Admit it: you just imagined yourself – just for a moment –
on the Co-op’s Board. Indulge yourself for a moment and learn what being on the
Board is actually about. We’re opening up a record seven positions this year
and are searching for applicants that can help lead the Co-op through the
challenges and opportunities we face in expanding, improving food security in
our region, supporting local farmers and producers, running an extensive
volunteer program, and all of the ins and outs of collectivism and consensus.
As a Board member, you will be joined by nine other Board
members, 84 staff members, roughly 300 volunteers, and thousands of members and
shoppers. You’ll be overseeing the overall trajectory and vision of the entire
organization, and doing more in-depth work with the committees that you join.
Each Board member attends a monthly Board meeting (currently 6:30-9:30 on the
third Thursday of each month) and joins two to three committees in areas of
your interest. Committees are made up of Board, staff, and volunteer members
and include: Outreach and Education; Member Relations; Finance; Hiring; Local
Farms, Products and Producers; Ecological Planning; Personnel; and the Newsletter.
We also have temporary committees that form to deal with specific
opportunities, for instance: Expansion, or the International Year of the Co-op
committee. Committees are where you get your hands dirty, helping to create
on-the-ground policies and plans in partnership with staff members.
Board members are most successful when they arrive with a
passion for the Co-op, a willingness to learn, good interpersonal and
communication skills, and the ability to dedicate 10-20 hours per month on
Co-op activities. Special skills and experience are always welcome, especially
in areas of financial and business expertise, farming and food, or
co-operatives. However, anyone with passion, time, and willingness to learn can
be a great Board member, and we welcome and encourage applications from all
people, ages, and backgrounds.
Applications are due September 10th, and
elections run from October 15 through November 15. For more information, please
see the full information sheet at
http://olympiafoodcoop.blogspot.com/2012/09/apply-to-join-co-ops-board-today.html . You can contact Fern at
boardapplication@olympiafood.coop
with any additional
questions, to request an accommodation, or just to turn your application in.
From all of us on
the Board and at the Co-op, we look forward to working with you!
