by Gigi Godwin, Board Member
Hello Co-op Owners! I’m very happy to introduce our second newest Board Member, Dan Streit. Dan is also the newest addition to the Board’s Policy Committee. I asked Dan some questions in order for Owners to get to know him and to get a feel for why he decided to run for the Co-op’s Board of Directors.
What was your first memory of Willy Street Co-op?
I am a West-sider. While I had known about the Co-op for a long time, I had only visited it a few times. After Willy Street Co-op–West opened, I recall venturing into the store to check it out and immediately appreciating how different it felt from the big grocery stores where I had been shopping since returning to Madison as an adult. I loved the sense of community that I felt, and how prominently the Co-op features more sustainably grown foods.
How did you first learn about cooperatives, and what was the first co-op you joined?
Before moving to Madison, we (my wife Jen and I) lived in St. Paul, Minnesota. We were fortunate that Mississippi Market Co-op was fairly nearby. Mississippi Market was the first co-op that I joined, and it was also my introduction to co-ops.
How would you describe the Co-op to someone who has never been an Owner or to a potential new Owner?
The delicious foods, the atmosphere, and the sense of community at the Co-op transform getting groceries from a chore into something that I look forward to doing. Come check it out!
What are your top three favorite Willy Street Co-op foods?
Sassy Cow milk, Meadowlark Organics flour and oats, and all of the delicious varieties of local apples.
Do you have any favorite food traditions?
Lots of them! One favorite is that on Christmas Eve, I bake stollen, which my family shares on Christmas morning. Stollen is a German braided sweet bread that is filled with nuts and candied fruit. Somewhat different variations of stollen were passed down to me through each of my parents. The recipe that I like to make is a mix of the two versions.
Besides being a Willy Street Co-op Board Member, what else do you like to do with your time?
I love being a dad and a husband! I am the sole non-musician in my family, which means that I am the beneficiary of being surrounded by beautiful music. I am also passionate about my work as a Senior Researcher at Slipstream. (Slipstream is a non-profit with a mission and motto to “Accelerate Climate Solutions for Everyone.”) In my free time I enjoy running, biking, and baking bread.
What are you most excited about being a new Board Member, and what do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges the Co-op will face over the next few years?
I believe that developing local food systems is an essential component of making our society and our economy more sustainable. The Madison area has a rich and vibrant local food web, and the Co-op is already a vital piece of that network. I am excited to explore how the Co-op can build on this success to both further support local producers and to help more people in our community connect with this local food web.
Is there anything else you’d like our Owners to know?
Thanks for the opportunity to serve on the Board! And please say “Hi” when you see me at the Co-op!
