2005-12-CCN by La Montanita Coop

coop D e c e m b e r 2005

connection

Happy Holidays from Your Co-op

free

Board of Directors

Declares Patronage Dividend! L

a Montanita Co-op is committed to the members and customers it serves and to the community that we operate within. The Co-op has completed the 2004-2005 fiscal year as of August 31, 2005 with both exceptional operational achievements and financial results. The Board of Directors and Management are in the process of engaging our external audit firm to complete a certified audit of our financial position as of August 31, 2005.

ness, because that is what you are. You reap the benefits of a natural foods grocery store on a daily basis and you can look forward to a return on your purchases as an investment in the future.

Because cooperatives are member-owned, one of the principles of La Montanita Co-op is a commitment to a return on your member participation. This is done in the form of a patronage dividend. Patronage dividends are net earnings that are returned back to our members in direct proportion to the amount of their Co-op purchases. The Board of Directors will be declaring a patronage dividend during November upon completion of the certified audit and final financial adjustments. We expect the dividend will be approximately 2% of member purchases which equates to an average of a week’s worth of a member’s Co-op purchases. Management and the Board of Directors is proud that this patronage dividend is being declared and paid in a year when the Co-op opened a major retail store in Santa Fe and merged with a local Co-op in Gallup, NM.

for your La Montanita Co-op Patronage Refund Check

Watch Your

Mailbox! In early to mid December the Co-op will issue our annual patronage refund checks. Checks will be cut for all members that receive $5 or more in patronage refunds. If you were a member in good standing from September 1, 2004 to August 31, 2005 and do not receive a check, please come to any Co-op location information desk. It may mean that your refund is less than $5. If that is the case we will look up your membership account and issue you a refund in cash or store credit. If you have moved and have not already updated your address, please do so. It will ensure you get your Co-op mailings. Watch your home mail box for your Patronage Refund Check in early to mid December.

When you think about your La Montanita Coop, think about being an owner of a local busi-

the gift of

Community

Cooperative Katrina Recovery Fund

December C o-op

Co-op Raises $10,000 I am continually awed by the generosity of spirit of our Co-op members! Thanks to all of you, our little group of La Montanita Co-op stores has sent $10,000 to support the people devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Events

Enjoy great holiday natural foods samplings, wonderful local music, great gift ideas, and don’t forget to pick an ornament from our MAKE A CHILD SMILE GIVING TREE at all Co-op locations.

In September and October our Co-op membership gave nearly $5,000 in the spare change jars at the registers, through generous member checks, and at special fundraising events.

Dec 1st: Make a Child Smile Giving Tree goes up at both Albuquerque locations. Dec 1st: Annual Co-op Holiday Open House at the Nob Hill location, in conjunction with the Nob Hill Shop and Stroll event, 5-8pm. Dec 2 and 5: Trees and stockings go up in Santa Fe and Gallup. Dec 9: Bandelier Elementary Chorus, Nob Hill, 10:30pm Dec 10: Annual Co-op Holiday Open House, Santa Fe, 11-3pm Dec 17: Annual Co-op Holiday Open House, Valley, 1-5pm Dec 19: Make a Child Smile Gifts due back at either Coop location. If you have taken a child or two off our tree, please don’t miss this important deadline. If you do, you risk disappointing these special children. Dec 24: Christmas Eve: Co-op locations close at 6pm. Dec 25: Christmas Day: Co-op locations closed.

La Montanita Co-op has matched those donations dollar for dollar for a grand total of $10,000 that will go through the Cooperative Development Foundation to the Federation of Southern Cooperatives. Several Co-op members made sizable donations directly to the Cooperative Katrina Recovery Fund. Other members including Nina Zelevansky and Christina Bolano organized a wonderful drum-in to raise funds. Healers, including Kaya who specializes in reflexology, gave treatments in exchange for Recovery Fund donations. We will do our best to keep you posted on how cooperative recovery efforts are going. by Robyn Seydel

A very special thanks to you you all!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! from the CO-OP

We sincerely invite you to celebrate the spirit of the season and let light and love, peace and laughter fill your heart, at one or all of our holiday parties. And we wish you the happiest of holidays, good health, good fortune, peace and fulfillment in the coming year. Your Co-op Staff

You’re Invited! Co-op Holiday Gatherings Enjoy Great Co-op Food, Friends, Entertainment, and Crafts! Celebrate the Season with friends and family at your local Co-op. Enjoy Great Natural Foods Tastings, wonderful local entertainment, take an ornament off our Holiday Giving Tree and help “Make a Child Smile.” (See page 2). Shop for all your holiday needs including gifts and Co-op gift certificates for anyone and everyone on your holiday list and give the gift of great food and good health. Or peruse the wares of local crafts persons and artisans for that special gift. Arts and crafts people who are members and would like to set up at the North Valley location are encouraged to

call Tammy at 242-8800, or in Santa Fe call Robyn at 217-2027 or e-mail to memb@lamontantacoop.com to get on the set up list. Space is very limited. If you have not been juried please call Robyn at 217-2027. Co-op members only can set up at these crafts fairs and all arts and crafts must be made by you here in New Mexico, no kits and no imports please.

Santa Fe: December 10, come enjoy the music of Trio Mileno and the Waldorf School Holiday Singers. In the North Valley on December 17 enjoy the ethnic sounds of the band Goddess of Arno, the mariachi music of El Groupo Amor Eterno, and Saoirse, an eclectic Celtic band. Info contact Robyn at 217-2027.

HOLIDAY PARTIES

co-op’s got the A Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store La Montanita Cooperative Albuquerque/Nob Hill 3500 Central S.E. Albuq., NM 87106 265-4631 Albuquerque/Valley 2400 Rio Grande Blvd. Albuq., NM 87104 242-8800 Gallup 105 E. Coal Gallup, NM 87301 863-5383 Santa Fe 913 West Alameda Santa Fe, NM 87501 984-2852 Administrative Staff: 505-217-2001 • General Manager/C.E. Pugh x113 ce@lamontanitacoop.com • Accounting/Toni Fragua x102 tonif@lamontanitacoop.com • Business Development/Steve Watts x114 • Computers/Info Technology/Mark Bieri x108 computers@lamontanitacoop.com • Human Resources/Sharret Rose x107 hr@lamontanitacoop.com • Marketing/Edite Cates x104 editec@lamontanitacoop.com • Membership/Robyn Seydel x105 memb@lamontanitacoop.com Store Team Leaders: • Michelle Franklin/Nob Hill 265-4631 mf@lamontanitacoop.com • John Mulle/Valley 242-8800 jm@lamontanitacoop.com • William Prokopiack/Santa Fe 984-2852 willpro@lamontanitacoop.com • Tim Hankins/Gallup 863-5383 th@lamontanitacoop.com Co-op Board of Directors: email: bod@lamontanitacoop.com President: Martha Whitman Vice President: Marshall Kovitz Treasurer: Ken O’Brien Secretary: Roger Eldridge John Kwait Tamara Saimons Andrew Stone Tom Hammer Membership Costs: $15 for 1 year $200 Lifetime Membership Co-op Connection Staff: Managing Editor: Robyn Seydel memb@lamontanitacoop.com Layout and Design: foxyrock inc Covers and Centerfold: Edite Cates Advertising: Robyn Seydel Printing: Vanguard Press Membership information is available at all four Co-op locations, or call 217-2027 email: memb@lamontanitacoop.com Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated. Address typed, double-spaced copy to the Managing Editor, memb@lamontanitacoop.com website: www.lamontanitacoop.org Copyright © 2005 La Montanita Co-op Supermarket Reprints by prior permission. The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post consumer recycled paper. It is recyclable.

CO-OP

spirit 11th Annual Make a Child Smile

Giving Tr ee N

o doubt about it, it’s been a difficult year for us all. From war to natural disaster, the seemingly constant stream of suffering has washed over us all and taken its toll. What has helped me keep my faith, and filled me with awe and inspiration, is the strength of spirit and big heartedness of people in our Co-op community. Thanks to all the wonderful people who have already dug deep to help the people devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Nearly $5,000 was raised in our spare change jars at registers and in other Co-op related activities. Our Co-op matched those donations dollar for dollar and sent

Of all the wonderful projects the Co-op is involved with this is perhaps one of my favorites. It’s an honor and a joy to serve this community. The outpouring of caring concern that the gifts represent, for me, continues to be the truest expression of the spirit of this season and a symbol of the great, good heart of our Co-op community. To all of you who have participated: volunteer Gail Lyons who, for many years, has helped prepare the ornaments, the social workers at all the agencies, many of whom have been with this project since it’s inception, Co-op staff, and each and every one of you, who throughout the years have taken an ornament off the tree, found the time during this busy season to share your resources and find that special gift that will “Make a Child Smile,” from the bottom of my heart I thank you all. Last year, alone, we made the holiday wishes of nearly 450 children, in protective custody or foster care, a reality. The acts of kindness these gifts represent remind these children that, although the world may be harsh, there are many people who care. The carefully wrapped gifts and the holiday messages many of you lovingly write to a child in need are a deep and sincere expression of our shared hopes for a better world and a brighter future.

over $10,000 off to the Cooperative Recovery Fund to support family farmers in the devastated areas. We also know that the people of our Co-op community donate to many other worthy causes as well. While we were honored to be a part of the out-pouring of support for people whose lives were ravaged by the hurricane, we hope you will join us as we now turn our attention to children in need here in New Mexico. For over a decade La Montanita Co-op has had the pleasure of setting up holiday giving trees at our two Albuquerque locations. Over the years our “Make a Child Smile” program has done just that, making holiday wishes come true for thousands of children. The program has grown and grown, each year taking on more children and different agencies. This year with new Co-op locations in Santa Fe and Gallup we are honored to be able to expand this program to serve children in need in those communities as well. Year after year, despite the economic and societal challenges we have faced, the generous spirit of our Co-op community has come through in the most beautiful way. Each year our Co-op community’s compassion touches my heart as I watch the pile of beautifully prepared gifts grows into a colorful little mountain. When I think about what we have done together it restores my faith in humanity, reminds me of the power of cooperation, and gives me hope for the future.

How Co-op Giving Tree Works Again this year we are honored to work with the wonderful people at the following organizations: The New Mexico Department of Children, Youth and Families, Peanut Butter and Jelly Day School, Parent Child Resources, and Enlace Communitario. Please read about the good work of these wonderful organizations on the next page. This year we will set up trees at all Co-op locations, at both Albuquerque locations on December 1 and in Santa Fe around December 2. In Gallup, since our store is so small, look for gift bags and stockings filled with our usual ornaments that bear a child’s name, wish list, agency, and code number, tacked up on the walls at the front of the store. Please return the gifts to the Co-op no later than Monday, December 19th so we can get them back to the agencies and to the children in time. Co-op shoppers have a little over two weeks to choose a child or two and return the gifts. The colored ornaments have wish lists for each child, allowing you to choose a gift you will enjoy giving and they will enjoy receiving. Although it is not necessary to get everything on the list, many of you have in the past and you are welcome to again this year. We ask that all gifts be returned by Monday, December 19th. Please, please do honor this deadline. Some families and foster families have more than one child in the program. When one child gets a gift and another does not (because an ornament is taken but a gift is not returned to the Co-op in time) it can be devastating for that child.

11th annual make a child smile beginning dec.1 in Abq dec.2 in Santa Fe dec.5 in Gallup

YOU OWN IT Look for the Annual Holiday Giving Trees at all CO-OP locations

Return gifts to any CO-OP by Dec. 19th 2

Please gift-wrap the gift and tape the colored ornament with the child’s name and agency on the outside. As many of these children are victims of poverty, abuse and neglect, placed in the care of these agencies by order of the courts, some of the names of the children have been altered for their protection. Taping the ornaments that have the agency name and an ornament code number to the top of the gift will help us get your gift to the right child. Given the state of the economy, we know that times are tight, but we pray that you all will once again reach out to these children. If you helped “Make a Child Smile” last year or any year during the last 10 years we have sponsored this program, we are deeply grateful and hope you will find the time and resources to do so again this year. If this is your first Co-op holiday season we hope you will help us “Make a Child Smile.” Give yourself the gift of giving. Together we can share the true spirit of the season and re-kindle a light of hope in the hearts of some of our community’s most special children, making the world a little brighter, a little better for us all. For more information contact Robyn at 505-2172027, or e-mail her at memb@lamontanitacoop.com.

december 2005

co-op’s got the

spirit

Make a Child Smile Participating Organizations: Peanut Butter and Jelly Day School For well over 30 years, PB&J Family Services, Inc. has been working to keep children safe and help families survive. PB&J continues to pioneer innovative approaches to the prevention of child abuse and neglect and the preservation of the family through interactive parenting and bonding programs in its Peanut Butter & Jelly Therapeutic Preschools. Over the years PB&J has worked with tens of thousands of individuals in thousands of families in a number of diverse programs. The programs grow out of their work at their Therapeutic Preschools, located in Albuquerque’s South Valley and in Bernalillo, from their home-based programs and in their TEENS program at the Cuba, NM, High School — focusing on breaking the often generational cycle of family dysfunction.

Enlace Communitario Enlace Comunitario (EC)’s primary mission is to work with Latino immigrants to eliminate domestic violence and strengthen the community. The organization was incorporated in 2000 but the core management and professional team have been working together since 1995. Our efforts have produced a dynamic continuum of services for both victims of domestic violence and their children including: safety planning; assessment; individual and group counseling; referrals to services (housing, health, financial, etc.); parenting and life-skills classes; legal advocacy; economic development; crisis intervention; and community education. But what makes EC innovative is that its approach goes beyond providing services to include advocacy, leadership development, and community organizing projects to make long term systemic changes and strengthen the community. Last year, we served over 350 Albuquerque women and children and thousands more were reached through educational and organizing campaigns.

In the program that serves children with an incarcerated parent, PB&J works to break the cycle of crime. Often angry and feeling abandoned, these children are six to eight times more likely to be imprisoned themselves than other youngsters. PB&J’s Impact program works with them and their incarcerated parent in four New Mexico prisons and with middle school and high school youngsters in the South Valley through the KidPACT program. More than 80 percent of the families PB&J works with make progress toward meeting their goals. Many of the children we work with have low self-esteem. Your gift helps them have a holiday season to remember. Mil gracias! For further information you may contact Donna Brew at (505) 877-7060. New Mexico Parent Child Resources New Mexico Parent & Child Resources, Inc. is a non-profit agency that provides treatment foster care for severe emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children from 3-18 years of age. These children are too seriously disturbed to be a part of traditional foster care programs. Our treatment foster children have been abused and neglected by their families and many have spent a great deal of time in psychiatric hospitals and residential treatment centers. These children are now living with treatment foster families as an alternative to being institutionalized. We are working extremely hard to help these deserving children return to society and have a chance at life as you and I know it. We would like to thank the Co-op community for the support you have shown us and the many holiday gifts you have provided over the past years for our children. Thank you! Happy holidays from the NMPCR staff and the children!

Domestic violence affects families from all backgrounds. Unfortunately, women from immigrant communities are often at greater risk and are less likely to access needed services. They face cultural and language barriers to police and social services, increased threats of becoming separated from their children through deportation or international child abduction, less access to public benefits, and less awareness of their plight by churches, schools and the community at large. Please contact us at 2468972 if you have any questions or want to support Enlace.

Valley

Gallup

New Mexico Department of Children, Youth and Families Bernalillo County Child Protective Services (CPS) is a division of the New Mexico’s Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD). CYFD receives hundreds of reports every month regarding abuse/neglect of children. Social workers investigate the allegations, and when needed, intervene with families to ensure the safety of children. This intervention may consist of crisis counseling, referrals to community resources or other community supports, or in worst case scenarios the Department requests custody of the children. Children in CYFD custody are placed in a licensed foster home. Foster parents give temporary care to children while they are in CYFD custody providing a protective and safe home, structure, nurturing, and assistance in preparing the child to return to his/her home, or to be adopted. In New Mexico everyone is mandated by law to report child abuse, neglect, or exploitation. To report child abuse or neglect please call: Albuquerque Metro Area, 841-6100 or Statewide 1-800-797-3260. Bernalillo County has a group of very dedicated foster families, but the need is greater than the number of available families. If you feel you could provide a safe home for children in CYFD custody, please call Foster a Future, at 1-800-432-2075. Working together we can make a difference in a child's life. Thank you for your interest and concern for the children of New Mexico this year, in the past, and in the future.

Co-op’s got the Giving Spirit

s a community-owned organization we feel it is part of our mission to support the community that supports the Co-op. To that end the Coop is continually looking for ways in which to help local organizations raise the funds they need to continue their work. Co-op Scrip: This year we are pleased to have introduced the new “Co-op Scrip” program that helps organizations raise money. Participating organizations make one dollar on every ten, their supporters get to eat local and organic Co-op food, and the Co-op has made a 10% donation to organizations doing good things in our community. So far we have a number of schools in both Santa Fe and Albuquerque that are participating. Ongoing Community Support: All year long hundreds of organizations come to the Co-op for help and support in their fundraisng and educational efforts. These are just a few of the many organizations the Coop has made donations to this year:

Martin Luther King Elementary School, Valley High School Boosters Clubs, Monte Vista Elementary School, Project Share, Tsunami Relief/Red Cross, Vecinos United, U.N.M. Fair Trade Initiative, Albuquerque High School, Amigos Bravos, Harwood Arts Center, Lew Wallace Elementary, Temple Albert, SEED University, Little Earth Day School, Southwest Research and Information Center, U.N.M. College of Nursing, Live Artz Co-op, KUNM Public Radio, Animal Humane Association of New Mexico, Bandelier Elementary School, Latin American Support Coalition, Jefferson Middle School, Escuela del Sol School, Albuquerque Homeless Advocacy Coalition, Off Center Arts, Permacultura America Latina, Human Needs Coordinating Council, Los Alamos Study Group, Child of All Nations, Rape Crisis Center, Dominican Sisters Retreat Center, Nahalat Shalom, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Bernalillo Parks and Rec Center Summer Children’s Program, Health Care for the Homeless, Bioneers, Sage Council, Citizens for Alternatives to Radioactive Dumping, Outpost Performance Space, Santa Fe Permaculture Coalition, Ecoversity, Alley Gardens, Silver Ave. Neighborhood Association, NM Wilderness Alliance, Big Brothers Big Sisters and many others.

Co-op Values Cooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others. Co-op Principles 1 Voluntary and Open Membership 2 Democratic Member Control 3 Member Economic Participation 4 Autonomy and Independence 5 Education, Training and Information 6 Cooperation among Cooperatives 7 Concern for Community The Co-op Connection is published by La Montanita Co-op Supermarket to provide information on La Montanita Co-op Supermarket, the cooperative movement, and the links between food, health, environment and community issues. Opinions expressed herein are of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Co-op.

CO-OP

YOU OWN IT december 2005

shop with

integrity

Local Product Spotlight: Shepar d’s Lamb

ntonio and Molly Manzanares are producing high quality lamb in the way it has been done for generations in northern New Mexico. They pasture their sheep in high mountain meadows around their home in the Tierra Amarilla/ Chama area. Molly says,” Almost any person you talk to who is native to this area has stories about their fathers, grandfathers or other family members who raised sheep or herdfor ed sheep for someone else in the past.”

Their flock grazes on lush native mountain grasses (wheat grass, grama, and fescues) and their favorite shrubs, such as mountain mahogany and snowberry. Another favorite feed of the lambs is plumajillo (yarrow). While in summer pasture, the flock and the shepherd's your holiday table camp are moved to a new location weekly. This allows the ewes and lambs to have access to fresh feed at all times and ensures the long term good health of the range.

organic lamb

The Manzanares are one of very few sheep herding families left. Molly writes, “There has been a steep and steady decline in numbers of sheep due to people changing over to cattle or getting out of the ranching business entirely. The pressures from governmental concerns, environmental concerns, predators and changing land tenure patterns are great. Coupled with recent drops in wool and lamb prices in the traditional marketplace, raising sheep has become a risky proposition at best. The number of flocks in Northern New Mexico is still declining, with only two range flocks left in all of Rio Arriba County and more small flocks disappearing from small family farms.”

La Montanita Co-op is pleased to offer this high quality local product. All the lamb that the Co-op carries comes farm Shepherd's Lamb flocks and is produced on their family ranch in the mountains of Northern New Mexico. Shepard’s Lamb is certified organic and Antonio and Molly are members of the New Mexico Organic Livestock Cooperative. By maintaining control of their product, from raising the lambs to marketing them, they are able to offer the highest quality lamb available anywhere today.

Classical Homeopathy Visceral Manipulation Craniosacral Therapy

MARY ALICE COOPER, MD St. Raphael Medical Center 204 Carlisle NE Albuquerque, NM 87106

505-266-6522

PLANTS THEOF SOUTHWEST

Their lambs are never in a feedlot and are not fed livestock waste products which have been implicated in the spread of BSE ( mad cow disease). Because they eat plenty of fresh feed and get plenty of exercise, they have the delicate taste that is the hallmark of Shepherd's Lamb. Recent studies have shown that when animals are raised on a natural diet of grass, their meat products are lower in "bad" fats and calories, but higher in potentially lifesaving "good" fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, which are

Compared with grainfed meat, grassfed meat has as much as four times more vitamin E, five times more cancer-fighting CLA, three times more heart-friendly omega3s, and twice as much beta-carotene. It is also lower in calories, total fat, and saturated fat. The Manzanares family uses rotational grazing methods that build healthy soils and preserve and sustain water supplies. Their sustainable methods also assure the most humane treatment of all their animals. La Montanita Co-op is pleased to be able to support this fine family of New Mexican farmers. If you want the very best for your holiday table and throughout the new year choose local organic, grass-fed Shepard’s Lamb. Not only will you be eating the finest, healthiest meat available, you will be supporting our local economy by keeping traditional New Mexican farmers on the land and farming. To special order rack or leg of lamb or other special cuts, contact Frank in Albuquerque in the North Valley at 242-8800 or in Nob Hill at 265-4631. In Santa Fe please call Grace at 984-2852 for special orders.

Shop with Integrity... Buy Local! For years the Co-op has worked to build a strong local economy by supporting local farmers and producers. Our purchases of local products have increased substantially over the years due to your support of this effort. We hope that you will expand your support by extending it to include other local and family owned businesses.

nationals supports your friends and neighbors and sustains a strong local economy.

This Co-op Connection is filled with ideas and suggestions for un-commercializing your holiday festivities. (See pages 12 and 13 in this issue). And while we totally support the concept, it is clear that the joy of giving gifts is a delight that honors both the one who gives and the one who receives. Shopping at locally owned and operated businesses rather than with the big box corporate multi-

Throughout the Co-op News you can find a variety of products and services brought to you by fine local business people. We urge your support of these independently owned and operated businesses. When you do shop — please, shop with integrity. Shop wisely: Shop Co-op and buy local. Thanks, Robyn Seydel

Purchasing gifts made by local artists and crafts people in cooperatives or from fair trade organizations is investing in a set of beliefs that give hope for the future.

spotlight on

meat

Place your order by Dec. 16

Your Coop has a variety of specialty meats available for your Winter Holiday celebrations. Turkeys and large turkey breasts, duck, Cornish game hens, roasts, boneless hams, rack of lamb, organic prime rib, seafood, fish, elk and bison.

To place an order call Frank in Nob Hill 265-4631 or the Valley 242-8800. Or Grace in Santa Fe at 984-2852.

small is more

HOLIDAY PARTIES Dec 1 Nob Hill 5-8pm Dec 10 Santa Fe 11-3pm Dec 17 Valley 1-5pm see you there!

at your Co-op! 4

essential for growth and development and protective against disease. The healthiest meat is grassfed like Shepard’s Lamb.

December 7 - 21

Exhibition of small works and fundraiser for the Harwood Art Center deadline for entry December 2

HARWOOD

ART

1114 7th Street NW at Mountain Road. For more information, call 505-242-6367

CENTER december 2005

shop local for great gifts Fill Your Christmas Stocking This Year At

The Herb Store A Stocking Stuffer Buffett With Most Items Under $5.00 107 Carlisle Blvd SE • 255-8878

PAPERS! For a plethora of paper, as well as holiday cards & gifts that will amaze! Nob Hill Shopping Center 114 Amherst SE 254-1434 Mon.-Sat. 10:30-6:30 Sun. 11-5

Peace

on Earth Shop with Integrity Support Local Businesses...

Shop CO-OP

Two Uncommon Shops Under One Roof

GALLERY ONE

TERRA FIRMA Comfortable Fashion Footwear

505-268-7449 Contemporary crafts—Folk Art—Jewelry—Cards—Casual Clothing

THE PUEBLO LOFT

113 Carlisle S.E. Albuquerque, NM 87106

3500 Central Ave. SE Albuquerque, NM 87106 in the Historic Nob Hill Shopping Center

In Historic Nob Hill Shopping Center

505-268-8764 Storytellers—Masks—Miniatures—Zuni Fetishes (Including Horses)

505.260.0507 december 2005

co-op news

december 2005 6

Y our C o-op BOD Education Foundation by Tom Hammer our Co-op Board of Directors is in the process of setting the stage for facilitating fundraising/grant writing for the purpose of education and outreach in the areas of cooperative principles, natural foods, organics, health etc. An idea spearheaded by Board member Andrew Stone, the intention is to increase the Co-op’s ability to be a more active member of our community, to educate people on issues related to our co-op, and make connections with new parts of our community.

We started out exploring the option of creating our own non-profit sister foundation, and have been approached by the Permaculture Credit Union and Ecoversity (both of Santa Fe) with the idea of joining together to create a foundation we can all utilize. Legally, the opera-

Paul Barlow

M A S S A G E T H E R A P I S T

242-1795

Polarity Somato-Emotional Release Cranio -Sacral Swedish RPP LMT #2663

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in the Old Town Area

gardenscapes, inc. ❃ landscape installation & maintenance beautiful outdoor spaces custom wooden furniture

Walter Dods (505) 681-5371 cell licensed and insured

The Sun-News The Sun- ews

Our monthly press run of 15,000 copies Distributed as far north as Abiquiú and Taos, Los Alamos and Española, Pojoaque and Santa Fe, and as far south as Placitas, Bernalillo, Río Rancho, Albuquerque, Cedar Crest, Edgewood, Moriarty, and pretty much everywhere in between!

Sun Books

Inpirational, Motivational, Self Help and Success Books Authors such as Orison Swett Marden, James Allen, Christian D. Larson, Prentice Mulford, Ralph Waldo Trine, Russell H. Conwell, Emile Coué, and many more.

Phone: 505-471-5177 www.SunBooks.com www.ABookSource.com info@sunbooks.com

info@sunbooks.com

Los Poblanos Organics www.LosPoblanosOrganics.com

681-4060

Considering

tion of and accounting for such a foundation needs to be completely separate from those systems responsible for our businesses. Proceeding down this route would require a massive investment of time, energy, and expertise up front, and the ongoing responsibility for overseeing such an operation would be no small task either. Another option is to join an “umbrella” group, which would have the 501(c)(3) status needed to legally raise and use money in the way we’re wanting to do. Such groups typically charge a relatively low percentage fee on incoming monies in exchange for providing the legal framework required for raising funds and being ultimately responsible for the proper use of such funds. This route would require a much smaller investment up front, and the costs over the rest of the course of our engagement would be directly related to the level of our activity. At the time this article is being written, the Board committee developing this whole idea is of a mind that creating a foundation (whether it be on our own or with other like-minded groups)

from the bottom up is too huge an undertaking for the level of interest so far to justify. We’ve decided to more completely investigate the details (pro and con) of utilizing an umbrella group—the cost seems to be more manageable at this time. As long as the fees are not prohibitive, and we have enough control and freedom to do the things we are interested in doing, we can start small, with minimal investment, and see where it takes us. After some time, with successes under our belt and increased involvement by our members, creating and sustaining our own foundation may not seem so daunting. So, we’re putting out a call to any and all members interested in furthering this venture. We need ideas for education/outreach projects, grant writers (or people willing to learn about grant writing), project managers, and anyone with experience and skills around non-profits. We are really excited about the possibilities in doing this and would appreciate any feedback or assistance available. Here’s how you can reach the Board: Email: bod@lamontanitacoop.com Regular Post: La Montanita Coop, 3500 Central Ave. S.E. Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106 Attention: Board of Directors

Local Product Spotlight: Santa Fe Cider Company Over 400 years ago Spanish settlers following the Camino Real north from central Mexico planted the first apple orchards in what is now the United States. The old world apple seedlings thrived the on hot days, cold nights and mineral rich soils in the majestic land that in l912 would become the State of New Mexico. The "silver apples of the moon and golden apples of the sun" grew robust, tart and tangy.

the champagne of

apple cider

Cider was the most common fruit beverage in the U.S. up to the mid 19th century. Without refrigeration, fresh juice was very perishable, so apple juice was virtually all 'hard cider', being allowed to ferment to a low alcohol content, usually around 5 percent alcohol. Next to water, cider was the cheapest, widely available beverage year round. In 1999 cider maker masters Paul and Ruth Laur founded the Santa Fe Cider Company. Their intention was to revive fine traditional fruit ciders,

develop and support New Mexico's organic apple orchards and boost the region's green economy. Fresh from outfitting an ultra premium Caribbean ”Pyrat Rum” factory with a production capacity of over 100,000 cases/year, Paul Laur was perfectly qualified to begin the creation of Santa Fe Cider Company.

Today a light, crisp cider of premium quality is pressed from magical northern New Mexican apples by The Santa Fe Cider Company and presented in champagne bottles fit to grace the most elegant of holiday tables. La Montanita Co-op is honored to carry the Santa Fe Cider Company’s delicious locally made cider. Bring a bottle or two of Santa Fe Cider to your next gathering of family and friends. Join us in raising a glass of Santa Fe Sparkling Cider in a toast to health, prosperity and happiness ... Salud!

Shop Your Co-op: Fair Trade, Fair Made Products for this... and every season

air Trade, Fair Made as defined by Equal Exchange, one of the leaders in the Fair Trade Movement and one of our Co-op’s main coffee suppliers, is a series of core values. They include: • To always pay a fair price to the farmer, including a guaranteed minimum when market prices are low, and above market premiums for quality and certified organic products. • To work directly with democratically run farming cooperatives - businesses that are owned and governed by the farmers - so that the benefits of trade actually reach the farmers and their communities. • To provide vital advanced credit to farmers, which is normally unavailable or offered at prohibitive rates. Credit provides income between harvests and helps farmers stay out of debt. • To encourage ecologically sustainable farming practices that help build a long-term economic base for farmers while protecting their communities, the environment and consumers from dangerous chemicals. • To develop long-term trade relations based on trust and respect. From Dana Lusby, Valley Grocery DTL

The Co-op carries a variety of Fair Trade products. We hope you will consider them for your holiday gift list: Gyayaki Yerba Mate' Equal Exchange Coffee (bulk and bagged) Endangered Species Chocolate Bars and • Choconut hazelnut butter • Chocolate • Cocoa for baking • Hot Cocoa mix Third Street Chai Dagaba Chocolates Rapanzel Chocolates Aroma Organic Coffees Organic Coffee Co. Frontier Teas in Bulk Cashews in Bulk Wholesome Sugar Eco Teas Yachana Jungle Chocolates

co-op news

december 2005 7

the inside scoop

by C.E. PUGH

General Managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Column Watch your mailbox for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Co-op patronage refund check. While the Board will formally declare this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s refund after I write this column, it appears that we will return approximately $190,000 to our members. This marks our 15th patronage refund in the past 16 years. La Montanita was unable to issue a refund in 2000 as the Co-op incurred a loss that year associated with the opening of the Valley store. La Montanita has now returned over $1,750,000 to our members. Your patronage refunds are one important aspect of Co-op membership as we

return income from the business to you, the owners. We only mail checks of $5.00 and more, so check the information desk at one of our locations if you do not receive a check. Your support of our cooperatively owned business continues to grow, and we are very grateful for the opportunity to be of service to you. Please donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hesitate to let us know if we fail to exceed your expectations in any way. I hope you enjoy a restful and relaxing holiday season, C.E. Pugh

Calendar of Events 12/5 12/7 12/11 12/20 12/24 12/25 12/31 1/1 TBA

Social Responsibility Committee, Nob Hill Annex 5:30pm Member Linkage, Valley 5:30pm Coffee with the Board, Valley 10am-12pm Board of Directors Meeting, 5:30pm Santa Fe Location to be announced. All Co-op stores close at 6pm All Co-op stores closed All Co-op stores open regular hours Co-op stores open regular hours, Gallup store closed Finance Committee Meeting, 303 San Mateo NE 5pm For other December Co-op events please see page 1!

Co-op Speaker Series At La Montanita, we know that the stupendous growth of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;naturalâ&#x20AC;? and organic food segments has whetted the appetite of many mega corporate-industrial giants who want to cash in on the dollar bonanza of consumer interest in healthy food. What happens when the cool, indie brands we thought we were buying turn out to be either owned or heavily invested in by Phillip Morris, Pepsico or General Electric? How do we strategize when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve weaseled their way right into our midst? One of the ideas in the incubator right now is a monthly speaker series that would run for three months and highlight growers and others who are deeply involved in

keeping it as local as possible. La Montanita has a committed relationship with local/regional growers who work hard to practice sustainable agriculture and ranching. Stay tuned for more information on progress regarding this seed idea, which is tentatively slated to start in January. Contact Tam at bod@lamontanitacoop.com. Also, stay tuned for the monthly â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coffee with the Boardâ&#x20AC;?, scheduled for December 11th at the Rio Grande store. Swing by and schmooze with your elected Board members. Word is theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re serving up delicious grub from our very own deli and of course, coffee, both turbo and non-turbo charged.

Boar d Brief:

The board discussed its role in political activities. Currently there are no specific guidelines, and the board responds to issues on a case-by-case basis. It was decided that the Policy Development Committee should draft a policy that would help guide future discussions without overly restricting them.

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The Finance Committee reported that patron dividends are expected to be about the same as last year. This information will be presented formally in an article in this newsletter. A schedule was suggested for meetings to be held in Santa Fe. It was agreed that the Board will meet in Santa Fe three times a year; the next time will be Dec. 20 at 6:30pm. Members are invited to attend monthly board meetings on the third Tues. of the month. The next meeting will be held at 5:30pm at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church at Carlisle and Silver avenues in Albuquerque.

LOCAL SALE ITEMS 505 Organics

Albuquerque, NM Organic Green Enchilada Sauce or Salsa, 16 oz, Sale 2/$6

Tijeras Organic Alchemy Albuquerque, Primrose Body Wash, 12 oz, Sale $8.99

Hatch Deming, NM Red or Green Enchilada Sauce, 15-16 oz, Select varieties, Sale 2/$5 Tamale Molly

Santa Fe, NM Gourmet Vegetarian Tamales, 10.3 oz, Assorted varieties, Sale $3.69

Herbs, Etc. Santa Fe, NM Echinacea Triple Source Plus, 1 oz, Sale $7.99

VALID IN-STORE ONLY from 11/30-1/3, 2006: Not

The board discussed the issue of whether a member has to be a primary member of a household to run for the board. This needs further evaluation, and the Bylaw Amendment Committee will analyze the current bylaw and make a recommendation on how best to clarify this issue.

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Julie Hicks, the boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current secretary, whose term ends this year, has had to resign effective immediately for personal reasons. The boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advisory member, Susan Cizek from Gallup, will be approached to fill this seat in the interim period. Also, Roger Eldridge, a current board member, will serve as interim secretary for the next two months.

all items available at all stores.

from $10-up, give the gift of great tasting healthy food!

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Meeting of September 20, 2005 by Shirley Coe, Administrative Assistant he general manager described a new Co-op â&#x20AC;&#x153;Scripâ&#x20AC;? program. The Santa Fe Marketplace had a similar program in place. The program entails selling discounted Co-op scrip-certificates to nonprofits 501(c)3 at a 10% discount. The organizations can then sell them at full value for fundraising efforts.

need a perfect gift? COOP GIFT certificates

Contact angela@lamontanitacoop.com to advertise

To Our Cherished Customers and Friends It is with deep regret that Pollo Real is stopping production of organic chicken. We truly appreciate our customers who have supported our family farm for the past ten years. We are available to talk with you at anytime. You can reach us at 505-838-0345, or e-mail at organic@zianet.com, or write to us at P.O. Box 1429 Socorro, NM 87801. It was a great pleasure to provide you all with our quality poultry products. Please keep in touch with us. Thank you, Tom Delehanty and Tracey Hamilton

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM YOUR CO-OP!

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HO T

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Dr. Bronnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sun Dog Organic Lip Balm

Organic Fruit

69 $

.15 oz., selected varieties

Cascadian Far m

*Valid in-store 11/30 - 01/03

R.W. Knudsen Spritzers

10 oz.

selected varieties

6 pack selected varieties

Crown Prince Pink Salmon

Celestial Seasonings Holiday Tea

Westbrae Westsoy Plus

20 ct.,selected varieties

7.5 oz

32 oz.

other selected varieties

Crown Prince products also on sale

Boiron Oscillococcinum

Traditional Medicinals Herbal Tea

2/ 5 $

32oz.,selected varieties

selected varieties

Spectr um Naturals Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

8.99

25.4 oz.

16ct.

6 dose.

Santa Cr uz Organics Organic Juice

Organic Valley Organic Eggnog

Sonoma Sparkler Sparkling Juice

750 ml., selected varieties

32oz.

Co-op Sponsors

... Cooking with Gonzales Elementar y School

Children Eat Co-op Food Cooking with Kids offers two types of classes and supports new cafeteria meals. Children work with and taste a variety of fresh, healthy foods and learn about making positive food choices. Throughout the school year, students participate in an introductory class, five cooking classes and five tasting classes. Cooking with Kids lunches are offered about twice a month in school cafeterias.

La Montanita's Santa Fe location is pleased to be sponsoring a year's worth of Cooking with Kids Classes at our neighborhood school, Gonzales Elementary. Overall the Cooking with Kids program is now working with 4,450 students in eleven Santa Fe schools. All twenty-one Santa Fe Elementary Schools are now serving Cooking with Kids school lunches several times a month. Each Cooking class focuses on making dishes from one region of the world. This year's cooking classes are Stovetop Pizza with Tri-Color Salad, Vegetable Tamales, Paella, North African Tajine, and Asian Noodles. Cooking classes are taught by a trained food educator and the classroom teacher. Family volunteers are invited and welcomed.

Cooking with Kids provides a Spanish/English food journal for each student. Each two-hour cooking class begins by looking at a map or globe, reading about the history of foods they are using, how they are grow, and how these foods help our bodies. That food comes from anywhere beyond the grocery store is a topic they revisit often. While the food is cooking, younger children might practice writing a sentence in their food journal about what the group has made. Older students might do some recipe math. When the food is ready, children learn to wait until everyone is served before eating, to say 'Please' and 'Thank you' and 'Please pass the salad'. While they eat, they listen to music from that part of the world. At the close of their Cooking with Kids meal everyone washes their own plates. Recipes are available in Spanish and English to take home. For more information on the Cooking with Kids Program go to their web site at www.cookingwithkids.net At Gonzales Elementary School there are 334 children participating in the Cooking with Kids program that the Co-op funds. We observed Ms. Pachecoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 5th grade class prepare and enjoy 82 tamales.

Kids

delectable

dishes

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december 2005 10

deliciously

dif fer ent Celebrate family, friendship, and culture this holiday season with good food! The following offerings are a mix of both healthy and decadent traditional dishes for Kwanzaa, Hanukah, and down-home Christmas merriment. Broaden your pallet and fill your table with something deliciously different this holiday season. Adapted and reprinted from the following sources: www.homecooking.about.com www.theholidayspot.com www.members.tripod.com www.holidaycook.com www.cooksrecipes.com www.southernfoodabout.com La Montanita Deli Staff (C = cup, T = tablespoon, t = teaspoon, # = pound, oz = ounce) Butterflied Lamb with Fresh Rosemary 6 # boneless leg lamb roast, butterflied 1/4 C olive oil 2 T lemon juice 1 T fresh rosemary 2 t ground black pepper 1 t garlic powder 1 t salt 1 bay leaf Trim fat from lamb. Discard fat and place lamb in a pan large enough to hold it flat. In a small mixing bowl, blend olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, pepper, garlic powder, salt, and crushed bay leaf. Coat lamb with mixture and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Before cooking, let lamb sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat broiler. Place lamb in a broiler pan and cook 5 inches under broiler for approximately 15 minutes on each side; this will produce a medium-rare roast. Remove lamb from heat about 5 degrees from desired doneness and let sit for 10 minutes loosely covered with foil. This allows the meat to finish cooking while the juices distribute evenly throughout the roast before slicing. Serves 16. Easy Cauliflower Latkes 1 large cauliflower (about 2 pounds) Salt to taste 6 to 7 T vegetable oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 6 T unseasoned bread crumbs 2 large eggs Freshly ground pepper Sour Cream (optional)

Cook cauliflower in a large pan of boiling salted water, uncovered, over high heat for about 12 minutes or until very tender. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet, add onion, and cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes or until soft and golden brown. Drain cauliflower thoroughly and mash with a fork or chop in a food processor. There should still be pieces but not large ones. Add bread crumbs, eggs, fried onion, and salt and pepper to taste and mix well with a wooden spoon. Wipe pan used to fry onion, add 4 tablespoons oil, and heat it. Take 1 heaping tablespoon cauliflower mixture in your hand and press to make it compact. Flatten it to a cake about 1/2-inch thick and add to pan. Make 4 or 5 more cakes and add them. Fry over medium heat about 3 minutes on each side or until brown. Turn carefully using a wide pancake turner. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm by placing in a 300 degrees F. oven with door ajar while frying rest. Add more oil to pan if it becomes dry. Serve plain or with sour cream. Serves 6. Lighter Latkes: Try baking the latkes rather than frying. This works especially well with any traditional potato latke recipe, using baking potatoes in your mix. Brush a baking sheet with a scant teaspoon of oil or use spray oil. Drop the latke batter onto the sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees. Turn and bake 6 minutes longer or until crisp. Serve with fresh homemade applesauce spiced with fragrant ground cinnamon. Makes the perfect side dish. Herb Crumbed Broccoli Butter-flavored vegetable cooking spray 2-4 T chopped pecans 1/4 C dry unseasoned breadcrumbs 1/2 t dried marjoram leaves 1/4 t dried chervil leaves 2 T finely chopped parsley 1 1/2 # broccoli, cut into florets and stalks sliced Salt and pepper, to taste Steam broccoli. Spray small skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Add pecans and spray with cooking spray; cook over medium heat until toasted, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add breadcrumbs, marjoram, and chervil to skillet; cook until crumbs are toasted, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Season broccoli with salt and pepper to taste; arrange in serving bowl. Sprinkle crumb mixture over broccoli. Serves 4 to 6. Futari (African Squash And Yams) 1 sm onion, cut into 1" pieces 2 T oil 1 C coconut milk 1 # winter squash, pared and cut into 1" pieces 1/2 t salt

Dr. Deborah Wozniak DOCTOR OF ORIENTAL MEDICINE

FAMILY PRACTICE 6501 4th Street NW, Suite E Albuquerque NM 87107

505.250.7173

NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED IN ACUPUNCTURE & HERBOLOGY

delectable

dishes

1/2 t ground cinnamon 2 medium-size yams or sweet potatoes 1/4 t ground cloves Cook and stir onion in oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Serves 6 to 8. Benne Cakes Cooking oil, enough to grease a cookie sheet 1 C finely packed brown sugar 1/4 C butter or margarine, softened 1 egg, beaten 1/2 t vanilla extract 1 t freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 C all-purpose flour 1/2 t baking powder 1/4 t salt 1 C toasted sesame seeds Preheat the oven to 325Â°. Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Mix together the brown sugar and butter and beat until they are creamy. Stir in the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and sesame seeds. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto the cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 mintues or until the edges are browned. Enjoy!

december 2005 11

each circle into 16 wedges using a pastry cutter or a pizza cutter. Roll each wedge from base to point. Place point down on a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-17 minutes at 375 degrees (or until golden). Remove to racks to cool. Yields 64 cookies. A Few Suggestions for Sides from our Co-op Deli:

Special orders: Nob Hill: 265-4631 Valley: 242-8800 Santa Fe: 984-2852

Sugar Free Rugelach

Vegan Ginger Snaps

1 8 2 2 1 1 2 1

10 C whole wheat pastry flour 1 T baking soda 1 T baking powder 2 t salt 2 C canola oil 3 C molasses 1 C maple syrup 1 T ground clove 4 T dried ground ginger 1 T minced fresh ginger

CO-OP

deli

For an added special touch, combine 2 tablespoons each of brown sugar, butter, and rum in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until butter and brown sugar melt. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/2 cup roasted and chopped pecans. Pour over carrot mixture in bowl and gently toss.

Benne cakes are a food from West Africa. Benne means â&#x20AC;&#x153;sesame seeds,â&#x20AC;? which are eaten for good luck. This treat is still eaten in some parts of the American South. (Recipe by HarperCollins)

Cream together the margarine and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer. Blend in the vanilla. Mix in the flour. Chill the dough. To make the filling: Mix together the chopped raisins, chopped walnuts, and cinnamon. If you have a food processor, place the whole walnuts and raisins into the bowl, sprinkle with the cinnamon, and chop them together by processing in short pulses. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll out each portion into a 10 - 12 inch circle 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured board or between two sheets of waxed paper. Spread a light layer of preserves (approximately 2 tablespoons) onto each dough circle. Sprinkle each circle with approximately 1/4 cup of the chopped nut-raisin-cinnamon mixture. Cut

Sweet or savory, deli platters, baked goods, pies and more!

Glazed Carrots can be made a few different ways. Start with about 2 pounds (for 8 servings) of julienne carrots and boil in about one cup of water. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender (approx. 10 min). Drain and stir in salt and 2/3 cup orange marmalade or apricot preserves and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.

Green Peas with White Sauce: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quick, easy, and a tasty addition to any meal! Use fresh or frozen peas. While the peas are steaming, make rue by melting 2 tablespoons of butter/margarine in a hot skillet and stirring in 2 T flour. Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly add milk or soymilk 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until consistency is that of a thin gravy. Add a pinch of nutmeg, salt to taste, and your favorite seasonings, such as garlic and/or parmesan cheese.

C margarine oz cream cheese, softened (try low-fat) 3/4 C all-purpose flour t vanilla extract C chopped raisins C chopped walnuts T ground cinnamon C apricot spreadable fruit

The Co-op Deli makes your holiday entertaining easy!

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holiday treats

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special section The Beauty of Alternative Giving

How to Have a Very Merry Low Waste

Holiday by Ivy Edmondson ccording to the latest statistics, Americans throw away 1 million extra tons of trash during the period from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, a total of 25 million tons of waste for the holiday season. This year, why not take a moment to consider what holiday giving is all about? Love, sharing and celebrating with friends and family, and teaching our children about the values of generosity! The best gift we can give our children and future generations is a cleaner world. Try and help children (and possibly some of your peers) understand that the products we buy come from the Earth’s resources, and that things don’t simply vanish when the garbage is picked up. Holiday giving is a beautiful thing when it is less consumer-oriented and more waste-wise. Here are a few great alternatives to giving plastic toys or unneeded items for a low waste holiday!

Some Basic Tips: • If you would like to avoid getting a lot of material gifts at Christmas, send out cards ahead of time to friends and family with a list of charities to donate to in your name. It’s a gift that always fits. • Give gifts that are what friends and family really want or need.

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Choose practical gifts you know they can use. • When you go shopping, take your own shopping bags. • Gift certificates or a charitable donation in the recipient’s honor make great gifts as well as homemade food or something you have made yourself from reused items. Encourage your children to do the same. • Try limiting purchasing to gifts for your own children and parents/in-laws and make or give alternative gifts for the rest. • Wrap a gift inside a gift. Instead of wrapping presents for the kids, hide the presents, and turn it into a treasure hunt. • Decide as a family to work fewer hours, spend less and have more time together. • Discuss these tips with the people on your gift list. Decide together that you will reduce waste this holiday season.

Make Your Own Greeting Cards! • For children and adults: Use recycled paper and have fun! There are homemade paper kits available at most craft stores. Another fun idea is to recycle old holiday cards, cutting out fun shapes to paste on colorful recycled card stock. Use glitter, stickers, stamps, crayons, old photos, collected quotes, collage clippings and lots of imagination! • Save paper and send holiday e-greetings to family, friends, and business associates who are on-line. Hand-made, Unique and Personal Gifts: • Artists and craftspeople: Make pottery, knit sweaters or scarves, personalize pillows or make aromatherapy pillows filled with lavender and other herbs, frame a photo or drawing, make frames, repaint or mosaic a used frame or other found object, make candles, soap, a birdseed ball, sock puppets for kids, or write a poem in a handmade card.

The Gift of Time: • Time is one of the most precious gifts we can give. Lend a hand to an older relative or friend by helping with their shopping. Take a friend to a concert or holiday event or on a long walk, bike ride, or hike. • Make and give "coupons" for special services that you will provide such as housecleaning, yardwork, babysitting, car-washing, gardening, cooking, massage, teaching a skill, or the promise of some other treat. • Volunteer! Include family or friends! Volunteering educates, expands the mind, introduces children to compassion, and brings families closer, creating a remembered awareness of what the holidays are really about. Soup kitchens/homeless shelters and animal shelters need help all throughout the year, but especially during the holidays. Check with your local church or volunteer hotline. Donations: Donate in the recipient's name to their favorite charity. From animals, to trees and the environment, to children's hospitals and individual health issues, there is a cause out there for everyone. Once you have decided which charity fits which person on your list, design a special card for them with details about the charity inside. As a family, sponsor a child overseas or provide a goat or chickens for a micro-enterprise as a means of teaching children to reach out to others. Both Oxfam and Alternative Gifts International can help you send necessities to impoverished communities. Alternative Gifts International is a nonprofit interfaith agency with a mission to send life-giving gifts to the needy of the world. Ninety percent of collected donations are used for designated projects. Among the list of reasons to choose charitable donations as your way to give this season, Alternative Gifts notes on their website that donations are cost effective against foreign currency. Greater buying power means more for those who need it! Alternative gifts also never go to waste; they multiply and grow, save lives, and are appreciated more than words can convey. Unlike commercial gifts, they are designed to replace lost resources and preserve what remains, are any price you want them to be, and are tax deductible. Need more convincing? Check out their website, listed below. List of Popular Charities and Websites: • Alternative Gifts International www.altgifts.org • The Alzheimer’s Association www.alz.org • American Cancer Society www.cancer.org • Amnesty International, USA www.amnestyusa.org • Friends of the Earth www.foe.org • Global Giving www.christianchildrensfund.org, www. globalfundforchildren, or www.globalfundforwomen • Global Greengrants Fund www.greengrants.org • Greenpeace www.greenpeace.org • Heifer International (a non-profit organization whose goal is to help end world hunger and poverty through selfreliance & sustainability) www.heifer.org • Hurricane Victims www.worldvision.org • The Nonviolent Peaceforce www.nonviolentpeace force.org (purchase peace bonds as gifts!) • Oxfam www.oxfamamerica.org • Vital, fair income to third world communities wwwten thousandvillages.org

• Creative writers: Write and illustrate a novella and make copies for the young people in your life. • Computer artists: Make a family calendar with everyone’s photos and birthdays and send a copy to everyone in the family. • Cooks: Put together a booklet of favorite family recipes or your own favorite recipes and give the recipes with a dish you have made. Or create a menu of various culinary delights and have the gift recipient choose one of the options. • Parents of young children: Make a tape of the children singing and/or reading stories for grandparents and other family that live far away. • Involve the kids in giving gifts they have made or decorated themselves. (There are lots of ideas at www.kidsdomain.com). • Children: Make promise cards with drawings or stamped/collaged images on recycled paper. The cards could contain promise notes, such as a promise to help wash the family car a certain number of times or help in the yard. • Adolescent or teenage kids: Make promise cards for gardening, planting, or babysitting. Make comics for friends or siblings about special shared moments, including inside jokes (fun to do, even if your drawing ability is limited!) • Older kids: Write stories to friends and family to document happy shared memories and to tell them why you love them. • Travelers: Make a travel journal with pictures and give copies to family and friends. • Music lovers: Make CDs for people of favorite songs (or of your own songs). • For the elderly people in your life, research newspaper and magazine articles from their youth and present in a creative fashion. • For siblings or children: Videotape and interview your elderly parents about childhood memories, how they met, etc. • Give something non-material, such as a song or recited poems or story. Continued on page 13

december 2005

special section The Beauty of Alternative Giving Holiday Baking: • Make fudge or cookies or other goodies, and give in a reusable container, such as a tin or gift basket, or wrap with a tea towel and secure with ribbon. • Do a make or bake among siblings, exchanging names and producing one homemade gift each. The same thing would work in the office. How about a cookie exchange? • For some great recipes for holiday goodies, check out the offerings from our Co-op Deli Bakers (below). More ideas in the October issue of the Coop Connection at lamontanitacoop.com or e-mail ivye@lamontanitacoop.com! Used/reuse: • Organize a jumble, a get-together where everyone can put their stuff in the middle of the room, and it’s all up for grabs. Arrange for Salvation Army to pick up the leftovers. • On the other hand, try giving away a valued possession. It’s a good exercise in becoming more generous and nonmaterialistic.

• Fun for kids: Fill an old trunk or suitcase with fun clothing, hats and gaudy jewelry for your children to play dress-up. • Buy a used book and in the inside cover explain why you chose the book for that person. • You may be able to find unique containers for your gifts at thrift-stores to replace the traditional wrapped box with something more interesting and reusable. If You Must Buy: • For most of those who aren't ready to move to a buy-nothing Holiday season, buy from locallyowned businesses or artisans in impoverished countries (via internet) or garage sales. Try to purchase gifts with little or no packaging and review all other options before purchasing plastics. • Try to buy organic, consumable products

(breads, teas, treats) that can be enjoyed and gone, and support sustainable businesses! Incense or candles are nice gifts that will be used up without much waste. • Give fair trade and fair made products, such as coffee or chocolate or tea. These products will be labeled fair trade and are usually organic as well. • Give gifts that replace disposable products such as cloth napkins, a dishcloth and dish towel set, or handmade pottery. • Consider "green gifts" such as rechargeable batteries and chargers, CFL bulbs to save energy, or backyard composters. • Give recycled products such as recycled printer paper, stationery, cards, and envelopes. • Fill a gift basket with the ingredients for your favorite cookie recipe, including a copy of the recipe, and cookie cutters. • For new vegetarians, create a motivational basket filled with tasty veggie treats, flavored tofu or tempeh, your favorite vegetarian recipes, and a good cookbook. • Give plants: Herbs are a particularly nice potted-plant to give. • Gardeners on your list will appreciate a selection of seeds, bulbs, or gardening books

or a state park; newspaper or magazine subscription; a gift certificate to a favorite local restaurant or day spa; swimming and skating passes. • Encourage alternative transportation by giving bus tickets or bicycle accessories. Give Them a "Good Wrap" • Use reusable gift bags or make reusable cloth gift bags out of colorful fabric. • Be creative. Wrap gifts in the comics, kids’ drawings, used posters, maps or sheet music. • Make reusable wraps using fabric remnants cut with pinking shears. Secure cloth wrapping with ribbon or raffia (biodegradable). • Reuse paper bags for wrapping and decorate with dried flowers and raffia ties for rustically beautiful packages, or let the kids decorate them with stamps and crayons for fun! • Save wrapping paper and bows for reuse. Save the fronts of holiday cards to use as gift tags next year. • Give a gift in a gift: Wrap a cookbook in a new tea towel or a book inside a pillowcase. Wrap gifts in scarves, tins, t-shirts, or socks. • Recycle: If you’re unsure about what items are accepted or how to prepare them, contact waste management in your city. Watch the local papers for Christmas tree recycling programs in your community. Keep up the Zero Waste spirit year round! Many ideas presented here were gathered and reprinted from the following sources: www.beyondborders.com www.greengiftguide.com www.greenyes.grrn.org www.newdream.org/holiday www.buynothingchristmas.org/alternatives

"wrapped" in a new planting pot. • Keep everyone in touch: Stamp and address attractive postcards for family members and give unwrapped, tied with ribbon or raffia. • Parents of adult children might give their children necessities that they would have to buy anyway. Save them a trip to the store! • Consider gifts that do not require wrapping: Lessons for music, art, dance, or a favorite sport; membership to an art museum, gym, or the zoo; tickets to a sporting event, movie theater, play, or concert; season passes to a local amusement park

Home-made Tr eats From the Co-op Deli! Irish Soda Bread (Valley) A bite of my mother's Irish Soda Bread summons all the warmth, love, and anticipation of my childhood Christmases. Every year she bakes dozens of these round loaves and gives them to wide-eyed neighbors, friends, teachers, and cousins. They freeze well, so you can make them weeks in advance and pull one out whenever you want to give a gift that will nourish and delight. - Jerry Lavin 5 C unbleached all purpose (or WW) flour 3/4 C turbinado sugar or evaporated cane juice 1 1/2 t sea salt 1 t baking soda 2 t baking powder 1/4 # butter or coconut oil 2 1/2 C Golden and/or Thomson raisins (soaked for 15-20 minutes and drained) 4 Tbsp caraway seeds (optional, but magical) 2 1/2 cups buttermilk 1 egg, slightly beaten Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9 or 10 inch cake pans heavily with butter or coconut oil. Stir together the sifted flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Cut in the butter and mix very thoroughly with your hands until it gets grainy. Stir in the raisins and caraway seeds. Combine the but-

december 2005

termilk and egg and add to the flour mixture. Stir until well moistened. Fill each pan about 2/3 of the way to the rim. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. (Vegan version: substitute 2 1/4 cup soy milk and 1/4 cup white vinegar for the buttermilk and leave out the egg).

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Cranberry Orange Bread (Nob Hill) 6 C chopped cranberries 6 C chopped walnuts 3 T baking soda 1 T salt 9 T shortening 4 1/2 C hot water 12 eggs 4 1/2 C turbinado sugar 3 C whole wheat flour 6 C whole wheat pastry flour Grease 4 bread pans, and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix cranberries, walnuts, baking soda, salt, and shortening in a large mixing bowl. Add hot water and let rest for 15 minutes. Add eggs and sugar and mix. Add flours and mix thoroughly. (It is handy to use a large electric mixer). Fill the bread pans and bake for about 6o minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center of the loaf tests clean. (Makes 4 loaves).

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2 0 2 M orn in g s id e D r. S E 13

food &

environment

december 2005 14

Fight for Organic Integrity

Organic Food Standards Facing Threats

nce laughed at, ridiculed, and dismissed, the organic food industry has been growing at a 20% annual pace for the past decade and will reach $15 billion this year. This rate of expansion, and its breadth, has captured the attention of powerful interests that are seeking to cash in on consumer hunger for wholesome food produced in an environmentally sound and sustainable manner.

Why should we be so surprised by these actions at the USDA? There's been an adversarial/confrontational environment at the National Organic Program since the beginning. The USDA did not even support organic labeling legislation when it passed as part of the 1990 farm bill. Recent complaints have included USDA bureaucrats approving food additives, fertilizers, and other inputs

Now storm clouds are gathering on the horizon. Many consumers, organic farmers, and organic watchdog groups are watching with dismay as pressures mount on the USDA from major food manufacturers and factoryfarm operators to weaken and lower national organic food and production standards. It’s putting much of the gains made over the past 15 years at risk. At last year’s meeting in Chicago of the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board, farmers and consumers alike showed up en mass to testify at the meeting. And they were searing mad! The USDA's National Organic Program had just published guidelines that would have allowed the use of antibiotics and other drugs on organic dairy farms under certain circumstances, fishmeal containing mercury and other heavy metals as well as synthetic preservatives, and the labeling of pet food, textiles, health and beauty aids, and fish for human consumption as organic without organic supervision/certification.

Corporate muscle forced changes that range from unacceptable to troubling

The public outcry forced a very public retraction of the proposals by then USDA Secretary Ann Veneman.

without, as the law requires, the guidance of the National Organic Standards Board (the NOSB is their legally mandated expert advisory panel made up of consumers, farmers, processors, and environmentalists), and ordering organic certification of an industrial-scale confinement egg producer while overruling a denial issued by an accredited organic certifier who objected to the birds lacking access to the outdoors, as required by law.

Be an Instrument of Peace

Controversy erupted again at the USDA earlier this year when The Cornucopia Institute, a Midwestern-based watchdog group representing organic family farmers, filed formal complaints against several 3000- to 5000head confinement organic dairy operations in western states. The complaints to the USDA charged that the penning of thousands of milking cows into small drylots was a violation of federal organic rules.

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All three farms identified in the formal complaints are associated with Horizon Organics, now owned by the $11 billion milk bottling giant Dean Foods. One of the factory dairies is directly owned by Horizon while they purchase additional milk from a suspect operation in California. The third factory farm, the Aurora Organic Dairy in Colorado, provides milk for private label products in grocery stores in addition to supplying Horizon. Consumers, who are paying premium prices for organic dairy products, benefit from the pasturing of the cows. The Danish Institute of Agricultural Research recently found that milk from cows farmed organically was 50% higher in Vitamin E, 75% higher in beta carotene, and higher in omega 3 essential fatty acids than conventional milk. This study tied these qualities to organic cows having room to graze and a diet high in fresh grass, clover, and forage.

The pasturing of dairy cows and other ruminants provides other positive benefits—and that’s why it was made part of the law. It builds an interrelated system between the animals and the land, working from the soil up, to promote an interdependent community. It allows animals to satisfy their natural behavioral instincts and yields improved foot and leg strength, reduces breeding problems, causes less stress, enhances immunity, and lengthens lifespans. A national survey of organic dairy farmers conducted by the Institute found that over 93% support the pasture guidance endorsed by the NOSB. The pasture controversy also brought more organic farmers to Washington, D.C. meetings than ever before. You can send a message to the USDA demanding that they close the "pasture loopholes" and crack down on these factory farms scofflaws by visiting The Cornucopia Institute's web site (www.cornucopia.org) and clicking on "Action Alerts." Soon The Cornucopia Institute will release a consumer guide ranking all organic dairy products and brands. “Based on our comprehensive research, consumers will be able to vote in the marketplace and choose those dairy foods that are produced with the strongest organic ethics and integrity,” explains Mark Kastel, Senior Policy Analyst. “We hope their voices will be loud and clear.” Besides factory farms trying to muscle in on organic dairy, egg, and beef production, at press time, large corporations and the Organic Trade Association (OTA), an industry trade group, have made an end-run, in Congress, around the organic community. They are seeking changes to the organic law that, in the eyes of many organic consumers and farmers, range from totally acceptable to troubling. But what food activists have found most objectionable is the fact that these changes have been developed in private and without the broad participation of the wide and diverse stakeholders that make up the organic community. In fact, the OTA resisted input from other sources. According to Jim Riddle, the chair of the National Organic Standards Board, the changes sought by major food manufacturers and the OTA were inserted into legislation on October 26 by Republican members of the House-Senate Conference Committee on Agricultural Appropriations, without the involvement of any Democrats. For the latest breaking news on this and other issues facing organic food and farming, visit Cornucopia's web site. by Will Fantle

The Cornucopia Institute is dedicated to the fight for economic justice for the family-scale farming community. The group’s Organic Integrity Project acts as a corporate watchdog monitoring the credibility of organic farming methods and the food it produces. Mr. Fantle is the Research Director for The Cornucopia Institute.

Local Gift Giving

he Native Plant Society of New Mexico has published a wonderful new book that is the perfect gift for anyone on your gift list that has a garden or would like to have a garden here in New Mexico. Central New Mexico Gardens: A Native Plant Selection Guide by Carolyn Dodson and Peggy Wells can help anyone transform their yard into an inviting natural landscape using native plants! This inexpensive guide is an easy to use, introductory guide featuring 94 color photographs of trees, shrubs, vines, succulents, grasses and wildflowers suitable for landscapes in central New Mexico. Colorful and rugged, these plants look superb in gardens, require minimum water to maintain, and offer food and shelter to native wildlife. Color photographs and text cover how and where to plant, cultivation and maintenance. The four main gardening areas in central New Mexico are described. Native plant nurseries are listed.

The Native Plant Society of New Mexico is a non-profit organization that promotes the conservation of New Mexico’s native flora and plant habitats, and encourages the appropriate use of native plants. NPSNM strongly advocates for the use of native plants in landscaping as a water conservation measure, for the improvement of wildlife habitat, and because native plants are integral to the environment of the Southwest. They support research and educational activities in New Mexico schools and universities. For more information as well as a complete list of books, posters and t-shirts for purchase, visit their website at: npsnm.unm.edu/. • The 40-page book is available for only $12.95 (plus shipping and handling). Discount is available when purchasing ten or more copies. Contact Katie Babuska at 505-975-0036 or k_babuska@ hotmail.com.

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community

forum

december 2005 15

Statewide

ACLU Annual Dinner Celebrating Freedom of Speech with Phil Donahue, December 9th The American Civil Liberties Union is honored that Phil Donahue will provide the keynote speech on the topic of media reform at the ACLU-NM Bill of Rights Dinner on Friday, December 9 at Hotel Albuquerque. Most people know Donahue for his talk show fame, but may not be aware of his civil liberties significance. A leader in national media reform efforts, Donahue will share his thoughts on the power of corporate-owned electronic media and whether the First Amendment still protects a "free marketplace of ideas." Consistent with the theme of media democracy and free speech, KUNM public radio talk-show host Arcie Chapa will moderate the event.

ACLU-NM will be honoring a few of their many volunteers, includingi Civil Libertarian of the Year Bennett Hammer for extensive service in the protection of civil liberties; Cooperating Attorneys of the Year, Paul Kennedy, Ousama Rasheed, Roger Smith for their successful effort to challenge the City of Albuquerque's over-zealous DWI property-seizure law; and Volunteer of the Year Joyce Briscoe, for her work on civil liberties in schools, the state legislature, and for her organizing against reauthorization of the Patriot Act. The event will be at the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town (Formally Old Town Sheraton) 800 Rio Grande Blvd. NW. Open bar cocktail reception at 6pm. Dinner at 7pm. For ticket information contact the ACLU at 266-4622, or on the web at www.aclu-nm.org.

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Help New Mexico Become the First State to Ban Aspartame by Stephen Fox t is really quite monstrous! FDA's approval of the artificial sweetener was denied for 15 years, from 1966-1981, until the patent holder, G.D. Searle, got it pushed through. Aspartame was approved in stages by the FDA's responding to corporate and political pressure: in 1981, for general purposes: coffee sweeteners, chewing gum, baked goods, etc.; basically, for everything except soft drinks, because, to its credit, the National Soft Drink Association objected to the approval due to the laboratory health studies, the basic chemistry of aspartame (one of aspartame's metabolytes is formaldehyde), but above all to the fiscal responsibility for Product Liability. Their objections were ignored, and in 1983, the FDA extended the approval to soft drinks. Thus, the birth of one of the cruelest misrepresentations in our emerging toxic idiocracy: the "Diet Beverage"! (Find more precise details on this at www.wnho.net and the website for the Aspartame Toxicity Information Center).

Mexico and other states, working pro bono, I petitioned the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board to ban the sale of aspartame. On October 4, the EIB voted 4-2 on the side of consumer protection, after a presentation brilliantly lead by Albuquerque lawyer, Steven Looney. We are also trying to add a tiny provision to the Administrative Code that defines and prohibits neurotoxic food additives, specifically aspartame. The 5-day hearings will be held in July 2006.

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Objections to the EIB process came from attorneys for the world's largest Aspartame manufacturer, Ajinomoto, a Japanese corporation, which is also the world's largest MSG maker, and from the industry front group, the "Calorie Control Council," based just down the road from America's largest user of Aspartame, Coca Cola. They said this matter was preempted by the FDA approval of aspartame, and that the EIB had no power to question such a pre-emption. The hearings are 8 months away. Would you like to help in the meantime? 1. Ask the principal and the superintendent of your child's school to immediately get aspartame out of the cafeterias and the vending machines. Talk with friends, neighbors, and family who have children, and together talk to school officials.

Diabetics and overweight people continue to flock to "diet" beverages, naively hoping aspartame/formaldehyde is better for their damaged pancreas and their weight problems than sugar. In an effort to facilitate rubber-stamped approval, corporations that have made millions on diet drinks give "gifts" and "research grants" to the Diabetic Association, the AMA, the Dietetic Association and the American Cancer Society. Twenty-two years after approval, the statistics on neurodegenerative illnesses have spiked horribly; kids have attention deficit disorders, autism and other far more serious neurological problems. In adults, brain and pituitary tumors, Lou Gehrig's disease and Alzheimer's have blossomed staggeringly. The causal factors are becoming obvious, due to aspartame/formaldehyde in soft drinks, low fat yogurt, children's vitamins, morning coffee sweeteners, chewing gum, and over 6000 other products consumed by 70% of adults and 40% of children. Using existing State Statutes, in coordination with physicians, plaintiffs, lawyers, victims, and activists from New

2. Talk to legislators before January 2006: They do the allocations for the schools, and we need them to strengthen the statutes to allow specific challenges to FDA approval of junk food. Ask your legislator to personally request that the soft drink distributors not give hundreds of cases to the legislators to drink while they deliberate questions like how to keep the aspartame/formaldehyde cocktail from ruining the health of New Mexico children! 3. Write a cordial and appreciative letter to EIB members. Perhaps when they hear from the enlightened healthy folks who don't use aspartame, or from recovering victims of aspartame poisoning, the EIB could unanimously rule against aspartame next July. 4. Write to Bill Richardson and ask him to lead New Mexico into a NEW UNPRECEDENTED ERA OF CONSUMER PROTECTION! Send your letter to his Chief of Staff, David Contarino, Office of the Governor, 4th Floor, The Capitol, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501. Richardson has commented in the Albuquerque Journal that he supports the EIB hearings on Aspartame. Please thank him for that, and encourage him to take stronger actions as Chief Executive, especially since he controls the agenda of the Short Legislative Session starting in January, 2006. For more information and to get involved in protecting New Mexican consumers from the effects of aspartame contact stephen@santafefineart.com, (505) 983-2002.

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Celebration of Solidarity for Peace and Justice 9th Annual Community Holiday Gala HARWOOD ARTS CENTER 7TH AND MOUNTAIN FOR INFO CALL 268-9557

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SAT. DEC 1O, 7PM

FOOD • BEVERAGES • HOME-BAKED GOODIES NON-CORPORATE GIFTS $6.00 adult/$3.00 children benefits the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice (Please bring donations of blankets and warm men’s clothing for St Martin’s)

La Montanita Co-op Food Market 303 San Mateo NE Suite 201 Albuquerque, NM 87108

Shop Your Co-op For a Healthy New Year

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12 GREAT REASONS TO BE A CO-OP MEMBER: 1. YOUR CHANCE TO SUPPORT A STORE that is committed to bringing you the highest quality organic produce, antibiotic and hormone -free meats, rBGH- free dairy products, imported and domestic chesses, healthiest grocery, bulk foods, fresh deli and juices, natural body care cosmetics, vitamins, herbs and more! 2. Member Refund Program: At the end of each fiscal year, if earnings are sufficient, refunds are returned to members based on purchases. 3. Pick-Up Our Monthly Newsletter full of information on food, health, environment and your Co-op. 4. Weekly Member-Only Coupon Specials as featured in our Weekly Sales Flyer. Pick it up every week at either location to save more than your annual membership fee each week. 5. Easy Check Writing AND CASH ($40) over purchase amount. We also accept ATM cards, VISA and MasterCard. 6. Banking Membership at New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union, with many Albuquerque branches to serve you. 7. Insurance and Financial Counseling: Call Robin Chall 823-9537 8. Free delivery for seniors, housebound and differently-abled people. 9. MEMBER- ONLY DISCOUNT DAYS: Take advantage of our special discount events for members only â&#x20AC;&#x201D; throughout the year! 10. Special Orders: You can special order large quantities or hard-to-find items, at a 10% discount for members. 11. General Membership Meetings, Board positions and voting. Co-ops are democratic organizations; your participation is encouraged. 12. Membership Participation Program: Members can earn discount credit through our community outreach committees or skilled member participation program. Please ask at the Info Desk for details.

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