A Day in Maine to Get Organized and Energized to Sustain Local Economies

Our friends at Cooperative Maine are helping put together an inspiring one-day conference, "Creating and Sustaining Vibrant Local Economies in Maine" on March 22 (this Saturday), 9 AM-4 PM, Randall Student Center, Augusta. We like the goals for the day!

Goals for the Day

(1) What are Vibrant Local Economies in Maine now (find out what’s being done);
(2) What would vibrant local economies in Maine look like in the future (vision);
(3) Why is it important to have strong local economies?
(4) Learn the benefits of vibrant local economies;
(5) People leave at the end with action ideas/steps and energy to carry them out.

CDI staffperson Jessica Pooley will be in attendance to let people know about the work CDI is doing in Maine to strengthen local economies.

October is Co-op Month: Events in Maine

October is Co-op Month

Each October, cooperatives all across America celebrate the role, accomplishments and contributions of our nation's cooperatives. Cooperative Maine will once again be sponsoring events and raising awareness about co-ops.  

Cooperative Maine is a network of co-op advocates around the state,
promoting support for existing cooperatives and encouraging the
creation of new ones. These can be consumer (such as co-op food
stores), producer (farmer or craft), worker (such as Fedco Seeds),
housing (several in Maine and now the purchase of mobile home parks
by tenants), electric (Eastern Maine Electric Co-op), and credit unions.

The annual celebrations play a key role in promoting cooperatives to
co-op members, the public and policy makers. Through a combination of
media outreach, member education, and interaction with policy makers,
co-op month events help raise the visibility of cooperatives as a way
of creating democratic workplaces.

Research shows that when consumers know a business is a cooperative
or credit union (which are financial cooperatives), they are more
likely to do business with it. And with consumer trust in co-ops
topping investor-owned companies, promoting a business as a
cooperative is a win-win proposition.

In Maine, there will be a variety of events taking place during the
month and stretching into the beginning of November, including Credit
Union Week, October 14-20, film showings, forums, concerts, and more.

For more information about Co-op Month and a directory of Maine
cooperatives, email info@cooperativemaine.org or go to
www.cooperativemaine.org.

EVENTS:

October: Co-op Month, with events highlighting cooperatives in Maine
throughout the Month. Cooperative Maine, 525-7776.

October 14-20: Credit Union Week celebrated by credit unions
throughout Maine. Credit Union Day will be on October 18. For local
events for more info: Jon Paradise, Maine Credit Union League,
jparadise@mainecul.org.

October 18: ""I Am" film shown in conjunction with Co-op Month, time
TBA, Public Library, Rockland. Good Tern Cooperative, 594-8822 or
teishagoodtern@hotmail.com.

October 21: "Concert for Cooperatives" performance w/Emma's
Revolution, 7 PM, First Congregational Church, 22 Tenney Hill, Blue
Hill. Blue Hill Co-op, 441-2785 or hearme@natisp.com.

November 1: "Building a Stable Economy Right in Your Own Community"
presentation/discussion, 6:30 PM, Public Library, Bangor. Cooperative
Maine, deborahhawkins!@gmail.com.