After nearly 300 votes for the finalists, I’m excited to give you the woman YOU voted as Linn Area Credit Union’s 2012 Nom the Mom. Check out the video of us surprising her:
Congratulations to our winner and to our other finalists!!! you are all amazing women! Happy Mother’s Day!
Oh my word! We were overwhelmed by the response we got for our second annual Nom the Mom contest (want to see the pics of some of our nominees? Go here!). I wish that we could have selected ALL of those that were nominated! But *sigh* it just isn’t possible.
So once again, I asked for a volunteer committee of five Linn Area employees to each separately review each entry and then submit their top 3 moms to me. A BIG thank you goes out to Jess (Finance), Liz (Fraud Specialist), Kathy (Collections), Amy (Collections) and Matt (Compliance)! I complied their votes and the top 3 moms emerged to become your finalists in the Nom the Mom contest!
Now YOU have the toughest job of them all – CHOOSING the deserving mom who will win the City Looks Salon & Spa Day of Beauty (info on HOW to vote is right after the three stories).
Are you ready for this? You might want to grab some kleenex first. Okay, I warned you! Here they are, in alphabetical order:
My mother’s name is Karen Brenneman. She is the mother of two young men, Greg (24) and Grant (21). She has been married to my father, Scott, for the past 31 years. She is a trustworthy, faithful, loving, compassionate, strong willed, dedicated, and most of all patient mother. She displays all these qualities day in and day out. Her and my father have worked together nearly their whole lives. She was born in Cedar Rapids and was moved around as a child. She was an Kindergarten Teacher for a few years before going into business with my father. She has been involved in me and my brothers lives tremendously between school and sports. She loves a good glass of wine and time with friends.
My mother deserves to be nominated because of all her qualities she displays. She goes to church every sunday and participates in small groups (small group leader), she also helps be the host at are church every 4th Month. She is a faithful follower of Christ. As listed about my mother has numerous qualities that stand out but there is one thing my mother is dealing with that a guarantee no other mother is dealing with. My mother has a medical condition called “Frozen Shoulder.” It is exactly what it sounds like. Her shoulder has frozen and she literally can’t completely use her arm. Her arm is constantly at her side 24 hours a day and has been this way since December. This condition can last up to 2 years. She has been going to physical therapy but have not seen any progress yet. My mother does all the things that mothers typically do. She cooks, cleans, works, runs errands and mothers the family like a loving mother should. The best part is she does with one arm. Her arm will not extend or even go up more than a few degrees. Her hand its self can’t get much higher than her waist. Try doing laundry or cooking or trying to carry in groceries. Even the easiest things like closing your car door has become a chore. The pain for me and my family is emotional because I can see the pain in my mothers eyes. There are days she just breaks down due to the frustration of not being able to enjoy life. She randomly gets shooting pain from her shoulder in her arm and she has to stop everything she is doing till it goes away. The pain is so intense it brings tears to her eyes and just kills me to see her going through this.
Personally I believe my mother needs a day of rest, relaxation and beauty from her ongoing struggle with her frozen shoulder. She is a very strong women but after these last 5 months she is due for a little “Women Time.” Please nominate my mother for this years Mother of the Year … She truly deserves every minute of it.
I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine – she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights. ~Terri Guillemets
For all my life I knew I wanted to be a mother. A mother has an everlasting place in their children’s heart and soul. For this I am sure because this is where my mother is. She is always with me; in my heart telling me that she loves me; in my soul telling me to be the strong woman she knows I can be; in my ear telling me over the phone everyday how much she misses me; in my mind reminding me to always be the best person I can be; and next to me holding my hand.
My mother lost her parent’s by the age of 20. I have never heard her complain or become discouraged. All I hear are great reminders of how amazing her parents were and how proud they would be of the family she has made. Her parents molded her into the strong woman she has become, and my mother is still molding me into the woman that I am and the woman I want to be.
No matter the stresses and hardships I put my mother through, she cries with me, picks me up, straightens me out, smiles with me, and puts me on the right path. Most parents can’t wait to have their children move out of the house. I am 22, finishing college, and living with my parents. Every single day my mother tells me how God has blessed her with keeping me with her, if just for a few more months.
When the time comes for me to start my career and move away, this will be the time when she will show her true strength. She will cry. She will smile. She will beg for me to stay just one more day. But she will give me a big hug and a kiss, and slip some money in my hand as I walk away. She will want me to stay, but she will also encourage me to start the new chapter in my life. Her heart and words will stay with me as I move on, but she will let me go and grow as an adult and continue to grow until I can be the wife and mother I know her to be.
As I begin the next chapter of my life, I will always remember the words my mother taught me. To always be kind, helpful, graceful, and loving. Every night as I went to sleep as a child she would whisper in my ear, “I love you forever. I like you for always. As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be”. I will always remember these words and they will shape me into the mother I will some day become. I could only hope and pray to become half the woman I know her to be.
I would like to nominate my mom, Helen Girard, for the Mother’s Day contest. Why, you ask? Here goes:
My mom, although married for 20 years of her time being a mom, has spent the majority those years as a single parent. My older brother is Autistic, learning disabled, and has a nerve disorder, among other developmental issues. He was diagnosed at age 5 &has had a rough road since then. She spends a considerable amount of her life making sure he is alright. This includes meetings with his supervised living staff, taking him to and from places (he can’t drive), & just making sure he has what he needs.
Growing up, I used to get frustrated sometimes because several of my friends would call the house, my mom would answer, & I wasn’t given the phone until they chatted for several minutes. A few times, they actually called to talk to her. I have several friends who still feel that she was like a mom to them growing up because she cared for them so & was often there for them when even their own family wasn’t. She wasn’t in the best situation at the time but she made the best of it & did what she could.
I too am a single parent. When times get tough, my mom is always there. She has been a very integral part of my life & my son’s life. She took care of him when he was a baby while I worked & went to school full time. Later, she let us move in with her while I finished my education. After living with her for almost 3 years, my son & I were able to get a brand new place of our own, which would have never been possible without her. When I had minor surgery 19 months ago, she stayed at my house for 3 days to take care of my son and to make sure I was taken care of as well. She helps my son with homework, communicates with his teachers to relieve me a bit and strives to make my life & his as great as they can be. She’s always loved me for me, no matter what, & made sure I knew that at all times.
In the recent past, I was unemployed for 4 months & she made sure that I knew she was there to help out in any way she could. In addition to all of the above, she taught for 20+ years in the Cedar Rapids Community Schools where she had a daily impact on children. Even though she’s been retired for 2 years now, she gets graduation invitations & hugs from former students she runs into.
She volunteers on a committee for the Linn County Child Development Center, volunteers at Truman Elementary & Prairie Point. She takes an older friend in poor health to appointments & shopping.
My mom has dealt with a lot throughout the years & often I wonder how she’s done it. She deserves an award for being such an incredibly strong, caring, loving, all around amazing person. As crazy as she makes me sometimes, I’m very proud to call her mom.
Now it’s YOUR turn! We need you to VOTE for the mom you think is the most deserving of the City Looks Salon & Spa Day of Beauty prize.
To vote, leave a comment on this blog post telling us the name of the mom you are voting for and make sure to include WHY you think they deserve to get pampered. (Psst… to vote this way, you have to give us your name and a valid email addy – but no worries! Your email address will not be displayed on the comment and we won’t email you!)
**UPDATE: You have to scroll to the bottom of the blog, waaaay down past everyone else’s comments before the box appears where you can cast your vote!**
Only one vote per person, please! (And, yes, we will be watching IP addresses – so play fair!)
Voting goes until 12:00pm (noon) CST on Thursday, May 10th. The Nom the Mom winner will be announced right here on our blog on Friday, May 11th – just in time for Mother’s Day!
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at tbross@linnareacu.org! (Want to see some of the other nominees? Just go here!)
Let the voting begin!
A Spa Facial or 50 minute Full Body Massage, Spa Manicure and Spa Pedicure, Hair Style and Makeup application and beautiful basket full of Aveda Bath & Body products! (value of $300)
To nominate that super-spectacular mom in your life (your mom, wife, sister, grandma, friend, co-worker, etc.), email the following things to tbross@linnareacu.org:
Questions? Just shoot me (Tara) an email at tbross@linnareacu.org. We can’t wait to hear all about these wonderful women!
We have a favor to ask. We know you’re super busy, so here’s the Cliff Notes version…
So there’s the short story! We would appreciate any help you could give. Click here to get started right now!
If you have a little bit more time and would like some additional info, here’s a something that has been copy and pasted for your reading pleasure:
As the Senate works on legislation to spur the economy and grow jobs, credit unions should be part of that solution. Specifically, the federal cap on credit unions’ ability to make member business loans should be raised. Currently, credit unions’ total business loans to members cannot exceed 12.25% of assets. S. 2231 is bi-partisan legislation that would raise the member business lending cap to 27.5%. This would help credit unions provide small businesses with the capital they need to create jobs. This is very important, as banks have tightened lending standards, leaving qualified borrowers with fewer options to find a loan.
We need urgent action to send a message to Iowa Senators Harkin and Grassley to support S. 2231 and help create good jobs in Iowa and stimulate the economy. Lifting the cap would create more than 2,000 new jobs in Iowa with no cost to taxpayers.
Hey everyone! Thanks so much for all of your wonderful entries in Our Family Tree Contest! There were 65 people entered into the drawing to win a $250 gift card. I printed off everyone’s entries on single sheets of paper, shuffled them repeatedly (like a deck of cards), placed them into a large bin, mixed them up again, and then brought them down to our front line staff at NE to assist me in taking a video of the selection. Well that was a mouth full, eh? Without further ado, here is the winner…
Congratulations to our winner!!!
You swipe your debit card and it appears: Credit or debit. Which one should you pick? With three people stacked up behind you in line, impatiently waiting, you can feel your heart beat a little bit faster. You choose an option and, instantly, the pressure is gone.
But did you make the right choice?
This scenario is all too familiar. Before I worked at Linn Area Credit Union, I honestly thought pressing the credit button over the debit button was exactly the same, with the exception of having to put in my PIN for the latter choice.
I’m here to help explain why choosing “credit” is good for YOU and for us!
First, a little background. Every time you swipe your debit card, there is a small fee that is generated called the Interchange Fee. When you press “credit,” this fee goes back to people who issue the card; when you press “debit,” that fee goes to the retailer.
What this means to you is every single time you use your Linn Area Credit Union debit card and press “credit” to sign that receipt, we receive the fee (yay!). In turn, we’re able to return it back to YOU through lower rates and fees (yippee skippy!). Pretty cool, right?
So what happens if you press “debit”? Well, the retailer that you are shopping at gets the Interchange Fee. Is that a benefit to you? Nope.
So, remember – press “credit,” SWIPE your card, and then SIGN your John Hancock.
Another misconception I had was that “credit” suggested I was using a credit card. Nope, not at all. Your credit card, if you have one, is not linked to the money in your checking account.
So next time you’re out at the store and you are faced with “credit” or “debit” debacle, be sure to SWIPE
and SIGN. (Another trick to remember: Give your CREDIT Union some CREDIT.)
Sound off in the comments: With the ease of purchasing with debit cards, do you ever write checks when you’re out and about?
I’ve talked before about how I used to have a bit of credit card debt. I thought you might be interested to know how I managed to say sianara to it. :o)
I had four credit cards with varying balances – some low, some high. Two were store cards and two were major credit cards; all with interest rates 20.00% APR or above. I was making the minimum payment each month, plus a little extra per card. Each month I’d look at my statement and feel frustrated that my payment was barely making a dent in the overall balance. I felt helpless. How was I ever going to pay them all off?
It was time to get real.
I grabbed a piece of paper and my stash of credit cards. I divided the paper into three columns. In the first column, I wrote down the name of the credit card. In the second column, the current balance. Finally, in the third column I wrote down the interest rate. Then I added the total. Nearly $5,000. Then I ate a piece of chocolate and counted to ten. Now that I knew exactly what I was working with, it was time to devise a plan.
My plan of attack was just that – MINE. Linn Area Credit Union is in no way endorsing my plan. I’m just sharing with you guys what worked for me at a time when I was tremendously overwhelmed. Hopefully you can start thinking how you can tackle any debt that you might have! (Need help? Give us a call and we can see how much money we can save for you!)
I borrowed from Dave Ramsey’s “snowball” idea and implemented it into my debt-free plan.
I arranged my credit cards from the lowest balance to the highest balance. The lowest one had about $250 on it. I decided that THAT card was the one I would conquer first.
I added up how much total I could afford to spend on paying off my credit cards in a month. For me, the minimum payments totaled to about $85 per month. I could afford to allot about $175 per month (my minimum payments plus about $90). Instead of dividing that number up equally between all four of the cards, I paid the minimum on three cards and used the rest of the money and put it ALL towards that fourth card.
That very first month, my credit card balance on that first card went from $250 down to about $150. WHAT?!?! And guess what? I had that sucker paid off within a couple months.
I was excited!!! I only had three cards to worry about now and I could now focus all my energy on the next troublesome card – but now with more money because there wasn’t a fourth card reaching into my pocket.
And another cool thing happened. I became PSYCHED about paying off my cards. I looked for other ways to cut back in order to put more money towards paying off my debt. It was psychologically uplifting to watch the numbers decrease – all because of ME! I was able to completely take care of my credit card debt in about a year.
I know some people shy away from using credit cards after dealing with past debt, but that’s not the case for me. I make sure that I have credit cards with the best rates (you can’t beat Linn Area’s – click here) and I pay charges off quickly. I also like cards that give me something back, like our Rewards Card.
You have to be diligent, committed and brutally honest with yourself, but I believe that you, too, can get yourself out of debt.
Sound off: Tell us in the comments below things that you have done to get out of debt!
When did you join our family tree?? Let us know and it could be worth $250 to ya!
The addition of the new Facebook Timeline has caused us to reminisce on our Linn Area past. We would love to see how our family has grown since we first began waaaaay back in 1935! (Click here to check out our Timeline!)
We thought it would be fun to hear YOUR stories and see some pictures of our extended family. Each entry will be put into a drawing. The winner of that drawing will receive $250!
How to Enter
To enter, email the following four items to me (Tara) at tbross@linnareacu.org:
The Rules
• All entries must be received by tbross@linnareacu.org no later than midnight on Monday, April 9th. The winner will be contacted on Tuesday, April 10th.
• One entry per household.
• Incomplete entries will not be eligible (see the four entry requirements above).
• Your entry must be emailed to tbross@linnareacu.org – no hard copies or other forms of entry will be accepted.
• All people that enter must live in Linn or surrounding counties.
• Linn Area Credit Union employees and their immediate families (spouses and children) are encouraged to participate, but are not eligible to win.
• No purchase necessary.
• By submitting an entry, you are giving permission for Linn Area Credit Union to use your name, picture and submission for promotional and advertising purposes, including but not limited to our website, our blog, Facebook and Twitter.
Questions? Just shoot me (Tara) an email at tbross@linnareacu.org. WE can’t wait to see all the members of our family tree!
Since we’re chatting about family trees, have you ever dug into your family history? How far back did you go? Tell us below in the comments!
I heard something the other day that I wanted to address. Someone told me that they wanted to apply for a loan, but were afraid that they would be rejected. If this happened, the person was worried that they would feel embarrassed.
As someone who truly encompasses the values of LACU, my first reaction is “Ahhhhh! I want to give this person a hug!!!” Okay, now that I have THAT out of my system, I want to scream to the hilltops that we will never, ever judge you. We encourage people to come in, chat with us about your needs and then let us help you figure out how we can save you money or determine if we can help get you that new car you need or the bigger home for that growing family of yours.
But let’s push away the hearts and flowers for a second. I’m going to reveal to you exactly what happens if you are not approved for a loan:
A financial counselor will let you know that you have not qualified at the time. Instead of laughing at you (which would never happen here!) or kicking you out the door, the financial counselor will go through your credit report with you. Together, you’ll look at what portions might be, well, bruised. Based on what the credit report says, the financial counselor will be able suggest things you can do to start improving your credit right away. You might even be able to determine a timeline as to when you could reapply for whatever loan you were hoping for.
What’s helpful about this process is that once you see the good, the bad, and even sometimes the ugly on your credit report, you’ll finally be able to determine a plan of attack. I truly believe that a PLAN is the key to achieving your goals!
You should know that we are required by law to give you a denial notice. The notice contains all sorts of information, including your credit score, contact info for the credit bureau that we obtained your credit report from, and information on how you can obtain a free copy of your credit report (you just have to mail that denial notice into the credit bureau we got your info from).
Also, a denial is never listed on your credit report and does not negatively impact your score. For example, if you were denied a loan from us, your credit report would say that Linn Area Credit Union had an inquiry, but it does not say that you were not approved.
I hope that this has taken out some of the mystery for you curious folks. We will always remain professional and you’ll even receive some great financial advice to help improve your future! See, there really is a silver lining to a denial!
The best thing about winter is that spring and summer are right on its heels. If you are anything like me, what gets you through the slush and the teeth chattering is the promise of flip flops and sunshine. So I’m looking at you guys, right now. The ones who are dreaming about warmer weather and making BIG plans. If your plans include buying a boat (or a bigger boat!) or perhaps getting yourself a RV, this blog is for you.
Linn Area Credit Union partners with several boat and RV dealers in the area (see list below). What does that mean for you? You can get low rate Linn Area Credit Union financing right at the dealer! The dealer will take care of all the paperwork and your loan will be with us right here at the credit union. Just make sure the dealer knows you are part of the Linn Area Credit Union family and tell them to set you up with Linn Area Credit Union financing for your new toy! Well, you can still get that great Linn Area customer service in addition to our fabulous financing! You still take care of all the paperwork at the dealer, but we take it from there! So make sure to let the dealer know that you are part of the Linn Area Credit Union family and they’ll get you the hook up.
Don’t forget that dealers often offer steep discounts at Boat and RV shows, like the one on March 9th at the UNI Dome. Look for the dealers listed below to get the BEST deals! Be sure to tell them you’re a member here – or, even better, that Lowell wants them to give you the best deal. ;o)
If you were to purchase a boat or RV, where would you travel with your family??
