End of Week 13 Post. Neal

Well, I got back from Germany on Tuesday morning, and got right to work on Wednesday. Although David and Kristi were a pile of emotion to see me back, they managed to find lots to keep me busy with:

• Kristi and I took care of remittance and next week's payroll


• Worked on cleaning up the Incorporation Document for the Charlottetown Rec Soccer Co-op


• Got the MYDAS Payroll spreadsheet up to date


• I've been in contact with Wendy Pobjoy about setting up a meeting next week to incorporate her LEAP project as a co-op


• Helped Kristi with some AGR stuff, including a map the will highlight the communities MYDAS has touched


• Started on the AGR 'Treasurer's Report'

That's all now. Report back on Monday.
-Neal

Rapport de la semaine 10

Bonjour tout ‘l’monde !

Voici ce que j’ai fait cette semaine :

• I did set up a meeting with Norma and Martine for next week even though it was hard tracking vacationning Norma…
  
  
• I’m still awaiting answers for the Farmers’ coop convention, soon to be held in south Easterne N.-B. in autumn.
  
  
• Improved the Marketing research for my coop. I am still compiling the data, and making suggestions with Gabriel, the manager.
  
  
• I took some fast photos and finished my Annual Report
  
  
• I also contacted the local student organization for upcoming coop activities or somewhat….this will all depend on what the recruitment committee will let me do, and how many more work weeks do I have left.

• Finished reading the rural-urbain realities document...Finnaly

• Also finished the book of Martin Léger, one of the pioniers du mouvement coopératif Acadien, basicly his book his the first 40 years of the movement in l'Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick

Well I thought I was gonna stay for September, but maybe not, so for you guys that are leaving: y’all take care ! It was fun to work in the same organization with ya. We should remember that we certainly accomplished the goals set by the ones who had the chance to assist in P.E.I. for the first orientation, but we accomplished them as a team, working together with our qualities.

It was fun, I hope I get the chance to stay for September has I had many things planned with the Dieppe recruitment comitee and my local Caisses Populaires, but we’ll see.

Have a great week !

Marc

Week 13

Wow,
It's been a busy week here:

• Completed a draft of the governance plan
• Met with Diane Kelderman and Bob Williams about the World Cafe
• Completed a postcard-style mail-out for the World Cafe; The date may have to be moved back a week, and am waiting on confirmation from John Ure before sending it out
• Completed a flowchart draft for the governance tool
• Looked over the HMC by-laws, generally wrapped things up.
• On my way to a forum on Co-Housing this evening, to see if I can drum up some World Cafe participants
• Still playing phone tag with Tom Webb

Hope that does it. If this is the last blog, it's been great working with you all, though seemingly a very busy summer. Wish you all the best in your crazed, wacky endeavors. If you send me your addresses, I'll send you all a postcard from Haiti, if and when I get myself down there :)

All the best,

-stu

Wk 13, wrap-up

Busy week!

This was a great week, Between Ramea, Indian Head, and various Farmer’s markets we have been all over the co-op spectrum in the last few days. I would like to especially thank Roger Greaves from the Charlottetown Farmer’s market for his help this week. He made our time in the Codroy Valley much more productive than it would have been if not for his advice.

I do have a question for the “Brain Trust” though, the Wetlands Farmer’s Market is out of funding as of the end of this year, they need some more cash. If anyone has suggestions on how they can garner some more funding please let me know via email. This request goes especially to Deidre as I understand she is some sort of funding yoda, she has all the answers.


Enjoy the weekend,
Dan

midweek blog

Hello all

Im now officially stationed in Fredericton for the year, there have been a few bumps along the way aka why im blogging today and not on friday or monday, but im starting to settle in. Last week was a busy one getting the bylaws all settled and dealt with, going over some activities with Carole and working on the upcoming girls weekend in Canso Nova Scotia. Carole, and her two exchange students one from France they other Spain and myself all travelled to PEI on thursday where we met up with David and went over ACYL issues that needed to be dealt with in person, which went excellently.I was also able to catch a chat with Kristie on the AGR stuff and on the newest iniative mydas will be taking with the Acadian group on the Island. While also on the Island we did some sightseeing for the girls which was alot of fun. On friday i was packing and getting phones and address changes, shoppping done for the big freddy move, but i managed to get some research done for Carole and prepare some things for the girl power weekend. This week plans on being even busy than the last, im still researching things for the Nackawic group on rural development projects, theres also the more things to work on for the Girl power weekend that Carole has assigned to me, i plan also to getting in contact with the VAC group Erin has worked with all summer to see how things are coming along and just a friendly chat if they are not to busy. Then setting up a new account with the Credit Union up here because they have so nicely sponsored me to go to the ACYL camp in Newfoundland this coming October, which is going to be an amasing time. especially since i get to be an honorary junior staff member, due to the fact i can not go to staff training in the fall regretable, however honorary jr staff member works for me. There's also the bylaws for ACYL incorporation to redo and get sent out asap, and the NUANS report to do, which should all be done within this and next week, and then that only leads the signatures of the directors and we shall see ACYL incorporated. There are also some thank you letters to be written and distributated, so i plan to be busy for the next few days. Also im without the internet at the house so if anyone wants to reach me i will try to check my email frequently and if its very crucial drop me and email and ill sent you my contact info asap.

Hope everyone is having a good week

Diedre

Back on the Island

Hey folks,

Just in case you were getting worried, I am back from Germany safe and sound. I got back yesterday morning at 10:00, and I'm starting to work again today...

Talk to you later.

-Neal

Hello from Wellington (finally)

The weeks are starting to run together as this is a busy time around here. This weekend is our youth activity day at Mill River, where local kids from the youth worker coop with teach other local kids about cooperatives in the region. We are planning a fun cooperative brainstorming session, so we may be able to come up with some ideas for new cooperatives that will interest local youths.

The weekend after that is the Acadian Festival, which the Conseil de developpement cooperatif is the official sponsor. I will be putting together a special DVD/Powerpoint presentation on all the local cooperatives, which I will then hopefully turn into a website so everyone can learn a little more about Evangeline's cooperative movement.

So those two things are what I have been up to, along with continued adventures in accounting at the Chez Nous Seniors Home.

Specifically,

Last Week:

1. Attended a meeting to further the immigration project in Evangeline. We are in the process of reviewing and finalizing our action plan on the topic so we can start to apply for funding and take the first few steps.
2. Confirmed the date for the kids activity at Mill River. The CSJ had a meeting and we planned out our activity for the coop information session at Mill River. I put together an info-pac containing some basic information about coop development for each member of the groups, so they can lead the information session on Wednesday.
3. Ordered our signs for the Festival Acadien and sent out letters to all our coops asking them to submit any information, pictures, samples, etc. that we can display for them at the festival.
4. Balanced the books for April-July at the Chez Nous, prooving to everyone the extent of my amazing accounting skills.

This week I plan to:

1. Do the final planning for our activity at Mill River. Hold a few CSJ meetings to finish things up.
2. Make headway on the Festival Coop presentation: take pictures of all the coops, bug them for information, and plan and compile the presentation onto powerpoint/dvd format.
3. Chez Nous payroll. CSJ payroll.
4. Saturday is our big day at Mill River, so we will be convincing kids to be cooperators all day long!.
5. Put CDC files into the accounting program.

I will probably do my Friday blog on Saturday night, so I can let you all know how our big day at Mill River went!

Bye
Katie

Semaine 10 : Marc

Bonjour tout ‘l’monde !

Well a relax week ahead, or so I think it will be…

Here are my goals for this week :

• Contact Norma Babineau for the latest developments with the recrutement comitee.
  
  
• Prepare the presentation for my ideas to the bylaws for the Coop in Dieppe.
  
  
• Keep contact with Donald Daigle for the farmers coop’s convention coming on south eastern N.-B.
  
  
• Get things on another level with the help to my local Coop.
  
  
• Finish the annual report en bonne et due forme ;)
  
  

Well rest assured, I will be working just as hard this week, I’ll just have a lot more breathing time.

Hahaha… Bonne semaine tout le monde !
Marc

WEEK 13: Matthew Petre

Still without laptop and hoping that it will be back up and running by mid-week. This week I will be:

• Working on the blog for Fred Pierce, NSCC
• Contact ACOA Truro Office
• Following up with Stu's MP in Halifax, my MP in Truro has not responded to my request to get together and chat about MYDAS
• Working on the World Cafe, i.e. Co-op Atlantic, contacting potential delegates, etc.
• Follow up with Fred Pierce

Have a great week everyone!
Matt

Week 12/13

Alright,
So barring sickness, this is what I got done last week:

• Put in most of the requirements for the final report
• Got in touch with Rolando Inzenza of CHFC
• Did some work on the questionnaire for board governance
• Worked on a mail-out flyer for the World Cafe

Here are the goals for this week:

• Meet with Diane Kelderman this Thursday about the World Cafe
• Complete the questionnaire and submit to Bob Williams/Fred Pierce; adapt what I can based upon their suggestions
• Inquire with NSCC about a board to test the questionnaire on
• Complete the mail-out and have it sent by this week
• Look over the final by-laws for HMC; generally wrap things up
• Arrange a meeting with John Ure to frame the World Cafe questions
• Finally, give Tom Webb a call, and leave a package with him to circulate for next Spring.

That's it for now.

-stuart

Week 13: Kristi Kelly

13 already!? What!? Where is the summer going?!!?

• This week, NEAL GETS BACK!! YAY!!! I have been so lonely with out him kicking around the office.
• I plan on connecting with the LEAP folks, to see how their meeting went last week, and we can hopefully get one set up for this week!
• Impex is moving along nicely, bylaws still remain an issue but progress in being made slowly and surely
• AGR is taking up a lot of time, thank you for those who have submitted the required.
• Neal and I, will hopefully complete our packages for our MP's and send them on their way!

Phone schedule will remain the same and I look forward to talking to you all!

Week 13

Hello everyone, I am amazed to find myself almost at the end of our time together.

This week as well as next will be spent busy putting official ends to our projects. We are meeting with wetlands on Wednesday we have some information to give them from Roger Greaves as well as some information on marketing that Dan and I came up with. We also wanted to get in contact with the farmers co-op members who are not active and find out why and if there is anything we can do to help.

We are also sending out a sort of guide to help them sell shares and gather community sprit.

I am also just about finished the strategic plan, I have to meet with Indian Head to ensure it is what they wanted. After the meeting with the co-op I just have to print and bind it.

August 31 approaches

Hello all,

In my Saturday post, I mentioned that CWCF's year-end is on August 31st. Because MYDAS is administered by CWCF, the yeaqr-end deadline affects us as well. If there are any outstanding bills, please submit them (together with supporting documentation/explanation) so that they reach me no later than one week from today (I should have them in my hand by Monday 29 August).

Sorry to hesr about Stu's illness and Matt's computer troubles...mayall soon be healed.

Wrap up of Week 12: Matthew Petre

My appologies for not posting this sooner, but as of Tuesday morning, I have been without my think pad, as the hard drive went on it (a month and a half past warranty), so much for IBM Quality. My laptop is currently in the shop and it is supposed to be fixed by Tuesday/Wednesday if all goes as planned, which I certainly hope it does.

Even though I have been operating without my laptop/readily accessible internet, last week I was able to:

• Start working on the weblog for Fred Pierce at the NSCC
• Began research for Monica DiOchon, St. F X, possible Co-op Academic Study
• Received very positive feedback from Fred Pierce regarding the Co-operative Funeral Home Guide I created for the NSCC
• Attended the Community Ecnomic Development Investment Funds "Annual Networking and Learning Event" in Stellarton on Thursday. There I had a chance to chat with Peter Hough who was a speaker on Alternative RRSP's. Fred also afforded me the opportunity to sit in on the formation of a nominating comittee for the board of the CEDIF Members Development Co-operative Ltd. This is really exciting since it is bringing together CEDIFS from across Nova Scotia, which will enable sharing of best practices and many other great benefits.
• Waiting to hear back from Healthy Minds
• Still working on the World Cafe

If anyone does need to get ahold of me, I appreciate your understanding in that I have limited internet access capability until my laptop gets fixed, but will do my best to respond as promptly as possible.

Cheers,
Matt