About The Board Election
Cast your vote in the 2022 Election for the Littleton Co-op Board of Directors!
Online voting is open from 12AM on April 27 through 11:59PM on May 10, 2022. This year we’re using a website called Simply Voting to handle our Board Election. Within the next two weeks, Eligible Members will receive either a mailed letter or an email from Simply Voting. This will include information about the election, along with a password to access the voting website. You will need to know your Member number and have this password in order to cast your ballot; only one ballot is permitted per Membership. Your information is kept private, and only used for the purposes of the Election. If you have questions about voting or need assistance, please reach out and we can help you.
Members must have four or more shares and be listed as the primary name on their Membership to be eligible to vote, and only one ballot may be cast per Membership. If you haven’t done so already, this is a great opportunity to check and update your Membership information, acquire more shares, become a full Member, and make your voice heard in the oversight and direction of your Co-op.
This year we have six amazing candidates, including one incumbent up for re-election, and 3 available seats on the Board of Directors. Learn about this year’s Candidates below!
2022 Board Candidates
Danielle Shaw (Incumbent)
Dani is an avid member of the Littleton community and an employee of the Co-op, personally greeting and interacting with dozens of member-owners every day. She is well-connected in the community; she was a formative Board Member of North Country Pride, and is involved in the Co-op’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. She is interested in finding new ways to reach out to the community and further engage our members, and is eager to see how the co-op expands in the coming years. Dani is finishing her first 3-year term as a Board Director and and is eager to serve again.
How long have you lived in the community? 6 years
How long have you been a Member of the Co-op? 3 years
Why are you interested in serving on the Co-op’s Board of Directors?
It’s been such an honor, an amazing learning experience, and incredibly rewarding.
What strengths and skills would you bring to the Board?
I’m well-connected in the community, I care about our local businesses and our food system. I genuinely believe in the business model and think that it’s the way of the future.
What are some of your ideas and opinions regarding important opportunities or challenges in the Co-op’s future?
Really reaching out to the full extent of our community’s members and engaging them is a big hurdle, but I feel we’re ready to tackle it. I’m also eager to see the ways in which we will expand in the coming years.
What are some relevant professional or life experiences that you’d like to share?
I’ve served on this board for three years. I was a formative board member of North Country Pride – a 501c3 in town. I’ve been an employee at the Co-op for four years.
Why is local food important to you?
Local food systems are so important because of what they represent. Earnest, hard-working individuals doing their best to support their communities and live life in an organic, uncomplicated way.
Penny Keeler
Penny has been blessed to live in this amazing community for ten years. She became a member of the Co-op because she knows that by shopping here she is helping local farmers and bakers who provide the community with fresh, healthy options. Having a lot of garden experience throughout the years and raising four children on fresh grown food, it’s important to her that the Co-op continues to thrive so that our community never loses these options. Penny has had many volunteer positions since living in our community and continues to give her time as it is important to give back. She curates three weekly programs for North Country Community Radio. No other store that she has ever shopped in has taken so many measures to reduce their imprint upon the Earth and that makes her very proud to be a partner of the Co-op.
How long have you lived in the community? 10 years
How long have you been a Member of the Co-op? 2 years
Why are you interested in serving on the Co-op’s Board of Directors?
I believe in everything the Co-op stands for. I would love to be part of the decision making and work with the Board to keep the Co-op a thriving part of our community.
What strengths and skills would you bring to the Board?
I would bring a love of this community to the Board. I have been a radio personality at a local radio station in Littleton, for 5 years now. I have become very good at promoting events and people in the community. I include community members into my broadcasts by inviting them into the radio station to take part in interviews to educate the community in whatever they are trying to promote. I serve on two other Boards. The Bancroft House and also the Franconia Artwalk. I dedicate a lot of my personal time to endeavors that I believe in. The co-op and its future are important to me. I also ran a deli/giftshop in Upstate NY for several years before relocating here in Littleton NH. We were very succesful and I feel I have many skills from this endeavor that could help in being a good Board member for the Co-op.
What are some of your ideas and opinions regarding important opportunities or challenges in the Co-op’s future?
I think in this world we live in now, where our food chain is compromised by shortages due to the pandemic, and an increase of GMO foods over the past decades, it’s so important that we support local farmers that produce healthy organic food. In my opinion, we are lucky to have a Co-op available to us where we all have this choice of fresh locally sourced food items available to the community. Everyone is challenged now with just being able to keep up with the rising costs of living and I feel the Co-op has done a great job through these challenges to keep the cost of essentials at a reasonable price point. It is important to the community that they succeed in keeping costs reasonable. I am sure the Co-op has challenges of its own to keep up with the rising costs and still maintain a healthy profit margin. They seem to be able to maintain a Cooperative that still allows the lower-income families to be able to access locally sourced items at a reasonable cost.
What are some relevant professional or life experiences that you’d like to share?
I started my volunteering mission in 2013 at the Littleton Regional Hospital. I would assist people entering the hospital, to find the place that they needed to go. In 2015 I volunteered in the concession stand at The Colonial Theater for one season. I volunteered at the Alumni Hall in Haverhill NH for a Spring/Summer season by delivering food to the tables during their concerts. I volunteered at The Weathervane Theater for one season, accompanying people to their seats. I have volunteered my time to The Upstage Players on occasion. I currently volunteer at The Loading Dock in Littleton at their door, taking tickets and checking IDs. I also currently volunteer for Catamount Arts for various concerts in Vermont. I have done this for 4 years now. For the past 5 years I have volunteered at North Country Community Radio as a DJ, where I curate three different programs on a weekly basis. I have worked in retail for much of my life until 5 years ago when I took a position in Franconia as the Cemetery Sexton. I do all the maintenance in the two cemeteries that are in Franconia except for the mowing, and I do the burials. My work was acknowledged by the Town Administrator and I was asked to take a position with The Franconia Building and Grounds, which I did. I maintain all the gardens in the town of Franconia. Four years now, I have been on the Board of a local homeless shelter called, The Bancroft House, where I am the Chairperson. We have been meeting via Zoom during the colder months, due to the pandemic and we meet in person when weather allows. I conduct the Zoom meetings. I participate in all fundraising activities for this organization. Last year, I joined the Board of The Franconia Artwalk where I have served on committees and done fundraising .
Why is local food important to you?
Local Food is important to me because I realize the value of fresh grown food for taste and overall health.
Chad Farrow
Chad recently built a Log Home in Bethlehem to use as a vacation home and AirBnB. He was introduced to the Co-op 2 years ago during his family’s many visits to the area, and he loves shopping here whenever he can. He would especially like to help promote the Co-op and become a “must visit” destination for travelers to the North Country. Chad is a Senior Project Manager at SNHU and has served on the Hollis-Brookline school board for 2+ years. His wife, Noble, and his 2 kids Kieran, 15, and Acelyn, 13, all love the Littleton area – especially getting lunch at the Co-op.
How long have you lived in the community? Chad lives in Southern NH and his second home is here in Littleton.
How long have you been a Member of the Co-op? 1 year
Why are you interested in serving on the Co-op’s Board of Directors?
Help promote the Co-op and become a “must visit” destination for travelers to the North Country.
What strengths and skills would you bring to the Board?
General Project Management skills…and tons of humor! (Dad jokes anyone?)
What are some of your ideas and opinions regarding important opportunities or challenges in the Co-op’s future?
As I’m newer to the ins and out of the Co-op, I can’t say I have an answer right now. However, I am passionate about marketing and public relations.
What are some relevant professional or life experiences that you’d like to share?
I previously served on the Hollis-Brookline school board for 2+ years, so I am familiar with the “charter” of a board of directors and decisions it must make for its respective population and operations.
Why is local food important to you?
Quality and Freshness
Timothy Healey
Timothy believes the Littleton Co-op is a tremendous community resource, and he wants to leverage his skills as a business leader to ensure the Co-op continues to provide a wonderful experience for its members, employees, and customers. It’s so important that the co-op continues to support local farmers, because they are run by families, not mega-conglomerates, and these families need our support. Eating food that is sourced locally is more delicious, nutritious, and better for the environment.
How long have you lived in the community? 3 years
How long have you been a Member of the Co-op? 1 year
Why are you interested in serving on the Co-op’s Board of Directors?
The Littleton Co-op is a great community resource and I am aligned with the Co-op mission.
What strengths and skills would you bring to the Board?
More than 30 years in business with a focus on marketing and leadership.
What are some of your ideas and opinions regarding important opportunities or challenges in the Co-op’s future?
Soil deterioration due to modern farming practices has the potential cause a crisis in food production. We should encourage our suppliers (local and regional) to adopt sustainable farming practices to preserve the soil.
What are some relevant professional or life experiences that you’d like to share?
I am devoted to environmental causes and working with the homeless. I currently sit on the board of 1 other corporation. When I’m not working I love to ski and hike.
Why is local food important to you?
Eating food that is sourced locally is more delicious, nutritious, and better for the environment.
Barbara Radmore
Originally from Buffalo, Barb spent 35 years in Western Maine. Most of her working career was with educational non-profits, from developing workplace literacy classes to college access to aftershoool & summer programming K-8. She has also been involved with over a dozen non-profit Boards, often as an Officer, including three so far In Littleton. She enjoys being involved and hands-on. Barb has been married to her husband for close to 40 years and they have two daughters. When retirement came, she and her husband looked at many options but fell in love with Littleton and they are extremely happy here.
How long have you lived in the community? 4 1/2 years
How long have you been a Member of the Co-op? 4 1/2 years
Why are you interested in serving on the Co-op’s Board of Directors?
I am very interested in many of the endeavors and vision of the Co-op and would like to be able to add my skills to help them with continued success. I believe in working to support community programs that I find important. I believe I have skills and abilities that would add to the missions of the Co-op.
What strengths and skills would you bring to the Board?
I have been involved with over a dozen non-profit Boards, often as an Officer, including three so far In Littleton. I like being a very involved, hands-on member. I am organized, detailed and thorough. Being retired does give me time to commit fully as needed. I love learning new things so the opportunities of becoming more educated in the field would be something of which I would take every advantage.
What are some of your ideas and opinions regarding important opportunities or challenges in the Co-op’s future?
I would like to create ways for Members, if they would like, to be more involved with community programs and Co-op endeavors. I would like to increase educational events, including ones that reach children and youth. The Co-op does a fantastic job connecting with local food sources so maintaining that is of utmost importance. Meeting the issue of food insecurity is and should continue to be a concern, especially in these uncertain economic times.
What are some relevant professional or life experiences that you’d like to share?
I have extensive experience with community Involvement, including over a dozen Boards. My careers were generally with educational non-profits.
Why is local food important to you?
As co-founder of North Country Seed Library, located at the Co-op, I am very aware of the importance of growing local foods to expand the resiliency and sustainabilty of a community. It contributes to community health and the local economy. Less travel reduces carbon footprint, as well as decreasing time from harvest to dinner tables which increases nutritional value. As proven by the hundreds of hours I have spent getting, repackaging and distributing thousands of seeds, I am committed to increasing people’s awareness of growing food and shopping for local products.
Sam Brown
Sam has spent 13 years working with an incredible team growing local food as the Manager at Meadowstone Farm in Bethlehem NH. He combines his passion for sustainable agriculture with his education background to promote the importance of local food. Sam has been shopping at the Co-op since the beginning often with one or all 3 of his children. When not farming, he enjoys adventuring in the White Mountains with his family.
How long have you lived in the community? 19 years
How long have you been a Member of the Co-op? Since the beginning
Why are you interested in serving on the Co-op’s Board of Directors?
The co-op embodies so much more than just a grocery store: community, local food, affordable options, openness and acceptance, safety. My children love to visit the store, say hello to friendly employees, see what food is new in the produce department, and help box up groceries at checkout. I see the board of directors as an avenue to positively impact another aspect of our food system, while also educating the next generation.
What strengths and skills would you bring to the Board?
I am entrenched in the local food system as a farmer and have the perspective of a local vendor providing products for the co-op and other local businesses. In addition to the products we grow at Meadowstone Farm we also focus on educating our customers and visitors about the importance of supporting local farms by purchasing local food. I believe my previous career in education, first hand view of the local food system, enthusiasm for the Littleton Co-op, and my creativity will be an asset to The Littleton Food Co-op.
What are some of your ideas and opinions regarding important opportunities or challenges in the Co-op’s future?
As a longtime customer since the beginning, I have watched and experienced the growth of the co-op from physical growth of the facilities, available products, employees, and customers, to community growth with the development of programs, events, and outreach. These will continue to be important areas to focus on and further the mission of the Co-op. As prices increase with inflation and from the indirect/direct effects of Covid-19, food access and competitive pricing will continue to be a challenge. I support the efforts to expand the co-op with another store(s) and want to help the co-op tackle environmental impacts from the energy used, to food waste.
What are some relevant professional or life experiences that you’d like to share?
I Manage Meadowstone Farm in Bethlehem NH. The collaboration between the farm and Co-op began before the doors opened. We pick up about 26,000 lbs of food waste from the co-op each year, and have various products throughout the co-op including Vegetables and greens, Cheese, Eggs, Meat, Flowers, and Sauerkraut. Since starting work at the farm almost 14 years ago, I have helped to expand the operation to support a 100+ member CSA, developed a self guided tour, and expanded our dairy, vegetable, pork, and beef production. Before farming I taught Theater and Music, was a dorm head, and directed the school a cappella group among other things, at The White Mountain School. I have some previous board experience with The Woodland Community School Board, and was a member of the Easton NH Planning Board. For the last 9 years I have been a member of the organizing committee for the Littleton Farmers Market. In my Farmers Market role I have worked with the New Hampshire Food Bank to accept EBT/SNAP and match SNAP dollars with Granite State Market Match coupons to make healthy fruits and vegetables more accessible to those who otherwise might not be able to afford them. I have a BA from Hamilton College and an M.Ed in Integrated Arts from Plymouth State.
Why is local food important to you?
I have chosen a career and livelihood that revolves around local food and feel first hand the positive economical impact on our local community. My income, sourced from the sale of locally produced food, stays local when spent at the co-op or farm. Local, fresh, high quality food has a high nutritional value and with less distance to travel less of an impact on the environment. As we prepare and consume local food at home, my wife and I enjoy educating our three children about the foods we are consuming: where it comes from and why we eat what we do.
