[cgfc] CGFC's Weekly Bytes, Vol.1, #14

[Lisa BK]

 Welcome to Common Ground Food Co-op's weekly (for now) e-newsletter! You're
getting this missive because you're a member of Common Ground who's also
signed up to be on the CGFC mailing list. If you aren't interested in
receiving these updates, please email lisabk at gmail.com.

Every week, via this transmission, members are provided with store
updates/news, links to relevant news items/political actions, and other bits
and pieces worthy of mention. If you have anything of a similar bent you
think members should know about, please email links to lisabk at gmail.com.
Thanks!



STORE/LOCAL NEWS:

****STRATEGIC VISION PLANNING FINAL REPORT
The final report combining information from the committees regarding CGFC's
strategic planning process, which we went through this summer, is now
available! You can pick up a copy in the store or download it:

http://www.commongroundcoop.org/plan.doc

****NEW PRODUCT:
CGFC is excited to be carrying local, organic goat cheese from Prairie
Fruits Farm in Urbana, IL practically your own backyard! We're carrying all
three of their flavors - cracked pepper, herbes de Provence, and plain.
Delicious!

****WRFU BARNRAISING:
C-U's very own LPFM (Low Power FM) station is getting a barnraising this
weekend. Here's the scoop:

Community members first applied for a low-power FM license 6 years ago.
At first it seemed we would be granted a license, and then in 2000, the
political tides changed. Thanks to national advocacy groups like
Prometheus Radio, media activists fought for and won the licensing of low
power stations throughout the country. WRFU has raised over $10,000 to
date and is fundraising the last 3,000 needed.

WRFU will be a community radio station broadcasting to most of Urbana &
Champaign. Anyone can apply for a show. Read more:
www.wrfu.net<http://www.wrfu.net/>
.

Hundreds of visitors are converging for a weekend of hands-on workshops on
low power radio, community wireless, and organization building.
Participants will construct WRFU in one weekend!

* Sessions run from 10 am Friday to 7 pm Sunday. Opening remarks are
Friday at 7pm. Bob McChesney is offering a booksigning as an IMC
fundraiser Saturday at 6 pm. *

See the whole schedule and registration at:
http://www.prometheusradio.org/urbana/. The weekend is $45-125 sliding
scale - no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Come celebrate WRFU's first broadcast Sunday from 4 - 7 pm or tune into
104.5 FM around 5 pm.

****MOVIE NIGHT!
It's not an action film - it's an activist film!

Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price

The film will be shown on big screen at Channing-Murray Foundation, 1209 W.
Oregon, Urbana,
on Monday, November 14th, at 7:00 p.m.

A facilitated discussion will follow, along with light refreshments.

This new film, directed by Robert Greenwald, takes you behind the glitz and
into the real lives of
workers and their families, business owners and their communities, in an
extraordinary journey that will challenge the way you think, feel and shop.)

Don't miss this enlightening new film!


****CGFC IS NOW HIRING!
The Co-op is now hiring for several positions in grocery, produce, and
management . Please go to this page on the website to download a flyer and
application if you (or someone you know) might be interested:

http://www.commongroundcoop.org/hiring.html

****MANY THANKS!
If you've been in the store since November 1st, you've filled out an orange
membership card at checkout and received a smaller version for your wallet.
If you haven't been in the store recently, we'll be asking you to fill one
out. It's the easiest way for us to update our membership database in our
new Point Of Sale (POS) system, which means that it'll be easier for us to
do better with member services like special orders, newsletters, equity
payments & refunds, getting information out about General Membership
Meetings, etc. We appreciate members taking the time to fill out the card -
we promise you'll be reaping the benfits soon!

****GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING ALERT!
The next GMM will be happening Sunday, November 20 in Wisegarver Hall in the
IDF building. Exact time is TBA, so watch this space, but mark that date on
your calendar! Your input is what keeps CGFC moving forward. It's coming up
fast...


****FALL ISSUE OF FROM THE GROUND UP IS NOW OUT!
The Co-op's printed newsletter is out in its analog form. Come by the store
and pick one up! If you want the digital copy instead, download a PDF copy
on our website:

http://www.commongroundcoop.org/NewsFall05.pdf


BOOKMARK FODDER:

****This article is old, but in light of the struggle to keep organic
ORGANIC, it's telling - lots more info about who owns who, also:

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=11712

****Have I ever posted about the Food Stamp Challenge? Here's how some
kindred souls went about it last year:

http://www.bettertimesinfo.org/foodchallenge.htm

****Big ag subsidies explained, sort of, and the trials and tribulations
thereof:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/09/business/09harvest.html?emc=eta1

(might require subscription)

****The above is shameful in light of the following:

"Hunger in American households has risen by 43 percent over the last five
years, according to an analysis of US Department of Agriculture (USDA) data
released today. The analysis, completed by the Center on Hunger and Poverty
at Brandeis University, shows that more than 7 million people have joined
the ranks of the hungry since 1999."

More here:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051029093925.htm

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



Please feel free to forward these links to people you think might benefit
from such knowledge.
Thanks and look for #15 same time (more or less) next week!



::compiled by Outreach Co-coordinator Lisa Bralts-Kelly::
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