Don Schramm Community Service Award
Do you know a Co-op Champion?
If you want to recognize the outstanding contribution to our community by a Co-op Member, criteria includes: being an active member of the Co-op, having an outstanding commitment to cooperative principles, sharing visionary leadership, or participating in service to the community. Each year, the Don Schramm Award recognizes the outstanding contribution to our community by a Co-op member. Nominations are collected in August of each year.
In 2011, the award went to Larry Kupferman!
The Board of Directors awarded the Co-op’s 2011 Don Schramm Community Service Award to Larry Kupferman.
Back in 1973, Larry Kupferman was one of the signers of Onion River Cooperative's original Articles of Incorporation, and Larry was also one of the Co-op's first paid employees. He has continued to serve and contribute to the Burlington community ever since, including stints as the Executive Director of the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) and currently as Director of CEDO, the city's Community and Economic Development Office.
Larry's story is an example of one of the great possibilities embedded within the cooperative model: a person can step into a community-owned and democratically-controlled cooperative at whatever level of interest and ability they have. They can learn and grow within the cooperative -- and can then use what they've learned as they find other ways to serve the community. All of our members, employees, and board members can take a bit of inspiration from Larry's example! Congratulations, Larry!
In 2010, the award went to Jess Hyman!
The Co-op’s 2010 Don Schramm Community Service Award was given to Jess Hyman. Hyman was nominated through her volunteer work with Grow Team ONE and the Archibald and Riverside Neighborhood Gardens. The Co-op member who nominated Jess writes: With her leadership, many of my neighbors have access to organic, healthy vegetables. Classes are also available in learning to preserve and cook their harvest with her help. Jess has a very warm and welcoming heart. She is able to reach out to our very diverse community and make everyone feel comfortable. All of Jess’s work supports the Co-op’s mission to promote local access to healthful choices, strengthening the local food system and supporting the cooperative model.
Congratulations, Jess!
In 2009, the award went to Abbie Nelson!
Abbie Nelson is the Education Coordinator of NOFA Vermont and the VT Food Education Every Day (VT FEED) Director involved in all aspects of local purchasing and professional development of school food service. She has been a teacher for over 20 years in regular and special education, and worked on an organic vegetable and flower farm. As part of NOFA Vermont and a VT FEED partner, she has been working in Vermont schools linking Food, Farm, and Nutrition education for 8 years. Her role has been focused on school food by connecting kitchen managers with local farmers, helping farmers with agricultural education on their farms, training school food service personnel, and teaching school staff how to introduce new foods to students. Congratulations, Abbie!
Previous Don Schramm Award Winners:
- 2008 – Andy Jones
- 2007 – Beverly Keim
- 2006 – Michael Healy
- 2005
- 2004 – Janet Hicks
- 2003 – Bonnie Acker
- 2002 – Don Schramm
