High Tech c ooperative meeting

We've just started working with a second cooperative in Smokey Mountain involved in recycling white paper, newspaper and crushed glass. They are called "High-Tech Zero Waste" and we met with them at the National Housing Authority offices at Smokey. Here's the group, with Anita my program director standing at the back. We have with us plans of the area and we are laying out where their new recycling facility will be. Part of what we are doing for the two cooperatives, High-Tech and SKMP, is moving them to a larger space so that they can expand their operations. Both want access to a loan. Both want leadership development and training. And apparently they get along like oil and water, so we will have to see how they manage working side by side and sharing things like access roads. There's much to do with High Tech - financial planning, operational planning, I look forward to spending time to get to know their business better. They offered us lunch -- fried chicken and sweet pasta from Jolly Bee the local fast food chain. I'm very touched that they are offering us a meal and Anita tells me this is a sign that they would like to partner with us in the long-term.