12
The Communicator - March 2005
Russell Selkirk was recently awarded the title "Employee of the Month" for the great work he did in trans-
forming the front of the store. Russell and his father shared a family project in creating our new shelving
unit that helped to streamline the front cashiering station.
Russell was born in Dover, Delaware and moved to Fairfield, Ohio when he was 5 years old. Russell
graduated from Fairfield High School in 1999 and went on to Ohio State University, where he
graduated with a B.A. in Political Science. Russell says he went into political science because of
feelings and ideas he became aware of that grew out of the hip-hop and punk music he listened
to as a young man. He grew up in a suburban setting and felt disconnected from the difficult
issues that urban people face. As he pursued his college education, he decided on political
science to involve himself more in those ideas.
The best part of college for Russell was helping to establish the student organization "Students
for Sensible Drug Policy." He liked turning other students on to alternative perspectives and
encouraging them to think. He felt positive about actively changing the politics of the drug war
and helping people liberate themselves from the "Just Say No" mentality. He liked sharing facts
that exposed the truth about the war on drugs.
Russell likes working at the market because of the high level of individual expression that he is able to have here. In addition, the contact
with local growers and farmers gives him a sense of satisfaction to know where his food is coming from. Russell was inspired to design
a more functional front area of the store for the cashiers. The front area is now more welcoming to all of our shoppers. His work to develop
a more user friendly cashier station has given Russell a lot of respect from his fellow workers and market members. Russell says
improving the aesthetics will improve the business. He is also looking forward to further transitions to improve the area even more.
Asked what he felt were important issues of the day, Russell responded that he would like to stress that people get involved in the organic
movement and stop supporting conventional methods of farming. Russell feels stopping the continued degradation of the environment
and health of our bodies and our planet depends on that. People should support local organic farms because it can slow down the
destructive process of industrial agriculture.
10 years from now Russell would like to be starting his own retail business specializing in Hemp-cannabis products. Russell says "Hemp
for Victory!". He feels that hemp is very versatile and sustainable and under utilized in the United States for food, clothing, fuel, and fiber
because cultivation is prohibited by an archaic federal law.
One of Russell's distant ancestors was Alexander Selkirk, an 18
th
century sailor from Scotland, who was marooned by his captain on an
uninhabited island west of Chile for 4 ½ years. His life has become immortalized in the famous "Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" which
is based upon the life of Alexander Selkirk.
You'll see Russell frequently at the front register; he is one of our head cashiers. Russell's message to everyone at the co-op is "Keep
your heads up, stay innovative, and keep moving forward."
Congratulations Russell Selkirk, CCM Employee of the Month!
Employee of the Month
Russell Selkirk!
Written by Edward Bain
5701 North High St. Suite 106
Worthington, Ohio 43085
614.430.9041
Gary H. Miller
Relief from Stress and Pain, Myofacial, Sports Massage,
Swedish Massage, On-Site Chair and Full Body Massage
Licensed by Medical Board, State of Ohio
Healing Haven
The problem that has no name - which is simply
the fact that American women are kept from
growing to their full human capacities - is
taking a far greater toll on the physical and
mental health of our country than any known
disease.
Betty Friedan (1921- )
The Feminine Mystique (1963)