Meet your newly elected board members

Ed Claassen headshot

Ed Claassen

What's your favorite meal/produce/item from the Co-op?
I love all the fresh organic produce, but my favorite is the Co-op brand granola in the bulk section. I ran into a fellow admirer a few months before Covid-19 shut down the self-serve. We shared our predilection for the granola and then he quoted the bin numner by heart as he saw me searching for it.

What's your favorite activity or place to visit in Ashland / the area?
I have a pre-Covid-19 and a post-Covid-19 response: before, it would be breakfast at Brothers, sure to include their fresh-baked scone of the day. Since the coronavirus, it has to be the view from Hobart Bluff, with Mt. Shasta to the south, Mt. McLoughlin to the east and the whole Rogue Valley opening to the northwest.

Do you have a favorite community organization you support in the Rogue Valley?
I have to mention two organizations. After facilitating some strategic planning for both Lomakatsi and Rogue Valley Farm to School, I found myself deeply impressed with their missions, their leadership, and the operational excellence of both!

 

Julie O'Dwyer headshot

Julie O'Dwyer

What's your favorite meal/produce/item from the Co-op?
My guilty pleasure is Honey Mama's Lavender Chocolate and fresh blueberries.

What's your favorite activity or place to visit in Ashland / the area?
If I could live on the patio of Irvine & Roberts, I would be a very happy person. But there are lots of wineries that take my attention away.

Do you have a favorite community organization you support in the Rogue Valley?
First and foremost, the Ashland Food Co-op!  But after that it would have to be my new non-profit, Ashland Works.

 

 

Mark Gibbs headshot

Mark Gibbs

What's your favorite meal/produce/item from the Co-op?
You'll find me spending most of my time in the produce - I'm all about fresh berries, any and all!

What's your favorite activity or place to visit in Ashland / the area?
This is a toss up, depending on the season: either hiking with family and friends up Pilot Rock, or sunny winter days on Mt. Ashland

Do you have a favorite community organization you support in the Rogue Valley?
It's hard to beat the long history and welcoming, inclusive work of Ashland Emergency Food Bank.

More Co-op News

A Visit with Magnolia Farms

 

 

 

Visit Magnolia Farms and learn more about owner Elissa Thau, who the Ashland Food Co-op is so honored to partner with for more than twenty years.

A Visit with Emerald Hills

Visit the Emerald Hills Ranch and learn more about this fourth generation ranching family that the Ashland Food Co-op is so proud to partner with for more than twenty years.

A Conversation with Katie Falkenberg, Photographer and Filmmaker

Katie Falkenberg's photography and filmmaking has taken her all over the world, and lucky for us - she's been calling the Rogue Valley home for a couple years now. Exquisitely and harmoniously capturing the world around her, she is documenting not only through the lens but also through her peaceful and loving spirit. Katie reached out to us in hopes of collaborating after falling in love with the co-op soon after moving here.

January Change for Good Recipient: Rogue Valley Mentoring

Since 2005, Rogue Valley Mentoring (formerly the Rose Circle Mentoring Network) has trained over 500 adults who have mentored over 2,000 youth in our valley; letting young people know that they are not alone. A caring and compassionate ear shows them that they matter, and they they are experts of their own experience.

Rogue Valley Mentoring Circle

Shopping Safely & Efficiently

 

As coronavirus cases increase in Jackson County, the Co-op is taking extra precautions to protect shoppers and employees. 

To ensure social distancing in the store, the number of persons allowed in the store at once has been reduced to 50% capacity. Understandably, this may lead to a short wait outside of the store, but please be assured the line moves quickly.

In order to keep the wait as short as possible, here are a few steps you can take to help out:

10 Ways to Shine Your Light in Dark Times

By Allan Weisbard L.C.S.W.

 

Since 1963, autumn has been a difficult time for me. Two months shy of my 13th birthday I lost my younger brother to cancer, then shortly afterwards, President Kennedy was assassinated.

Masks Required for All In-Store Shoppers

To protect the health of Co-op staff and shoppers, all shoppers and other visitors on Ashland Food Co-op property must wear face coverings over mouth and nose except when dining in an approved area. As of November 11, 2020, face shields will not be permitted unless worn with a mask. 

From the Board: Co-ops Look in the Mirror

By Annie Hoy, Board Secretary and Chair of Owner Engagement Committee

Food Co-ops around the nation proudly display signage saying EVERYONE WELCOME. Or they use the slogan, “Anyone can shop. Anyone can join.” But are food co-ops, and other cooperative businesses, walking the walk? 

November/December GM Update: Overcoming Challenges

It’s probably already cliche to say “it’s been one heck of a year.” There have been challenges a-plenty for all of us, whether we’re working or shopping at the Co-op - but I’m so proud of how all of us have persevered. 

End of year wrap-up on Strategic Energy Management at the Co-op

Hi there. I hope this finds you well. It’s me, Nina Friedman, Strategic Energy Management (SEM) intern for the Ashland Food Co-op. The global and local crises have only devolved into further chaos since we last spoke. As we sit with the reality of coworkers, neighbors, and friends who’ve lost their homes and businesses to the recent fires, and thousands more across the nation losing their loved ones to COVID-19, I imagine many are feeling frozen and powerless to help those that are suffering.

SNAP in the Co-op Kitchen and Thanksgiving

Use your SNAP EBT benefits for all Co-op Kitchen items through November 20th, 2020!

Recognizing the difficulties in food preparation for families who lost their homes in the local wildfires, the State of Oregon has expanded SNAP benefits to be used for hot foods, like made-to-order and hot bar meals from the Co-op Kitchen, through November 20.

And starting on November 16, you can get an early taste of Thanksgiving as the Co-op Kitchen hot bar rolls out the full Thanksgiving spread. 

Black Lives Matter

We acknowledge that the Ashland Food Co-op has not had a culture where all employees and community members felt safe sharing their experiences of discrimination in our store. We apologize for this. We are on a learning journey. We have reached out for help, and are listening to our Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) employees and owners who want to be part of the positive change we seek.

* * * * *