A printed version of this newsletter is available in our lobby or by request. You may also view on our website at www.northwoodscu.org.
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It is important to us here at Northwoods Credit Union to be a resource for our members when they are facing financial hardships, Coronavirus or otherwise. Our staff is trained to not only conduct your financial transactions but also to help you through troubling financial times. If you’re feeling concerned about your current or potential financial situation, please contact us. We have programs and plans in place to help our members and we are here to help. |
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Northwoods Credit Union is monitoring the Coronavirus situation and has taken steps to help keep our members and staff healthy. As of 2/22/2021 our lobbies are now open regular hours along with our drive-ups for simple teller transactions. For anything more complicated or lengthy, we ask that you make an appointment. We also offer a variety of online options to help you complete transactions and view account information.
You may apply for a Northwoods CU loan online 24/7 at https://www.netit.financial-net.com/northwoodscu-loan/…/ebs… or call us during regular hours to do a loan application over the phone. We also have online options for checking your balance, making transfers, paying bills and even depositing checks! If you’d like additional information on any of these products, please feel free to call or text us at 1-888-458-0975 or you can email us at ncu@northwoodscu.org.
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A message from Northwoods Credit Union President Doug Wolf |
2021 Annual Meeting
Our 2021 Annual Meeting, held on Monday, 3/22/21, was a new experience for all of us … much like a lot of things have been thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting was held virtually this year since we still could not accommodate our usual attendance numbers in-person. While we had fewer members participate than in the past, we were pleased with the number of members that did participate and things went smoothly.
If you had registered for the virtual annual meeting, you would have received a copy of our Annual Report, but, if you were unable to register for the meeting, you can still get a copy of the report by stopping into one of our branches or letting us know you would like a copy emailed to you.
During the meeting we did not get any specific questions or comments to address, but, I want to be sure if you do have any, please let us know and we will do our best to address them.
I do look forward to next year when we are planning returning to an in-person annual meeting where we can get to see each other and have a conversation.
Member Lobbies and Ave B
On 2/22/21 we once again opened all of our lobbies to our members. It had been roughly 11 months since we had to close them due to the pandemic and we are thrilled to once again have you, our members, in the branches again.
The opening of the lobbies coincided with the completion of Ave B office renovations. The renovation came out great and we could not be more pleased. Relocating the member lobby to the east side to the building (where it originally was) has created much better efficiencies and has allowed us to bring all of our Mortgage Department under one roof (they are now on the west side of the building).
Financial Advisor Office Improved
With the renovation of our Ave B office, we improved the offices for our Financial Advisor, Ed Grondahl. We have installed a movable glass partition wall that creates an office suite for Ed, allowing him to meet with our members after normal business hours and on Saturdays if needed. This “office suite” uses the same east-side member entrance, but, inside the vestibule there is separate access to Ed’s office. We have already seen the benefits of this flexibility for our members.
Speaking of Ed and his services, he is our “Rate Expert” and I would encourage you, if you haven’t already, to make an appointment to speak with him if you have any significant deposits or investments that you are not satisfied with their interest rates. I can tell you I am aware of numerous times where Ed has been able to help members place money in investments that retain your ability to access funds if needed, but, give you much better returns on your deposit.
Don’t put off talking to Ed, you have worked too hard for your accumulated savings to not at least see if Ed can help you earn more.
- Doug Wolf
CEO
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NORTHWOODS CREDIT UNION DONATES TO AREA FOOD SHELVES |
Northwoods Credit Union and their members raised more than $9,000 for area food shelves through their latest loan promotion. The loan promotion offered up to 1% cash back to members on new loans. If the members chose to donate part of their 1% to the local food shelf, Northwoods CU matched up to $50 per donation. These donations totaled $9,867 and were given to the Cloquet Salvation Army, the Floodwood Food Shelf and the Moose Lake Food Shelf.
“We’ve worked with area food shelves throughout the years, typically during the holidays. We kept hearing how much they appreciated our help at that time but they also needed people to remember there were still needs after the holidays – that’s when it seems the food shelves really struggle to keep up with demand, “ said Doug Wolf, President & CEO of Northwoods Credit Union. “Our members stepped up and filled part of that need for all three of our local food shelves and we couldn’t be happier to match these funds."
Sue Butkiewicz, Northern MN Field Representative with the Cloquet Salvation Army says, “This donation will help greatly with our food shelf. We have such a need right now, especially with COVID. Some people I’ve talked to think that the Salvation Army here in Cloquet is no longer open. We closed the thrift store but our Food Shelf and Service Unit is still open. If people need help or know someone that needs help, please come see us! And thank you to Northwoods Credit Union and to all of their members for this generous donation!”
“The Credit Union motto is People Helping People and our members have proved through this promotion that we are all in this together,” said Doug.
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PHOTOS BELOW
Cloquet Food Shelf. Pictured L-R: Sue Butkiewicz with the Cloquet Salvation Army; Michelle Bertogliat, NCU Director of Lending and Doug Wolf, NCU CEO & President
Moose Lake Food Shelf. Pictured L-R: Crystal, NCU Senior Accounting Specialist; Austin Berg and Ron Issacson with the Moose Lake Food Shelf; Taylor, NCU Member Services Rep Supervisor
Floodwood Food Shelf. Pictured L-R: Pat Babinski, NCU Vice President of Compliance; Susan Coccie, Jan Benson with the Food Shelf Committee; Faith Suonvieri, NCU MSR Supervisor
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YOUTH WEEK WILL BE RESCHEDULED. |
Please keep an eye on future newsletters for updated Youth Week dates. |
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Northwoods Retirement & Investing Services |
Ed Grondahl, Financial Advisor helps you look ahead to conquer retirement obstacles unique to women.
*Representatives are registered, securities sold, advisory services offered through CUNA Brokerage Services Inc. (CBSI), member FINRA/SIPC, a registered broker/dealer and investment advisor, which is not an affiliate of the credit union, CBSI is under contract with the financial institution to make securities available to members. Not NCU/NCUSIF/FDIC insured. May loose Value, No Financial Institution Guarantee. Not a deposit of any financial institution. CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc., is a registered broker/dealer in all fifty states of the United States of America. FR-3302354.1-1020-1122
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Sign Up for Texting Service |
*Please note that NCU offers two types of texting service:
Conversational Texting allows us to text you regarding something specific to you.
You may OPT IN by texting any of our main phone numbers.
You may OPT OUT by texting ‘opt-out’ to any of our phone numbers
News & Updates Texting allows us to send a text to many members notifying you of an event at the Credit Union, a branch closure, etc.
You can OPT IN to receive these by texting ENROLL NEWS to 1-888-458-0975
You can OPT OUT of these by texting QUIT to 1-888-458-0975.
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Visa® Platinum Rewards Credit Card |
***Please follow the link below for more information and disclosures.
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BOCCE TOURNAMENT
NCU participated in the Moose Lake Chamber Ice Bocce tournament in February! Money was raised for Barnum and Willow River post prom!
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The Avenue B Remodel is now complete! |
Our Avenue B location is looking fresh and ready to serve our members! |
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April
May
Saturday, May 8th
14th Annual Shred Event
Monday, May 31st
Closed in observance of Memorial Day
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June
Tuesday, June 15th
More details to come!
July
Sunday, July 4th
Join us for the Moose Lake parade!
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Quarterly Teen Club Financial Article Contest
Members age 13-17 are invited to submit an article on a financial topic to be considered for publication in our quarterly newsletter, website and on Facebook. We will then award 1 teen, $100 for their submission.* Submit your article or ask any questions now at marketing@northwoodscu.org
This quarter's winning submission is by Skye Phipps and it discusses working and budgets during the COVID-19 pandemic!
Jobs, Spending, and Saving
It’s safe to say that the pandemic threw everyone’s plans and expectations for 2020 into disarray. In 2020, I turned sixteen. That age is a milestone for every teenager. It’s a shining beacon of partial freedom. I was planning on getting my license in March, my first job in April, and having the best summer ever. Instead, we went into lockdown a week before my road test. When I finally took the test in late May, I failed right off the bat. Nothing felt like it was going how it should’ve been, and I’m sure many people felt the same way also. Eventually, I earned my license in early June and began my first job two weeks afterwards. I was glad that my life felt like it was back on track again.
Despite nothing going according to plan, my job was something that was already decided on many years beforehand. My mother had worked there for over a decade, so I had a positive opinion of the company’s benefits and treatment of workers. When researching jobs, there are many things to consider like wages and travel. As a sixteen year old, there are also restrictions on where and for how long I may work. These rules are put in place so adults don’t take advantage of children. If you cannot work longer hours due to school or you think you’re not receiving enough hours, advocate for yourself. Sometimes it’s not some illegal child labor or unfair treatment. Sometimes it’s as easy as the scheduling program not working or a slip-up of your managers mind. For example, I had gotten scheduled for two days one week instead of my regular four. I was feeling needlessly scared of speaking to my coach. When I eventually did, he easily fixed my schedule and even joked with me. In short, never be afraid to speak up.
Besides the part of being afraid to speak to higher ups, I enjoy working. Where I work is a department store, so most of the money I earn gets cycled right back to the store. My love of shopping has forced me to create a budget. I consistently track my daily earnings and expenses, as well as what’s in my checking and savings. A great thing to do is create a savings account! By doing so, it forces you to control your spending. Before transferring money over to your checking, you truly decide if you need to purchase something. Of course, unexpected events happen. Your savings are meant to be a safety net for situations like health complications, car problems, etc. If you’re like me though, your savings may also be siphoned during sales seasons. A great deal may be a great deal, but never let yourself spend far over your means. By putting yourself in an avoidable financial bind, you are doing your future self a great disservice. In a nutshell, be mindful of where you work and the flow of your money.
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Dormant Account Fee is now waived for youth, 18 and younger.
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REVIEW YOUR ACCOUNT
Please be sure to review your account beneficiary's. To add a beneficiary to your account you will need their date of birth, social security number and their address. Ask your MSR next time you stop in or call to verify that this is correct on your account.
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AVOID IDENTITY THEFT
These resources can help you monitor your credit & avoid identity theft.
Opt Out 1-888-567-8688
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SNOWBIRDS,
Please remember to change your address when you come back to the area for the summer.
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Click here to learn more about our Mobile Banking options. |
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2020 Employee of the Year Video |
We are excited to announce our very first Employee of the Year! Our SPICE Employee Recognition Program started in January of 2020 to recognize those employees who exemplify our SPICE values. These values include Servant mentality, Progressive thinking, Integrity, Compassion, and Empathy.
Employees nominate their coworkers who are then eligible for Employee of the Quarter. Our Employee of the Year is chosen from that years' Employee of the Quarter winners.
We have an amazing team here at Northwoods CU with many deserving employees and this years Employee of the Year is..... Krystal B!
Krystal works at our Stanley Avenue Office as our Member Service Representative Supervisor. Krystal cares greatly about her members and her coworkers and is always willing to lend a hand.
Thank you Krystal for all you do for Northwoods Credit Union!
You can watch the full employee of the year YouTube HERE.
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Employee Spotlight - Amber T.
Amber Tobeck started with Northwoods as a Member Service Representative. She is currently a Consumer Loan Officer at our Moose Lake office. Amber loves the fact that she never has two days that are the same. She never knows who is going to walk through the door and looks forward to hearing their story.
“Our member base is so diverse. It’s important for me to let our members and community members know we can help them, often even when other financial institutions cannot help. The diversity of our member base and the willingness to help is what it is all about. I like that once members get to know me and tell me their story, we can usually help them out and they continue to come to me for financial advice. We plan with our members.” Amber said.
Ambers favorite quote – "Wherever you go, no matter what weather, always bring your own sunshine" - Anthony J. D'Angelo
Amber’s supervisor, Michelle Bertogliat, Director of Lending, says, “Amber’s bubbly personality is contagious. She is an asset to the credit union and how she cares about our members. She is always looking for a way to help our members, whether it is buying a car or needing to consolidate debt.”
Amber definitely brings the sunshine to her coworkers and members here at Northwoods Credit Union.
Do you know someone in Moose Lake who can be told about the Northwoods Difference? Call today!
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Federally Insured by NCUA. Membership Eligibility Required. |
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