Snack Cooperative - Iowa Youth Tour 2024 |
Snack Cooperative - Due May 17, 2024
One interesting thing that happens on Iowa Youth Tour is the formation and running of our own cooperative, which will provide drinks (other than water) and snacks for our Youth Tour participants. This project is educational and practical and accomplishes two things. First, it provides drinks/snacks at discount prices for all of us (everything in Washington is expensive) and it teaches everyone about starting and operating a cooperative and being a co-op “member owner.”
Our co-op will be very similar to your electric or telephone cooperative or other local member owned cooperative. The main difference is that our co-op will provide pop, Gatorade and snacks for the co-op members (us) – while we are on the trip.
It is recommended (well, expected!) that everyone participate in some way.
Fill out your selection ranking them from 1 – 4 NO LATER THAN MAY 17.
- One option is being on the board of directors. This group will be responsible for the overall direction of the co-op and will select and “hire” a manager. The board of directors will meet several times throughout the week. The board election will take place at orientation on June 15.
- The manager will be responsible for the day-to-day operations. The manager can then “hire” employees to carry out routine operations. These should be paid positions (free snacks!).
At the conclusion of the tour, the co-op board and manager will plan, develop and hold an “annual meeting,” at which time they will report to the members on the co-op’s operations during our week in Washington. At this time, the board will declare an end to operations and move to officially dissolve the co-op. If there are any “margins,” or funds remaining after operations are closed, the board will then consider a method of returning these margins to the members through a form of “capital credits.”