Author: Skookum

Looking For Directors

As a result of 2 Board members recently stepping down, the Board would like to put out a call for new Board members. We typically meet monthly (probably not in December) and are working on a number of great initiatives with local food.  The term runs until April 2017 so it doesn’t have to be a long commitment.  If you are interested or have any questions about being on the Board please contact me (or any other Board member) by email.

Thanks

 

Dan Glover dan.glover(at)vch.ca
President – Skookum Food Provisioners’ Co-op Board

The End of an Era

The Abundant Pantry (TAP) bulk buying has one of Skookum’s popular services to members but it has been out of commission for over a year due to a software issue, primarily, and secondly, due to uncertainty about distribution. Sadly, despite a great deal of effort from all parties, we have been unable to restart this bulk-buying initiative.The Abundant Pantry Steering Committee and the Skookum Board have decided to shut down TAP as a Skookum service.

As work continues to turn Ecossentials into a local Co-op, it is conceivable that in the near future a similar program could be offered through an Ecossentials Co-op and members could again take advantage of bulk buying opportunities of quality organic food.

As some of our 320 current members purchased their memberships because of the existence of TAP, we want to remind members who wish to leave Skookum that this is possible at any time and you will receive your $20 membership fee back. The withdrawal form is on the Skookum web site on the “Become a member” page. A direct link to the PDF is here.

The TAP Steering Committee deserve a huge “Thank You!” for all their efforts and hard work over the years.

We hope you choose to remain a Skookum member as the future looks bright for local food initiatives in Powell River!

The Skookum Board

We Sold Lots of Cider!

We had great success at the Fall Fair this year! Skookum made over $900 selling freshly pressed apple cider, and we gained new 5 memberships over the weekend, and we continued to promote our Co-op to many interested individuals.

A HUGE THANK YOU goes out to our dedicated volunteers who helped in many ways. We could do this event without you!  Most of you were choppers, and we chopped and chopped and chopped until ALL of our apples were chopped at about 1:30 on Sunday!  At that point, we had about 40 jars of cider just sitting, waiting to be sold for the rest of the afternoon. We were able to pass along of all the mash (what is left after all the juice is pressed out) to local farmers to feed their various livestock.

THIS is really what Skookum is all about.  Taking excess food from the waste stream, and making good use of it!
As we approach 350 members, we are really starting to make an impact in the community.  Please continue to tell your friends all about us, and encourage them to become members as well.  Together, we really CAN make a difference!

THANK YOU once again to all of you who contributed to such a successful weekend!

Jill Amatt, Treasurer

Skookum’s annual apple drive is now ON!

Apple-Drive-Poster-Final

Our annual Fall Fair Cider Press is coming up and we are officially starting our Apple Drive.

Once per year we collect excess apples from the community, and press them into Apple Cider at the Fall Fair.  We then sell the Cider.  This is an important fundraiser for us, that helps to fund workshops and other Skookum related events that we put on year round.

We are looking for FRESHLY PICKED apples, as they need to last until the 17th/18th of September.  They don’t need to be pretty, Cider can be made from even the ugliest apples.

Phone the number above or send an email if you have apples ready for picking up.

Stay tuned, also, for a call out for volunteers to help us run our booth at the Fall Fair.

Thank you!