SECOND ANNUAL OWNERS MEETING & SOCIAL, OCT. 18

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The Cedar Falls Food Co-op’s second annual Owners Meeting & Social will take place on Tuesday, October 18 from 6:30-8:30pm at the Oster Regent (103 Main Street, Cedar Falls). We’ll come together as a community and practice our core principle of “Democratic Member Control” as we elect new board members (and help develop the Co-op’s key values statement). Only owners can take part in this event, but everyone is welcome to become an owner—you can even join at the door.

The evening will start with reports on operations, finance and other key growth indicators. We’ll look ahead at upcoming milestones and projections on opening. We’ll also announce the results of the board elections. Plus, there will be plenty of time for Q&A from members. The second half of the evening will be a social gathering with food and drink, including homemade cider, fresh baked goods, and fall-inspired snacks. Members attending will have a chance to provide input on the Co-op’s values statement, and will be the first to hear the results of the carrot naming contest!

What sets the Co-op apart from other business models is that YOU are an owner, and the annual owner meeting is a part of the Co-op’s bylaws. Exercise your right as an owner…join us!

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Board Elections Underway. Vote Today!

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Voting is underway for new directors to serve on the Board of the Cedar Falls Food Co-op. Four candidates are running for three seats. Details about the candidates and their full statements are here.

This year, voting is done completely online. Details and instructions have been sent to all member-owners via email. If you haven’t received instructions, or are having difficultly with the online system, please contact Outreach Coordinator Melanie Drake at outreach@cedarfallsfood.coop.

By reducing the amount of paper generated in creating nearly 450 ballots and mailing them, plus using a highly respectable and very secure online system called Simply Voting, the Co-op anticipates an even greater participation in the elections, which is important, as Democratic Governance is one of the Co-op’s key principles.

The deadline to vote is 7:00pm on Tuesday, October 18. Those who do not have a computer can vote during the first half hour of the second annual Owner Meeting & Social on Oct. 18.

Exercise your right, and vote!

 

Enjoy summer’s bountiful zucchini with this lovely treat!

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A lemon version of a popular summer treat. Try putting some of those extra zucchini into this delicious bread (it’s really more like cake).

 

Bake: 325°F for 60 min

Makes 1 large 5” x 9” loaf pan, or 2 small 8” x 4” loaf pans

Ingredients:

½ c. butter or substitute*

3 eggs

½ greek yogurt

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 tbsp. Lemon juice

¾ c. sugar

2 ½ c. Grated zucchini

Ingredients:
3 c. Flour**

1 tsp. Baking soda

1 tsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. Salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Melt butter a little. Mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, yogurt, and lemon juice. Add zucchini and mix. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in separate bowl. Add wet mixture to dry and stir well. Empty mixture into greased pan (or pans) and bake for 55 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing loaf from pan. Enjoy!

notes:

*I used Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks in this recipe

**I like to use spelt flour, but any all purpose flour will work

 

Member Spotlight: Anne Hennessey

image by Dan Phillips Photography - Cedar Falls, Iowa

image by Dan Phillips Photography – Cedar Falls, Iowa

Dr. Anne Hennessey moved to Cedar Falls eleven years ago with her husband and two daughters where she also works as a dentist at Hennessey Family Dentistry.  Because of her profession, she is very interested in living a healthy life for herself as well as her family.  This includes supporting local businesses as much as possible.  A couple of her favorite stores are the Runner’s Flat and Barn Happy.  She has also been a member of Hansen’s Dairy for at least five years and is a member of a CSA.  She uses the fresh produce from the farmshare to make her own salsa and spaghetti sauce as well as freezes some of the produce so that she and her family can enjoy it during the winter months.  In addition, Dr. Hennessey has a small garden which produces lettuce and spinach in early spring, and tomatoes throughout the summer. 

She is involved in the community by serving on the Sartori Foundation board.  This board is responsible for raising and distributing money in order to promote Sartori, for example, by purchasing new hospital equipment.   

Dr. Hennessey is excited about the new solar program through CFU and greatly enjoys the bike trails in Cedar Falls.  She  would definitely like to see Cedar Falls become even more bike friendly.  Overall, she believes the Cedar Valley is moving in the right direction in aligning with her health and wellness goals, and that the Cedar Falls Food Co-op fits perfectly with this direction.

From the Board President: Top 10 Co-op Updates

Last week, a friend asked me a question that I hear a lot: “So, what’s new with the Co-op?” When I concluded my answer ten minutes later, my friend, whose eyes had become a bit glazed over, probably regretted asking that question. And I hadn’t event gotten the chance to talk about our new refrigerator magnets (which you can pick up for free at Co-op events this fall.) Truth is, there’s so much going on with the Co-op that I could have talked twice as long. With a promise not to bore you too much, here’s a quick countdown of my top 10 favorite things currently going on with the Co-op:

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Run for the Board. Vote for the Board

This fall, the Cedar Falls Food Co-op will be conducting its annual elections for the Board of Directors. Before that gets underway, though, there’s still an opportunity for you to run for the Board.

 

The Co-op is currently accepting applications for members interested in serving on the Board. Details about running for the Board are on the Co-op’s website. There you’ll find an application and other important details, including a comprehensive FAQ. The deadline to apply is September 8 (postmark date if submitting by mail) or September 10 (if submitting by email).

 

Later in September, we’ll begin the elections for the Board, and we’re excited to announce that we’ll be shifting to an all on-line elections process. Details will be distributed to members via email later this month. We’ll reach out to members who don’t have an email account, to provide them with alternative voting methods.

 

By reducing the amount of paper generated in creating nearly 450 ballots and mailing them, plus using a highly respectable and very secure online system called Simply Voting, the Co-op anticipates an even greater participation in the elections, which is important, as Democratic Governance is one of the Co-op’s key principles.

 

Please watch for important voting instructions, and be sure to vote!

 

Board Happenings: August 2016

Take a minute to see what our Board of Directors has been up to!

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  • We’ve been gaining a ton of new members to our newsletter, so welcome to those of you who are here for the first time!
  • Board Elections are coming up soon! Application materials are due early September, so if you’re interested in serving the Co-op, check out our website for more details.
  • We continue to work on our Financial Pro Forma, which is the next big task to complete in our development.
  • With the completion of the Pro Forma on the horizon, we’ve begun laying the groundwork for our capital campaign. Be on the lookout for more news about this soon!
  • We love our amazing business partners and appreciate everything they do to help spread the word about the Co-op. Be sure to stop by our booths when we’re out in the community to learn about all the great things they have to offer in addition to your Co-op discount!
  • The Fall Food Fest is coming September 27th, at 6:30pm. We have some fun new activities planned, so be sure to stop by.
  • Planning for the Member Owner Meeting is under way, so keep an ear out for more details.
  • Several members of the Board plan to attend the Strong and Small conference in Bloomington, MN in November. This conference is a one-day networking and training event aimed at small and start-up food co-ops.

Your Journey to Health: A Cedar Falls Food Co-op Celebration

Screen Shot 2016-08-10 at 6.44.54 PMCome and enjoy, Your Journey to Health- A Cedar Falls Food Co-op Celebration. Vitalize your body, mind and spirit at this summertime event. RSVP HERE. Feel the life-force within, as you learn about the importance of spinal health, and enjoy celebrating life in the garden with Luann Allemao’s Blue Zone inspired special pesto creations. What you will learn is amazing! Let’s spend a fun evening together embracing the liveliness of the season. And feel free to bring a friend along, too.”
This event is free and open to the community. Anyone who becomes a member of the Cedar Falls Food Co-op at the event will be entered to win a free spice-blend from Luann Alemao and Associates!