Yelm Food CO-OP Holds Annual Meeting

Yelm Food Co-op’s Board member Leland Hagendorf sent this to the Yelm Community Blog to share with our community:

On September 12, 2010, the Yelm Food Co-op (Co-op) held its Annual Meeting. An enthusiastic membership attended the fourth Annual Meeting to hear a report of Co-op progress and elect Officers.

The Co-op opened its doors at the current location on April 27, 2007 with 97 Members. Since that time it has grown to an organization with annual sales of more than $500,000 and has recently had an upsurge in membership now totaling approximately 575 active members. The daily operations of the store are overseen by the manager, Aaron Rodriguez, and buyer Florence Vincent, plus dozens of volunteers that assist with deliveries, stocking, cashiering, and cleaning the store. As a community owned organization, the Co-op is a vital contribution to Yelm.

Included in the Mission Statement of the Co-op is “to serve our membership and our community by making available reasonably priced, high quality, whole foods, and other basic goods. Our buying policies incorporate good nutrition, respect for the environment and support of sustainable local agriculture and production.”

Outgoing Board President Peggy Mauk, gave an overview of the Co-op’s progress and the tremendous effort put forth by previous board members to create a service organization that benefits all citizens of the greater Yelm community. These accomplishments highlighted a major milestone of the Co-op and recognition was especially given to the countless volunteers who have worked to establish this great non-profit Cooperative.

The members present at the annual meeting recognize and support the great potential of the Co-op in the coming years to be a leader in the Yelm Community. Several qualified individuals stepped up to run for the available Board of Director positions, and the membership elected the following people to lead the evolution: Bill Wyman, President; Vienne Cordet, Vice President; Debbie Burgan, Secretary; Fran White and Bev Larkins Co-Treasures, Carolyn Farley and additional Board members Chelsea Bunn, Eleanor Israel, and Leland Hagendorf. The new Board held its first organizational meeting, and established the following committees: Strategic Planning, Finance/Budget, By-laws and Policy Procedures, and the Marketing and Community Outreach Committee. Opportunities for members to serve on these committees will be made available in the store. The board will be holding the next meeting on Sunday, October 10, and will work to develop a 5 Year Strategic Plan.

The Co-op carries an extensive array of products including local eggs and raw milk, Yelm produce, gluten-free foods, free range and antibiotic-free chickens and beef, loose herbal teas, and all-natural health supplements. The store is expanding products and services to meet the needs of the community.

To join the Co-op or for additional information, stop by the store at:

404 1st St SE
Yelm, Washington
or visit the website at www.yelmcoop.com.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW TEAM AT THE YELM FOOD CO=OP!
VISIT & TELL THE STAFF YOU READ ABOUT THEM ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG.