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General Membership Meeting (GMM)
A Wonderful Success
North Farm's GMM was a wonderful success! Our biggest membership event of the year took place at North Farm on June 1.
The day began with a continental breakfast for all members. During breakfast, Alicia Leinberger, Farmer Representative with Equal Exchange Coffee & Tea, discussed the workings of democratic, stakeholder-owned and sustainable food systems through dynamic relationships between producers and consumers. Equal Exchange and North Farm Cooperative are essential links from farmer to consumer, forming a food system that works in the long-term interests of all people.
The Business meeting followed breakfast. Reports from the Board President, Interim General Manager and Independent Auditor Clifton Gunderson LLC were heard. The election process concluded at this meeting (for more details of your new Board, please link to your Board.) The Business Meeting ended with a healthy amount of door prizes supplied by North Farm's generous vendors.
Afternoon workshops were all heavily attended. Todd Wangerin guided several members on a tour of the 71,000 square-foot warehouse. Controller Tom Hill and Interim General Manager David Fredrickson led the Financial Update workshop, offering information about North Farm's financial health, plans for stocking products, and actions currently taking place to improve the financial situation. The NF-Web workshop was held in the warehouse lunchroom, and it was bursting at the seams! Becky Sonstrom offered clear instruction on how to maneuver through the NF-web internet ordering system, showing members how to view product information, store shopping lists, and perform complex searches. This user-friendly tool allows members to shop and place orders 24/7.
Throughout the day, specials and product demonstrations were offered at the Outlet Store. Sample boxes were available to all members who attended the GMM. A special GMM pick-up promotion offered great savings for those members who placed special orders to pick up on GMM day.
The day ended with a picnic at Winnequah Park. North Farm staff wowed those in attendance with their vegetarian and non-vegetarian cooking skills. It was a wonderful time to kick back, take in some sun, play with the kids on the one-of-a-kind playground equipment, and make new co-op friends while hooking up with old friends. Two workshops were offered at the park: Allied Health, an organization of 42 chiropractic clinics, offered a workshop on wellness and health issues relating to children, and MACSAC (Madison Area community Supported Agriculture) conducted a workshop on the history, philosophy and how-to's of Community Supported Agriculture.
The GMM couldn't have been the success it was without the support of the vendors who so generously provided samples, the staff who worked so hard to make the day go smoothly, and our wonderful members who drove to Madison - some for hundreds of miles - to show North Farm their support. Thank you to everyone! Let's do it all again next year!
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