed by the Board of Directors.

The major duties of the Board are to:

A. Employ Staff, approve the make-up of the hiring committee, approve job descriptions, and approve a hiring policy;

B. Select officers, and fill Board vacancies as needed;

C. Approve an operating budget annually;

D. Monitor the financial health of the Cooperative;

E. Appoint standing and special committees as needed;

F. Authorize appropriate agents to sign contracts, leases, or other obligations on behalf of  the Cooperative;

G. Adopt, review, and revise Cooperative plans;

H. Approve major capital projects;

I. Adopt major policy changes;

J. Adopt policies to foster member involvement;

K. Authorize major debt obligations of the Cooperative;

L. Ensure compliance with all corporate obligations, including the keeping of corporate records and filing all necessary documents;

M. Ensure adequate audits of Cooperative finances;

N. Maintain free-flowing communication between the Board, Staff, committees, and the membership;

O. Adopt policies which promote achievement of the mission statement and goals of the Cooperative;

P. Resolve organizational conflicts after all other avenues of resolution have been exhausted;

Q. Establish and review the Cooperative’s goals and objectives.

R. Provide an annual report to the members to include a financial report, committee reports, and a summary of other significant events held and actions taken by the Cooperative during the year.

Board members receive working member credit for their time spent in Board and committee meetings.  The monthly hour commitment ranges between 10 to 20 hours.  The Board meets once a month. Each Board member is required to join 2-3 committees which also meet 1-2 times per month (though this will vary from committee to committee.)  These committees establish plans and policies that are then passed on to the Board or membership for approval.  The standing committees include Finance, Expansion, Co-op Development, Ecological Planning, Standing Hiring, Local Products, and Member Relations. Temporary committees may be formed to deal with specific short-term projects (International Year of the Co-op, Discount Task force, etc.)

Eligibility & Election Information
To be eligible to run for the Board you must be a member of the Co-op with a current address on file, and you must be willing to make a 3 year commitment.  Board members can serve a maximum of two three-year terms. This year the Board has four positions to fill.  Newly elected Board members will receive in-depth trainings on consensus decision-making and anti-oppression, as well as the Co-op’s finances, policies, general procedures, and history.

The election will be held from October 15 to November 15

New Board members will be asked to attend the November and December Board meetings to begin their training and meet current Board members, and will officially begin their term in January.

If you are interested in running for the Board, you must fill out the application and submit it and a current digital photo of yourself to boardapplication@olympiafood.coop by 9pm on September 10th.

For more information, contact Fern at boardapplication@olympiafood.coop

New Co-op Membership Cards! click for info

new membership card 505 original size

The Co-op is upgrading the way that we maintain our membership database and how we apply 10% discounts. Members who are used to just telling the cashier “Pink, Purple, Blue, or Yellow Card” will need to take a couple more steps than that to ensure that your membership is current and that you receive your discount, if you get one.

We know how hard it can be to change old habits, and some of our members have proudly carried their tattered pink cards for several decades. We hope to make the transition as smooth and easy as possible. Every member will need to get a new membership card at the cash register.

Why are we causing such a ruckus at the register?  Our membership records have grown tremendously over the last 10 years and we need new software to help us keep up.  By linking our membership information into the register system, we will have more accurate ways to track dues payments and membership renewals than our current system allows.  There will be other benefits as well, such as automatic applying of discounts and easier ways to resolve returns and overcharges.

Thank you for your patience and for being a member!  The Co-op Staff and Board are grateful to our large and active membership and all the support you show the Co-op year after year.

For more info about becoming a member

co-op sponsoring summer movies in park! click for info

ADVERT_CO-OP_Westside_Movie_RGB

West Central Park
Harrison & Division
Olympia, WA 98502

Google Maps link to West Central Park

West Central Park’s free summer series, Monday Movie Madness, will open with the original feature film, Raiders of the Lost Ark on Monday July 6th!   The previews will begin at 8:45 and the film will start at 10pm.  Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and the whole gang to the Westside’s only walk-in theatre at Harrison and Division.  Barb’s Soul Cuisine and … [west central park website]

Summer Movies 2015

July 6
Raiders of the Lost Ark

July 13
Mouse Hunt

July 20
Goonies

July 27
Frozen (A Sing a Long)

August 3
The Sting

August 10
Ferngully

August 17
The African Queen

August 24
The Sand Lot

August 31
Willow

Date Changed for One-Day Sale – click for info

MCAT_SALE_DATE_CHANGE_BlogIn order to conduct our semi-annual inventory on June 30th, the Olympia Food Co-op is postponing the One-Day sale, advertised in the May/June Olympia Food Co-op Newsletter.

The One-Day sale, advertised for July 1st, will instead be held later this summer, just in time to save on back-to-school items, and other member favorites!

We will provide more details as this day of deep discounts approaches.

Thank you for your understanding!

celebrate local eats june 13 & 14

11am – 5pm

Westside: Saturday June 13
Eastside: Sunday June 14

Learn about the abundant local foods near you
Meet local producers!
Tastings & Samples!
Fun & Informative!

Local Eats Event Facebook SUMMER 2015-01