Healthy Food for a Healthy Year

ccooppjanuar y 2005 connection free

• Staff discount on co-op purchases of 18% for allstaff members.• Free employee assistance program providing infor-mation and counseling by Unum Provident on a vari-ety of work-life balance issues.• Medical insurance is currently provided through GreatWest and is a comprehensive PPO plan. La Montanitapays 80% of the cost of this plan for the staff memberand 50% of the cost of dependent coverage. Staff mem-bers currently pay $50.42 per month for single coverageand $289.68 per month for family coverage.• Dental insurance is currently provided throughUnited Concordia and La Montanita pays 80% of thecost of this plan for the staff member and 50% of thecost of dependent coverage. Staff members currentlypay $5.03 per month for single coverage and $41.65per month for family coverage.

continued on page 3

By C. E. Pugh

LL a Montanita Coop is pleased to announce theimplementation of our living wage program.Beginning January 3, 2005 La Montanita will

pay all staff members who have been employed for sixmonths and completed all of our required trainingand orientation sessions a minimum wage of $8.13per hour. Research for this program began over a yearand a half ago and included dialogue with and inputfrom staff at a series of storewide meetings.

In determining this living wage rate we reviewed sev-eral living wage calculation methods including;Albuquerque Bare Bones Budget Study, The UniversalLiving Wage Organization Model, Economic PolicyInstitute Living Wage Guide and Acorn’s Living WageGuide among others. We selected the “Co-op LivingWage Model” developed by a panel of sixteen naturalfood cooperatives. This model uses the U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development fairmarket rent calculation for specific cities and the U.S.Department of Agriculture’s moderate food plan. Ofthe models we reviewed, it is by far the most compre-hensive and the calculation includes the followingmonthly living costs for a single individual:

Albuquerque fair market rent: $450.00USDA moderate food plan: $200.00La Montanita’s staff health and dental care plan: $277.24Out of pocket medical and dental expenses: $57.04Transportation: $137.80Telephone: $28.00Entertainment: $39.71Miscellaneous personal care items: $118.98Savings: $50.00Sales tax: $20.00Income tax: $288.83Total: $1,667.60

The model then deducts the portion that LaMontanita pays for the health and dental plan and thestaff discount on co-op purchases. These benefits total$257.79 per month leaving a total monthly living costof $1,409.81. When we annualize this and convert toan hourly rate based on working forty hours perweek, we arrive at $8.13 per hour for 2005. We willadjust the wage annually for inflation each year.

La Montanita has over 125 staff mem-bers who provide the high quality foodand service that we have all enjoyed andsupported for over 28 years. We havemany long-term staff members and ouraverage staff tenure is currently fouryears, with three of our staff either attwenty years of service or soon to cele-brate that milestone. We currently have56 full time and 71 part time staff mem-bers, but as is detailed below, all staffmembers who work at least twentyhours per week receive the same level ofbenefits with the only exceptions being aone year of service requirement for parttime health care coverage and vacationaccrual. Our part time staff consists ofmany students, parents, and artists whofind advantage in the flexibility that parttime employment provides.

We have written job descriptions and paygrades for each of our staff positions,and we compare our pay grades annual-ly with the New Mexico Department of Labor’s annu-

al wage survey for Albuquerque. Our currentaverage hourly rate for the entire staff includ-ing the administrative salary positions is$11.75 and our current average for the storestaff is $10.60. The wage disparity that existsamong the store staff between the living wageand the highest staff rate is 3.41 and the dis-parity between the living wage rate and thegeneral manager is 5.91. In other words thehighest paid store staff member earns 3.41times the living wage rate.

We have published a complete listing of ouraverage wage rates by position and this list-ing is available for co-op staff and memberreview at each store’s information desk.

STAFF BENEFITS Our staff benefit package consists of the fol-lowing and all of our staff benefits and poli-cies are detailed in our staff manual and acopy of this is also available at each store’sinformation desk for co-op member review.Again please note that these benefits are forboth full time and part time staff people• 401k plan available to all regular staff mem-bers after one year of service who average atleast twelve hours per week.• Monetary service awards for all regularstaff members of $10 per year awarded atthree year anniversary dates. (3 years: $30, 6years: $60, 9 years: $90, etc.)• Annual paid bereavement leave for all regu-lar staff members for the death of a memberof their immediate family: Full time staff: 24hours and Part time staff: 12 hours.

La Montanita Coop Pays a LivingWage

Our current wage grid is as follows for staff members who have been employed for six months and com-pleted their training assignments:

Position Minimum Maximum NM Wage Survey MidpointClerk $8.13 $10.50 $8.39Cook $8.25 $11.00 $8.50Lead Clerk $8.50 $12.00 $10.46Front End Coordinator $8.50 $14.00 $10.61Asst. Department Team Leader $9.00 $15.00 $13.73Department Team Leader $12.00 $20.00 $20.13Computer Technician $8.50 $15.00 $16.16Administrative Team Leader $12.00 $25.00 $27.77Store Team Leader $15.00 $30.00 $28.87

WAGE GRID

dedicatedhelpful

staff

by Robin Seydel In mid November the national Cooperative Grocers InformationNetwork (CGIN) listserv posted an Action Alert on behalf of CON-CACADO cooperative in the Dominican Republic. On September15th, the cocoa cooperative suffered severe damage asHurricane Jeanne swept through Haiti and the DominicanRepublic, causing widespread damage and flooding and leav-ing hundreds of thousands of peo-ple in desperate need of food andclean water.

The fair trade organization EqualExchange, whose coffee and cocoaproducts we sell at La Montanita,hoped to raise $10,000 to pro-vide the CONACADO coopera-tive with emergency food, such as canned goods and cooking oil; tools, such as machetes andfiles; clothing, and basic medicinesfor the affected farmer families.Once these immediate needs aremet, additional funds will gotoward longer-term reconstructionefforts, such as rebuilding farmsand repairing cacao processingequipment.

Co-op manager Abel Fernandezsays that CONACADO member

families are likely to lose up to 30% of their income duringthe coming year, and the hurricane related flooding damagedat least 25% of member farms and displaced about 13,000 people.

Christopher Durkin of the Harvest Co-op Market inCambridge, Mass writes “on the CGIN network we post

questions, share information rang-ing from finances to physicalplant, ask advice, and just general-ly make our co-ops stronger andbetter by working together. Canyou imagine the advantage of ask-ing 200 people, who are runningthe same type of business you do,what their policy is in a certain sit-uation, or maybe you have toreplace a freezer and want toknow what the best one is? It's agreat group of people.”

Like so many other coops LaMontanita donated $100 to theeffort. In the first two days afterthe action alert went out coopsaround the country collectivelydonated $6,000. In the days andweeks that followed we handilyclosed in on that $10,000 goal.The power of cooperation, and

our dedication to the principle of coops supporting coopshas never been so clear. Bravo to coops all over the country.

Conacado Cooperative provides the chocolate for Dagoba'sConacado bar, Equal Exchange's line of cocoa products andchocolate bars, and Rapunzel Organics.

If you personally love chocolate, and who doesn’t, and wantto make a tax-deductible contribution, please write a checkto Red Tomato (marked CONACADO/DR Hurricane ReliefFund) and send to Equal Exchange, 50 United Drive, WestBridgewater, MA 02379, Attention: Phyllis Robinson.

For more information on CONACADO and the HurricaneRelief effort go to Equal Exchange's website atwww.equalexchange.com or call or write them at 581Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139 , phone 617-661-1580 x 132.

Special thanks to Chris Durkin of Harvest Coop inMassachusetts and Jeanne Lasko of Linden Hills Coop inMinnesota for info and quotes used in this report.

cooperative livingA Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

La Montanita CooperativeNob Hill3500 Central S.E.Albuq., NM 87106265-4631

Valley2400 Rio Grande Blvd.Albuq., NM 87104242-8800

Wild Sage226 W. Coal Gallup, NM 87301863-5383

Administrative Staff:General Manager: C.E. Pugh 265-4631 x323ce@lamontanitacoop.comStore Team Leaders: Michelle Franklin/Nob Hill 265-4631John Mulle/Valley 242-8800Accounting/Toni Fragua 232-4026Computers/Info Technology/Ahmed Elmaghlawi 232-8202Human Resources/Sharret Rose 265-4731Marketing/Edite Cates 268-8357Membership/Robyn Seydel 256-4594Co-op fax line: 266-3703or 265-6470

Co-op Board of Directors:President: Martha WhitmanVice President: Marshall KovitzTreasurer: Ken O’BrienSecretary: Julie Hicks Lonn CalancaRoger EldridgeJohn KwaitTamara SaimonsAndrew Stone

Store hours at both locations:Mon. thru Sat.: 7am to 10pmSunday: 8am to 10pm

Membership Costs:$15 for 1 year$200 Lifetime Membership

Co-op Connection Staff:Managing Editor: Robyn Seydelmemb@lamontanitacoop.comLayout and Design: foxyrock incCovers & Centerfold: Edite CatesAdvertising: Robyn Seydel Printing: Vanguard Press

Membership information is available at the Co-op, 3500 Central S.E. (Nob Hill location), or 2400 Rio grande Blvd. N.W. (Valley location)

Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated. Address typed, double-spaced copy to the Managing Editor, memb@lamontanitacoop.comemail: bod@lamontanitacoop.comwebsite: www.lamontanitacoop.org

Copyright © 2005La Montanita Co-op SupermarketReprints by prior permission.

The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% postconsumer recycled paper. It is recyclable.

The Co-op Connection is published by La Montanita Co-op Supermarket to provide information on La MontanitaCo-op Supermarket, the cooperative movement, food,nutrition, and community issues. Opinions expressedherein are of the authors and are not necessarily thoseof the newletters or the Co-op.

cover photo Edite Cates

CO-OPYOU OWN IT

Co-opsHelpingco-ops internationally

january 20052

Once again, you, our fabulous Coop Community, have come forward to show just howgreat you are. Thanks to you, 450 children in need in our community had their holidaygift wishes come true. Your caring and concern created a little mountain of gifts for specialchildren in the care of 4 New Mexican agencies and organizations: New Mexico Department ofChildren Youth and Families, Enlace Communitario, Parent Child Resources, Peanut Butter andJelly Day School. You made the holiday season a little brighter for all involved.

From the bottom of our hearts we thank you for your support of this program again this year.We are proud and honored to be able to serve a community with such a generous heart. Youare the best! Thanks again for your cooperative spirit. We would especially like to thank vol-unteer Gail Lyons who for years has helped prepare the ornaments and Steve Watts andSteven Alderete (of Coop Meat Dept. fame) for help with gift transport.

We hope this new year is one of peace and fulfillment, good health and great foodfor you all. - Your Membership Department

Our deepest thanks,You are the Best!

The power of cooperation, and our dedication to theprinciple of coops supporting coops has never

been so clear. Bravo to coops all over!

living cooperatively

• Vacation pay is provided to all staffmembers who work at least twentyhours per week and is earned based onthe number of hours worked. The planprovides staff members averagingforty hours per week the followingpaid time off:

First two years of employment: 1 weekYears three and four: 2 weeksYears five through nine: 3 weeksTen years and more: 4 weeks

All of our stores’ services are providedon behalf of our membership by ourstaff. We have an extremely talented,dedicated, and productive staff at LaMontanita, but, as a consumer ownedcooperative, we only exist to serveyou, our members. The relationshipbetween our staff and our members isone of our greatest assets, yet therealso exists a natural tension in thisrelationship as we attempt to offerhigh levels of service at competitive prices andprovide our staff with good wages and benefits.While there are state and municipal agencies thatpay a living wage, La Montanita Coop is taking aleadership role in the Albuquerque community aswe voluntarily implement this program. Taken inconjunction with our benefit package and pro-gressive personnel manual we strive to provide acaring and supportive work environment.

We gratefully acknowledge that it is your support of LaMontanita that makes this possible and we fullyunderstand that it is your patronage and membershipthat has created and sustains our cooperative. Pleasedon’t hesitate to let us know how we can be of greaterservice to you.

C.E. Pugh, General Manager

Continued from page 1• Modest life insurance coverage is currently provided throughGreat West and is provided at no cost to all staff members whowork at least twenty hours per week.• Hourly staff members who work on Memorial Day, July 4th,Labor Day, and New Year’s Day receive time and one half pay.• Sick pay is earned quarterly by all regular staff members based onthe hours worked during the previous quarter at the following rates:10 – 19.99 average hours worked = 2.5 hours of sick time20 – 27.99 average hours worked = 5 hours of sick time28 – 34.99 average hours worked = 7.5 hours of sick time35 – 40 average hours worked = 10 hours of sick time

Co-op Pays its Staff aLiving Wage

january 2005 3

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supported continues to produce yet morecommercialized and plasticized products.

So if we choose to eat with respect for theplant or animal we eat—with considera-tion for where and how it was grown; withsome connection to its wholeness, lifecycle, even its grower; with regard for itsvital energy and for the nutritional value offreshness—how are we to find healthy,fresh produce after the short summergrowing season in our area ends?

Elliot Coleman’s answer is to providelocally grown vegetables in Maine in thewinter. His premise is that while thegrowing season may be chiefly limited tothe warmer months, the harvest season

has no such limits. Vegetables can be harvestedthrough the winter by the practices of successionplanting and crop protection. Succession plantinginvolves sowing winter-hardy vegetables in theground at 2-3 week intervals during the latter partof the growing season, so as to extend the summercrops as long as possible. Crop protection involvesusing simple protective structures such as ventedcold frames or plastic covered tunnels. (By con-trast, attempting to extend the growing season e.g.with a heated greenhouse, would pose a great dealmore expense and technological challenge; and allthe pests in the world would gravitate toward thecozy tropical warmth inside.) Winter crops arenaturally quite hardy: one winter I witnessed avolunteer chard plant growing through the snowhere in Albuquerque. By eating what survives dur-ing the season we are in, we maintain connectionwith nature, we eat what best fills the needs of ourbody in current conditions and the menu is everinteresting with seasonal variations.

During the coldest months, the winter crops main-tain aliveness, in a dormant state – i.e., winterfood is not dependent on warm weather because itis already grown. As long as the temperature in acold frame during the day is above freezing, theplants will be OK (freezing a little at night whilein the ground will not kill them). For those whoprefer a more protected environment and morevariety, an unheated greenhouse is an option.

So how could locally grown food become moreavailable in Albuquerque in the winter? A fewfarmers in the area have begun to extend their har-vest; for example, Ron Breen has provided

Winter and the Importance ofLocally Grown Food

january 2005

think globally

4

spinach for sale at the Co-op during Octoberand November. We can encourage winter har-vesting by local farmers by choosing thesecrops when they are provided at local mar-kets. We can ask for locally grown produce inwinter at stores that sell organic/local produceand request it of local growers at Growers’Markets. And we can grow winter crops our-selves through the colder months.

If you would like to try cold-season growing,now is an optimal time to study the very simpleconcepts of how to grow during the cold season(highly recommended is Elliot Coleman’s FourSeason Harvest). It is also a good time toacquire or make the equipment you will need;to add to your compost; to choose and buyseed; and to plan. A small site, perhaps an areathe size of a tablecloth, planted with several ofthe more hardy plants, can yield a respectablecrop. One or two rows of winter hardy cropsstarted each week as summer crops completetheir cycle will mature successively. During thecoldest months there will be almost no work(no weeding, no watering, etc.) except to pickthe vegetables for your meal.

The most cold-tolerant vegetables to plant inthe ground include carrots, parsley, onions,chives, arugula, escarole, endive. Also winterhardy, if somewhat less so, are beets, cabbage,chard, some lettuce, spinach, kale, peas, kohlra-bi, radishes, dandelion, radicchio, broccoli, sor-rel, and parsnips. The flavor, color, and qualityof many of these are enhanced by the cold.Tender baby thinnings can be added to salads.

Being with life through the darkest monthskeeps awareness of the miracle of life’s persist-ence despite all adversity and tribulation.Trees grow in Brooklyn because life loves tostay alive. Throughout history people haveadapted whenever current resources began torun out. That time may be upon us again.

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OOOO n a recent visit to a supermarket, the increasingly plastic con-dition of the vegetables and fruits was sobering. Clearly, thevalue of eating fresh, organically grown food is of more

and more significance. At the same time, the cost of gas is rising expo-nentially, and corporate transport of large quantities of products longdistances is becoming less and less cost-effective. We are in the midstof a very basic level shift in our society, in that, as NationalGeographic has put it, “we will never again see cheap gas.” This maybe beneficent and necessary, ultimately, in bringing us ‘back to earth,”survivors of an era of pollution and rife chemical degradation. Whenwe eat food that has utterly no relation to where we are, and has beengassed and chemically treated in order to make it to our table at thehighest possible profit to the ‘manufacturer’, we distance ourselvesmore and more from the earth, and on that very real level, from our-selves and others.

As Rafael Kellman discusses in Gut Reactions, our ancestors had abetter sense of the meaning of food than we do today. Most ancient

religions and cultures perceived the spiritual aspect of food as well asits ability to nourish physically. Peoples’ lives were interwoven witha reverence for the plants and animals that provided them nourish-ment, as well as with an awareness and valuing of the vital energythat whole foods contain. Food was seen as a symbol of intercon-nectedness and sharing, rather than a commodity of greed and prof-it. In our times, with the promotion of fast food, endless variety,glitzy packaging, and immediate gratification, eating has become forour society a matter of consuming what is easiest and most immedi-ately attractive. Kellman suggests that “mindless eating” is the num-ber one health problem in the western world, and is the root cause ofmany metabolic problems, illnesses and diseases. “If you don’t thinkabout what you put in your mouth, you are at the mercy of thestrategies of the food supply” and thus the food supply system when

While the growing season may be chiefly limited to the warmer months, the harvest season has no such limits.

llooccaallllyyggrroowwnn

wwiinntteerr pprroodduuccee

by Francis Thicke, Prairie Writers Circle

AAAA s a dairy farmer, I use nature as my model.But most dairy farming today — and farm-ing in general — ignores nature. This

should concern not only farmers but also con-sumers, for the sake of their health and Earth’s.

Nature produces no real wastes, because the“waste” of one species is food for another. Also,nature does not use up resources. Its ways are effi-cient and sustainable.

The typical industrial dairy is a much different matter.First, consider the cows’ diet. It is typically high

in corn. Growing corn requires nitrogen fertilizer,

eat locally

january 2005 5

Terra Madre: World Meeting ofFood Communities

whose production uses up a lot of nonrenewablefossil fuel.

Not all of this fertilizer stays on the field. Typicallymore than half of it is lost, polluting groundwateror flowing downstream through the MississippiRiver basin to feed a process that sucks out oxygenand drives life from a New Jersey-size patch of theGulf of Mexico.

Most corn producers also use pesticides, whichfurther poison the landscape. And because cornmust be replanted annually, it promotes soil lossthrough erosion from fields left bare to wind andrain much of the year.

Waste is another problem with industrialdairies, where cows are confined to feed-lots or barns. Manure accumulates inlagoons. Eventually it must be hauled tocrop fields. With thousands of cows in atypical industrial dairy, it often is difficultto find enough fields close by to accom-modate the manure, which can end upfouling the air or spilling into streams.

In place of this industrial model, I run myfarm based on ecology, an understandingof the interconnection of living things andtheir environment. The most striking fea-ture of a dairy farm designed and operatedon ecological principles is that the landaround the milking facility is pasture ofperennial grasses and legumes covering theground year-round. It does not erode. Itdoes not require pesticides.

by Isaura Andalu

BBBB eginning in 1996, Slow Food biannually sponsors the“Salone de Gusto,” the Salon of Tasting. This eventencourages food biodiversity by featuring high

quality, artisan foods from around the world. It also demon-strates how endangered foods or gastronomic traditions canbe revived through a Slow Food economic model calledPresidia.

With over 190 Italian and 50 international Presidia projectsnow participating, this past October Slow Food sponsoredTerra Madre in conjunction with the Salone. This historicmeeting united food producers, artisans, and small farmersfrom 130 different countries. The aim of Terra Madre wasto explore ways for communities to approach food produc-tion in a manner attentive to environmental resources, glob-al balance and product quality.

The commitment to these goals was demonstrated throughthe generosity of the sponsors. Raising more than three mil-lion euros, Slow Food paid for all expenses of Terra Madreparticipants in Italy. Other sponsors included the ItalianMinister of Agriculture and Forestry, the Piedmont RegionalAuthority, the City of Turin and the Association of Friendsof the University of Gastronomic Sciences. Locally, the RioGrande and Santa Fe Slow Food Conviviums raised fundsfor airfare from the New Mexico Department ofAgriculture, Cuatro Puertas and individual donors.

The communities from New Mexico represented farmers’markets, livestock raisers and cheese makers, seed savers,wine producers and piki bread makers. This includedFairfield Farmer, One Straw Farm, Sweetwoods Dairy, theNew Mexico Seed Library, Tesuque Pueblo, Gruet Winery,Pollo Real, and Shepherd’s Lamb. Participants nominatedbut unable to attend were Sparrow Hawk Farm, Cloud CliffBakery, the New Mexico Wheat Project, and Sage Bakery.The participants’ experiences will be shared on our websiteat www.slowfoodriogrande.org.

Food Communities:The Grassroots Production BaseEntering the meeting hall on the first day, one wasgreeted by a cacophony of languages, colorful ethnicdresses, hats, and a few elbows accompanied by politeexpressions. According to Carlo Petrini, President ofSlow Food, these five thousand images represented the“intellectuals of the earth”. Communities representedthe entire spectrum of food producing from seed saversto value-added food producers.

Wandering around one saw that it was not only peo-ple that had journeyed, but also samples of theirrespective harvests. Upon closer inspection, a checkerboard ofbrowns, oranges, yellows and blacks revealed fresh dates. Thiswas followed by yak cheese, sugared fruits, aged crumblycheese in a vase-shaped crock, and crunchy, crisp fried insectsfollowed by a course of striped black and white caterpillarswith a woody texture. The colorful Andean corn, odd-shapedsquashes, rare grains such as kañiwa and a suitcase full of haycontinued to impart Earth’s original gifts.

Over several days, participants had the opportunity to meetfood communities from around the world to discuss projects,problems and solutions. Sometimes only snippets of informa-tion were provided, but it opened the door to exposure. Manycommunities are isolated, lack basic infrastructure, or facedaunting obstacles resulting in rising suicide rates. Yet, TerraMadre helped to create networks uniting grassroots communi-ties to strengthen all of their work.

New Mexico PresidiaWith the New Mexico participants’ experi-ence and exposure to Slow Food Presidiaprojects, Cuatro Puertas, a non-profitorganization, will work to create NewMexico’ first Presidia. With funds from theNew Mexico Department of Agriculture,producers will plant endangered, traditionalcrops. Food products from these crops willbe featured through farm tours and tastingsthis fall. Through crops grown in a sustain-able manner, farmers and consumers willlearn about the reciprocal benefits of a localfood system tied to a healthy ecosystem thatpreserves our food biodiversity.

Over several days, participants had the opportunity to meet food communities

from around the world to discuss projects, problems and solutions.

How now, industrial cow?using nature as a model The cows harvest their own feed by grazing on these plants. The

environmentally costly process of growing corn and transportingit is avoided.

There is no need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. As the animalsmove about, they deposit manure, a natural fertilizer. Thismanure is not concentrated, so it breaks down quickly and isthereby less likely to pollute air and water.

Pasture dairies make sense financially. Milk production per cowis less, but milk production per acre, when acres used to growfeed crops are included, is comparable. Studies at the Universityof Wisconsin show that grazing dairies are as profitable, or moreprofitable, than industrial dairies.

What’s more, cows on pasture are healthier and live longer thanthose on a high-corn diet, which is not their natural food. Andresearch is beginning to suggest that milk from grazing cows ismore healthful because it has higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids,beta carotene and conjugated linoleic acids — substances that maybe useful in helping to prevent heart disease or certain cancers.

Given all these benefits, it is time we get serious about focusingour agricultural research, education and government policy onfarming that uses ecology as its guide. And we should beginrequiring industrial agriculture to pay for the environmentalcosts that it imposes on our planet — costs now borne by socie-ty as a whole or charged to future generations.

Francis Thicke and his wife, Susan, have an organic, grass-baseddairy near Fairfield, Iowa. He has served as national program leaderfor soil science for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ExtensionService. He is a member of the Land Institute’s Prairie WritersCircle, Salina, Kan.

“Salone deGGuussttoo“

eeccoollooggiiccaalldairyffaarrmmiinngg

by Marshall KovitzAs we have seen in previous articles, the Board'sgovernance of the Coop must be consistent with Statelaw and with bylaws approved by the membership. Inthis and the next several articles, we'll look atthe rules the Board imposes on itself inorder to oversee the business.

In earlier articles about deci-sion making, we have brieflymentioned Policy Govern--ance as the system used by LaMontanita's board in fulfillingits fiduciary responsibilities. From theBoard's point of view, one of the most importantaspects of this system is that it differentiatesbetween management/operational issues and boardpolicy matters. Although the Board is free to decidewhat is policy and what is management's preroga-tive, once it does make up its collective mind, itmust avoid interfering with operations and base itsassessment of the GM upon his/her ability toremain in compliance with policies called ExecutiveLimitations and to achieve the Board's stated goals,(called Ends in PG terms).

But Policy Governance is more than just how theBoard relates to the General Manager. Many poli-cies deal directly with how the Board views itselfand the performance expectations it has for itself.Let's begin our examination of Policy Governancewith this section, called Board Process.

The first section in Board Process is B1; itdescribes the Board's governing style. As stated inthe preamble, it is the duty of the Board to governin a way that emphasizes future vision and strate-gic leadership while providing clear distinctionsbetween its role and that of management's. As animportant aspect of any democratic process, theBoard is committed to deliberating in many voicesbut governing with one.

The first policy in this section explicitly states thatthe Board will direct La Montanita with written

policies as opposed to deciding on an ad hoc basisabout what criteria to use. The intent is to createa systematic and predictable means for the Boardto monitor the Coop and itself. Another policy in

this section acknowledges the need forregular training and education.

Policy B1.4 states that theBoard shall establish a clearlydefined system to hold itself

accountable to the member/ownership and the community

for its performance.

Section B2 is the Board's job description.According to this section, the Board's outcomesshould be: 1. A shared vision (Ends policies) thatis strategic in nature; 2. Effective linkage with themember/owners; 3. Hiring and monitoring theGM; 3. Self perpetuation.

Section B3 is a detailed description of how theBoard is to run its meetings. Included here are suchmatters as agenda writing, deadlines for submis-sion, advance notification, recording minutes, theuse of a calendar for recurring events, who mayparticipate and expected outcomes. The point hereis that we try to keep our meetings tightly struc-tured in order to save time and be productive.

In keeping with the democratic nature of theBoard, the President's role, as explained in B4, istightly defined so as not to usurp the authority ofthe Board as a whole. Thus, the President's job isprimarily to see that the Board follows its ownrules with regard to Board Process and Board-GMrelations. Our policies explicitly prohibit thePresident from unilaterally interpreting policies onEnds and Executive Limitations. Much of thePresident's day-to-day efforts are directed toensuring that meetings run smoothly.

In the next article, we'll look at more Board Processpolicies. You can find the complete Board PolicyManual at La Montanita's website or at the informa-tion desk at either store.

co-op news january 2005 6

Co-op GovernanceTIJERAS ORGANICALCHEMYAlbuquerque, New Mexico Daily Clary Sage & Cucumber Shampoo andConditioner: 12 oz for $7.99

HERBS, ETC.Santa Fe, New Mexico Phytocillin: 60 softgels for $13.49 •Phytocillin: 1 fluid oz for $7.99 • Singer’sSaving Grace Throat Spray: SeriousCinnamon, Extra Strength Original, HoneyLemon and Cool Mint 1 oz for $7.99

505 ORGANICSAlbuquerque, New Mexico Organic Salsa: Mild, Medium, Hot, and Chunky Chile 16 oz for $3.29 •Organic Green Enchilada Sauce: Mild, Medium, and Hot 16 oz for $3.29

MONROE’SAlbuquerque, New Mexico Stewed Green Chile Enchilada Sauce: 16 oz for $3.19 • Salsa: 16 oz for $3.19• Red Chile Enchilada Sauce: 16 oz for $3.19

HATCH CHILE CO.Deming, New Mexico Green Enchilada Sauce: Mild, Medium andHot 15 oz for $2.29 • Red Enchilada Sauce:Mild, Medium and Hot 15 oz for $2.29

KINNA’SEspanola, New Mexico Kinna’s Laos Chile Paste: 2 oz for $2.29Kinna’s Laos Chile Paste: 6 oz for $4.49

SPECIALS GOOD DURING THE MONTH OF JAN.

Listed below are the final numbers tallied in the November 2004 Board of Directorsand By-Law Amendment election.

Tamara 260 • Andrew 255 • Roger 216 • Eric 172 • Will 172 • Tom 14 • Stephen 133

Amendment Yes No1 408 272 383 303 360 544 413 145 396 216 422 97 376 348 392 379 346 9210 401 1611 415 12

Total Valid Ballots: Nob Hill and Mail In: 354 • Valley: 131

Board of Directors Election Results

Your Coop and Silent Thunder Center for AsianStudies have teamed up to help Coop mem-bers shape up mind, body and spirit. All cur-rent Coop Members can take one free week ofclasses at Silent Thunder Center for AsianStudies. Just show your current Coopmembership Card

Choose from: Tai Chi: Tuesday 7:30pm, Sat11am • Meditation: Mon-Thurs 9-10pm •Taekwondo: Mon/Wed/Fri 6:30pm • QiGong:Mon/Wed 10am, Tues/Thursday 5:30pmSilent Thunder Center is located at 136 Jackson NE.Information call 265-3112 or www.silentthundercenter.org, e-mail-silentthunder@planet-save.com

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Super Salve for Super Skin Care

AAAA s the daughter of Phyllis Hogan, anationally known herbalist, Denise Tracywas introduced to the world of healing

plants at a young age. Her mother would take herand her sister to the Gila River outside ofCoolidge, Arizona where they would search formedicinal plants. During her childhood, she alsospent a great deal of time visiting on the Hopi andNavajo Reservations with family members andhas fond memories of going out with theGrandmothers to herd sheep and to look for dyeplants for their beautiful Navajo rugs. On theHopi mesas, she attended Kachina dances andlearned about plants used in basket making.

At the age of nineteen she decided to apprenticein her Mother's herb store and after three yearsfelt ready to attend Michael Moore's SouthwestSchool of Botanical Medicine, graduating in1988 as a clinical herbalist. With the completionof her education her family entrusted her withthe management of their 22 year old herb storeThe Winter Sun Trading Company, Inc., locatedin Flagstaff, Arizona. She worked there for nineyears, practicing the art of clinical herbology.During this time she became a founding memberof the Ethnobotanical Research Association.This Foundation documents the beneficial plantsused ceremonially and medicinally by the NativeAmerican people.

In 1990, Denise was asked by her husband, aGrand Canyon River Guide, to formulate a salvethat would prevent and heal foot fungus, whichdebilitated a large portion of the crew and pas-sengers on extended Grand Canyon river trips.The salve, named simply enough Super Salve,was such a success that the Super Salve compa-ny was created to meet the demand.

The Super Salve Company is now located near theghost town of Mogollon, New Mexico. Usingonly responsible sources of organically farmedherbs, oils, essential oils, butters and waxes, theymanufacture an extensive line of 100% naturalherbal salves, lip balms, lotions, oils, creams,cleansers, toners, exfoliants and sunscreens.

Their natural ingredients include: aloe vera, alphalipoic acid, shea butter, echinacea, coq10, dmae,arnica, beeswax, sunscreen, witch hazel, calendu-la, comfrey, jasmine flower, jojoba oil and others.

Denise’s dedication to purity of ingredients isclear when she says: “Remember, if you can't eatit, don't put it on your skin! We are not suggest-ing that you eat our products, just that there isnothing in them that would cause you harm.”

The Super Salve Company's goal is to producethe highest quality products with the finestingredients at a reasonable price, using onlyrecyclable, earth-friendly packaging. Without adoubt one of the finest skin care products on themarket is their Power Repair Body Lotion. Itworks wonders on deeply damaged, dry crackedskin. Look for Super Salve products at bothCoop locations.

Meet Denise Tracy and sample some of the amaz-ing Super Salve products Saturday, January 22from 10am-12pm at the Valley store and from 1-3pm at the Nob Hill store.

Calendar of Events1/18 Board of Directors Meeting 5:30pm1/22 Super Salve Demos, 10am-12pm Valley1/22 Super Salve Demos, 1-3pm Nob HillTBA Finance Committee Meeting, 5pm Co-op Annex

co-op news january 2005 7

Local Product Spotlight: Super Salve heals...

Its only mid-December as I write this and already we are getting callsfor organizations that are working on their 2005 calendar and want toknow when this year’s Celebrate the Earth Festival will be. It’s early,Yes I know, but mark that shiny new calendar and save the date!

As always a day of dedicated community activists, farmers, artists,musicans, dancers, local foods, friends and fun, dancing in thestreets to Celebrate the Earth. Don’t miss it! Reserve Your BoothSpace Early! Watch upcoming issues of the Coop Connection formore information or contact Robyn at 256-4594.

save the date: April 17th!

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Coming Soon!16th Annual Celebrate the

April 17th

at the Nob HillCO-OP!

Local Product SpotlightTrue Southwestern Green Chile FlavorNew Mexico based, 505 Southwest, producer of Green ChileSauces and Salsas, has introduced the first Certified OrganicGreen Chile Sauce under the 505 Organics banner. Theorganic green chiles harvested from the Hatch Valley inSouthern New Mexico are blended with other organic ingre-dients to create an authentic taste of the southwest thatenhances the flavor of many mealtime favorites. They arecertified organic, kosher, gluten free, fat free, made withpeppers from the Hatch Valley and no preservatives.

What does 505’s "Certified Organic" mean?• Grown with NO synthetic pesticides or genetically modifiedingredients • NO artificial flavors, colors or preservatives •NO irradation • Gluten-Free • LOW sodium and LOW carbs •NO antibiotics or growth hormones in meat and dairy prod-ucts. The USDA Organic Seal may appear only on productswith 95% or more certified organic ingredients.

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Central New Mexico American Herbalist Guild Chapter Cordially invites you to an Open Meeting

Monday January 17th, 2005, 6:30PMAt Foundations in Herbal Medicine 112 Hermosa S.E

Enjoy an Herbal Slide Show, Herbal Tincture Tasting, And Dialogue with some of our area’s noted Herbalists

Donation: $5 for AHG members and $10 for the general public.For more information call 247-HERB (4372)

herbalists&plant lovers

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OrganicPlain Yogurt

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NATURE’S PATH

Organic OptimumCereal

$2.69

12.5oz.-14ozselected varieties

TRADITIONAL MEDICINALS

Cold Season Tea

$3.2916 count

selected varieties

TAHITI TRADERS

Noni Juice

$14.9912oz

other Tahiti Noniproducts also on sale

NATURE’S GATE

Skin TherapyLotion

$5.9918 oz.selected varieties

IMAGINE

Organic Soup

$2.29

32 oz.selected varieties

GARDEN OF EATIN’

BlueCorn

Chips

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selected varieties

Organic

Adzuki Beans

$1.39per pound

LUNDBERG

Organic Ricewhite basmati/jasmine

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Granola

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Brown Cow

Low Fat Yogurt

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Spectrum

Organic MediterraneanX-VirginOlive Oil

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WOW! Taste those natural & organic muffins & pastries.The Nob Hi l l Co-op del iis baking muff ins with the best natural , organic f lours and sweeteners avai lable . Y u m m i e . . . t a s t y . . h e a l t h y !

the art of bread makingLooking for yet another good reason to go to the Valley store?

You've found it in Jerry! Originally from New York City, he's anaccomplished organic gardener and actor when not baking his sig-nature French and Sourdough loaves at the Co-op, and he's beenknown to lead bike tours in Yellowstone National Park. Among hismany hobbies, brewing his own beer and playing bass guitar standout as particular crowd-pleasers. He's the creative force behindyour daily cookie bar, muffin, or scone, and the one who makesfresh Challah for your Friday evening table.His breads are something you have to taste to believe, and soon

you'll be able to get "Jerry Bread" fresh every day, including Rye, at the Valley deli.Bread making Tips:- you can’ be rushed when baking bread-it’s a meditative process

the flavor needs to develop slowly for 24 hours - don’t be intimidated - enjoy the process- use the best organic ingredients- use filtered water- be flexible- you are working with a living organism- it’s a meditative process- your mood can affect the taste and

texture of the bread

Annie’sHomegrown

Pasta& CheeseMix

.99c6-7 oz.selected varieties

Health Valley

Soup

2 for

$3.0015 oz.selected varieties

R.W. Knudsen

SimplyNutritiousJuice

$2.2932 oz.selected varieties

Country Save

Laundry Detergent

$5.99

5 pound

PETGUARD

Canned Cat Food

$1.2914ounce

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more sales,great deals, savings

SEVENTH GENERATION

Liquid Laundry Detergent

$8.69100 oz selected varieties

low fat & healthy january 2005 10

stews&&soups

Low fat and healthy doesn’t mean boring.Sample some of these great soups from aroundthe world while staying warm and cozy in yourvery own kitchen.

Adapted from www.cooks recipes.comwww.homecooking.about.comwww.tgcmagezine.comwww.vegparadise.comwww.fatfree.comwww.vegkitchen.com

Quick Cod Chowder with BlackBeans and Corn

1 onion, halved and sliced1 can diced tomatoes in juice1 can black beans, drained and rinsed1 can corn, drained1 cup diced green chilies3 cups chicken or fish broth1 tablespoon fresh lime juice2 teaspoons chili powder1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and crushed1/4 teaspoon garlic powder1 pound Alaska cod, or other white fish cutinto 1-inch pieces1 tablespoons vegetable oil

In large stockpot or steam-jacketed kettle, com-bine onions, tomatoes in juice, black beans,corn and chiles. Add broth, lime juice, chilipowder. Bring to boil; reduce to simmer andcook 10 minutes. Pan-sear cod in lightly oilednon-stick skillet about 3 minutes; add cod to

chowder. Simmer chowder additional 20 minutesover medium-low heat. For each serving, portion 11/2 cups soup into shallow bowl. Garnish withtortilla corn chips, if desired.

White Bean Veggie Stew

1/2 cup dry white beans15 cups water, divided use1 onion, unpeeled2 whole cloves4 carrots, scrubbed, trimmed and sliced - divideduse1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided use1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried thyme, divided use1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried rosemary, divideduse1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided use2 turnips, peeled and diced2 potatoes, scrubbed and diced2 celery ribs, chopped1 leek (white and light green parts), cleaned andsliced1/4 cabbage head, shredded1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine dry white beans and 5 cups water in alarge stockpot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat andsimmer for 2 hours; drain, leaving beans in pot.Stud onion with whole cloves; add cloved onion, 1carrot, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2teaspoon rosemary and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.Cover with another 5 cups of water and bringback to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2hours or until beans are tender. Drain, discardingwhole cloves.

Meanwhile, in another stockpot, combine turnips,potatoes, celery, remaining 3 carrots, leek, andcabbage in 1 cup water. Cook, covered, over lowheat for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are ten-der. Add the drained bean mixture, the remaining4 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1

teaspoon rosemary and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil,reduce the heat, and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Remove 4cups of the vegetables and puree in a blender or food processor.Return to the pot and stir to mix well. Heat thoroughly.Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese.

Mulligatawny Soup

3 tablespoons butter or margarine2 small yellow onions, peeled and minced1 medium-sized carrot, peeled and diced fine1 stalk celery, diced fine1/2 green pepper, cored, seeded, and minced1/4 cup unsifted flour1 tablespoon curry powder1/4 teaspoon nutmeg3 cloves2 sprigs parsley1 quart broth or stock1 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon pepper1 cup chopped tomatoes1 cup diced cooked chicken (optional)1/2 cup heavy cream or non dairy alternative1 cup boiled rice

Melt butter in a large saucepan, add onion, carrot, celery, andgreen pepper, and stir-fry 8 to 10 minutes until onion is golden.Blend in flour, curry powder, and nutmeg; add cloves, parsley,broth, salt, pepper, and tomatoes, cover, and simmer 1 hour.Strain broth; pick out and discard cloves and parsley, puree veg-etables with about 1 cup soup liquid by buzzing 20 to 30 sec-onds in an electric blender at low speed or 15 to 20 seconds ina food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Smoothpuree into broth, return to heat, add chicken and cream, andheat, stirring, 5 to 10 minutes to blend flavors. Add rice, heatand stir 2 to 3 minutes longer, then serve.

Nutty Beet Borscht

1 C. water3 small tomatoes, coarsely chopped1 medium beet, peeled and coarsely chopped1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped10 raw Brazil nuts1 small clove garlicJuice of 1 fresh lemonJuice of 1 fresh Valencia orange1/2 t. salt

GarnishTofu Sour CreamCrushed raw pistachio nuts

Combine all ingredients, except garnish, in a blender, startingon low speed. Gradually increase to high speed. Process untilcompletely puréed, about 1 minute.

Adjust seasonings if needed, and pour into bowls. Garnish eachbowl with a dollop of Tofu Sour Cream and a sprinkle ofcrushed pistachio nuts. Makes 2 to 3 servings.

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low fat & healthy january 2005 11

adding more stock as necessary to keep fromsticking. Add to the pot with the pureed andwhole garbanzos, add spices and cook for 1hour. 10 minutes before serving, stir in tomato,peas, vinegar, and salt and pepper. . If the soupis too thick for you, thin it with a bit more stock.Serve with crusty wheat bread.

Spanish Menestra

1 - 2 onions (1 1/2 - 2 cups sliced3 garlic cloves2 medium carrots (about 1 1/2 cups sliced)1 large potato (about 2 cups diced)1 tablespoon paprika2 bay leavespinch of cayenne2 cups hot water (use liquid from canned arti-chokes and add water to make 2cups)1/2 cup dry sherry1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste1/2 pound mushrooms1 red bell pepper5 artichokes (1 - 14 ounce can, water pack)1 cup fresh or frozen green peas

Halve and thinly slice the onion, then cut theslices in half. Mince or press the garlic. In a pot,saute the onions and garlic in 1 - 2 tablespoonswater or sherry. Peel the carrots and cut in halflengthwise, then slice crosswise to make half cir-cles, add to the pot. Peel the potato if you likeand cut into 1/2 inch dice Add potato, paprika,bay leaves and cayenne to pot and saute for aminute or so, stirring to prevent sticking. Pour inthe water, sherry and salt. Cover pot and bringto a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer. Wash the mushrooms,and cut off and discard the stems. Leave anysmall ones whole, cut large ones in half or quar-ters. Chop the pepper into 1 inch pieces. Add themushrooms and peppers to the pot. Cut the arti-choke hearts in half. When veggies are just ten-der, stir in the artichoke halves and peas, simmer3 - 4 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Tofu Sour Cream

1 pkg. extra firm silken tofu1/4 t. salt4 T. lemon juice1/2 t. rice vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a food processorand process until smooth and creamy. Makes11/2 cups.

Caribbean Vegetable Stew

2 cups chopped onionsvegetable broth or white wine3 cups chopped cabbage1 fresh chile, minced or 1/4 tsp. cayenne

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root2 cups water3 cups diced sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2- to3/4-inch cubessalt to taste2 cups undrained fresh or canned tomatoes2 cups fresh or frozen sliced okra3 tbls. fresh lime juice2 tbls. chopped fresh cilantrosprigs of cilantro (optional garnish)

In a nonreactive pot, saute the onions in thebroth/wine on medium heat for 4 or 5 min-utes. Add the cabbage and the chile orcayenne and continue to saute, stirring often,until the onions are translucent, about 8 min-utes. Add the grated ginger and the water,cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Stir in thesweet potatoes, sprinkle with salt, and sim-mer for 5 or 6 minutes, until the potatoes arebarely tender. Add the tomatoes, okra, andlime juice. Simmer until all of the vegetablesare tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in thecilantro and add more salt to taste.

Galician Garbanzo Stew

2 cups dried garbanzos (chick peas), soakedovernight and cooked in 5 cups vegetablestock or water1/4 cup vegetable stock 1 onion, cubed3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed1 carrot, cubed1 stalk celery, cubed1 bay leaf1 tsp cumin1 tsp dry mustardlarge pinch saffron, crushed1/2 cup peas1 tomato, diced1 Tbls red wine vinegarsalt and pepper to taste

Cook the garbanzos until tender. Puree 2/3 ofthe garbanzos with cooking water untilsmooth, then stir back into the pot with thewhole garbanzos. While beans are cooking,saute the vegetables in the stock until tender,

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soups&sstteewwss

Good skin care is very simple. Just look in yourrefrigerator and cabinet, many of the ingredientsare there! Go find your favorite vegetable oils thatcontain anti-oxidant properties like avocado,almond, apricot, and olive oils, then add a fewdrops of anti-aging essential oils, like neroli(orange blossom flower), rose, lavender, rose-mary, sweet orange, lemon, lime, oregano, myrrh,or fennel. Now you have a wonderful, nutritious,anti-aging oil splash for the entire body!

Dreamy yogurt facelift, fruit juice skin tonic,celery soother, cucumber cooler, oatmeal scrub,

yeast (which stimulates), vegetable oils (whichadd emollients), honey and egg (to hydrate),lemon (cuts through oil), potato peel (rich invitamins and minerals), and rosemary (whichrevives). These are just a few great moisturizingand nutritious foods for the skin.

Reduce the signs of aging naturally. Use herbalpacks, poultices and salves, clay masks, floralsteam baths, fruit and vegetable moisturizers,massage and exercise.

BibliographyHampton, Aubrey\Natural Organic Hair & Skin Care,Organic Press, 1987, pp. 131-166.

Busch, Julia\Treat Your Face Like A Salad, Anti-Aging Press, Inc., pp. 45-552.

Bittman, Mark\Natural Health Handbook, BostonCommon Press, Ltd., 1995, pp. 101-109.

Worwood, Valerie Ann\"The Complete Book ofEssential Oils & Aromatherapy",New World Library, 1991, pp. 111-116.

Busch, Julia\"Treat Your Face Like A Salad", Anti-Aging Press Inc., 1993, pp. 230-235.

Alexander, Ann\"Natural Health Handbook", BostonCommon Press, Ltd., 1996, pp. 61-64.

Denise Tracy is a clinical herbalist, and formulatorfor the Super Save Company. She is a foundingmember of Arizona’s Ethnobotanical ResearchFoundation.

Anti-oxidants truly prevent degenerative skin dis-ease while fighting free radicals at a steady rate; theskin's dream come true! Anti-oxidants are essentialfor the healthy skin cell reproduction.

Conventional cosmetic industries use syntheticchemicals like petroleum derivatives, aluminumand coal tar dyes. When you apply these productsto your skin, perhaps for awhile there will be ahoneymoon period of the skin feeling smooth andmoist, but in the long run, the skin is actuallymade dry! Excellent selling technique: the drieryour skin gets, the more product you use and buy.

Chemical manufacturers are in love with exoticsounding, hard-to-find chemicals so they can cor-ner the market and have no competition. Oneexample is the substance called squalane, found inthe liver of a rare species of shark called theAizame. These sharks are hunted and murdered,the squalane is extracted and sold as a medicinalcosmetic. But squalane has always existed inwheat germ, rice bran, and olive oil.

Chemical manufacturers' biggest aim is to replacenatural substances with cheaper, synthetic sub-stances, which they claim are just as good,although many analytical chemists have foundotherwise. Avoid synthetic or petrochemicals inskin products. These chemicals have adverse andaging effects on skin.

Avoid using skin products that contain dryingagents like cetyl and stearyl alcohol, or petro-chemicals. All types of synthetic chemicals causedamaging cross-linking to occur.

Be aware of what kind of products you use onyour skin. Read the ingredients, would you wantto eat Propylene Glycol (a petroleum derivativeused in anti-freeze and hydraulic brake fluid),Triethanolamine (amino alcohol made fromammonia and ethylene oxide), Dimethicone (a sil-icone fluid), Stearyl Alcohol (fatty alcohol foundin whale, porpoise and dolphin oils)?

Do your skin a big favor by avoiding these kindsof synthetic chemicals, especially petroleum jellyand all petrochemicals used in skin products.Petroleum derivatives are not good for your skin.They are allergenic, smothering your skin, causingirritation and acne. Most importantly, they do notabsorb well into the skin! Beautiful skin has exist-ed for centuries without synthetic chemicals. Soremember, "If you can't eat it, don't wear it!"

For succulent skin, water is your most importantasset. Drink enough water to plump your innerskin and keep your outer skin moist. Seal in yourjuices with Mother Nature's finest tropical oilsplashes, nutritious natural creams and lotions,herbal salves, mineral mists and scented floralwater baths. Herbs such as calendula flower, com-frey leaf, horsetail, coltsfoot, slippery elm, echi-nacea, borage, elder flowers, immortal andyarrow are just a few herbs that help topicallywith cellular regeneration.

A Few Important Anti-oxidants:

Save your Skinby Denise Tracy

O ur skin is the largest organ of the body. It's a breathing,porous and permeable two-way suit that will absorb nutritionfrom the outside, as well as from the inside. Overall the

skin holds 14 pints of water. One square inch of skin contains 65hairs, 100 sebaceous glands, 650 sweat glands, 78 heat sensors, 13cold sensors, 1,300 nerve endings that can record pain, 9,500 cells,19 yards of nerves, 19,500 sensory cells, and 165 pressure appara-tuses for stimuli (touch).

The nervous system is a close neighbor to the skin, thus making theskin "emotional." Emotional stress or anxiety can cause chronic con-ditions such as hives, psoriasis, herpes, acne, and eczema. Massagingthe skin can help reduce anxiety, energize the lymphatic system andrelax the body, while encouraging normal function of the skin.

Winter weather taking a toll on your skin?There are two types of skin aging. One is true aging which happensvery slowly, with time. Good diet, plenty of water, exercise, relaxation,positive thoughts, good relationships and big smiles help to counter orslow down the true aging process. The other type of aging is photo,the result of ultraviolet radiation and inadequate protection from thesun, heat, cold, and other environmental elements. Sun damage is themost important cause of skin deterioration and wrinkles. Aging of theskin happens to everyone! Of course, genetics and environment play abig part in how slow or fast the skin ages.

Incomplete particles, injured cells or parts of cells are called free rad-icals. Free radicals cause cross-linking with the genetic material inneighboring cells, which, in a chain reaction-like process reproducesmore and more injured cells. Wrinkles, pre-cancerous lesions, brownand white spots, blemishes, little warts and sagging skin are a resultof cross-linking cells.

Everyday, we are exposed to free radicals which come from envi-ronmental pollution, radiation from TV's, microwaves, radio waves,cellular phones, computer terminals, high tension wires, and alsopesticides, industrial waste, auto exhaust, petrochemicals in skinproducts and ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Oxidation and freeradicals from the cold, dry environment, synthetic chemicals in skincare products and poor diets take a toll on skin, drying it out andprematurely aging it!

Anti-oxidants are a group of vitamins, minerals and enzymes thatwork together to protect, energize and stimulate healthy skin cells.

Editors Note: In “Before You Give a Gift of Fragrance” in the December 2004 Coop Connection, editorial changes may have inadver-tently altered the author’s intention on the use of essential oils in relation to MCS. For information regarding the therapeutic effects ofessential oils or if you have sensitivities, MCS, an interest in this topic or would like to read the original text of that article, please con-tact Karen at 265-0227 or king_kb@aps.edu.

Vitamins A and Beta Carotene destroy carcinogens and promote germ killing enzymes.

Vitamin C stimulates healthy free-radical fighting cells.

Vitamin E\looks after the lipids in your body and helps to prevent fats from becomingrancid.

Gama-Linoleic Acid (GLA)\a T-lymphocyte regulator that protects the immune system,found in blue green algae, evening primrose oil, black currant seed oil and borage oil.

L-Cysteine\a powerful detoxifier and promotes muscle building and burning of fat.

L-Glutathione\helps the body to detoxify itself from blood and liver disorders.Selenium\a micro-nutrient that helps to preserve the skin's elasticity.

Superoxide Dismutase (SOD)\an enzyme produced in the body that protects againstdamaging effects of unstable oxygen species and may possibly prevent growth of cancercells. Foods containing SOD are blue green algae, barley grass, wheat grass, broccoli,brussel sprouts, cabbage and most green plants.

health & healing january 2005 12

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health & healing january 2005 13

by Onah Whalen

If you are like me then the new year is a timeto change your life radically, and make a“Big Plan” for Self Improvement that

includes intimidating, vigorous regimens—ornothing. And if you are really like me thenthat enthusiasm usually wanes by February.After many years of failed New Year's resolu-tions I realized that fitness and a healthylifestyle is a lifetime goal and not somethingyou can accomplish in a few weeks. If youbelieve that vigorous, sweat-producing exer-cise is the only way to stay fit, think again.

Just commit to be moderate and sensible inyour eating, and to MOVE MORE.According to the Mayo Clinic, as little as 30minutes of low to moderately intense physicalactivity daily can increase your fitness level.The key is to incorporate physical activityinto your lifestyle and maintain it. Adopt anew mind-set and think of exercise as a sim-ple, routine and enjoyable part of your day.

• Wake up early. Try getting up 30 minutesearlier than you normally do and use theextra time to walk on your treadmill or takea brisk walk around the neighborhood.Some research suggests that people whoexercise in the morning are more likely thanare others to stick with it over the long term.If you're too stiff in the morning, however,wait to exercise until later in the day. • Make household chores count. Mop thefloor, scrub the bathtub or do other house-

work. The stretching and lifting involved are good exer-cise. Work at a fast pace to get your heart pumping. Also,try working in the garden, doing yardwork or mowing thelawn. Gardening can burn up to 300 calories an hour andis a great way to build strength. Raking and hoeingstrengthen your arms and back, while digging works yourarms and legs. • De-stress with a quick walk after work. Exercisingbefore dinner may also suppress your appetite, helping toreduce your total daily calorie intake. • Get your dog into the act. Take two quick walks withyour four-legged friend every day. It's best to build up toabout 30 minutes of continuous activity. But two 15-minute jaunts are nearly as good. • Exercise while watching TV. Use hand weights, ride astationary bike or do a stretching routine. Get up off thecouch to change the channel on the TV. • Make family time exercise time. Take group walks afterdinner or schedule a family hike for Saturday mornings.Remember to wait about an hour after you eat beforeexercising, however. • Exercise your body... and your spirit. Consider makinga habit of finishing the day with a relaxing session of yogaor Tai Chi, perhaps with a partner.

Many tend to make exercise a "thing" requiring a concert-ed effort above and beyond the daily life inside our homes.Often this takes the form of joining a gym or getting oneself out on the run-ning track or on ourbicycles and settinggrandiose goals. Meet-ing these fitness goalsbecomes something weare either “Doing or

This year... succeed in lifestylegoals

Body-CenteredCounseling

Integrated Counseling,Therapeutic Bodywork

and Movement

Penny HollandM.A., L.P.C.C, L.M.T.

505-265-2256LPCC Lic. 0494, LMT Lic. 1074

by Mokurai

A mysterious-looking man knocks solemnly on the hugewooden doorway of the Shaolin Temple in China. TheBuddhist Monastery, well known for it's martial arts

and meditation disciplines, will probably have an abbot sympa-thetic to his unusual request. But for the man, called Kwan,there is no doubt. He knows.

Arrangements are made. Kwan moves into a hermitage hut near-by. Monks will bring food and check on him once a week. Hisgreat work assigned to him by his spiritual master will be undis-turbed. He begins by going to sleep, and dreaming.

Kwan has been imbued with special powers by his meditationmaster - the power to manifest a flesh-and-blood being out ofhis dreams. His task is to create a great healer from his dreamworld. This dream-being, who will have fabulous healing abili-ties, will live and die as an ordinary man but for one exception.Because of the yogic technique used, fire will not be able toinjure him.

Kwan spends most of his time sleeping, and dreaming. Hespends a week on the feet and legs, a month on the expressivehands, six months on the heart and nine months of the brain.

After two years, the dream-being awakens, as if from a deepsleep, in the physical world. Far removed from Kwan, unawareof his origin, he answers a strange compulsion to begin a pro-found sojourn of salvation.

Kwan remains in his hermitage, resting from his great task.Occasionally he hears stories from the monks about a newsage's miraculous cures and apparent immortality as this sage,alone amongst many, survived a great fire catastrophe.

Kwan is deeply satisfied and prepares to return to his master.Just then a great earthquake, common in that part of China,shook the hut tremendously and caused a wooden beam to col-lapse from the roof and pin him to the floor. An overturned oillamp sets the hut on fire, and Kwan realizes that he will soon bedead. The hut, and everything inside, is completely burnt.Except Kwan.

The universe is essentially MIND. As we grow more comfort-able with abandoning our egos, the magnificent richness andincalculable creative potential of this universal MIND becomenot only more apparent, but more available. We come to realize

Duality Takes a Holiday

H A R W O O DARTCENTER

1114 7th Street NW at Mountain Road for more information, call 505-242-6367

January 3 – 28 Reception: Friday, January 7 • 5 PM to 8:30 PM

Notes from the BeachPaintings by Scott Kuykendall

that if we don't control our own minds, a strongermind will. By learning to act without thinking ofreward, our thoughts, actions and dreams becomemore clear, conclusive and closer to the Source ofBecoming - God. This "connected-to-the-Source"consciousness is designed to be as electrifyinglydynamic as a whirling bobcat but due to enslave-ment to the ego, most peoples' consciousnessremains as a stranded whale.

There are many paths to help awaken this universalMIND: Breath control, spiritual devotion, rajayoga, tai chi, some martial arts, meditation. The

important thing is that the chosen path reveals thelimitations of the ego, and culminates with resplen-dent light of Divine origin flooding one's being.

Master Mokurai is a Buddhist priest and a Universityof New Mexico faculty member. For twenty five yearshe has given instruction on various esoteric disci-plines at the SILENT THUNDER CENTER FOR ASIANSTUDIES, including Tai Chi, meditation, Qi Gong, TaeKwon Do and Sacred Chanting. Mokurai can bereached at 265-3112 website: www.silentthundercenter.org.

Not at All.” Thus it becomes another extracurricular activityover which to worry and fret. Sometimes we end up sweatingmore worrying about exercise than doing it.

Routine, sustained exercise on a regular basis is an exciting alter-native to the usual grand New Year's resolutions. Who knows,start with small steps this year and next year you may be hikingLa Luz.

exercise your body&& yyoouurr ssppiirriitt

UNM will be offering a class called Nutrition and Public Policy during the Spring 2005 Semester. Using thearena of policies related to nutrition (food guide pyramid, food irradiation, bio-engineered foods, and others),the first objective of the course is to familiarize participants with public policy issues related to nutrition andhealth. The second objective is to teach the student to use the an evaluation model called the “logic model” asa first step in policy analysis.

The model is currently widely used to evaluate public programs. Two features of the structured format of thismodel give it utility for the purpose suggested here, to more fully understand stakeholders: 1. the required identification of the assumptions underlying how the problem at issue is defined by stakehold-ers and 2. the separate analysis of the problem, context (legal, political, financial, environmental, etc.), intervention, out-puts, outcomes, and impact.

For more information on the model or the course contact :Dr. Falcone, Associate Professor, School of PublicAdministration, University of New Mexico 505-277-4934 or falcone@unm.edu.

UNM offers course in Nutrition and Public Policy

In 2001, without public comment or knowledge,the Bush led EPA struck a deal with chemicalcompanies to remove two important rat poison

regulations designed to protect the safety of chil-dren. Specifically, the safety measures hadrequired rat poisons contain an ingredient thatmakes the candy-like pellets taste bitter to kidsand a dye to make it more obvious to adults whena child has ingested the poison.

As a result of no longer requiring those safetyadditives, the nation is now seeing a record num-ber of children poisoned by the toxic pellets. TheNovmeber 14, Los Angeles Times writes: “Thisyear, more than 50,000 children in the U.S. ages6 and younger were sickened by eating rodent-control toxins, three times as many as in the firstfull year after the safety measures were adopted,according to the American Assn. of PoisonControl Centers.” The children suffer internalbleeding and anemia, among other maladies,and can fall into a coma. Several hundredrequired hospitalization last year. According tothe same LA Times article, the EPA met fivetimes behind closed doors with representativesof the chemical industry, which ultimately result-ed in the removal of the safety regulations.

The Washington Post reports that “for the pastsix years, the pesticide industry has fought off orstalled regulatory initiatives designed to protectchildren and wildlife from becoming unintendedvictims of rat poisons, and public health and envi-ronmental groups charge that the industry hadunusual access to block federal action.” At thebehest of the industry, the EPA made broadchanges to play down the dangers posed by ratpoison, including rewriting a section describingthe fatal poisoning of seven deer. While refusingto meet with consumer and environmentalgroups, the agency held five closed-door meetingswith members of the Rodenticide RegistrantsTask Force, whose members include SyngentaCrop Protection, Bell Laboratories Inc. andLiphaTech Inc. Wildlife organizations, mean-while, charge that dozens of endangered animalsdie every year after ingesting rat poison spread toprotect crops.

The Natural Resources Defense Council and WestHarlem Environmental Action filed suit againstthe EPA, criticizing the agency for harming chil-dren by revoking safety measures on rat poisonsin 2001, at the request of industry. The groups saythis shift puts thousands of children at risk of seri-ous harm — particularly poor African-Americanand Latino kids, whose public-housing projectsand schools may be littered with pastel rat-poisonpellets. West Harlem Environmental Actionworks in conjunction with Columbia University'sMailman School of Public Health to monitormedical issues and reports that in New York state,57% of children hospitalized for rodenticide poi-soning are black, although 16% of the populationis black; 26% of hospitalized children are Latino,yet Latinos make up 12% of the population.

The Washington Post also reports that “theNatural Resources Defense Council seems tohave the goods. The group has documents show-ing that Bush's EPA not only worked hand-in-hand with the industry, but also complied whenmanufacturers wanted the risks associated withrat poison downplayed in EPA assessments.”Aaron Colangelo, a staff attorney at the NaturalResources Defense Council, who obtained theEPA's internal documents for the environmentaladvocacy group under a Freedom of InformationAct request, said the documents highlight howthe agency mishandled its effort to protecthumans and animals.

Sign Petition to Reinstate Rat Poison Safety Measures!

Go to www.organicconsumers.org or send your comments directly to:

Mike LeavittEPA AdministratorU.S. EPA, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.Washington, D.C. 20460leavitt.michael@epa.govFax: 202-501-1450

the environmental consumer january 2005 14

NM Students, AID Farmers and OrganicsWhat can one do for the organic movement in India?

EPA Allows Rat PoisonManufacturers to Kill Kids

Despite being thousands of miles away, the New Mexicochapter of the Association for India’s Development (AID-NM) recently found a small but significant answer to thisquestion by supporting an organic food stall in the westIndian state of Gujarat. The eatery, named Apana Dhaba, isrun by former workers of a chemical factory who were firedfor demanding safer working conditions. These workershave not only decided to lead a chemical-free livelihood, butalso help support local farmers and cooperatives by pur-chasing groceries from them. One such cooperative is theMozda Collective – a collective of adivasi (indigenous)women from a nearby village that supplies dal (lentils).

Apana Dhaba aims to connect the organic food and work-ers’ rights movements throughout the country, serving as amodel for alternative livelihood generation. Consequently,Apana Dhaba is part of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti,which acts as an environmental watch group in Gujarat –one of the most polluted industrial belts of India.

The Apana Dhaba project is featured in AID’s year-end,online fundraising campaign called “One For India – mak-ing every one count”. Bringing people together on theweb, the campaign website showcases the many sustain-able-development projects that various AID chapters havesupported in 2004. AID hopes to top the 2003 mark byraising $101,000 to support similar projects in 2005.

With 40 chapters nationwide, AID has grown tremendous-ly since it was founded 13 years ago in College Park,Maryland. Yet it remains an entirely volunteer-run organi-zation. Over the years, AID has supported more than 300projects all through India, but not by acting as a charity.Rather, AID volunteers learn and spread awareness aboutthe social and economic problems throughout rural India,while also raising funds for the community groups that areaddressing local needs.

From the beginning, AID’s vision has been holistic, span-ning areas such as healthcare, child and adult literacy,women’s empowerment, and alternative livelihood gener-ation. And now AID’s attention has widened to includebuilding solidarity with social and peoples’ movementssuch as those demanding environmental justice, fightingagainst water privatization and commodification, as wellas protecting the rights and lands of adivasi (indigenouspeoples) communities.

In 2004, the NM chapter organized a series of events toconnect the struggles against water privatization and forenvironmental justice in India with similar movements herein New Mexico. Partnering with the Southwest Network forEnvironmental & Economic Justice (SNEEJ) and local com-munity groups, AID-NM has brought together activists fromIndia and New Mexico who represent the low-income andpeople of color communities that most severely bear thebrunt of environmental and economic injustices.

Since the NM chapter was founded in March 2003, it hassupported three projects in India, including Apana Dhaba.With funds raised through the “One for India” campaign, thechapter will continue supporting these three projects, andbegin reviewing other proposals such as establishing a cri-sis center for sexually-abused women and children inMumbai (Bombay).

To make a contribution to AID-NM through the “One forIndia” campaign, go to www.oneforindia.org and followthe “Donate” links. The fundraising drive ends January20, 2005. For more information about AID-NM, visittheir website (aidnm.unm.edu), email aidnm@unm.edu, or call Sachin Patkar (Chapter Coordinator) at 505-385-2561. by Sharayas Jatkar

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community forum january 2005 15

Tricklock Company brings to Albuquerque its fifthannual Revolutions Theatre Festival, three weeks ofthe planet’s most revolutionary theatre! The 2005Revolutions Festival will present cutting-edge the-atrical work created by national and internationalperformers from Mexico, Canada, Ireland,Greece, the UK, South Africa, and the UnitedStates. With performances and workshops in morethan 12 different venues around Albuquerque and(for the first time) Santa Fe, Revolutions 2005 willbe the most diverse and far reaching Festival todate. Revolutions kicks off Tuesday, January 11and runs through Sunday, January 30, 2005.

The Festival’s mission is to seek out and producethe planet's most REVOLUTIONARY theatre andperformance art because Tricklock Company firm-ly believes that exposure to the broad spectrum of

Tricklock: Theatre FestivalRevolutions!

Hysterectomy HysteriaMore than 600,000 hysterectomies are performed eachyear in the United States, over 90% of which aredeemed unnecessary by some accounts. In addition tohysterectomy, hundreds of thousands of pelvic recon-structive surgeries are also performed as treatment forpelvic organ prolapse.

Pelvic organ prolapse is the MOST PREVALENT women’shealth disorder of our time, and there is a current EPIDEM-IC of prolapse occurring amongst post-partum women.Although obstetric practices can exacerbate the develop-ment of prolapse, these conditions are more the result ofmodern lifestyles that no longer support the natural designof the female spine and pelvis.

This issue has been shrouded in secrecy and responded toexclusively by surgery for well over a century. If you wantto read more, please log onto www.whole woman.com andjoin the campaign to bring this issue to light.

Please join the Hers Foundation www.hersfoundation.orgfor a week-long protest in Albuquerque to put an end tounwarranted, unconsensual and unwanted hysterectomy. The protest begins on January 1 and ends on January7, from 11 a.m. to 1p.m. every day in front ofPresbyterian Hospital. Protesters will meet at 10:50a.m. at the main entrance to the hospital at 1100Central Avenue SE. For more information, please con-tact Christine Kent at 281-0700.

world theatre helps remind each of us in the com-munity of our unlimited potential as active, vitalparticipants in our local society and the globalsociety at large. The Revolutions Festival helps dis-seminate new forms and ideas on theatrical train-ing and creation to the young artists of our region,and provides the community with a forum for cul-tural and artistic exchange and dialogue that mightnot otherwise reach New Mexico.

The Festival will open with a benefit performancefor Tricklock and the Albuquerque Poetry SlamTeam at the Outpost Performance Space, and con-tinue with performances by Lauren Weedman,actor and correspondent for “The Daily Show withJon Stewart”; Sekou Sundiata, an internationallyrenowned playwright, lyricist and performanceartist who has been profiled by PBS’s Bill Moyers

and featured on Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam; VincentMantsoe, an Afro-fusion dancer from Soweto, South Africa; ThePerformance Project, a Northampton, Massachusetts based col-laboration of professional artists, men and women in jail, andthose who have been released; The Lucidity SuitcaseIntercontinental theatre company of New York City; Boca delLupo theatre company of Vancouver, BC, Canada; San BanquitoTeatro of Guanajuato, Mexico; Angel Exit Theatre, a Dublin,Ireland based company with international performers; PropTheatre of Chicago, and Tricklock’s very own company membersJuli Etheridge and Kevin R. Elder.

The Festival is co-sponsored by Mayor Martin Chavez and the City ofAlbuquerque, UNM Department of Theatre and Dance, National HispanicCultural Center, Bosque School and Albuquerque Academy. For moreinformation on the performers, guest companies and a complete sched-ule of events, visit www.tricklock.com.

Virginia J. Miller, NM Department of Peace InitiativeNew Mexicans have the opportunity to create the firststate Office of Peace in the country. During the 2003Legislative Session memorials supporting the ideaof a NM Department of Peace and requesting thestate to actively work for peace and promotepeaceful and sustainable economic developmentalternatives were passed in both legislative houses.A state Office of Peace, proposed by the grassrootsNM Department of Peace Initiative, is the nextstep to fulfilling the legislative intent of thesememorials.

The Office of Peace is dedicated to peacemaking,justice and human rights training that will enablethe prevention, management and resolution of con-flict without violence and the study and implemen-tation of conditions that are conducive to a cultureof peace. The Office of Peace will develop a peaceeducation curriculum for all public school levels,supporting and expanding upon programs alreadyin place, organize public dialogues, and build adiplomatic method for addressing controversialissues and conflict.

In addition, the Office will study and promote asustainable, life-affirming economy as an essentialavenue to peace. A Citizens Peace Advisory Councilwill maintain the grassroots connection with thepeople of New Mexico. This process is a significant

part of our solution for safety and security. The billwill be sponsored by Rep. Ken Martínez andSenator Cisco McSorley in the 2005 Session, whichbegins January 18.

Support for the Office of Peace bill is growing amongNew Mexicans and within state government. Here'swhat you can do:

• Please sign our petition at the Peace Center or pick upa sample endorsement letter for your organization.• Visit our web site where you can view a copy of thebill: http://www.thedepartmentofpeacenm.org • Write aletter to the editor in your local newspaper.• In Albuquerque, contact the Albq. Center for Peaceand Justice (268-9557) to volunteer to move the billforward during the 2005 legislative session.• During the legislative session, contact your legislatorsand the Governor's office, (505) 827-3000, and urgethem to support and fund this bill. Come to the hear-ings to speak or for collective support.

In Santa Fe, the NM Department of Peace Initiativemeets every Friday from 4:30 to 6 pm at the St.John's United Methodist Church on the corner ofOld Pecos Trail and Córdova in the gatheringroom at the back of the church. All are welcome.Please contact Virginia Miller (505) 986-8676;email vjmopus@earthlink.net. In Albuquerque call268-9557.

A New Mexico Office of Peace

What does patriotism mean in the present political environment?Theatre-in-the-Making, in cooperation with the New Mexico American Civil Liberties Union (NM ACLU) presents“Patriots,” a biting adult satire on the politics of fear and the policies of the current administration. Written byAlbuquerque playwright Joe Forrest Sackett and directed by well-known director Paul Ford, “Patriots” will be pre-sented Saturday, January 29, 2005, for one show only, 8:30 p.m. at the historic KiMo Theater, 5th Street andCentral Avenue in downtown Albuquerque.

This special production of “Patriots,” which played to sold-out audiences at the Tricklock Performance Space inSeptember, will be followed by a panel discussion on civil liberties in a time of terror and war. The panel will includerepresentatives from the national headquarters of the ACLU, in Albuquerque for a conference. Funny, intense, andmoving, “Patriots” questions the meaning of the word “patriotism” and the encroachment on civil liberties in itsname. Tickets for “Patriots” are available at the KiMo Box Office, 768-3544 or at Ticketmaster, 883-7800.Patriots” is suitable for mature audiences.

Countering Today’sStealth Draft

The military offers false promises and dreams of a way to go to collegeto our high school students. Give your students the opportunity to hearabout the realities of war, this particular war and learn about otheroptions for financing college and serving their country. As you know,under APS policy, students are entitled to all sides of controversial issues.

A program called Another Side, which includes veterans speakingin classes and a potential lesson plan kit with video, for high schooland college classes is available.

The program is in compliance with the State Standards and CurriculumGuide, and has prior approval and sanction of the APS Central Office. Ifyou feel that your students need more information, especially from vet-erans who have returned from Iraq, this will give them Another Side. For More Information call 268-9557

What is patriotism? Are you a patriot?

Meet January 21, 4-5pm • Albuquerque Teachers’ Federation Building8009 Mountain Place, NE

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La Montanita Co-op Food Market3500 Central SE Albuquerque, NM 87106

Lonn Calanca, Bulk Department Staff andCo-op Board Of Directors

12 GREAT REASONS TO BE A CO-OP MEMBER:1. YOUR CHANCE TO SUPPORT A STORE that is committed to bringing you the high- est quality organic produce, antibiotic and hormone -free meats, rBGH- free dairy products, imported and domestic chesses, healthiest grocery, bulk foods, fresh deli and juices, natural body care cosmetics, vitamins, herbs and more!

2. Member Refund Program: At the end of each fiscal year, if earnings are sufficient, refunds are returned to members based on purchases.

3. Pick-Up Our Monthly Newsletter full of information on food, health, environment and your Co-op.

4. Weekly Member-Only Coupon Specials as featured in our Weekly Sales Flyer. Pick it up every week at either location to save more than your annual membership fee each week.

5. Easy Check Writing AND CASH ($40) over purchase amount. We also accept ATM cards, VISA and MasterCard.

6. Banking Membership at New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union, with many Albuquerque branches to serve you.

7. Insurance and Financial Counseling: Call Robin Chall 823-9537

8. Free delivery for seniors, housebound and differently-abled people.

9. MEMBER- ONLY DISCOUNT DAYS: Take advantage of our special

discount events for members only — throughout the year!

10. Special Orders: You can special order large quantities or hard-to-find

items, at a 10% discount for members.

11. General Membership Meetings, Board positions and voting. Co-ops are democratic organizations; your participation is encouraged.

12. Membership Participation Program:Members can earn discount credit through our community outreach committees or skilled member participation program. Please ask at the Info Desk for details.

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