Big Shoes to Fill

Shanta Lee Gander is stepping down from the Board of Directors after the October 4 Board meeting. Shanta Lee was appointed to the Board in January ’21 to fill the remainder of Grace Koch’s seat. As the indefatigable chair of the Board’s Community Engagement Committee, Shanta has been leading an ongoing “listening session” project to better connect the Co-op with the surrounding community. Of her Board service, Shanta says “one of the many things I am taking away is the depthless passion that you all have for our community and the sustainability of our Co-op, which has been inspiring.”  A published author, Shanta is stepping down from Board service in order to devote more time to bringing her next book to fruition, as it was just picked up by a publisher. Shanta will be missed! As noted by fellow Board member Beth Neher, Shanta has brought “an energy, thoughtfulness and perspective that has benefitted our work”.

 Joseph Giancarlo, who was elected to the Board in 2020, is also stepping down, after the November 1 Board meeting. Joe served on the Community Engagement and the Ends Task Force, where he contributed a great deal to proposed new Ends policies for the Co-op. Joe moved to Brattleboro to serve as an AmeriCorps member with the Vermont Foodbank. Joe is moving out of the area to be closer to family, and he will be sorely missed. He thanks his Board colleagues for the challenging work, thoughtful discussion, and shared leadership, adding that he is confident the Co-op will continue to benefit from the Board’s efforts for a long time. 

 Love your co-op? Want to help guide it in the coming years? Consider running! We have several vacancies this fall in addition to those occasioned by Shanta Lee and Joe stepping down. You can find all the details, including the application form, on our website. Elections are in November, and now is the time to see if this is the right opportunity for you!