You’ve heard the phrase, “the dog days of summer,” but what exactly does that mean? And how on earth does this have anything to do with Co-op Principle #7 (P7)?
The Dog Days of Summer are the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11. They are considered the days of the worst summer heat and humidity, although we can have plenty of hot days into September and even October. We need to be especially aware of our own and our neighbors’ needs, to make sure everyone in our community is safely getting through this heat.
But why are they called the dog days? They coincide with the time of year when Sirius, the Dog Star, rises before the Sun. As the brightest star in the sky besides our Sun, it is easy to find. In fact, in ancient Rome, people believed that the luminescence of Sirius added to the Sun’s power to make the summer heat so uncomfortable (it doesn’t). This celestial activity also coincided with the ancient flooding of the Nile river, on which the ancient Egyptians relied to replenish their parched farmland.
This brings us to Co-operative Principle #7 (P7): Concern for Community. This means that as a co-operative, we work for the sustainable development of our co-op and our community through policies approved by our owners. For example, we don’t operate as a non-profit, so we can return our profits to our owners in the form of a distribution or reinvest them in our store, depending on what our owners vote to do.
We also have a commitment to working in the best interest of our local community, which is what directs our outreach efforts. This is why we created Community Cultivators, our owner volunteer team. Whether it’s tabling at our local Farmers’ Markets, participating in community events, or helping other organizations package food donations for families in need, we are there to support our community even before we have a brick-and-mortar store.
So while we all await the end of the dog days of summer, we can care for our community and look out for one another!
Sources:
https://medfordfood.coop/blog/cooperative-principle-7-concern-community