Your friendly neighborhood co-op is not immune to the end-of-the-year hustle and bustle. There is no shortage of activity at Three Rivers Market – from a contested Board of Directors election to our Annual Meeting for members, to planning for next year’s board committees, you have many opportunities to engage with and support your co-op. 

Please read on below to learn more about how to vote in our election, how to register for the Annual Meeting, and keep an eye out for an upcoming committee interest form! 

CAST YOUR BALLOT IN TRM BOARD ELECTION

When one becomes a member of Three Rivers Market co-op, they accept certain responsibilities. No, I don’t mean putting your shopping cart back when you’re done – although, we all thank you for doing so. I mean the responsibilities of ownership.

Our co-op is a democratically controlled organization, which means all members bear a duty to help chart the course for Three Rivers Market. A cherished former Board member spelled out earlier this year that all members can attend Board meetings, speak at member forums to share important feedback, attend member events, join Board committees, and even run for a seat on the Board of Directors.

Of our co-op’s many estimable ideals (self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, solidarity, honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others), one has a tighter grip on me than the others: self-responsibility. Self-responsibility means action. It means accountability for my activity, and it means knowing my participation is important on behalf of the whole.

Any one of us can have an impact on the future of Three Rivers Market, but only to the degree that we participate in the process. Our co-op is unlike any other store or market in Tennessee – and the reason is that you can have a say in the values espoused through its operation. You can have a say in the quality and sources of the food you buy. You can have a say in the treatment of the employees who serve us, and in the direction we set for tomorrow.

Decisions get made by those who show up, and your participation is vital to the success of our shared future. 

You can make your voice heard by clicking here to access the Three Rivers Market Board of Directors election. Use the Voter ID and password emailed to you, and cast your vote by the voting deadline of Thursday, December 5th, at 8 PM. 

Drew Rutherford, Director

REGISTER FOR TRM ANNUAL MEETING

The Three Rivers Market Board of Directors invites and encourages all members to register to attend the 2024 Annual Meeting. The meeting will be held on Thursday December 5, 2024, from 6-8 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church at 1101 N Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37917. 

This is the same room where Board meetings are held, and is located just a few blocks from the co-op. 

Three Rivers Market hosts an annual meeting to report the condition of our co-op’s business at the close of our fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, as well as share other work going on at the market. This is an excellent opportunity for members to learn more about the business of Three Rivers, engage with Board members, and enjoy fellowship with other members. 

To register to attend, please complete this form by 7 PM on Monday, December 2.  

Attendees will receive a printed copy of the Annual Report, and all members will receive it by email.  

WANT TO PARTICIPATE? SERVE ON A COMMITTEE!

At the Three Rivers Board of Directors fall retreat, the Board began outlining committees it plans to charter for the 2025 calendar year. While the committees won’t officially be formed until the first meeting of the new board iteration, you can expect to see some of the same committees you have seen before: Member Linkage (plans member events and engagement strategy), Board Perpetuation (recruits Board candidates, promotes elections), and the Audit Committee (reviews store financials, supports sound fiscal operation). Additional committees are currently being considered. 

Once Board committees are formed, an interest form will be sent via email to all members. If you have an interest in learning more about serving on a committee, be sure to fill out the interest form and you will have an opportunity to engage with Board members about the focus of committees, the work they intend to accomplish, and the opportunity you have to serve the membership of Three Rivers Market.