NEWfare Agenda and Registration

You can download the agenda and registration form from the web site.

NEWfare

Join business leaders, regional growers and producers, health professionals, and community advocates to learn about and promote the local food economy here in Northeast Wisconsin.

Download NEWfare Poster

We’re Growin’ Some Green for New Leaf Market Cooperative!

New Leaf Market is hosting a fundraiser and social gathering at Urban Frog on Thursday, September 22, from 5-8pm. There will be food, music, a silent auction, and all your New Leaf friends will be there. There’s a $25 cover charge at the door with the proceeds going for New Leaf startup expenses—things like printing new brochures, maintaining the webpage, legal fees and insurance, etc. If you or your friends have been intending to become a member, New Leaf will refund $20 from the cover charge for anyone who joins that night!

Please help spread the word – everyone is invited! See the poster!

Please RSVP to crystal@downtowngreenbay.com – it’s not required, but appreciated!

New Discount For New Leaf Market Members

Maggie Schuld, Massage Therapist at The Spa Loft in De Pere, is offering 15% off all of her massage and wellness treatments to New Leaf Market members. For a complete list of businesses offering discounts, please see this link.

New Leaf Market Cooperative Elects Board of Directors

The membership meeting held Monday, June 6, resulted in the election of all nine nominees to the first elected New Leaf Market Board of Directors. The new board members are:

· Ned Dorff
· Karen Early
· Sue Harju
· Carol Karls
· Rich Krieg
· Alan McAfee
· Crystal Osman
· Marilyn Sagrillo
· Lynn Walter

You can find background information on each board member here. Over 150 people attended the membership meeting. Thank you to all of the members and vendors who made the meeting a success.

Reminder: Membership Meeting Monday, June 6

The first General Membership Meeting will be held on June 6, 2011 at 6 p.m. at the UW-Extension, 1150 Bellevue Street! Join us at 5:30 p.m. for a social gathering with light refreshments to get to know fellow co-op member-owners.

Agenda:

• Welcome/Introduction of Interim BOD
• Vision and Review of Progress
• Determination of quorum
• Proof of due notice of meeting
• Introduction of board nominees
• Election of Directors
• Approval of the bylaws (please read the bylaws; they will be voted on at the meeting)
• Reports from officers and committees
• Adjournment

You do not need to RSVP for the event, but to help us get a count, we ask that you call 920.437.1824 and let us know you are thinking about attending.

Facebook Polls

Thank you to everyone who participated in our informal Facebook polls. It was wonderful to hear from those of you who took the time to respond. Thanks to those of you who have already joined. The most common concerns of those who have not yet joined appear to be the amount of the investment and the potential risk.

There is an FAQ on our web site which has a full explanation on what happens if the store does not open. For the full explanation, please see FAQ #10 here

Here is part of the FAQ:

Your $180 is a share in the member-ownership equity of the New Leaf Market. Our business plan is based upon having 1000 members by the time of the store opening. By that point we will definitely have all the money we need to establish and operate the co-op; so the refund question doesn’t come up at that point. However, it does come up at an earlier key decision-making point, which is around 500 members. We are planning to seek bank financing based upon that 500-member number, along with other forms of funding such as fundraisers, grants, donations, support from the city, and, of course, our membership equity. If we decide that we cannot raise the funds needed to make New Leaf Market a reality, then we will return the member equity to the members (minus whatever administrative expenses have been incurred–e.g. credit card and Paypal usage fees, postage, etc.).

Regarding the amount of a full share and payment plans, I am going to again use some FAQ’s from our web site: (See FAQ’s #8 and #9)

The membership share price was determined by two factors. The first was a survey of food co-op membership share prices in Wisconsin and nearby states. We focused on recent startup cooperatives. The price was as high as $250 and as low as $50.

The membership share price is not an annual fee. Rather, it is more like the purchase of a share of stock–in this case, however, the stock is only traded on the books of the cooperative and does not generate a dividend. The $180 is the price of a full membership share until and unless the cooperative decides to change the membership share price at some future date.
Because they wanted to bring many voices to the table early in the development of the cooperative, the Interim Board of Directors decided to allow certain select populations to purchase an annual membership share for $45. Those select populations are currently enrolled student 18 years of age or older and FoodShare recipients. After five years of purchasing annual membership shares, the purchaser will have a full membership share with no further payments.

Judy listed one of her concerns as “I already get what I need at other grocery stores”. One difference between grocery stores and our cooperative is that we will strive to offer local products as much as possible, along with organic and sustainably produced products. There are several benefits to buying local, including reducing the shipping costs (less pollution, lower prices), reducing shipping times (fresher produce, higher nutrient content), and re-investing in our local economy.

Victoria wrote “I want to put my money where my beliefs lie….but I have not had the opportunity to sign up without having to whip out a credit card.” We accept checks and cash, in addition to PayPal and credit cards.

Mardi said she wants to know where the store will be located. The intention is to open the store in downtown Green Bay. We do not yet know exactly where the store will be located. We need to have enough money to secure a loan before we can make an offer on a property.

Karyn and Nicole wrote that they don’t know how often they will make it to Green Bay and/or downtown. That is a valid and understandable concern. We have to concentrate on a store downtown first but who knows what the future may hold.

For those who do not currently qualify for annual plans and for those who would like a payment or installment plan, we are glad to have this opportunity to hear from you. Please know that your comments will be given consideration.

First General Membership Meeting

We are excited to invite you to the first General Membership Meeting that will be held on June 6, 2011 at 6 p.m. at the UW-Extension, 1150 Bellevue Street! Join us at 5:30 p.m. for a social gathering with light refreshments to get to know fellow co-op member-owners.

The agenda will be as follows:

• Welcome/Introduction of Interim BOD
• Vision and Review of Progress
• Determination of quorum
• Proof of due notice of meeting
• Introduction of board nominees
• Election of Directors
• Approval of the bylaws (please read the bylaws; they will be voted on at the meeting)
• Reports from officers and committees
• Adjournment

We hope you will make it to this historic event! As a Founding Member-Owner you will have the opportunity to vote on and establish the Board of Directors and the bylaws. More information on the Board Nominees will be circulated soon.

We are also inviting member food vendors who would like to have a table to sell their food products to get in touch with us if you are interested in having a booth at the meeting. It will be based on a first come, first served basis. Please email Crystal at Crystal@DowntownGreenBay.com for more information and to sign up.

Finally, if you have friends, family, colleagues or neighbors who want to be a FOUNDING MEMBER-OWNER of New Leaf Market Cooperative – tell them they need to join by the time of the first General Membership Meeting! Everyone who becomes a member-owner by the General Membership meeting will be considered a Founding Member-Owner and will receive special recognition at our store grand opening. Send them here to sign up online.

This meeting will be a great place to meet your fellow co-op members and the board of directors, to sign up for volunteer opportunities, to hear the latest and greatest on the status of the food cooperative and most importantly – share your thoughts! This is your chance – we hope you will be there!

You do not need to RSVP for the event, but to help us get a count, we ask that you call 920.437.1824 and let us know you are thinking about attending.

Board Member Nominees

2011 New Leaf Market Co-op Board of Director Nominees Announced!

The slate of nominees for the 2011 New Leaf Market Cooperative Board of Directors election have been recommended! On the docket for the election are 9 nominees:

· Ned Dorff
· Karen Early
· Sue Harju
· Carol Karls
· Rich Krieg
· Alan McAfee
· Crystal Osman
· Marilyn Sagrillo
· Lynn Walter

You can vote two ways –
1) Attend the General Membership Meeting, June 6 at 6 pm at the UW-Extension (1150 Bellevue St.)
OR
2) Print and fill out the ballot (download here) and mail it in. Directions are on
the ballot. Mailed ballots must be postmarked no later than June 1.

You will find the background and nominee selection criteria here.

Member Benefits

There are some very generous and excited businesses within the area that would like to offer benefits to members of New Leaf Market Co-op! Check out all of the great deals out there and what you need to do to receive them. You can also find updated information like this on the New Leaf website www.newleafmarket.org or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/newleafmarket.

The Urban Frog – 163 N. Broadway, Green Bay – 920.490.1170
The Urban Frog has offered a 5% New Leaf member discount. Members must show membership card to receive discount.

Kellner Back Acres CSA – 5561 Cooperstown Road, Denmark – 920.863.3635
Nancy Kellner has graciously offered New Leaf members the chance to purchase “The Practical Produce Cookbook” at the same price of $10 she gives to her CSA members. This cookbook which normally sells for $14.99 gives helpful tips on how to plant, pick and prepare produce. http://www.amazon.com/practical-produce-cookbook-Ray-Hoover/dp/0965684296. To order, please contact Interim Board Member Karen Kohlbeck at karen.kohlbeck09@gmail.com.

Personal Training for Women with Mary Alexis Pfutzenreuter, RN, MS, ACE – Certified Personal Trainer for Women – 345 Main Ave, De Pere – 920.639.2517
Mary is offering group or individual classes by appointment only to New Leaf Members for a 10% discount.

Just Act Natural – 129 E. College Ave, Appleton – 920.574.2932
Located on College Avenue in Appleton, WI, Just Act Natural has offered a 10% discount on regularly priced items. Members must show membership card to receive discount at check-out.

Bay Area Yoga Center – 2020 S. Webster Ave, Green Bay – 920.445.7221
Kathleen Kelly-Hoffman is offering a 10% discount to New Leaf Members with no expiration date or limit on use. Members must show membership card to receive discount.