Cooperative Living August 2017 - 25
YourBusiness | by Adam Schwartz, Contributing Writer
Co-op annual meetings
foster sense of community
A community gathering
where neighbors can meet
new neighbors -- or catch
up with old acquaintances.
Annual
Membership
Meeting
D
id you know every cooperative
is required to conduct an annual
membership meeting? The
purpose is to hold the election for open
seats on the board of directors, share
important information about the co-op's
financial status, occasionally vote on
other matters such as bylaw changes and
perhaps grab some freebies at a co-op
information booth or win a door prize.
But your co-op's annual meeting is
also a community gathering where
neighbors can meet new neighbors --
or catch up with old acquaintances. As
our lives get busier with the " errands of
life " and more of our interactions with
others are via social media, text or
phone, we must renew the value of faceto-face
human connections. Very few
organizations are uniquely positioned
like co-ops to bring together all
members of our local communities.
While rural Americans probably do a
better job of staying connected to our
neighbors (in part because we need to),
it is not something we should take for
granted. The simple act of smiling,
saying hello and shaking someone's
hand truly lifts both parties.
www.co-opliving.com
Our country and community face
many challenges. The economy in many
rural areas may feel as though it has been
stagnant for years, while our feeling of
safety and security even at home and in
familiar settings is being challenged.
Overcoming these challenges will only
happen if we come together.
Your co-op's annual
meeting is designed
to take care of the
important business
of your co-op and
the equally important
business of building
a real sense of
community.
Therefore, your co-op's annual
meeting is designed to take care of the
important business of your co-op and
the equally important business of
building a real sense of community. All
cooperatives serve both an economic
and social purpose. While safe, reliable
and affordable electric power is crucial
to our mission, improving the quality
of life for all members is at the core of
what we do every day.
If you have not attended the annual
meeting in the past or if it has been a
few years, we urge you to take the time
to be with your fellow co-op members.
We get out of life what we put
into it. Your co-op is connected to
you by more than just powerlines.
We are your neighbors and we look
forward to seeing you at your
annual meeting.
Adam Schwartz is the founder of The
Cooperative Way, a consulting firm that helps
co-ops succeed. He is an author, speaker and
member-owner of the CDS Consulting Co-op.
You can follow him on Twitter
@adamcooperative or email him at
aschwartz@thecooperativeway.coop.
August 2017 | Cooperative Living | 23
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Cooperative Living August 2017
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living August 2017
Cooperative Living August 2017 - 1
Cooperative Living August 2017 - 2
Cooperative Living August 2017 - 3
Cooperative Living August 2017 - 4
Cooperative Living August 2017 - 5
Cooperative Living August 2017 - 6
Cooperative Living August 2017 - 7
Cooperative Living August 2017 - 8
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