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Dana Roberts
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Dana Roberts, a member of
the Honest Weight Food Co-op from the founding of the Co-op until he
moved out of the area in 1992, died on November 13. He was 74 years old.
Dana had a profound impact on the Honest Weight Food Co-op. His
influence touched nearly every aspect of this organization--an impact
this is still felt today, even though he and his wife, Carol Ann
Modena, moved to Port Townsend (Wash.) almost 20 years ago.
Dana was an early member of the Co-op's board of directors. He served
on an early incarnation of the bylaws committee, and was one of the
authors of Honest Weight's first set of bylaws. He was involved in
creating the Co-op referendum process. He was also an original member
of the Move Action Group, the committee that started the process of
finding the building that the Co-op operates from now. But he wasn't
just a committeeman-- he was a hands-on guy, spending years on the
Co-op's Building Maintenance committee. In that role, he spent many
hours patching the Co-op's roof. He also, along with Sid Fleisher,
ripped out the old, rotted walk-in cooler (made from painted particle
board!) that the Quail street store had, and installed the metal one
that was in use until the Co-op moved to our current location.
He also was responsible for maintaining the upstairs apartment that the
Co-op rented out above the Quail Street store. Keeping it in good shape
was of great concern to Dana, as there was a nonagenarian old-time
labor organizer who lived there, and Dana was concerned that the man
keep his independence for as long as possible.
Dana was, in many ways, a man ahead of his time. He was an early
advocate for paying attention not just to the ingredients that go into
making a product, but also the labor practices and corporate
activities. He pushed for Honest Weight to stop carrying Quaker-brand
Rice Cakes because he didn't like the company's ethics.
He also was an early supporter of local producers and was a big booster
of Burt's Bakery, which was next door to the Co-op. He also was an
early advocate of reuse and recycling. An avid jogger, he was famous
for finding things on the side of the road during his runs that he
thought would be useful to the Co-op, and bringing them back to the
store. He and Carol Anne were urban farmers and composters who had
turned the soil in the back yard of their Madison Avenue home into rich
growing material. Dana was a purist: He was very committed to bulk
foods and was against the Co-op's stocking of packaged goods. He also
was against the hiring of employees, wanting to see the Co-op entirely
run by working members.
Dana could be outspoken at times, but was also very kind. He was
sociable and erudite--he could expound about seemingly any subject for
at least 30 minutes.
One thing about Dana though, if it were up to him, you'd not be reading
this in the Coop Scoop. You'd be reading it in The Springboard, which
was the name Dana preferred back in 1976 for the publication that you
are now holding--or perhaps reading online. He felt that this name, and
the logo that he created to accompany it, implied "equity, fairness,
and out in the open dealing with a surrounding circle which stands for
us all." It's probably no surprise to anyone who knew him to hear that
Dana got involved in the Port Townsend Co-op and local community
gardens almost as soon as he and Carol Anne moved out there.
Dana is survived by his wife, Carol Anne Modena, and his son, Duncan
Roberts.
–Nate Horwitz |
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