July 2021 Newsletter
Build your co-op, build your community.
From the Board
Summertime is keeping us busy! The Business Plan Team met with the Itasca Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) to work on details related to our formal business plan which will be used to help secure finances during building. Meanwhile, the Site Selection Team met with two professional consultants to discuss next steps in the process of finding the best possible location for our future store. While all this was happening, the Capital Campaign Team has begun the selection process for a campaign training consultant to help plan our owner investment campaign to secure funding prior to building. All of these big pieces of the puzzle are being worked on simultaneously so they can fit together at just the right time. There is never a shortage of tasks that need doing or projects that need planning during the building of a cooperatively-owned grocery store!
Keep reading for more co-op news and opportunities to help!
You are a co-op owner.
A community member.
A friend.
And YOU are the foundation
of our co-op.
Our 806 owners are at the core of everything we do, but the board of directors cannot build the co-op without you!
We are all volunteers, too, and we need your help. We need your passion, your knowledge, your skills, and a small bit of your time.
Through the work of building our co-op we can also build our community. Imagine going to the co-op to shop for your groceries and knowing that you helped make it happen!
Tell us how you will help, and we'll contact you with details when we have a matching opportunity.
Urgent volunteer needs for summer 2021 include:
1) Help staffing a table with another volunteer at FRFC's booth for the MacRostie Downtown Art Fair. Event is on Sat. June 10th from 9-4. (3 hours maximum commitment.)
2) Help with Tall Timber Days planning. We need in-person and behind the scenes volunteers to staff our table for the weekend, plan our participation in the parade, and walk in the parade. Event is on Sat. August 7th & Sun. August 8th. (3 hours maximum commitment.)
*NEW* Owner & Community Listening Sessions:
Join on Zoom during the half hour before all board meetings to chat with directors, learn more about the cooperative, and share your thoughts. (Listening sessions prior to board meetings only. All owners are encouraged to join any board meeting or work session.)
This month's work session is on Tuesday, July 6th, 6:00-7:30pm. Open to everyone! Click to join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4508384438
This month's board meeting is on Tuesday, July 20th, 6:00-7:30pm with listening session at 5:30pm. Open to everyone! Click to join via Zoom:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4508384438
Other meetings and events:
Friday, July 2nd, 4:00-7:00pm: First Friday Art Walk. Come visit us on the grounds at the Old Central School as we host a local artist at our table!
Saturday, July 10th, 9:00am-4:00pm: Downtown Art Fair - you don't want to miss this! We'll have a booth on the grounds at the Old Central School where we'll be hosting two different local artists; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Swing by our table to meet them, talk co-op, and sign up for a giveaway drawing!
Wednesday, July 28th, 6:00-7:00pm: Capital Campaign Planning Team Meeting. Contact Casey for more information: cdabrowski@gmail.com
The next book club book is ready for reading!
"Simple Food for the Good Life: Random Acts of Cooking and Pithy Quotations" by Helen Nearing
Book club is open to everyone! The next meeting date is Thursday, September 9th, 6:00pm. Email Kari for more information: jkritter@paulbunyan.net
Grand Rapids Farmer's Market
Wednesdays and Saturdays through the summer, from 8:00 am – 1:00 pm.
Located at: 11 Golf Course Road, Grand Rapids, just off the corner of Hwy 169 and Golf Course Road next to the Grand Rapids State Bank branch.
http://www.grfarmersmarket.org/
Thank you for being an owner of Free Range Food Co-op!
Know somebody who should be a Free Range owner? Send them to this blog and ask them to click the link below to visit our website and sign up!