Flash! Bowers Fund and CCMA Love Affair Revealed

The Bowers Fund kicked off CCMA 2016 with an outdoor reception featuring lovely food and the Queen Mary Band, whose members all work at River Valley Co-op in nearby Northampton. There were reunions of all kinds, and you could hear the many happy greetings among cooperators who found each other after a year or more apart. Bowers Fund advisors momentarily silenced the crowd to remind them of the many scholarships given to help members attend the conference, adding to numerous grants to startup co-ops around the nation. This year the Fund provided 27 scholarships totaling $10,000—with an additional $1,000 from the Co-op Development Foundation.

CCMA 2016 also held a spectacular silent auction that pitted cooperators one against the other for some of the best-ever swag, services, and collectibles; and there was beer, wine, shirts, shopping bags, and so much more! Two quilts were offered—one went to CDS Consulting Co-op, to be displayed in a number of lucky co-ops around the country, while the other quilt will stay at Portland Food Co-op for an entire year. The Bowers family generously made the Apple Watch drawing possible, and we thank them for helping raise nearly $2,000.

When we added up the proceeds from the drawing, the quilts, and the silent auction, the total came to nearly $12,000! On behalf of the Bowers Fund, I thank you for your big-hearted giving. We deeply appreciate your financial support at CCMA and encourage you to participate in celebrating Howard Bowers Day during Co-op Month in October. Find us at cdf.coop/bowersfund.