Board Updates

As we head into a new year, we have added a new board member! Please join us in welcoming Gretchen Markiewicz!

Gretchen recently moved from the Boston area to Walpole, where she grew up, with her husband and young son.  She works as a software engineer for Raytheon BBN Technologies, where she develops applications that use speech recognition and natural language processing.  The abundance of high quality, local food options and the strong sense of community in this area were factors in the decision to move back. 

Using her data skills to help get a food co-op off the ground is a great opportunity to support the area's agricultural economy and community, and she's excited to be a part of the movement! 

We'd also like to recognize board members Denny Searles and Kaylie Chaffee, and thank them for their contributions over the last several years as they step down from the board.  We appreciate your efforts toward opening the Great River Co-op!

It's official!  Our new sign is up in our future location, next to the Hungry Diner on Route 12 in Walpole! 

Those in attendance for the photo are from Left to Right: Steve Fortier, Board President Kim Mastrianni, Tedd Benson, Christine Benson, Co-op Volunteer Gretchen Markiewicz, Board Member Bruce Bickford, Board Member Ali Trow, Volunteer Judy Trow, and Sean Fortier.

Have you seen the new sign yet?

Welcome our new Board member!

Alison Trow grew up in Walpole and graduated from UNH in 2010.  She and her boyfriend, Mike, own a house in Alstead with their many pets including a dog, cat, 2 parrots, and some reptiles. Alison has always been involved in the community, starting to volunteer at a young age as a Girl Scout. She's passionate about shopping locally and supporting the people and businesses in her community. She hopes that having a co-op locally will help reduce our carbon footprint and will encourage everyone to eat and live healthy lives.

October is National Co-op month and we’re celebrating by holding a Harvest Dinner fundraiser!  Hosted at the Bellows Walpole Inn in Walpole Village, the dinner will feature local producers from NH and VT in a spectacular 5 course meal.  From the pumpkin soup to the bread to the cream for your coffee and everything in between, it's all here, grown right in our own backyard!

That's what the Great River Co-op is about; keeping it local and supporting our community.  By creating a community owned cooperative market whose focus is promoting our local producers and connecting them to the community.  Together, we can build awareness for local healthy foods that nourish and strengthen our community.  We will provide jobs, we will provide education, we will keep our investments local.  But it can't happen without you.  This is a co-op.  It's not a private enterprise.  It's owned and run by the member-owners.  It requires you to get involved at some level in order to become a reality. 

Now is the time to step up.  If you aren't a member, please join over 500 of your friends and neighbors and become a member now.  If you are already a member, please like us on Facebook and share the posts.  It's amazing how that helps get the word out.  Also consider purchasing more shares to become a voting member, getting your friends to join, and/or joining a committee or our the board.  We want and need member-owner input in order to bring this community store to life.      

And by all means, come to the Harvest dinner-and bring your friends!  It's going to be delicious!

Thanks,

Your Board