The Chronicle SUMMER 2014 REDUCING KARMA’s debt SPOTLIGHT ON BENTONITE CLAY GOOD LUCK, TALIA! The Chronicle The members’ newsletter of Karma Co-op Summer 2014 CONTENTS SUBMISSIONS In memory of Dan Heap ...............................................3 We welcome submissions from any Karma member, staff, or board member! Report from the General Manager ...............................4 Submissions may be sent by email to chronicle@kar- Report from the board of directors ...........................5-6 macoop.org. The Chronicle will publish material re- lated to Karma Co-op, subject to our editorial policy. Report from the Finance Committee ........................7-8 Letters to the editor must contain the writer’s full name and telephone number, although names will be with- Report from the Community Dev. Committee. .............9 held at time of publication upon request. Published articles are eligible for work credits (letters to the edi- Report from the Building Committee. ....................... 10 tor, announcements, and pieces that have already been published elsewhere are not). Report from the Food Issues Committee ................... 11 Report from the Social Events Committee ................. 12 CHRONICLE STAFF FOR SUMMER On the shelf ............................................................... 13 CONTENT ediTor: AmaNda LEWis MANagiNG ediTor: Mara EKSTeiNS In the aisle ...........................................................14-15 CommUNicaTioNS MANagers: Product spotlight ...................................................... 16 KareN FLIESS , KareN lior DesigNer: ElleN PAUKer Vegan corner ........................................................17-18 CopY ediTor: CaleY Moore Recipe: Eggs Florentine Latino .................................. 19 Proofreader/priNTING coordiNATor: Mara EKSTEINS Web maNager/board E-NEWS: Mara EKSTeiNS CHRONICLE COMMITTEE The Chronicle is published by members of Karma Co-op LAYAH Davis KareN LIOR 739 Palmerston Avenue, Toronto, ON M6G 2R3 T: 416-534-1470 F: 416-534-3697 Mara EKSTEINS CALEY MOORE www.karmacoop.org KareN FLIESS ELLEN PAUKER The Chronicle is a link between members of this and other co- AmaNda LEWIS operative communities; the only viewpoints herein endorsed by Karma Co-op Inc. are those published as reports of the board of directors and its committees. This newsletter is printed on Enviro100 stock, which contains FSC-certified 100 per cent post-consumer fibre. The paper is certified EcoLogo, processed Cover: Strawberries by William Sharp, 1848, chlorine free, and manufactured using biogas energy. It is Wikimedia Commons union-made in Canada by Cascades Fine Papers. •• 2 •• In memory of Dan Heap Dan Heap, a former NDP member of Parliament and Toronto city councillor known for his commitment to social justice, died April 25 at age 88. The longtime ac- tivist was also instrumental in Karma’s launch in 1972. Richard Merrill Haney, Karma’s first president, wrote this tribute to Heap in 2011: “In the first years of the Karma Co-operative, we were a seedbed of community activism. Jane Jacobs, the famous urbanologist, and her son were among our first active members. John Sewell, the activist mayor of Toronto, was an honorary member. Jim Lemon, the president of the Confederation of Resident and Ratepayer Associations (CORRA), was an active member. Colin Vaughan, the alderman who successfully led the Stop Spadina movement, was a member. Ying Hope, the alderman who successfully started the Toronto Recycling Action Committee (TRAC), was a member. The founders of Roots, Michael Budman and Don Green, were both members of Karma and did some of their early market research at Karma before selling their first product, Earth Shoes. Dan Heap and the whole Heap family have a quality that is rare in our society — an unswerving belief in the human spirit. They continually maintain hope in the face of nearly insurmountable challenges. They manifest their wishes for a just society. We are eternally grateful to Dan.” The Chronicle via email If you’d like to receive The Chronicle via email, please send an email with the word “SUBSCRIBE” in the subject line to: [email protected] •• 3 •• Report from the GM by Talia McGuire What a busy few months it has been at Karma! op and United Natural Foods, We welcomed spring with our second Spring Inc. (no small task!). We also Potluck and Member Appreciation Party, hosted said goodbye to Colette Slone as many other successful events, and experienced she embarks on a career in massage therapy. We a few freezer breakdowns, including a farewell will miss her kindness, feature-shelf magic, and to the frozen bulk freezer that has been in the love of worms. Best of luck to you, Colette! James Karma family and served us well since the 1970s. Byrne was recently hired and will be taking over Colette’s responsibilities. James is starting up his We’ve also gone own urban farming business and has experience through some working in co-ops. Welcome, James! staffing changes. The board has Thank you all for the well wishes and kind words hired Rachel you have extended to me as I start this new and Photo by Amanda Lewis Amanda by Photo Yanchyshyn (left) exciting time of my life. I am looking forward as interim gen- to the year ahead and can’t wait to see what’s in eral manager to store for Karma. The enthusiasm we have built replace me while over the past two years must maintain itself if I am away on ma- we are to become more viable and stronger as an ternity leave. Ra- organization. We can do it!! We have come so far chel, who joined and accomplished so much! Karma in 2006 and became staff I am so very proud to have played a role in see- in 2008, is well ing Karma through a difficult time, and I am ea- known to mem- ger to see where Karma will be upon my return. bers. She has a deep understanding of Karma’s It has been my sincerest pleasure to have worked philosophy and operations, which will prove in- with everyone at Karma. I will miss you all, but I valuable to her in her new role. I am confident her am sure I will see many of you in the store when energy, good sense, and fresh ideas will strengthen I come in to shop with one of Karma’s newest the co-op. Please offer your support to her during members. Sending all of my love to the best darn the transition. Congratulations, Rachel. food co-op there ever was! Kathryn Camfield has taken over Rachel’s re- Have a wonderful year. sponsibilities for ordering from some of Karma’s largest suppliers, the Ontario Natural Food Co- •• 4 •• Report from the board of directors by Alex Speers-Roesch, Lauren St. Louis, Roberta Benson, and Arel Agnew Spring has finally sprung! We hope you are enjoy- Board update ing the change of season and all the spring produce in the store, with more to come. It has been a busy Recently Phillip Lakin left the board of directors. time for the staff, board, and committees with hir- The board would like to thank him for his contri- ing an interim general manager, opening the store butions during his time as a director. Whenever to guest shoppers, and working on the purchase a vacancy occurs on the board, the remaining of a new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning members may appoint a Karma member to serve (HVAC) system with the Building Committee and on the board until the beginning of the board term other community members. at the annual general meeting in October. If you are interested in becoming part of Karma’s board of di- Summer has often been a time of reduced sales at rectors, please contact us at [email protected]. Karma as many members head off on vacation or other summer experiences. No need to forgo your HVAC purchase trip, but consciously making as many purchases at Karma as you can over the next few months will Karma is in the process of installing a new HVAC help our bottom line. Stock up for the cottage or system for the store. The new system will provide your next canoe trip. better heating and air conditioning for the store with greater energy efficiency. It will replace an ag- Interim general manager ing heating unit and malfunctioning air condition- ing system. Board members, the Building Com- As many of you already know, Talia McGuire will mittee, and select community and Karma members be going on a one-year maternity leave starting contributed countless hours assessing Karma’s June 21. We look forward to seeing Talia and her energy needs, soliciting bids, researching units, and new baby — and Karma member — shopping in negotiating terms. Thank you! It’s inspiring to see due course. All the best, Talia! the level of commitment of our members. We’re very pleased to announce that Karma has Code of Conduct hired Rachel Yanchyshyn as interim general manager, and she began her new position June 1. To show our continued respect for Karma staff, Rachel has worked at Karma as a staff member for members, and guest shoppers, we have introduced the past six years. She is very familiar with store a Code of Conduct: operations, staff, and members of Karma. Rachel will have a training period with Talia before Talia Karma Co-op is a not-for-profit, member-owned starts her mat leave. co-op. Each one of us can contribute to making the co-op a welcoming space by being considerate •• 5 •• Continued on next page Continued from previous page of others. It is expected that all who participate taining community.” Congratulations to Nathaniel at the co-op treat each other with respect and Silva, the creative mind behind the winning slogan! dignity. Any disrespectful or abusive behaviour And thank you to everyone who submitted their may result in a refusal of service. We thank you ideas, and to members for participating in the voting.