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Expansion Kickoff Party
Jacqueline Hannah, General Manager
As you receive this, we're just days away from the big Common Ground Expansion Kickoff Party! I, along with several other key staff members, are likely rushing about, working to get everything ready to unveil to you Friday night. And just what will we be unveiling? The where, what, when, how, and who of expansion:
- Where: We'll be holding the party in the actual space that your co-op will be expanding into, just north of Common Ground's current space. Just like the first time we built a new store space at Lincoln Square, we'll be inviting all the Co-op's owners in to get a mental "before" snapshot of what will soon be your beautiful new store space.
- What: What will be in your expanded store and what will it look like? To help you envision the "after" of the space, we'll be unveiling to you, the owners, the just-finished new store design plans that will show where departments will be moved to and where others will be added. Through this you'll get a real feel for all your store will offer!
- When: A timeline of your co-op's expansion project will be on display - when will we raise all the money by? When will we "break ground" on the project? When will you be able to enjoy a hot latte at your co-op? All will be revealed!
The night will be full of camaraderie with your fellow Co-op owners, locally-produced foods, local beer and wine, and terrific fiddle-driven music by the Turinos. It will be a great night to bring a friend to join you in being a Co-op owner (you'll even get a prize for doing so!) or to become one yourself - we'll be ready to sign up new owners at the door with a $5 equity deposit. But the real star of the night will be the Common Ground Owner Loan Drive. We've been working amongst staff and Board to put together our personal pledges for owner loans to kick off this drive right; we'll be unveiling our total commitment to the drive the night of the party.
But when it comes to the true How and Who of this party and this entire Common Ground expansion, I have to turn to you, the owners, for the answers. How are we going to fund this expansion and make it all a reality? When any business expands, the owner(s) themselves have to fund a significant piece of the expansion - that's us. And that's why the Owner Loan Drive is a key piece of making this expansion happen. How are we going to make this expansion happen? Owner loans!
And who is going to make the owner loans? We'll be asking that on June 3rd and handing out packets of loan information for you to look over so you can decide if you are part of the answer. We'll be talking to any and all owners who are interested in joining the Board and staff in investing in the future of Common Ground. Already dozens of owners have stopped by the store, emailed, or called to ask for more information about how to make an owner loan. We've been blown away by your enthusiasm and interest before we've even formally begun the loan campaign! But, to be honest, we shouldn't be surprised. I've never met a group people more committed to investing in a future they can believe in than the owners of Common Ground Food Co-op.
See you at the party!
- Jacqueline
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From Your Board of Directors
Nicole Swiss, Board Member
As the summer starts to heat up and your summer schedules get filled with activities, please keep our Board meeting dates in mind - they are always the second Monday of every month at the Champaign Public Library. We encourage our owners to attend; please stop in and talk to us regarding any questions or thoughts you may have. It's important to the Board and our cooperative that we receive feedback and ideas, especially with our upcoming visioning session this fall. In addition to the expansion excitement you have heard at the store, the Board is working on a visioning plan that will guide Common Ground in the years to come. This visioning process will inform and teach us, spark our imaginations about what is possible, and guide how our co-op functions in the community currently and into the future. We have not yet determined when and how the visioning session will take place, so stay tuned. Your Board is currently engaged in dialogue with other food co-ops across the country in order to help us gain insight and information. We feel this is an important part of our mission, as these relationships will help guide us in the upcoming visioning process. This fall we will have several seats open on the Board. We will need dedicated people to help us move forward and to help take the next steps necessary to our growth and expansion. Work on the Board is voluntary but the personal rewards are great. In order to become a Board member, you must be elected by your fellow owners. For further information on how to join this dynamic group of individuals, please contact us. See you at the store! | Have any thoughts, questions, or comments about this article or for your Board of Directors? Email the Board at board@commonground.coop.
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Local Producer: Anne Bargar
Q & A with Anne Bargar
What do you produce? What is your signature product? I sell cards to Common Ground, but I also make polymer clay robots, some block prints and photography, and stop-action animation with some of the aforementioned robots.
What does your business name mean to you? How did you choose this name?
I just sell under my own name locally. I go by Tofu Nutloaf online, which has a nice ring to it, but no meaning otherwise. Where do you make your products? How many miles do you travel to reach Common Ground? I make stuff at home, which is about a 10 minute walk from the Co-op.
For how long have you been making your products?
A few years. I've been making art for forever, though. Where do you get the materials for your products? I make the cardstock myself from junk mail, random bits of leftover art paper, and whatever dyeing agent I grab from the kitchen (I like hibiscus tea and coffee grounds in particular). I get all of my paper for printing at Art Coop, because they have awesome, beautiful paper. I'm switching from acrylic ink to a flaxseed oil-based ink which is beautiful, but not available locally, unfortunately. What do you enjoy most about making your products? I like trying new things and watching my art evolve. Coming up with new ideas is always a good time, as is getting my hands dirty. And I just like making stuff. Art is fun.
What do you find most challenging about making your products?
I have to be in the mood in order to produce quality work, so I can go for long stretches without making anything. New ideas are often slow in coming, and my drawing skills are pretty limited. What is your philosophy/perspective on locally made goods? I think they're seriously awesome.
Is there anything else you'd like Common Ground's customers to know?
They can check out my fine selection of extremely silly movies at http://www.youtube.com/user/tofunutloaf if they want to. I also have a website, www.tofunutloaf.com, but it doesn't get updated very often.
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Local Food Recipe: Swiss Chard Pasta with Chèvre and Almonds
Jessy Ruddell, Produce Manager
1 bunch Swiss chard
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch hot pepper flakes
1 (1 lb) package fusilli
3 tablespoons slivered almonds
1 bunch parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
½ tub Prairie Fruits Farm chèvre, crumbled
Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta.
Strip the leaves of the chard from the stems and set aside. Slice the stems thinly. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat and add the garlic, hot pepper flakes, and chard stems. Sauté until the stems are tender and lightly browned. Set aside.
When the pasta water comes to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt and the pasta. While the pasta is cooking, cut the chard leaves into fine ribbons and place in the bottom of a large colander. When the pasta has finished cooking, pour the water and the pasta slowly over the chard to blanch it.
In a large bowl, stir together pasta, chard stems, almonds, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle goat cheese on top and mix in gently. Serves 6.
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click here for more details
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Common Ground Expansion Kick-Off Party!
Friday, June 3, 7-10 pm
Location: Common Ground Food Co-op
Eating Healthy on a Budget
Led by General Manager Jacqueline Hannah
Saturday, June 11, 1-2:30 pm
Free, but pre-registration is required.
Class Location: Common Ground Food Co-op
Sugar Blues Led by Holistic Health Coach Trinity Tuesday, June 14, 6-8 pm $10 for owners / $20 for non-owners Maximum 25 / Minimum 6 participants Class Location: Common Ground Food Co-op
Common Ground Story Time Led by Staffer and Lover of Tales Ellen Wednesday, June 15, 10:30-11 am FREE! No registration required. Class Location: Common Ground Food Co-op Iced Tea Smash Ups! Led by General Manager Jacqueline Hannah Saturday, June 18, 10:30-11:30 am FREE! No registration required. Class Location: Common Ground Food Co-op |
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June Sales!
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| Check out our current sales here!
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JUNE ROUND UP
 | | | This month we are Rounding Up for Buy Fresh Buy Local Central Illinois.
Buy Fresh Buy Local Central Illinois is a local foods campaign to encourage the community to support local food and farms. Through its outreach events, local food guides, and educational materials, Buy Fresh Buy Local makes it easy for consumers to find and connect with local food from farmers they can know and trust.
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| COMMON GROUND GIVES BACK
As part of our mission to BUILD
COMMUNITY.....
COLLECTIVELY
WE HAVE
RAISED OVER $1000
FOR THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE! Thanks to everyone who participated in our monthly Round Up! |
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LOCAL PRODUCE FORECAST
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What with the weird weather, all the local produce has been a bit late this year. As it warms up, though, we're starting to see more variety at the market and in the store. Coming up in early June: radishes, turnips, kohlrabi, and green onions from Blue Moon Farm, possibly a bit more asparagus, and (cross your fingers) strawberries. As we head deeper into summer, we should start seeing more abundance of bunched greens along with big bags of basil. By the end of the month, we hope to be able to offer more tastes of summer: squash, green beans, cucumbers, and maybe even peaches and tomatoes!
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TEACH A CLASS!
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Do you have a special skill, hobby,
or some knowledge that you'd like to share? Try teaching a class at Common Ground! We're always looking for new instructors and new ideas. If you're interested, email the Education Coordinator with your ideas!
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