2009-10-26T03:32:32Z Because we are not a staffed store, we may only use gravity feed bulk bins (the kind that now contain rice, beans, oatmeal, gorp, and the like); we may not offer things like raisins, nuts, snack items, or dried fruits in reach-in bins, nor can large bags of beans be opened and scooped. As a result, a volunteer with a Health Department Food Handler card must package, weigh, and price these items that you see on the front shelves. Until now, most of that packaging has been done by only a couple of volunteers, and more trained people with the Food Handler card on file in the store are needed to take on some of that duty. It needs to be done frequently, but a person can easily suit up and deal with one item, such as a five pound bag of mangos, in about fifteen minutes as part of a shopping session. If you are interested in this volunteer job, please speak with Anna or Eleanor when you see them in the Co-op during regular open hours, or leave a note in the payment box about how to reach you and set up a time for training. The more packagers we have, the more items we can offer! 1 Packaging bulk items 1 2009-11-09T10:27:05Z 2009-10-26T03:42:21Z As we prepare to grow and eventually become a staffed store with regular hours, we should be offering more open-to-the-public hours when members and newcomers can get help and ask questions. At the present time, Anna and Eleanor keep the store open eight hours a week; we could double that with the help of just two or three people who would offer their time. While staffing the open hours, a volunteer storekeeper can be busy with routine cleaning and tidying up, restocking shelves, noting items we've run out of, packaging bulk items, and helping customers. In addition to the significant contribution to your very own co-op, as storekeeper you will find the time spent is socially rewarding as you meet other members and exchange ideas. Here are some ideas for things to do while you are doing open hours: Talk to people, especially newcomers who want to know how the co-op works and will consider joining. Folks often want to ask questions or just chat, so do that. If there’s something we don’t have they like to be told they can put suggestions for things they want us to order in the payment box and Anna will get them on the next shipment. If they want to know about wholesale ordering there’s a handout in the top file drawer or they can be referred to our website. Receipts: Restock clipboards from top file drawer. Sweep: Things on the floor attract small animals and we don’t want those! Empty trash. The little trash goes in the big trash, at the very least, which can be stomped down, and if the big trash is full the whole thing goes back to the "dump" enclosure next to the pet store. In the corner by the slop sink there's usually a stash of big plastic bags left over from bulk items; those become trash bags for the big can. Face and stock the shelves: Bring items to the front and stock replacements from the back, so older items move first. Look for replacements on the bottom and top shelves, the big wooden shelves at the top of the wall, or on top of the fridges (household items). Face the fridges: Bring stock forward. Extra milk if available would be on the bottom shelf. Straighten things out if they’re scattered. Bag bulk foods: If you have a food handler's card you can do that (please make a copy of your card and file it in the top file drawer under “Health Dept.”). There's a sheet taped to the wrapping table where I've attempted to explain the process. Supplies (rubber gloves and such) are in the drawers; bags in the boxes below. Little bags are for spices, which are on the lower shelves in silver Frontier bags. If you aren't comfortable with pricing, just bag and tape and put the items in a box on the black wire shelf for the next person to price and display. Tidy up: You can't help but notice that the co-op's various drawers and surfaces quickly become untidy. If you haven't anything better to do, tackle those. Parts of fridges sometimes need to be wiped down. The freezer always needs attention. Obsolete notices can be removed. Price tags: If a price is missing you can try to locate the item in the catalog and add 12% (multiply the unit price by 1.12). Or look for the price on the recent UNFI invoices in the back of the top file drawer. All done? Unmotivated? Read a book! And don’t forget to log your hours in the notebook. 2 Open hours 2 2010-02-01T12:34:46Z 2010-02-01T12:46:22Z In order to stock regional foods from the mainland, we need folks to pick things up for us if you happen to be going that way: 1. Once a month on the fourth Thursday we need someone to pick up the Azure order in Anacortes. If nobody can do this, we don't place an order. 2. Through Puget Sound Food Network we have identified Skagit sources of honey, beverages, dairy products, organic and "natural" meats, and so on. They need to be fetched regularly to keep the store stocked. 3 Delivery from mainland 3 2010-02-01T22:35:08Z