January 2012

January, the start of another year, new beginnings, launch out on a new year and try something different.  This year, 2012, the UN has announced as International Year of Co-operatives in the months to come you will be seeing and reading more about the Co-operatives and Credit Unions across the country.  Many different events will be planned and from time to time we will be writing about them.
When life’s problems seem overwhelming, look around and see what other people are coping with.  You many consider yourself fortunate.   Ann Landers
Near the end of November work was started on the Agriculture/C-Store in Quesnel below are some pictures taken at the beginning of this construction. 
On January 12, 2012 co-operators and co-op supporters from across Canada will come together to launch the 2012 UN International Year of Co-operatives. Twelve regions across the country will launch simultaneous events to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  An opportunity to raise public awareness of co-operatives and their social and economic contributions to society.   An opportunity to support the growth and development of co-operatives in Canada and around the world. And an opportunity to begin legacy initiatives that will outlive the International Year and inspire others to support the co-operative movement.
This is our year. And this is your chance to be a part of it!
At least 650,000 U.S. consumers have opened accounts at credit unions taking away an estimated $4.5 billion from big banks in the month leading up to Bank Transfer Day (Nov. 5), according to the Credit Union National Association (CUNA). A news release from CUNA says the one-month membership increase topped the number of members who joined in all of 2010.
At least two Canadian credit unions hoped to benefit from the social media movement, which asked people to remove all funds from their bank accounts and join their local financial co-operative on Nov. 5.
Meridian Credit Union, the largest credit union in Ontario, issued a news release encouraging Ontarians to take advantage of the day by switching their accounts. Meanwhile CCEC Credit Union in British Columbia spoke to Occupy Vancouver protesters and urged them to “unbank” using their Twitter profile.
Meanwhile, a new campaign has emerged on Facebook in the wake of Bank Transfer Day. A Facebook page was created, urging consumers to move their loan balances away from credit cards issued by big banks and onto zero interest rate cards, preferably issued by credit unions and community banks.
A British Columbia credit union has been honoured for having one of Canada’s 10 most admired corporate cultures.
Coast Capital Savings Credit Union was the only co-operative organization to appear on the Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2011 list, compiled by the executive search firm Waterstone Human Capital.
Coast Capital joins such companies as CIBC, RBC, West Jet, Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaw’s on this year’s top 10 list.
While no other co-ops or credit unions made this year’s national list, First Calgary Financial, Vancity, North Shore Credit Union together with Coast Capital, appeared on lists of the top regional winners
Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2011, in alphabetical order, are:
Agrium Inc. (Calgary, AB)
CIBC (Toronto, ON)
Coast Capital Savings Credit Union (Surrey, BC)
ING Direct Canada (Toronto, ON)
Kinross Gold Corporation (Toronto, ON)
Ledcor Group of Companies (Vancouver, BC)
Loblaw Companies Limited (Brampton, ON)
RBC (Toronto, ON)
Shoppers Drug Mart (Toronto, ON)
West Jet Airlines (Calgary, AB)
The Canada’s 10 Culture Connection Award is a new to the Canada’s 10, 2011 program. The award recognizes an organization that stands apart from its peers as demonstrating outstanding cultural alignment and innovation that is connected to performance. It is named appropriately after Marty Parker’s (Founder, Chairman and CEO of Waterstone Human Capital) new book Culture Connection: How Developing a Winning Culture Will Give Your Organization a Competitive Advantage.
“This year’s winners demonstrate great leadership, vision and commitment. They are driven to not only survive, but to thrive in today’s challenging economy, and they are all leading examples of how winning cultures impact performance,” says Marty Parker, Chairman and CEO of Waterstone Human Capital. “They have proven something we at Waterstone have always known, that great people that fit create great cultures, and great cultures create a competitive advantage that generates outstanding results, in both good times and in bad.
The annual competition, now in its seventh year, annually recognizes Canadian organizations for having a culture that has helped them enhance performance and sustain a competitive advantage.

Apologizing does not always mean you are wrong and the other person is right.
It just means you value your relationship more than your ego.
1. Do the Math
Factor in your gas, your meals, or shipping fees, not to mention the long line ups at the malls, traffic congestion, and the stress and aggravation of driving in potentially inclement weather and ask yourself - is it worth it?
2. Keep the Dollars in Our Local Economy
When you shop in our community, you simultaneously create jobs, fund more services like education and emergency services through taxes, invest in neighborhood improvement, and promote community development.
3. Support Community Businesses
The well-being of a community benefits when you shop locally. Our area businesses build strong neighborhoods by sustaining communities, contributing to local charities, supporting sports teams, festivals, service clubs, school activities and the list goes on. Don’t expect area businesses to support your request for donation if you aren’t prepared to support them.
4. Save the Environment
Shopping in Vanderhoof means no need for long drives. You’re not burning fuel and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions
5. Keep Our Country Unique
Our tourism industry benefits from this. When people go on vacation they seek out destinations that offer them the sense of being some place special. By choosing to support local businesses you help maintain our community diversity and distinct flavor.
6. Consider What Our Retailers Are Facing.
They purchased their stock six months ago hoping to sell it today, pay their employees, pay their taxes, heat and hydro, donate to charity, and hopefully pay themselves.
7. More Jobs and Wages
Supporting our local merchants means more jobs and better wages for our community.
8. Get Better Service
It is no secret that people; Vanderhoof people are some of the friendliest ones you will come across. Our area merchants take pride in hiring the right people who are passionate about their products and services... let’s support them by shopping locally.
9. Lots of Great Products.
With so many great stores, restaurants and home based businesses, there is a broad range of products and services available. Something special for everyone on your list.
10. We Love Our Community - Let’s Keep our Money Here
We can encourage local prosperity by keeping hard earned dollars in our local economy.

Congratluations to Ray Sayles along with daughter Deeann Sayles winners of the Midnight Madness promotion. Draw boxes were set up at all Co-op locations in Vanderhoof (Food Store, Hardware, Lumber, C-Store and Petroleum) for members to enter name to win 3 minute shopping spree on food floor valued at $500. Shopping spree was held just prior to store opening on Saturday, December 24, 2011 and the winners did indeed achieve the $500 limit within the 3 minutes.
If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.  Mark Twain

Tips for eating healthy
Losing weight is not easy and it takes time, so don’t expect miracles.  A crash diet may work for the short term, but the weight will come back almost immediately.  A weight loss of about half-a pound a week or two pounds a month is healthy and realistic.
Remember: your goal is not to be thin.  It is to be healthy and fit.
Try to make just one simple but healthy change at a time, like switching to one percent milk or walking to the store instead of driving.
If you eat a variety of different foods, you won’t feel bored or deprived and you are more likely to get all the nutrients you need.
Try to include at least three of the four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide (vegetables and fruit, grains, milk and milk alternatives, meat and meat alternatives) at every meal.  Your snacks should be healthy, too.
Eating breakfast is one of the most important things you can do to lose weight.
During the night, your metabolism slows down.  Eating a balanced breakfast – such as high-fibre cereal, fruit and milk – helps to kick-start your body in the morning it will burn fuel more efficiently throughout the day.
You will feel less hungry if you eat more vegetables, fruit, legumes (such as beans, lentils and chickpeas), and whole grains.  Always eat three meals a day.   When you skip meals, you tend to eat more at the next meal or snack too often.
Watch your fats, because you need some fat to stay healthy, make sure you choose healthy fats instead of unhealthy fats. Unhealthy fats are saturated and trans fats.  Healthy fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.  They can actually reduce your cholesterol levels and your risk for heart disease and stroke.  Healthy fats are found in vegetable oils, fish nuts and seeds; however, because nuts and seeds are also high in calories, eat them in small amounts.
Make the healthy choice the easy choice.  Make sure you only have healthy food choices in your cupboards and your fridge.  If it’s not there, you won’t eat it.
Fresh fruit, hard-boiled eggs, cut up veggies and canned tuna are all great foods to keep around.  So are dried fruits, such as raisins or cranberries, but eat them in small amounts.
Most people underestimate how much they eat in a day by as much as one-third.  Canada’s food guide provides clear information about how much food equals one Food Guide Serving for each of the four major food groups.  For example, one serving of fresh vegetables equals a half a cup (125 ml) of broccoli, one serving of grains equals a half a cup (125ml) of brown rice or pasta, one serving of meat is two-and –a- half ounces (75g) of lean beef, and so on.