Statewide Buying Club Coordinators Gathering
BANGOR– On Sunday, March 24 from 10am – 3pm at University of Maine Cooperative Extension Penobscot County Office, 307 Main Ave in Bangor there will be a statewide meeting of local foods buying club coordinators. Over the last several years there has been renewed interest in buying fresh local food close to the source. Buying Clubs are friendly associations of neighbors who band together to buy food in bulk in order to get the types of foods they want at a price they can afford. Increasingly these clubs are seeking food from their local farmers.
This day-long conference will be the first of its kind in the state. Initiated by Orlina Boteva of the Orono Buying Club, the conference is purposely organized to provide round table discussions on topics of interest to current buying club coordinators and those interested in starting a buying club. The goal of the day will be for coordinators to meet each other and to share information on their individual structures, best practices, challenges and how the clubs can continue to share experiences, ideas and knowledge.
Topics for the day will be determined by the participants at the beginning of the day, but we will be sure to include the Nuts and Bolts: available software, distributors, managing volunteers, order breakdown, pick-up, recordkeeping, etc.
This event is being sponsored by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Crown of Maine Organic Cooperative, Orono Buying Club, University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Western Mountains Alliance. There are a limited number of childcare vouchers for the day. Please contact Tricia Cook at 778-3885 to find what you will need to do to receive a voucher. Snacks will be provided though out the day, but please bring your own brown bag lunch.
Space is limited. Please contact Tricia Cook, 778-3885 or tcook@westernmountainsalliance.org by March 22 to save a spot.