The Three Rivers Market Annual Picnic was held at Ivan Racheff House & Gardens & Arboretum, located in the Lonsdale neighborhood, on Saturday, June 17th, with lovely weather to highlight the peaceful beauty of the historic natural surroundings. Those in attendance not only enjoyed a relaxing celebration of and with our co-op community, but also had the opportunity to share ideas with the Board of Directors.

Music by Kukuly and the Fuego was the perfect accompaniment, and Three Rivers Market provided a tasty and healthful assortment of items for lunch. We also enjoyed cupcakes from Magpies Bakery and a decorative flower arrangement from Rainbow Roots Floral. Door prizes were generously donated by our local business friends: The Glowing Body Yoga & Healing Arts, Magpies Bakery, Stanley’s Greenhouse, and the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum. The Native Plant Rescue … Read More »

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 fellow Board member spelled out earlier this year that all members can attend Board meetings, register for member forums to share important feedback, attend member events, join Board committees, and even run for a seat on the Board of Directors.

As a new Board member, I feel it’s important to spend time reflecting on the values that built our co-op. Of our many estimable ideals (self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, solidarity, honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring … Read More »

Spring is a time for new growth after the dormancy of winter. Such was the collective expectation of TRM’s Board of Directors at this year’s spring retreat. The retreat was a two-part series with the first portion being a remote session facilitated by Thane Joyal of Columinate (a national consulting co-op). The Board hoped to discuss long-term goals and strategic direction for the future of TRM during the retreat. Thane offered gentle guidance on how best to re-work Board Policy #A (Global Ends), which is the Board’s primary tool to communicate to the General Manager what our cooperative wants to achieve.

The second portion of the retreat was in-person and held at Highlander Research and Education Center. During this session, the Board worked diligently to plan the annual agenda for fiscal year 2023-2024. A significant portion of the agenda planning process … Read More »

Democracy at Our Co-op

Food co-ops value open-door democracy. For us, it’s a matter of fundamental principles: First, membership is open to all. Second, democratic member-control is the way we govern.

The promise of democratic control is a big deal in a grocery store. Many of us joined Three Rivers Market because we wanted an effective voice in the quality and sources of the food we buy, in the treatment of the employees who serve us, and in the store’s plans for the future – even if it costs a little more. You can’t get that kind of influence as a customer at Kroger!

The main way democracy is practiced at Three Rivers Market is through a representative Board of Directors democratically elected by the membership. There are nine of us, and I’m in the second year of my first term. The General … Read More »