The Moscow Co-Op recently hosted a fundraiser called People Helping People. In cooperation with Moscow Alehouse, due to the latter’s annual fundraising, people canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. During the fundraiser, there was a trick-or-treat event in which COVID-19 procedures were implemented and non-GMO candy was offered to children participating in the event. People could also donate food items to help families in need.
The proceeds from the fundraiser went to the Sojourners’ Alliance program. The program, according to their mission statement, is a non-profit organization trying to tackle homelessness, hunger and poverty, while offering case management and providing safe living environments for those in need.
Following the People Helping People event on Halloween – Moscow Co-Op hosted its Democracy Dog event on Nov. 2. The event took inspiration from a famous Australian tradition on voting days – some grills and cookouts take place near poll locations. The idea came from an Australian Co-Op employee, according to the Co-Op Marketing Manager Steve Corda. The Co-Op offered a signature style of bratwurst sausages and drink specials at the event with the proceeds going to the local chapter of the League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political group that encourages informed and active government participation.
The Co-Op elected to have the fundraiser to promote democracy.
“Democracy is one of our core values,” Corda said. “We’ve made steps recently to reinforce our core values with democracy being one of them.”
Corda and the Co-Op want to bring the sense of community back that they’ve missed in Moscow.
“With COVID-19, we’ve missed our community,” Corda said. “We wanted to host an event that can bring the sense of community back to Moscow and shows we’re all neighbors, especially this close to the election.”
The Co-Op Democracy Dog event is one they hope to have every 2-4 years for state and general elections, Corda said.
“It goes back to wanting a sense of unity in the community,” Corda said. “Everyone and everything has felt so divided lately so going back to that sense of neighborhood and community is really something we wanted to accomplish.”
Teren Kowatsch can be reached at [email protected].