Co-op News
From "Maple Street Co-op News", Dec 2005/Jan 2006

Celebrating The Co-op's History
by Ruth Parnell

Maple Street Co-op has come a long way since it was formed in December 1979, over 25 years ago. Created as a result of a group desire to obtain organic produce and other goods on the Range, the Co-op has gone through its ups and downs over the years to become the thriving trading cooperative that it now is, with a million-dollar annual turnover recently announced.

Co-op management, staff, members and friends, nearly 200 in all, got together to celebrate this milestone on the night of Saturday 15 October at the Maleny Community Centre. It was also a chance to acknowledge the foresight of our founders – and mingle with a few of them as well.

The atmosphere was sparked off by staff member Sue Verstraten's beautiful table decorations featuring native flowers lit by white-paper-bag candles. Party-goers partook of delicious organic food prepared by long-time members Giancarlo and Susanna Molinaro of Spaghetti Junction. The evening's entertainment got off to an early start with the gentle a cappella sounds of Sweet Chilli, a group of local chanteuses who dressed in rather Scorpionic tones of red and black for the occasion.

Manager Alan Harrington introduced the proceedings part of the night, giving thanks to the Co-op's founders and all the directors, staff and members involved in the Co-op's creation and evolution. He said it was great to see founding directors Jill Jordan, Meg Weymark (née Kelly) and Lorna Huston (Wilson) at the celebration. Other founding directors Gary Blisner and Matthew Davies as well as second-term director Richard Giles sent their apologies for not being able to join the gathering.

Current director Leigh Findlay commenced in self-confessed Virgo style by reminding us that the Co-op is already in its 26th year and soon will turn twenty-six. She thanked the original Board and all those who had the vision to set up Maple Street Co-op.

Reflecting on when she came to Maleny 14 years ago, Leigh said that one of the many things that made Maleny special was being able to go into the Co-op and buy "beautiful wholefoods, fresh and organic foods". To Leigh, the Co-op "has always been a special place to shop", and she hopes it always will be. It embodies the Maleny ethos that Leigh loves so much and hopes we don't lose with the inevitable expansion of Maleny over the next few years.

Leigh praised the staff for their great job in researching any new products that go on the shelves. She has appreciated the Co-op's organic policy since her earliest days in Maleny and thinks it's wonderful that "organics is getting a higher profile" in the general community.

"There are changes coming to Maleny," Leigh advised in closing. "We fought the [Woolworths supermarket] monster down the road, and it looks like it's here whether we like it or not. A lot of people associated with the Co-op have fought hard to stop it. I would like to say, ‘Bring it on, because we won't shop there!'"

Reflections on the Co-op's evolution

Next, Jill Jordan took to the podium. She was pleased to see so many new faces and congratulated the Co-op on making new members feel very much a part of it. Reminiscing on the Co-op's history, she asked rhetorically: "Who would have imagined 25 years ago, when we set up in a single room in 48 Maple Street...that it would be like it is today?"

In those early days, the Co-op was regarded with suspicion by many members of the community. However, it was the late George Cassells "who did more for promoting the Co-op into the general community than anyone else", said Jill, with the result that "little by little, conservative people came into the Co-op".

There have been "huge changes over the years", Jill noted. Back then, the Co-op sold what members wanted – tobacco products as well as organic veggies! Jill remembers as clearly as if it were yesterday the task of packing up from no. 48, with a line of people bringing goods across the road to bigger premises.

Jill acknowledged that in recent years the Co-op has become much more business-oriented and has successfully held its own in a competitive environment. To get there, the Co-op's management has "weathered some really hard times", and Jill gave particular thanks to manager Alan Harrington for his input into the Co-op's growing success since the mid-1990s, even if he did come from Sydney via Canberra!

It hasn't escaped Jill's attention that in recent times the Co-op has become politically active in issues concerning the environment and the food we eat. She applauded the special role of the Co-op News in publicising these issues and praised editor Ruth Parnell and all the contributors. [Thanks, Jill! Ed.]

On a final note, Jill thanked members for their ongoing support and congratulated the Co-op for staying committed to local economic development, education and cooperative ideals.

The highs and lows of the Co-op

Founding director Meg Weymark completed the evening's addresses, waxing lyrically about the joys of opening her first bulk bag of rolled oats.

Urged on by long-time member Gillian Pechey, Meg told the audience about the time when there was a strike by staff. She and Lorna (Huston/Wilson) were in the shop one Saturday, slaving away washing bottles and filling them, and not feeling like they were getting much support from the directors. Meg said she felt like shutting shop, and Lorna agreed. "We put a sign on the shop, 'Sorry about the inconvenience', and they had a directors meeting and talked about sacking us – and realised they couldn't run it by themselves, so they couldn't sack us!"

Meg reminded the guests that when the Co-op was started, nobody got paid. Back at no. 48, there was little room for packing and dealing with spillage, but she remembers how Gary Blisner and she were regarded as "the best packers". They also pitched in to help Richard Giles compile the Sunshine News. "We had so much fun," Meg recalled.

In wrapping up, Meg said: "I know I would not be the person I am now without Jill and Lorna and all the people who encouraged me in those days... I am very proud to be associated with those first days. What we did was great, fantastic."

There was applause all round, and then it was time for Maleny's own brilliant diva, Divishti, to captivate the crowd with a selection of cabaret classics and popular songs, accompanied by the talented Graham Roberts on piano. The stayers danced on till the end to the hot rock/blues strains of the Rockin' Rhythm Cats.

It was a special and memorable evening for Maple Street Co-op members and friends. The Co-op Directors extend their thanks to the management of the Maleny Community Centre, particularly Barbara Nye, to Danny Rose for his assistance on the night, to Giancarlo and Susanna Molinaro and their catering team, to Sue Verstraten for her table decorations, to entertainers Sweet Chilli, Divishti and the Rockin' Rhythm Cats, and to the Co-op's founding directors who did well to remind us about where we started and how far we've come.

[Anyone who had their photo taken at the party can obtain a print from the Co-op. Ed.]

[From "Maple Street Co-op News", December 2005/January 2006; published by The Maple Street Co-operative Society Ltd, 37 Maple Street, Maleny, Qld 4552, Australia, tel (07) 5494 2088, email maplest.co-op@serv.net.au, website http://www.maplestreetco-op.com.au]