Membership Report - Members Respond

Last issue I invited comments about the Annual Meeting and voting in co-op elections. Several members responded. One writer reflected on how the nature of the co-op has changed over the years, from a small neighborhood-based organization to a destination store that draws from all over the metro area, with all the changes that implies. In the beginning, members participated because the co-op was a homegrown community institution that was full of faceto face encounters. Meetings were attended as a matter of course, and relationships that were founded on being neighbors and co-workers in the store (lots of the work was done by members in the early days) made the meetings simple extensions of a sense of community. These days a co-op member is one of over 9,000, instead of one of a few hundred. A co-op meeting isn't quite the same as attending a potluck with people you also see walking the dog, shoveling the sidewalk, at block club meetings or whose teenager baby-sits for your children.

One writer suggested directors visit the store periodically - have "office hours" on the sales floor, so to speak, so that directors were more familiar to members. The board of directors frequently discusses the question of linkage with (and between) members, and how to maintain a sense of community in the face of our growth. The first cooperative principle is "Open Membership," so we will continue to experience growth as long as people are attracted to our products and service. But that leaves us with the problem of reduced "face to face" familiarity.

One respondent suggested that we make more frequent use of email to keep in touch with members. I'm not sure what form this would take - updates on the state of the natural food business or nutrition information - maybe even sending the newsletter that way to people who don't want it mailed. (Any suggestions? Requests?)

Another member pointed out that we just need to publicize the meeting better and more frequently. Many members are busy and may just forget on the night in question.

Here's a question: would a different day of the week or time of day, or both, make you more likely to attend? What if the meeting started at 6:30 p.m., with dinner set out at 5:30, so you could come straight from work and be on your way by 8:00 or 8:30? Would a Sunday afternoon work out better (not to interfere with Vikings games, of course) than a week night?

We have quite a bit of time to work on this. Please continue to contact me with your ideas!