Symbiotic Sustenance - BriarPatch Co-op

20 February/March 2011 The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
Continued from page 19
business to meet their unique needs and
abilities, be it a farmers’ market, small
grocery store, and/or café. Landau and
his friends wisely recognized that students
needed resources and connections
to be able to succeed. They need to learn
business skills, to gain more insight into
the positive role food can play in our lives
and in our world, to be encouraged, to
find experienced mentors (which might
include existing food co-ops), to learn
how to raise money, etc.
To meet these needs, CoFed was created
— an in-depth guidebook and a summer
training program for student groups.
In its short history, it has given dozens
of West Coast students over 100 hours
of training, teaching them to be leaders.
All this means a great deal to the
continuance of coops. As Chris Maher,
observed, “In recent years we’ve seen new
ways cooperatives are being formed, and
this suggests that coops will continue long
into the future, as young people find resonance
with the cooperative movement.”
Thanks to CoFed, over time, thousands
of students all over the country
will create alternative food options for
their colleges and universities. Tens of
thousands of other students will be exposed
to an approach to food that serves
them as well as the planet. But that is only
part of the picture. All of these students
will leave their schools and go out into
the world with new skills and awareness
that will touch countless other lives, like
expanding ripples from a little pebble
thrown into a pool of still water. Over
time, what began with a student referendum
at Berkeley will have an impact on
the consciousness of our country and, in
turn, our planet. BriarPatch owners can
be proud that our co-op helped set all this
in motion.
Co-op Owner Benefits
Know and enjoy your BriarPatch benefits!
Patronage Dividend
For years with sufficient earnings, profits
will be returned to owners in proportion
to purchases.
Local Business Discounts
Discounts on goods and services at 30
local businesses. The list is on the next
page, page 21.
Cooking Class Discount
At In the Kitchen cooking school in
Nevada City. See www.briarpatch.coop
for class schedule and more information.
Food Safety Alerts
Notices of important food safety issues
affecting BriarPatch shoppers are sent
promptly via email. (To get on the list or
update your email address, send it to info@
briarpatch.coop or leave it at the Customer
Service window.)
February
Owner Benefit
“Volume Discount Month”
Good for a single shopping trip in
February, find your discount voucher
inserted into your mailed newsletter..
Discount Vouchers
Good for single shopping trips, discount
vouchers are mailed periodically, inserted
in this newsletter.
Special Order Discount
Pay only the wholesale catalog price
plus a handling charge when you order
products in wholesale quantities (by the
case or 6 each for Wellness Department
items).
Community Mindedness
Join your friends and neighbors in
showing your pride in co-owning a local
business that supports our community.
The opportunity to be involved
Vote for the Board of Directors and in
other decision-making elections, run for
the Board, and attend our annual General
Meeting in October.
Volunteer Program Discount
Earn a 10% discount by volunteering
in the store with bagging, product sampling,
or other jobs as available. Pick up
a volunteer application at the Customer
Service window.
Newsletter Ad Discounts
Run a free classified ad and/or take a
one-time $20 discount on a display ad in
our bimonthly newsletter.