TWIN CITIES CO-OPS JOIN CO-OPS NATIONWIDE FOR “MY CO-OP ROCKS” VIDEO CONTEST

Co-ops across the nation encourage co-op fans to submit short videos
 and compete for $3,000 in prizes

Ready for a co-op close up? The Twin Cities co-ops invite members, shoppers and staff to submit short, up-to-2-minute videos in the My Co-op Rocks Video Contest, a nationwide contest where co-op fans get to share the reasons their co-op rocks. The contest is presented by National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA) and sponsored by Equal Exchange and Frontier Natural Products Co-op.

Submissions will be accepted online beginning Sept. 1 at www.MyCoopRocks.coop with $3,000 in prizes to be awarded to the nation’s best videos in “People’s Choice” and “Judges’ Choice” categories.

My Co-op Rocks Video Contest asks shoppers across the country to share their favorite co-op moments, memories and stories online. The Twin Cities co-ops,  NCGA and contest sponsors are hosting the contest in celebration of all the qualities and quirks that make co‑ops integral parts of their communities.

A Twin Cities co-op fan, Emily Tyra, was a People's Choice award winner in the 2009 My Co-op Rocks contest, with her video, "Dancing at the Co-op," filmed in the aisles of Minneapolis's Wedge Co-op. If you or someone you know is interested in filming at your local co-op, please phone ahead for permission! Ask for someone in marketing or community outreach who can give you hints and tips on what you need to know.

Individuals can upload videos Sept. 1 through Sept. 30 and vote on current submissions. Video submission ends Sept. 30 and then, from Oct. 1 through Oct. 15, individuals can vote for their top videos. The public determines the top three winners in the "People's Choice" category. Then, a panel of judges will score entries based on creativity, theme, and overall appeal to determine the top three winners in the "Judges' Choice" category. Winners will be announced on Nov. 1. In each category, first place winners receive an Apple iPad, second place winners receive a $500 co-op gift card and third place winners receive a co-op customized HD flip cam. The first 50 individuals who submit a video will also receive a free t-shirt.

For the official rules or to enter the contest, visit www.MyCoopRocks.coop.

About NCGA

National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA), founded in 1999, is a business services cooperative for consumer-owned food co-ops located throughout the United States. NCGA is owned by 114 food co-ops operating more than 145 stores in 32 states with combined annual sales of nearly $1.2 billion. NCGA helps unify natural food co-ops in order to optimize operational and marketing resources, strengthen purchasing power, and ultimately offer more value to natural food co-op shoppers everywhere. Additionally, NCGA is a winner of the dotCoop Global Awards for Cooperative Excellence in recognition of the application of cooperative values and principles to drive cooperative and business success. For a map of co-op member locations, visit www.ncga.coop.  To learn more about co-ops, visit www.strongertogether.coop or www.go.coop.