Category Archives: Board Happenings

monthly board happenings posts

Board Happenings: November 2017

Take a minute to see what your board has been up to!
– This was the first meeting with our newest Board Members! Welcome aboard Andrew, Jackie, and Scott!
– With new board members, it means we have new officers elected. Our new officers are:
     – President: Tom Wickersham
     – Vice President: Andrew Morse
     – Secretary: Jess Cruz
     – Treasurer: Scott Wirtz
– The Board has moved its meeting time to the 3rd Wednesday of every month, at 7pm, at Millrace.
– We had two representatives from the Board attend the Strong and Small Conference in Minnesota this month, and they brought back a lot of great information for us to use.

Board Happenings: October 2017

– Election results are in! Welcome to our three newest Board members: Jacquelyn Berggren, Andrew Morse, and Scott Wirtz. We also want to wish a heartfelt farewell to our outgoing Board members, Amber Mann, Kristel McClenahan, and Dan Heit. Amber, Kristel, and Dan have been involved with the Co-op from it’s very first planning session, and their contributions to the Co-op have been immeasurable. 
 
– We’ve been steadily gaining new members to our committees, but we still need more help. If you’d like to volunteer, contact Melanie Drake at outreach@cedarfallsfood.coop
 
– We had a great time at our Annual Member Meeting/Potluck. We’ve had a banner year, and we anticipate more of the same this coming year. 
 
– We’ve been moving forward with finishing our Pro Forma and meeting with local banks, which is an important element in our next stage of development. 
 
– We’ve also been having discussions with developers concerning future site locations. We can’t say too much yet, but we want you to know that these conversations are starting to happen and they seem very promising. 

Board Happenings: September 2017

  • We’ve had a lot to celebrate this past month: The summer celebration event at the Octopus was great, we were featured in the Courier, and we have 4 amazing candidates for our open board positions!
  • Our annual Member Meeting is coming up on October 24th. This is a great time to get a full update on the state of the Co-op. Check out the article in this month’s newsletter for more details.
  • We’re busy mapping out our next steps, including finishing our pro forma, preparing for our capital campaign, and researching potential store sites.

Board Happenings: August 2017

Take a minute to see what your Board has been up to lately!

– We now have over 650 member-owners! This has been an amazing summer, and we wouldn’t have been able to do it without our amazing volunteers.
– If you’re interested in serving on the Board, you still have time to turn in your application. Mailed packets need to be postmarked by September 7th, and those that are emailed need to arrive before midnight on September 9th.
– Be sure to join us for the Fall Food Fest on September 26th. This will be our fourth (!!) year hosting this event, and it’s a great chance to sample foods from vendors that we hope to have at the co-op. See you there!

Board Happenings: July 2017

– We had an AMAZING June, and July was another great month for membership. A huge congrats and thanks to everyone who helped us grow to this point.
– So far this years our volunteers have donated over 410 hours, totaling over $40,000 worth of wages.
– We’ve heard how much you all love the yards signs. If you were able to get one before we ran out, snap a selfie with it and tag us to let all your friends know how proud you are to be a co-op owner!
– We know that August is going to be just as great as June and July we’re already planning to celebrate. Join us at the Octopus on August 27th as we work out way Onward and Upward to 700!
– We’ve decided to become a member of the Cooperative Grocer Network. This is a national network of food co-ops that offers a number of benefits, including discounts, resources, and access to industry experts.
– Now accepting applications for our next set of Board members. If you’re interested in learning more or applying, visit CedarFallsFood.coop for more information.

Board Happenings: June 2017

  • We have a budget! Co-op business isn’t all fun and kayak giveaways. Just like any other business, we propose and adopt a budget every year. It’s not exciting, but it’s an important part of what we do, and we spend plenty of time making sure we’re using our funds wisely.
  • Have you been to one of our Co-op potlucks? We’re planning to continue these throughout the year to give our members a chance to enjoy great food and even greater company.
  • October will be here before you know it! We’ve started planning for our Annual Member Meeting and getting ready for our Board elections. If you or someone you know is passionate about building the Co-op, you’re encouraged to run for one of the open Board seats!
  • Our next meeting will be July 17th, at 7pm, at Millrace. Guests are welcome!

Board Happenings: May 2017

Take a minute to see what your Board has been up to.
– Farmer’s Market season is underway! Be sure to keep an eye out for the Co-op at both the Downtown Cedar Falls and College Hill Markets.
– Our Annual June Campaign is underway again! This year we’ll be giving away a kayak to either a new member or someone who gets a new member to join! Check out the article in this month’s newsletter for all the details.
– We’ll also be in this year’s Sturgis Falls parade along with Rooty! If you’re interested in participating, contact Melanie Drake at outreach@cedarfallsfood.coop.
– Yard signs are in the works! We have a sign up sheet for those interested in displaying the signs in their yards. If you’d like to be included, information is available on our website: https://rootedcarrot.coop/yard-sign-signup/.

Board Happenings: March 2017

 

  • The Co-op was able to send 6 people to this year’s Up & Coming Food Co-op Conference. This included President Tom Wickersham, Vice President Joy Thorson, Secretary Jess Cruz, Outreach Coordinator Melanie Drake, and committee members Luann Alemao and Xianli Zeng. Read the Conference Re-cap in this month’s newsletter.
  • We are getting ready to move into the next phase of our development. This includes assembling a site selection committee and a capital campaign committee. This is an extremely exciting time, and we can use volunteers in every capacity. If you’d like to help your Co-op grow, contact Outreach Coordinator Melanie Drake to see where your talents best fit.
  • Keep an eye out for the Co-op when you’re out and about. We’ll be a a number of community events in April, so if you see us be sure to stop and say “Hi!”
  • When will we open?! We’ll be releasing an updated timeline in the next month so you can stay up to date on everything the Co-op’s doing.

Board Happenings: February 2017

  • The Cedar Falls Food Co-op is officially a partner organization as a part of Future Forward, Cedar Falls latest strategic plan. 
  • Melanie Drake, Outreach Coordinator extraordinaire, will be conducting regular member orientations. Be sure to check the newsletter and follow us on Facebook to see when the next one will be.
  • The Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center is partnering with us for an awesome incentive this month. Check out the article in this month’s newsletter to find out more!