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FROM THE GROUND UP
Common Ground's Monthly E-Newsletter
December 1st, 2016 
SEEKING ARTISTS FOR 2017 CO-OP GALLERY
























Do you want to showcase your artwork in our Co-op Art Gallery? We are now accepting applications for the new year!

We will be doubling the number of artists we accept in 2017 by showing two artists per show for two months at a time. Each artist will be allotted one protected gallery space (8' long x 44'' tall x 4'' wide). We promote you as a local artist and host a free art reception for each show, and your artwork will reach a large local audience every day.

Children and group shows are welcome to apply! The application is quick and easy. Apply by contacting Sarah Buckman, Outreach Coordinator, for more information.

A panel of community members and staff will select the set of artists for the year. If you are interested in taking part in our judging panel, please contact   Sarah .
FIRST FRIDAY: FREE WINTER TASTES


Have you heard of Imbibe Urbana's First Fridays?  Each month, on every first Friday in the evening hours, Common Ground and numerous Urbana businesses host special sales, events, and tastings for all to enjoy!

This Friday,  December 2nd, we will be sampling a delicious holiday cheese, sparkling wines and our Co-op Peppermint Hot Chocolate made with Equal Exchange's fair trade cocoa.

Wine, Hot Chocolate and Cheese Samples will happen from 4:30-7pm. See you Friday! Check out Imbibe Urbana's full map
 
here !

Photo courtesy of Imbibe Urbana.
DIY HOLIDAY GIFTS / CO-OP EXPLORER EVENT

Making your own essential oil gifts is easy! Join us in the classroom on Sunday, December 11th from 1-4 pm.

We'll be combining our Co-op Explorers event for the month with an adult DIY workshop so that everyone can get in on the fun. Join us for our free kids activity, gingerbread mitten ornaments, and/or for $5 per adult participant, make a linen spray or roll-on scent from essential oils. We'll have free gift tags and ribbons, as well as recipes to create gift jars for making tandoori flavored popcorn, curry spiced mixed nuts, and more.  
HOLIDAY WINE TASTING, SATURDAY DEC. 17th!
























Free Wine Tastings will happen in the classroom on December 17th, from 2-4pm!

Stop by the Flatlander Classroom, grab a wine glass, taste over 20 wines, and talk to three wine experts. (You must be  21 years or older to enter the classroom.)

Our top 10 favorite wines from the last wine tasting were:

Domino Basconcillos Tempranillo - $18.99
Paul Cluver Gewurztraminer - $19.99
La Gerla Rosso di Montalcino - $21.99
A to Z Riesling - $14.99
Cono Sur Cabernet/Carmenere blend - $10.99
L'Efecte Volador - $14.99
Cremant de Bordeaux - $14.99
Sexual Chocolate - $21.99
Chateau Villa Bel Air Graves Blanc - $9.99
Tozai Blossom of Peace Sake - $16.99
NEW ARTISTS: CHARLES AND SARAH WISSEMAN

The collective artworks of Sarah and Charles Wisseman are now available for viewing in our Art Gallery, within our Flatlander Classroom. Sarah and Charles are owners here at the Co-op and we are proud to host such detailed pieces for the next two months.

About Charles Wisseman:

Charles Wisseman is a retired medical pathologist, now doing mixed media art using wood, metals, ceramics, glass, alternative photo processes and natural materials.  His pathology background shows in biomorphic patterns, cross-sectional arrays, transilluminating light and optics.  Works in this show are mostly flat, but other work explores book and box forms with handmade papers, mechanical movement and interactive elements.  He has repaired books at the U of I library and helped start up hand-papermaking on campus.  Learning new materials and techniques in workshops around the country has become a retirement passion.  His work has shown at Parkland, Springer center, art centers in Springfield and Peoria, local galleries, national book and paper society shows. For more of Charles' work, check out his website!

About Sarah Wisseman:


Sarah Wisseman, an archaeologist turned mystery author, paints subjects as far removed from academia as possible. She explores color and form through starscapes and landscapes in watercolor, pencil, and pastel, with occasional forays into collage. Sarah has studied painting in numerous classes at the U of I, Parkland College, and Arrowmont School of Crafts. Her work has shown at InDiGo, Art Coop and Parkland College Giertz Gallery. Check out Sarah's website here.

Mark your calendars for the evening of January 27 from 6:30-8:30pm, when we will host the Art Gallery Reception for Sarah and Charles Wisseman.
MEET OUR TEACHER: SIRISHA























As a child, Sirisha Bhandaru learned to cook not only the foods of her family's home state in India, but numerous others as her family  followed her father's career throughout the country. Sirisha cooks the traditional recipes of her childhood, as well as modern interpretations and fusion dishes using locally available ingredients.

Home-cooked Indian food is night and day different from its restaurant counterparts. If you have never had an opportunity to try it,  sign up for Sirisha's pav bhaji masala class this month.
BOARD UPDATES AND PRIORITIES























November has been a busy month for your Board. We began the month with a sad farewell. Colleen Wagner resigned from the Board, as she is moving out of the area. We're grateful for all of her service to Common Ground, both as staff and more recently on the Board. Best of luck, Colleen, with all your new adventures!

I'm happy to report that the Board will be full-strength again in December, though. John Orawiec has accepted an appointment to fill Colleen's seat until the next election. Welcome John! With this addition, we have five new directors on our nine member Board, an abundance of new energy and skills, and I'm excited to see where that takes us.

We also had an all-day retreat a few weeks ago. Coming out of the retreat, I'd like to share three Board priorities for the coming year. One priority will be to build our collective decision-making and policy governance skills, so that we can take full advantage of the new energy at the table. Another priority, affirmed at the retreat, is to continue to strengthen Common Ground's democracy. We will be experimenting with new ways for you to engage with your Board and cooperative community. Please feel free to send your ideas our way. Watch for new types of events and ways to communicate with us, and let us know which experiments work (and don't work) for you! Last, but certainly not least, we'll be focusing on developing a shared vision for the future of Common Ground. That process will also include opportunities for owner input later in the year.

Wishing you peace, joy, and tasty, nourishing food this holiday season!

-Julie Zilles, Common Ground, Board Member
 Thanks for reading our newsletter!
This offer can only be used once per owner and is valid only during the first two weeks of December. It can be printed or presented on smart device at time of purchase. Limit one coupon per customer. Applies to all store items besides those that are on sale or considered Co-op Basics.
Common Ground Food Co-op   300 S. Broadway Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801
IN THIS ISSUE
CO+OP DEALS







IMPORTANT DATES
First Fridays- Winter Tastes

Friday Dec. 2nd, 4:30-7pm, Sparkling wine, cheese, hot cocoa sampling

Free Coffee with the Board

Saturday Dec. 10th, 10-12pm, Flatlander Classroom

DIY Holiday Gift/ Free Co-op Explorer Activity

Sunday Dec. 11th, 1-4pm, in Flatlander Classroom, Holiday Gift requires $5 entry

Board Meeting

Monday Dec. 12th,  6:15-8:15pm, Urbana Free Library, 
Satterthwaite Conference Room

Holiday Wine Tasting

Saturday, Dec. 17th, 2-4pm, Sample over 20 wines with cheese, and healthy snacks

Common Ground Toddler Time

Tuesday, Dec. 20th, 10:30-11:00am, Flatlander Classroom

Wellness Wednesday

Wednesday Dec. 28th, all day, enjoy 10% on every Wellness item
NOVEMBER  ROUND  UP
The Wesley Evening Food Pantry
 
This past November, we donated over $3,800 dollars to Wesley Food Pantry, a local food pantry that now has two locations.

Wesley Student Center at Green and Goodwin in Urbana
- Every Thursday, 5:30-7:30pm
-Student Hours :  1st Monday of the Month from 3:00 pm to 5:00pm; student ID required.

Parkland College "S" Building

-Every Wednesday from 11-1pm

-1st and 3rd Saturday from 10am to noon

 

They promote child literacy by donating books to families and are committed to strengthening food security in the Champaign area.

Please contact them if you have any questions about how to help!
DECEMBER ROUND UP
Crisis Nursery


This December, please round up your total to raise money towards Crisis Nursery, the sole  emergency-based child care facility open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Crisis Nursery provides care for children newborns up to children 6 years of age. Last year, the facility provided 29,982 hours of crisis care and served 886 children in our community.

For more information, please contact Crisis Nursery here.
CITRUS IN SEASON
Rich in Vitamin C!

Citrus season is upon us!  New varieties become available regularly this time of year.

Look for such fabulous selections as navel oranges, clementines, minneolas, juicy Meyer lemons, tangerines and kumquats in the produce department.  
DELI SPECIALS
Just For December

We have flavors to suit any taste throughout the Prepared Foods department. 

In the Deli we have a Candy Cane Mocha (or hot chocolate), and the Bakery has pies and sugar cookies in the shapes of the season. 

The Cheese department will continue to feature both some exciting new selections as well as old favorites that are perfect for any get together.  Also, stop by the cheese case every Friday to discover the Owners Only special! 

Finally in the Meat department we will have some great options to grace your holiday table such as bone-in hams from Triple S Farms.
HEALTHY HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA
Owners Get Discount on Kids Yoga & Art Classes
Looking for an interactive gift idea to keep you and your kids active through the holidays?

Enjoy $20 OFF 6 Kids Yoga sessions when you tell them you are a Common Ground Owner! Bring your kids to the Saturday and Sunday classes at Amara, where they will do yoga and make artwork! Adult sessions are also happening at the same time, so you can go together!

Read more here!
TOUR THE CO-OP
Would You Like A Personal Tour?
New to the Co-op and want to be more familiar? Sign up for a personal tour where we can guide you through the tastiest products, our education programs, co-op and owner deals, and local food buying practices.

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