We Have A Goal! We Want To Rock That Goal!

Hello!!

I am here, this morning, as not only your market manager but also as your representative on the Local Foods Council of Champaign County AND I have now recently joined forces with the grant writing team of Amanda Douridas (OSU Extension), Laura Haverkos (Second Harvest Food Bank), and Lori Garrison (In Good Taste Catering)…

We have, over the years, been working toward a goal in Champaign County that would also benefit surrounding counties. The goal seemed so far reaching, a few years ago, it seemed to pie in the sky, it seemed out of our grasp after going to tour the dream of all dreams….AceNet in Athens, Ohio.

What is this goal? Why is she writing this in a Weblog? What does she want us to do?

I am going to make this short, to the point, and urge you to consider helping us out, if this applies to you.

Our goal is a shared-use COMMERCIAL kitchen. A kitchen where time would be rented by vendors/anyone who needs a commercial kitchen setting to process their products.

Many vendors are out of luck when it comes to many products that need to be prepared and processed in a commercial kitchen. Or, they are forced to travel to OSU, use that facility, taking time, travel, money, and hassle.

We came to you, two years ago, asking you to fill out surveys. That was met with a lot of…meh…plus, we had nothing to show you, nothing in sight.

Well, we now have received the first step in the grant process. This grant gives us the money to do our research, collect information, submit, and take all the next steps, quickly, in writing the proposal for the last step of the grant…the big enchilada…the grant that will give us the means to establish the….drumroll…SHARED USE COMMERICAL KITCHEN.

BUT…we need your help….if this is something that could be of use, to you, either as an established vendor, someone who would like to become a vendor but need the kitchen, OR, if you know of someone in need of this kind of set up…let them know that they can come and get more information…

Tuesday evening, 6pm, The Depot Coffeehouse….sponsored by your friends of Champaign Locally Grown…you favorite LOCAL market!!

Free coffee!!! Also, sponsored by Champaign Locally Grown, a bit of information from your very fun team of grant writers, the emcee of the evening will be your favorite market manager, AND…ALL OF THIS FUN FOR ONLY ONE THING THAT WE ASK OF YOU…

While you are there, you fill out a painless survey!!! Yes, you will need to fill it out, hand it to me, have your coffee, listen to the quick chat, and be on your way…it is IMPORTANT that we get the surveys!!!

I must stress that we are NO LONGER in just the dreaming stage. We are in our first level, research needed grant phase!!! It is all happening!!! Even if you can’t yet see it…we can see it behind the scenes!!

Vendors…if you cannot be at the meeting but need to fill out a survey, email me, and I will have copies at Thursday’s market!!*

Here is the blurb that also went out in the newspaper…

OSU Extension and the Champaign County Local Foods Council has received a grant to investigate the use of a commercial shared-use kitchen in Urbana. We need to find out who will use the kitchen and what it will be used for. Please join us for an open discussion to plan the use of the kitchen on November 11 at 6pm at The Depot Coffehouse in Urbana.

As part of the grant, we are also offering a social media marketing workshop. Please hold the date February 5, 2015 from noon – 4pm. It will be held at the Community Center in Urbana.

Please help us…we need you, we need your surveys, we need your help…again, this is all very exciting because it is all really happening!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam