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The Coalition Of Visionary
Resources (COVR)
Serving the Visionary Retail & Wholesale
Trade Communities
COVR is a 501-C-6 not-for-profit trade organization.

COVR Board Member David Cronin
and COVR President Michelle Payton
get their groove on at New Leaf Distributing Co.'s
Dances of Universal Peace event at INATS-East 2005.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is COVR?
COVR is an Organization formed by a unique
group of businesses with the common mission of dedicating support to independent
retailers, manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and publishers of Visionary
books, music and merchandise. COVR also welcomes conscious-based individuals or
companies who demonstrate an active interest in our market.
Q. What will COVR do for me as a
Retailer?
Our Retail members receive discounts from
many of our COVR Vendor members which may include merchandise or services, free
entry in our retailer awards, free mentoring in retail and wholesale assistance,
website, mailings, events and a quarterly newsletter including helpful articles,
marketing strategies and tips. We give you an outlet to voice concerns specific
to Retailers. We also provide a monthly mailing including what's happening,
tips, classified ads with special pricing from vendors and community outreach.
Further, COVR sponsors retailer oriented educational seminars at the
International New Age Trade Show in Orlando each January and Denver each June.
For more good reasons to join COVR, go to the Join COVR
page.
Q. What will COVR do for me as a
Vendor?
Our Vendor members have the opportunity to
get recommended in the newsletter along with a Vendor Spotlight when you join
that allows you to tell the membership about yourself, and you will receive a
list of all of our retail members. Another perk is Free mentoring in wholesale
assistance, Website, Mailings, Events, Newsletters and marketing. A quarterly
newsletter including helpful articles marketing strategies and tips is part of
membership. We give you an outlet to voice concerns specific to Wholesalers. We
also provide a monthly mailing including what's happening, tips, classified ads
with special pricing from vendors who want to clear out overstock, old labeling
or bumped and bruised merchandise and community outreach. COVR provides an
opportunity to offer discounts or specials to our Retail Members. Further, COVR
sponsors wholesaler oriented educational seminars at the International New Age
Trade Show in Orlando each January and Denver each June. There is also a $25
discount off our Visionary submission fees in our well known COVR Visionary
Awards. For more good reasons to join COVR, go to the
Join COVR page.
Q. How are the Visionary Awards and
Retailer Awards judged?
The COVR awards are judged on very strict
criteria to assure fairness and impartiality. A panel of five objective judges is
selected for each individual category from the membership throughout the
industry. These judges determine the best submissions in each category. The total
number of judges in combined categories equals 25-30 COVR members each year. Decisions are made based on strict criteria submitted to the judges and on the
educated opinion of these judges, not on volume of sales nor the number of
submissions by a vendor. For more information on how the COVR awards are
judged, click Criteria for Judging
Awards. |

Authors Ellen Dugan, Christopher Penczak, Kala Trobe,
and Raven Grimassi at INATS-West 2003.
COVR Board of Directors

Christopher Penczak signing books at INATS-West 2003.
Standing Committees
Members: We gratefully accept
your active participation in our Association, and we welcome suggestions in all
areas. Call or email our
office to give your input
or
to volunteer your special talents and interests on a
committee!
| Membership/PR/Fund
Raising Committee
- comes up with ways to increase membership and revenue, and generally spread the word about COVR. |
Debbie Hagen, Chairperson |
| Mentor Committee
- decides on Mentor qualifications through an evaluation process |
Winifred Tannetta, Chairperson |
| Trade Show Committee
- plans and executes the cooperative events with INATS |
Margaret Ann Lembo, Chairperson |
| Visionary Awards/People's
Choice Committee -
sets up, scripts, and runs the Visionary Awards program |
Sandi Liss, Office Director
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| Publication Committee
- coordinates and publishes the newsletter and other COVR publications |
Sandi Liss, Editor |
| Web Committee
- sets up and maintains the COVR website |
Sandi Liss, Office Director
John Baumann |
| Nominating Committee
- disperses
information and nominates new
Board members |
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Value Added Committee
- deals with both
Retailer and Vendor concerns: Retailers
and Vendors with problems would come to this committee |
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Author/Artist/Practitioner Referral Committee
- oversees the referral program for bringing stores together with
authors/artists/practitioners |
Lynn Merritt,
Chairperson |
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Retail Focus Group
Panel -
seeks feedback from seasoned retailers on new products and services,
packaging, positioning and advertising |
Rita Caroni, Chairperson |
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Newsgroups
-
an email discussion group, one for Retailers and one for Vendors |
Deb Hagen/Sandi Liss (Retailer),
Caryn Colgan (Vendor) |

Universal Dances of Peace
at the New Leaf Distributing Co.'s peace event at INATS-East 2005.
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