Riverwest Co-op and Cafe 2016
Annual Meeting—Falcon Bowl
Sunday May 1–4 to 6 PM

by Vince Bushell

The river flowing by our neighborhood is constantly changing, and reassuringly always the same, a natural presence.

“Sunshine softly through my window today”

— Donovan

15 years and still going
Changing

But still the same
Serving our Community and now a
Solar Celebration

We did it! Our “Reach for the Sun” campaign successfully raised the $16,000 plus target. Solar panels will be installed, most likely in June of this year. We did it with your help and because of our relationship with the non-profit Re-volv.

More than half of our target goal was donated by out of state donations. Re-volv’s mission is to bring solar power to non-profit organizatons and Cooperatives. Riverwest Co-op is a pioneer in spreading this campaign from California to the rest of the country.

Change

Nichali Ciaccio will be traveling this summer and getting married as well. He has served us wonderfully as our employee as volunteer coordinator and volunteered as a board member. He will return to our board after his journey. We have hired a new volunteer coordinator, Erika Wolf, whom many of you already know. Please welcome Erika to our staff in this vital role of communication and coordination of our incredible volunteers.

We are also losing our board president, Kristin Mannion. She came looking to serve and served us well. She is moving on in her career and has been a world traveler of late. She most likely will be living in Paris soon. Wise and skilled beyond her years, we were gifted with her service as board president. Bon voyage, Kristin. Laissez le bon temps rouler! I will let her look that one up.

Thank you also goes to Eshi Morris and Nick Gates who are leaving the board at this time.

Profit

Riverwest Cooperative is incorporated as a not-for-profit. This is confusing to many and is a point to clarify to our members and the public. We are not a non-profit, referred to as a 501(c)(3).

The difference is in how money is raised and used. We generate funds through sales in our store and cafe. We pay taxes on profit like any other for profit company. We use the income that is above and beyond wages and cost of goods to benefit the organization by investing this money back into the co-op. Profit is used for new equipment, future expansion if so desired, and programing. If the Co-op were to go out of business, any remainder of assets are required by our incorporation papers to be given to another non-profit or cooperative.

We do reward the worker’s collective, which runs the day-to-day operations of the co-op, by sharing 25% of year-end profits with a bonus based upon their individual earnings for the year.

The details of our future planning and how we spend money beyond the normal operation of the Co-op is determined by the board of directors.

With all that, I am happy to report that the Riverwest Co-op made a profit in 2015 in both the Cafe and Store. More details on finance will be in the finance report at our annual meeting on Sunday May 1, at the Falcon Bowl, 4 to 6 PM. The store and cafe will be closed, as is our tradition, on MAY 1st, May Day.

Reports will also be given on the Store, Cafe, and our various committees at our annual meeting on Sunday.

— We come together around food.

— We build community when we come together.

— We strive to be a sustainable community.