Co-ops for Community Patch

The National Cooperative Business Association and Cabot Creamery are proud sponsors of the Co-ops for Community patch. Our goals for the patch program are to help girls:

1. become more business savvy by learning the difference between cooperatives and other businesses
2. appreciate the valuable role of this unique businesses model by understanding how cooperatives contribute to the communities they serve
3. develop business leadership and experience by learning how to form their own cooperative
4. expose girls to the business opportunities and advantages of cooperatives so they are knowledgeable when they join a cooperative or possibly one day work for one

Many thanks to the Michigan Cooperative Alliance for allowing us to use ideas and materials from their teachers' curriculum on cooperatives and to Senior Girl Scout Megan Novak, creator of the 3-A-Day Calcium Challenge patch program, who provided invaluable input to this program!

Program

Created by 13-year old Megan Novak of Birmingham, Alabama, the 3-A-Day Calcium Challenge Patch program encourages Girl Scouts to learn about the importance of calcium in a healthy diet. Girl Scouts aged six to 18 can earn the patch by completing approved activities, also created by Megan. These range from tracking calcium-rich foods in one's diet to participating in weight-bearing activities.

The program features a booklet that outlines activity choices, along with numerous resources for troop leaders. These include websites and information on weight-bearing activities, ADA's recommendations on the amount of calcium required for various age groups, a list of calcium-rich foods, food log, information on osteoporosis and rickets, games and much more.

Cabot Connection

For many leaders, the 3-A-Day Calcium Challenge Patch Booklet was their first introduction to Cabot, and now they actively look for Cabot cheese in their local stores. These leaders often serve Cabot cheese at troop meetings to fulfill the patch activity that entails sampling healthy and delicious calcium-rich foods. Many leaders, some who are nurses and teachers, often guide troop members to the Cabot website to research health topics required by some of the patch activities.

Education is central to Cabot's mission and we are proud that our website is used a nutritional/educational resource. Two programs in particular, Ag in the Classroom and the Calcium Challenge, teach kids about sustainable agriculture and building strong bones in fun and engaging ways. Connecting with Cabot also helps leaders and troop members connect with the farmers who own Cabot. This reinforces the notion that family farms remain a vital economic and social cornerstone in America. The pure, fresh milk that goes into Cabot's award-winning cheeses comes from family farms throughout Vermont and New England.

Troop Leaders

TROOP LEADERS! Don't forget to complete the survey on page 3 of the booklet! When you and the girls complete the survey and return it to Deb Lowery, Cabot will send the troop a Calcium Treat Package as congratulations for its hard work. We'll even include some fun, calcium-related items, along with coupons for the girls to enjoy. Send the completed survey, as well as the number of girls and leaders in the troop, to:

Marie Frolich
c/o Cabot Creamery
1 Home Farm Way
Montpelier, VT 05602