by Jacqueline Soule
Reprinted from Plainfield Co-op Newsletter: Fall 2018
There are many different reasons you can become a working member at the Co-op, but here my top ten reasons:
- Thrift is good. Working members get seven percent off purchases. It’s not tons of money, but who doesn’t like to save money? Think of it as somewhere near a dollar back for every ten dollars you spend at the Co-op.
- While working your hands can be busy, but your mind is free to roam, and ponder all manner of things, like ‘Is a pint really a pound the world around?’ The milk delivery guy just said that as he huffed in with a stack of full milk crates.
- Imagination play time! You might get to spray the produce. Making thunderstorm sounds in your mind as you do so is fun.
- Organization training. If organizing your garage seems too large a task, bulk repack is perfect training. You can organize a giant bag of chocolate covered pretzels into 30 smaller, tidy bags.
- For bulk repack, you get to wear spiffy blue latex gloves while handling food. Quoting River Tam* as you wear them is optional.
- On a hot day, stocking the drinks cooler is a refreshing way to chill out.
- On a cool day, you can enjoy some of the best coffee in Plainfield while you work. There is a world of fascinating mugs to use in the back kitchen.
- Your work doesn’t need to be inside the walls of the Co-op! There are a number of routine tasks that can be done for your work hours, like taking the plastic bags to a site for recycling.
- Stocking shelves is a delightful way to discover the vast array of products that fill our small but densely and richly packed shelf space. Agave nectar, almonds, anchovies, artichoke hearts, and on through the alphabet.
- But best of all — the nicest people shop and work at the Co-op and you get to see them!
* Character in Firefly.