Even though our team members are still socially distancing as much as possible while at work, our Sunshine Club has been finding creative ways to weave fun team-building exercises into our busy schedules. One such staff event was literally exercising together to benefit the cooperative business model!

At the end of April, seventeen of our team members participated in the Twin Pines Cooperative Community Fund’s Co-op 5K, an initiative that serves as a major fundraiser for the Cooperative Development Fund (CDF). The money raised through race sponsorships allows CDF to operate the Cooperative Disaster Recovery Fund without cost. That means every dollar donated to the fund goes out in grants to cooperatives in need.

Last year they donated more than $230,000 to cooperatives and institutions to combat the economic and health impacts of COVID-19. The grants purchased personal protective equipment for member-owners of home care cooperatives, covered lost wages resulting from decreased work hours, and helped cover rent and utility bills.

Money raised from the 5K also allows them to continue to work on joint projects with the National Cooperative Business Association such as home care cooperative development, the Cooperative Leaders and Scholars Institute and research measuring cooperative impact, and creating a supportive policy environment for cooperative growth.

On Wednesday, April 28th, participating Menomonie Market Food Co-op staff donned their race attire along with their official 5K numbers and a smile and walked the 3.1 miles from our store around town and back again. Together, they raised over $500 for this great cause, and they won second place in the 5K’s Team Spirit Contest!

This article was originally published in the May/June 2021 issue of our bi-monthly newsletter, The Morsel. If you’d like to read more stories like this one and stay up to date on the latest co-op news and events, pick up a print copy in-store on your next grocery run or find more news on our website here.