Member Mavens Make it Happen!

At a recent house party hosted by our October Member Mavens, Jen Christiason and Sarah Frederick (plus their spouses, Kyle and Bob), a neighbor lamented the closing of Roots Market several years ago and how much she missed the local produce. As the conversation turned to the Cedar Falls Food Co-op and what it would provide, this same neighbor joined on the spot. In fact, five neighbors became co-op owners that night while they dined together over homemade soup and local bread. “I learned that many folks walking their dogs past our home every day have proud agricultural roots,” mused Jen. “It was delightful to hear the stories of their grandparents’ gardens and the canned goods that came from those efforts.” After the event, neighbors talked about how thrilled they were to gather together and connect with one another while learning about the efforts to bring a community-owned grocery store to the Cedar Valley.


The Co-op Member Maven program kicked off in August with Theresa Johnson and Kendra Wohlert who assisted membership efforts that month in several ways. One of those was getting the Co-op to be a sponsor for the Crawdaddy Outdoors Rugged Toad Race. This resulted in an informational table with homemade energy bites made by Co-op volunteers. As racers finished, they were delighted to sample these treats!

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House Party at the Waseskuk Home

Our November Member Mavens, Marguerite Pircer Harms and Angela Waseskuk not only helped with our Thanksgiving pie campaign, but also hosted a wine and cheese event at the home of Angela and her husband Drew. Friends gathered together while sampling a delicious charcuterie platter, hot cider, and much more. Two new member-owners signed up that night. When asked what she enjoyed about being a maven, Marguerite points to the opportunity to “engage others to ask questions and getting them to feel confident in their decision to join.”

 

2017 is just around the corner, and we encourage more member-owners to get involved as monthly mavens. It’s an easy way to help the Co-op reach membership goals. One volunteer wrote, “Being a member maven allows you to get intimate with the details of what our Co-op is about.” Another maven highlights the ways that co-ops support the local community including that “the average co-op purchases from 51 local farms and 106 local producers.” During the selected month, mavens will host an event such as a house party, share Co-op information and Facebook posts, and help out the membership committee and outreach coordinator in other ways they mutually choose. Contact outreach@cedarfallsfood.coop to sign up or learn more about this opportunity.

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