A Word from the Board

By Joseph N. Fisher II, Board Member, Co-op Owner

As one of your newly elected Board Members, understanding the importance of supporting local is what compelled me to run for election. Everything about GreenTree embodies the spirit of
supporting local: partnering with local vendors and community businesses, creating local jobs, and providing organic, non-GMO, locally produced, and responsibly sourced products to local
people. GreenTree also supports the local Indigenous community by incorporating Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language) throughout the store and partnering with local Anishinaabe chef Sam Anglin to share his delicious recipes during National Native American Heritage Month. All of these positive attributes benefit our local economy, community, and environment.

Check out this list of local vendors whose wonderful products you can find at GreenTree.

When I was younger, our reservation high school, Aabizikaawin, would take day trips down the Chippewa River. The river was full of Native youth reconnecting with our old traditions of
navigating Michigan’s waterways. Buckley’s Mountainside Canoes allowed us to use their boat launch and picked us up at Deerfield Park when our trip was over. Today, because of my connection to this local business from my youth, I still take trips down the Chippewa River with my family and friends through Buckley’s. This is just one story of how a local business impacted a Mt. Pleasant resident. Supporting local fosters these kinds of experiences and creates fond lifelong memories. As one of our Community Partners, GreenTree Owners can enjoy discounted paddling trips through Buckley’s!

Check out Buckley’s and our other Community Partners to see the special offers and incentives they offer to GreenTree Owners.

On the third Wednesday of every month at 6pm, the Board conducts its monthly meeting. It’s not held in a fancy corporate boardroom where major shareholders make self-interested
decisions. Instead, it takes place in a community space at the local Veterans Memorial Library, where our Board—all fellow Co-op Owners—makes decisions that wholly support the sustainability of the Co-op and its mission to foster a healthy and educated local community. As a people-centered and community-owned local business, all GreenTree Owners are encouraged to attend these monthly meetings and are given space to share their thoughts, opinions, and suggestions.

You can find the Board’s monthly meeting minutes here.

GreenTree is a place where your voice really matters. When Co-op owners attend meetings and contribute their voices, it reflects a larger truth about the importance of supporting local: every
decision we make collectively has a ripple effect, strengthening not just GreenTree, but our entire community.

Supporting local is at the heart of everything we do at GreenTree. Every purchase you make, every vendor you support, and every moment you spend engaging with the Co-op contributes to
a thriving local economy, a stronger community, and a healthier environment. By shopping local, you’re helping to create jobs, sustain local businesses, and celebrate the unique character of our
area. If you believe in supporting local as much as I do, and are looking for ways to continue supporting GreenTree’s sustainability, please consider inquiring about our Capital Campaign and encouraging friends and family to become Co-op Owners!