by Anya Firszt, General Manager
Hello Co-op Month!
October brings so many things to celebrate at the Co-op. There is National Co-op Month, Hispanic Heritage Month continued, Owner Appreciation, Fair Trade Month, Halloween festivities, and, this year, we celebrate our 49th birthday!
Co-op Month has been a nationally recognized celebration since 1964. Across the state and nation, cooperatives take this opportunity to celebrate the cooperative business model, Ownership, and YOU. Take a minute to think about all that we have accomplished in our 49 years as a locally-owned, democratically controlled consumer cooperative, and your part in our continued success. Thank you!
To learn more about Co-op Month and the cooperative business model check out the Cooperative Network website at cooperativenetwork.coop/co-op-month.
2023 Annual Meeting
You are cordially invited to attend our Annual Business Meeting on Thursday, October 5 from 5:30-7:45pm. This event is being held virtually, and you’ll need to register to receive a link to join the meeting; the 2023 Annual Meeting Registration Form can be found at willystreet.coop/annual-meeting.
At this year’s meeting we will share highlights from last fiscal year and an update on our financial health; the Board Candidates will be introduced and they have been asked to say a few words. After the meeting, we will host a panel discussion with farmers from Tipi Produce (Evansville, Wisconsin) and Vitruvian Farms (McFarland, Wisconsin) for you to learn about the state of local farming. And, finally, we will wrap up the meeting with prizes for pre-registered attendees!
2023 Annual Board Elections
We are holding our Board of Director election this month. This election is slightly unusual in that we have four open seats (three: 3-year seats and one 2-year seat) and four candidates running for the Board. So, all four candidates will be seated, but we need you to vote to determine the top vote-getter and who will fill the two-year seat.
In this issue of the Reader you will find a ballot, which you are invited to cast in person at one of the stores or you can mail it to one of our stores or our central office. You could also cast your ballot electronically provided we have your current email address.
Election results will be announced at the Special Owner meeting scheduled for Monday, October 16 at 7:00pm. Results will be posted on our website following the special meeting.
Owner Appreciation Week
Owner Appreciation week is October 9-15, this is our opportunity to say thank you and offer appreciation to our Owners with sales on over 600 products. Owners can also get 15% off wellness and bodycare products for this month’s Wellness Wednesday (on October 4)!
2023 Madison People’s Choice Award
Thank you for voting us your top Health Food Store and a favorite Grocery Store in the 2023 Madison.com readers poll!
Thank you for being part of our cooperative and contributing to our on-going success. We would not be here were it not for you. And, next year we celebrate 50 years of being open for business. Yeah!