by Anya Firszt, General Manager
Happy Holidays!
December is filled with lots of holidays to celebrate over the next four weeks. Yay!
In the Northern Hemisphere we celebrate the Winter Solstice on December 21. I, for one, am looking forward to the return of longer, warmer days and short nights. People also celebrate a number of holidays this month including Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve. Whatever and however you celebrate this month, I hope you can do so with friends and family and you have ample opportunity to eat lots of delicious food!
The Co-op can help you with some or all of the items on your holiday grocery shopping list. We have what it takes to bake and prepare your traditional family favorite recipes or new-found delicacies. We also have in store uniquely handcrafted, local and Fair Trade items and specialty foods and spirits to complete your holiday gift-giving needs. Whether you are hosting a dinner or need a hostess gift, we have you covered.
Special retail operating hours!
•December 24: retails close at 6:00pm
•December 25: closed
•December 31: regular hours
•January 1, 2019: closed
Double Dollars Fund Contributions Also Support Food Pantries This Month
You still have the rest of this month to make your Double Dollars Fund contributions count twice! Simply donate $1, $5, $10, or $25 using a scan card at the registers or reuse bags when you shop through December 31, and we'll match your contributions 1:1 up to $10,000 to support our local food pantries (when you reuse bags, we contribute 10¢ for every reusable bag, and 5¢ for every reused disposable bag to Double Dollars). Your donations and bag reuse supports Double Dollars, and our match will be equally distributed among the following organizations: Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center's food pantry, Goodman Community Center's Fritz Food Pantry, Bread of Life Food Pantry, The River Food Pantry, the Lussier Community & Education Center's, and Middleton Outreach Ministries' food pantries. Thank you in advance for your generosity to help those in need, especially at this time of year.
FY18 Annual Report
The Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2018 will reach your inbox or mailbox in the coming week or two. Please take moment to read the Annual Report to learn more about what the Co-op accomplished last fiscal year. I think you too will be proud of our good work.
Board seats filled!
Ann Hoyt and Dan Ramos Haas have been appointed by the Willy Street Co-op Board of Directors to fill two vacancies on the Board until the next election cycle in the summer 2019. Thank you both for accepting this appointment and rounding out the Board to its full nine members.
$5 Dinner at Willy North
Mark your calendar and plan to attend this month’s $5 Dinner at Willy North on Thursday, December 20 from 4:00-8:00 pm. This month’s fare is pizza, including pepperoni, cheese and vegan options.
Retail floor support
I plan to be at the each of the stores weekend days and weekday evenings for the next several weeks to bag groceries, front product and direct customers to requested items. If you see me and want to ask or share anything, please feel free to do so! You can also reach me by calling me at my direct line: 608-237-1210 or emailing me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Operations
Operationally speaking, the Co-op is doing well, no we’re doing great! Sales are strong at all three stores, at or above budget, and expenses are being managed below budget. If you have not yet had an opportunity to check out the newly remodeled Willy West, you’re in for a treat. Willy North now has an additional cash register stand, which has made a noticeable improvement in decreasing the lines at the check out.
In the next few months we will be turning our attention to a few much needed upgrades to equipment at the production kitchen, as well as planning for another round of improvements at Willy North. My sincere thanks and recognition to our staff that make good things happen around here.
Goodbye 2018; Hello 2019
As we bring calendar year 2018 to a close, may the time you spend with family and friends this holiday season be filled to overflowing with joy and happiness. Whether you make New Year resolutions or not, may the New Year be warm, safe and healthy. Happy New Year.
