Hot off the press: previews of our 2013 candidates for the Board of Directors! You'll also find the information below in the October-November newsletter, along with your ballot. Voting runs from October 15th - November 15th. In addition to choosing four new Board members, you'll also have an opportunity to vote on four proposed changes to the Co-op's bylaws.
Want to know more about the candidates? Mark your calendar for the Annual Meeting! October 27th, from 1-4 pm at the Olympia Ballroom. Great food, candidate speeches and the first round of member discussion on recent research into whether the Co-op should change our legal status (currently, we are a not-for-profit under RCW 24.03.) We look forward to seeing you there!
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Board Candidate: Audrey Daye
Why do you want to be on the Co-op Board of Directors?
The Co-op is
my happy place. For 30 years, I’ve wandered the isles, east and west, and
marveled at the unequalled awesomeness of our Olympia Food Co-ops. I shop for
food here exclusively and I would be thrilled to express my commitment to and
appreciation for the Co-op through my active participation on the Board.
What general abilities would you bring to the Board? What specific abilities and experiences would
you offer to help provide direction in dealing with the Co-op’s challenges?
Through the
full-time occupation of motherhood, I’ve developed substantial skills in
mediation, patience, compromise, and compassion. 15 years of customer-service
experience has taught me the importance of diplomacy and positivity, and I
place great emphasis on productivity and efficiency. I am an excellent
fundraiser, I am trained in mediation, and I have worked in leadership roles
with many local nonprofit organizations. I am currently employed at Traditions
Fair Trade and Breathe Studio in downtown Olympia, and I am on the steering
committee for the Fellowship of Reconciliation. I believe that healthy,
affordable food is vital to a healthy community.
What do you see as current strengths of the Co-op that you would like
to see maintained? What would you like
to see changed?
I have
always been impressed with the Co-op’s commitment to an ethical business model,
through their employment practices, consensus process, low-income, volunteer,
and assisted shopping programs, anti-discrimination and inclusivity policies,
and active involvement in the greater Olympia community. I would like to see
these strengths emphasized and expanded during the Co-op’s own expansion, and I
would like to see a greater emphasis on sustainable and ecologically-minded
purchasing, particularly with regards to sourcing (domestic!) and packaging
(minimal!).
What vision do you have for the Co-op for the next five years?
In five years, I’d like the Co-op
to have grown in whatever ways its members have seen fit. The idea of a third,
centralized location has always appealed to me, but whether we have two
improved locations or two improved locations plus a brand-new third, I’d like
to see more local products, more space to gather, more community classes, more
members, and more volunteers! Also more dark chocolate and fancy cheese,
obviously.
Other comments
Long live
the Munchie Fund!
