We ate, we met, we celebrated

Jacqueline Huddleston, Designated Chef, explains the wonderful main courses she prepared. Mmm, mole poblano.

On Tuesday May 5, 2015, the members of Skookum Food Provisioners’ Cooperative got together for our Annual General Meeting. As we usually do, we celebrated with food and socializing before the business part of the evening. Former director Jacqueline Huddleston prepared a wonderful chicken mole poblano, vegan-friendly enchiladas, and a make-you-own-taco bar. As well, members of the board of directors prepared some sides and salads, so there was quite a spread of delicious Mexican-themed food to go with the date (Cinco de Mayo).

Our members and friends enjoying a Mexican feast before getting down to the business of the cooperative.

After eating and socializing, the Annual General Meeting took place, at which members heard about Skookum’s finances and a summary of activities during the past year. You can read all about what happened last year in the Report from the Directors (PDF).

After reviewing the activities of the past year, the membership present acclaimed four new directors to serve on the board alongside Dan Glover & Edward Sanderson.

Dolores de la Torre tells the crowd about the historical significance of Cinco de Mayo.

Jill Amatt, Deanna Parsley, Vanessa Sparrow, & Barbara Trottier all stepped forward, and since there weren’t more candidates than open positions on the board of directors, these four members were acclaimed and will henceforth be serving on the board.

Jill will take over as Treasurer; Deanna will serve as Secretary; Vanessa will work with Dan Glover on our year-round events calendar; and Barbara will be the board’s liaison to the Skookum Gleaners project.

Please join us in thanking outgoing directors Laura Berezan, Chris Matheson, David Parkinson, & Pete Tebbutt for their service; and in welcoming these four new directors.

Come out for Skookum’s ‘Cinco de Mayo’ AGM on Tuesday May 5, 2015

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It’s Skookum’s sixth Annual General Meeting and we’re making it one to remember. Mark your calendars now so you won’t forget!

TUESDAY, MAY 5 (cinco de mayo), at the United Church (Trinity Hall) at the corner of Michigan & Duncan, kitty-corner from Powell River City Hall.

Come straight from work and help set up if you like, or show up at 6:00 PM for food and socializing, with the AGM proper starting at 7:00 PM.

It’s a Mexican fiesta this year, with complimentary (and muy rico) main courses provided by Skookum member Jacqueline Huddleston (tacos, mole poblano with cheese on the side, vegan enchiladas with cheese on the side, & flan) with side dishes provided by your Board of Directors.

We will have Tattler reusable canning lids (the last batch on offer) and they are on SALE, plus we’ll also have Powell River Dollars on hand to exchange for you.

There are some big changes coming, what with a number of new directors coming on this time around, so please make an extra effort to come out to our AGM this year. Remember that a Skookum membership is a lifetime membership, so no need to renew it. Just bring your appetite and your ideas! We’ll feed you and regale you with news and updates on the past year’s activities, including a look at how our The Abundant Pantry project is progressing (deadline for the new order is coming up on May 10th), and more…“mi cooperativa es su cooperativa.”

Out with the old board and in with the new one

The wonderful buffet prepared by Jacqueline Huddleston.
The wonderful buffet prepared by Jacqueline Huddleston (at right).

On May 13, 2014, Skookum held its Annual General Meeting in Trinity Hall at the Powell River United Church. Once again, we started with a potluck accompanied by a couple of fabulous main courses prepared by member Jacqueline Huddleston.

As always, we heard from our Treasurer Laura Berezan about the year in finances; President Pete Tebbutt talked about some of the accomplishments of the past year, singling out the work done by such stalwart members as Melissa Leigh (volunteer bookkeeper) and the duo of Wendy Pelton & Barry Bookout, who have done so much to get The Abundant Pantry up and running and keep it going.

Sadly, the board said goodbye to Jan Burnikell and Giovanni Spezzacatena, two directors who had been serving since before the cooperative incorporated. We also said adieu to Rosemary Bjorknas and Julia Downs. Then we moved on to the happier task of finding new directors to fill the gaps. Luckily, we had expressions of interest from several members: Tara Chernoff, Dan Glover, Chris Matheson, & Edward Sanderson. With Pete, David, & Laura staying on, these four new directors will bring all kinds of new energy and ideas to your board. So please join us in welcoming these new directors and thanking them for their generosity in taking on the work of helping to guide our cooperative as we move into our fifth year of operations!

Survey Results

surveyTop 5 Interests indicated by our members from our Skookum Members’ Skills Survey held in late 2012/early 2013

5. (TIE!) Seed-Saving and Cider/Wine-Making
4. (TIE!) Bulk Food Buying and Public Outreach + Facilitation
3. Food Preparation (cooking/baking)
2. Food Preserving (canning, smoking, dehydrating, pickling, lacto-fermentation, cheese-making, salting/ packing in sugar)
1. Gardening!

32 members responded to our recent survey (feel free to respond anytime as well), and we already have some positive action from several members, including:

  • A generous offer to fix and maintain our cider press, along with a backup option
  • An offer to host a summertime Skookum picnic on a member’s seaside property (more on this soon!)
  • And several members said they would keep an eye out for the materials we need to complete the Skookum Cider Press kit (see here for what we need; you can also donate money to the project via PayPal (accepting credit and debit card donations as well, and cheques too– click the PayPal link for more info).

Remember that a big ongoing Skookum project, The Abundant Pantry Bulk Food Buying Club (TAP), is taking orders until Sunday, May 12 at 11 pm. Make sure you get your orders in before this. The next order after this will be in July. For more information, contact the coordinator Wendy Pelton at bulkbuying@skokoumfood.ca.

2013 AGM Wrap-Up

Laura Berezan reviews her Treasurer's Report with a focus on Powell River Dollars and the Cooperative.
Laura Berezan reviews her Treasurer’s Report with a focus on Powell River Dollars and the Cooperative.

It was Skookum’s fourth Annual General Meeting last night at The United Church’s Trinity Hall; thank you to those 30 members attending. The evening featured wonderful edibles by outgoing director Jacqueline Huddleston, sales of Cafe Justicia Coffee, Tattler canning lids, and William Dam cover crop sampler packs for members to purchase (many more lids and seeds are left over so contact Giovanni for info on how to get ’em). This was followed by the formal meeting itself that began at 7:15 PM, with Chairperson Pete Tebbutt reviewing last year’s AGM minutes, which were then accepted, and passing the baton to Treasurer Laura Berezan who presented her Treasurer’s Report.

After that report, Laura explained how Powell River Dollars have contributed to Skookum’s coffers over the past year and how important it is for our members to exchange Canadian dollars for PR$ (at CMG Printing on Marine Ave and at Skookum gatherings) as it directly impacts local organizations of your choice and helps local businesses, too. Laura explained how it all works, and how Skookum is being creative in finding out how to spend PR$ that have been donated (e.g., offering scholarships via the local Permaculture Design course, paying workshop or bulk buying coordinators, etc.)

Then Pete gave the directors’ report describing the many activities we’re been engaged in this past year, including The Abundant Pantry (next order closes May 12, so get on that, click here), two orders of nuts and dried fruits from Rancho Vignola, Cafe Justicia-related presentation and sales of their coffee, four public gatherings, Tattler lid and cover crop bulk orders, and a successful dehydrator order, and more. Pete thanked our project coordinators and Melissa Leigh who has generously volunteered her bookkeeping skills.

tableThe Abundant Pantry (TAP) coordinator Wendy Pelton and her husband Barry Bookout were also given a round of applause for their work on TAP since the beginning (almost 2 years ago now!). Wendy was in attendance and asked for feedback on how to make the project work better. You can send your ideas to her at bulkbuying@skookumfood.ca. Wendy even sang us a little ditty as a teaser for her planned ‘stocking-up road show’ she is planning for the Fall. She welcomes help on this as well (contact her at the same email address above).

Four directors’ terms were up (David Parkinson, Giovanni Spezzacatena, and Pete Tebbutt) and all decided to stand for re-election to a new two-year term, with Jacqueline Huddleston completing her term. All the standing directors were elected by acclamation with the addition of one new director Julia Downs who indicated via email that she would accept nomination to the board, and was therefore elected as well.

The Executive Board members remain largely the same, with Pete Tebbutt as President, Rosemary Bjorknas as Vice President, Laura Berezan as Treasurer, but with David Parkinson replacing Jan Burnikell as Secretary (Jan must stand down because of our term limits, which ensure that board members don’t get fixed in one role forever). Jan and Giovanni remain on along with Julia Downs, in portfolios that will be determined shortly.

Thank you to all who came out!