Dear Members,
Last January, if I could have told you what 2020 was going to be like, none of you would have ever believed me. We concluded our annual meeting last March just in time as the world shut down and everything changed. The new world created by the pandemic gave a resounding new meaning to the word “service for our members” and “people helping people”. It became even more relevant as we assisted and guided members to look out for their financial well-being.
Many of our members turned to us for help when they lost their jobs, experienced household income reduction, and our small business members found themselves on the verge of closing their doors. What amazes me about adversity is how much good can come out of a crisis when people pull together. I have many positive moments and success stories that include, keeping members in their homes, providing emergency loans, and expanded our Skip-a-Payment program to help members get by. The credit union also processed thousands of dollars in Payroll Payment Protection Loans (PPP Loans) through the SBA so that our small business members could remain open and keep their employees working. Additionally, our members began to utilize many of the digital services that we have offered for years but did not want to use them because they just did not feel comfortable or even know about them. We found that the use of these services grew more in three months than they have in 10 years. Our members found that without stepping into our lobbies, they could open accounts, apply for loans, have access to all their accounts online or on their mobile phone, deposit a check with their smartphone, and get their statement electronically on the first of the month. Some of you might feel like we are pushing you out the door, I can assure you that is not the case. I just wanted to make you aware of all the ways that you can access your accounts and do business with the credit union 24/7 because we have had a lot of members asking what we have available for digital services. We love seeing our member's faces and interacting with you in person, but aside from COVID concerns, you are busy and that is why we offer free, convenient, and safe digital services to help you save time and not wait in line.
I think it is safe to say that this year is not what any of us envisioned but I am proud of our response to our members and the communities we serve. My staff are the first responders for financial services ensuring that you can access your accounts and services provided by the credit union. They have worked tirelessly nights and weekends to meet the financial needs of our members and I want to thank them for their hard work and dedication in looking out for our member’s financial well-being.
This year has been a difficult balance of serving our members while protecting our staff, members, and community. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your patience with the temporary closure of our lobbies. After opening our new main office at 94 Silver Street, this was the last thing that we wanted to do. I would also like to thank you for your business. We are here for you and we are here to help so do not hesitate to reach out to us. We all hope that you had a safe and happy holiday season, that you may have a prosperous new year, and a renewed vision of hope and normalcy.
Sincerely
Ryan G. Poulin
Chief Executive Officer
