Celebrate Co-op Month!

Last Updated on Sunday, 02 October 2011 04:18

By Alexis Alexander,
Membership Manager

Join Us for the Member Forum & Meeting, Local Economies Expert Michael Shuman, Food for Justice Walk, Kid's Halloween Party & More!

October is Co-op Month, an annual celebration of cooperatives around the world. This year's slogan is "Cooperative enterprises build a better world," with a focus on the contributions that cooperatives make to social and economic development.

GreenStar has planned a jam-packed October for member-owners to celebrate our mission, share in discussion, and learn about our current state of business, future plans and the local economy movement. We'll be dancing, eating, sharing ideas, hobnobbing with local vendors and farmers, supporting GreenStar Community Projects, our nonprofit affiliate, dressing up in Halloween costumes, indulging in Fair Trade chocolate, and more!

Below is a brief description of the various events planned for this month. Whatever your schedule, there is plenty of opportunity for you to celebrate GreenStar's success and positive impact in the world with your fellow Co-op member-owners!

Member Forum: Thursday, Oct. 6, 6:30 to 8:30 pm at The Space. The forum replaces the Question & Answer period at the Annual Fall Meeting. The informal, discussion-style format provides ample time for member-owners to speak about issues of interest, ask questions and share their vision for GreenStar's future with Council. With a potential member-owner equity fee increase and expansion before us, it's an important time for Council to hear what our member-owners want from their co-op.

Annual Fall Meeting, Vendor/Farmer Fair & Dance Party with the Free Boody Institute (The FBI): Friday, Oct. 21, 5:30 to 10 pm at The Space. Given the positive response to our Annual Spring meeting, we are planning a similar festival-style format for our fall meeting. We'll start with a social hour and Vendor/Farmer Fair at 5:30. Local vendors and farmers will be tabling so you can converse directly with the people who create or grow the many wonderful local products we sell at the Co-op. Dinner will begin at 6, followed by a two hour business meeting at 6:30. At 8:30, we'll kick up the beat and volume, while we dance to the classic funk and R&B sounds of The FBI and enjoy some infamous GreenStar dessert treats.

GreenStar Community Project's Food Justice Summit, Walk for Wellness & Block Party: Saturday, Oct. 22. Walkathon begins at 9 am, leaving from The Space. Block Party from noon to 6 pm outside Neighborhood Pride (the old P&C) at Hancock and First Streets. GreenStar Community Projects is hosting Ithaca's first Food Justice Summit to raise funds to support food justice projects, specifically Ithaca Community Harvest and the work of GreenStar to create a system of regional food sustainability that promotes health, equity, and community control of essential resources. Featuring guest speaker Malik Kenyatta Yakini, founder and Interim Executive Director of Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, and an array of local and regional soul, hip hop and reggae bands, including Thousands of One.

Revitalizing Our Regional Economy from the Inside Out: Tuesday, Oct. 25, 7 pm at the Community School of Music & Art. Michael Shuman, research and public policy director of BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies), will share insights on how to build strong local and regional economies. Author of the award-winning book, Small-Mart Revolution: How Small Businesses are Beating the Global Competition, Michael has led several community-based economic development projects in the Northeast and Colorado. The evening is co-sponsored by Local First Ithaca and GreenStar, with a grant from the Park Foundation.

Kid's Halloween Party & The Chocolate Revolution: Friday, Oct. 28, 6 to 8 pm at The Space. This year we've added a new twist to our annual Halloween fun! The Chocolate Revolution tour is coming to town specifically to join us for a fun-filled evening of inspiring music and Halloween activities. Buffalo singer-songwriter Grace Stumberg and New York City subway band Left on Red, created the Chocolate Revolution Tour to spread the message that Fair Trade chocolate helps build a better world. Dress in your Halloween best and join us for what promises to be an interactively sweet experience focused around Fair-Trade chocolate, music and education.

for the calendar?

Howard Bowers Day

On Saturday, Oct. 29, GreenStar will donate one percent of sales for the day to the Howard Bowers Fund, which supports education for staff, managers and board members of food co-ops. It's all about the 6th Cooperative Principle: co-ops helping other co-ops. Help support the cooperative community while you shop! For more information about Howard Bowers and the fund he inspired, visit www.cdf.coop/about-bowers-fund/.