SunDrops Rewards - The more you use, the more you’re rewarded!

We are pleased to introduce are new member benefit rewards program, SunDrops!  In Northeast WI, we realize there are tons of different financial institutions competing for your business.  We want to show our appreciation for your business and give you EVEN MORE reasons to continue doing business with us.  

So how does it work?  Beginning on 1/1/2015, members will be awarded points for the different services they use.  The more products and services you use, the more points you earn!  The number of points you earn for each product varies – a loan will earn more points than a savings account, for example.  And you don’t have to do anything differently; everyone is automatically enrolled and you earn points for things you’re already doing, like using a Horizon checking account and direct deposit!  Points are totaled up at the end of each month and ranked in four point levels:  Bronze, Silver, Gold & Platinum. 

Now let’s get to the good part... what do YOU get out of this?  LOTS OF FREE THINGS!   Here is just a sampling of some of the possible rewards:     

• Bronze level members are eligible for free text banking, free online banking & phone banking, free check cashing and free coin counting.
• By being a silver member you can receive all of the bronze level rewards PLUS things such as upgraded statements, free faxing and photocopies, and even one free box of checks!
• If you are a Gold member, you can receive all of the above PLUS annual discounts on a safety deposit box, free cashier’s checks, and loan rate discounts!  
• Our platinum members get all the benefits listed in addition to free wire transfers, free replacement debit/ATM cards, and free overdraft transfers! 

There are SO many great things members can earn through this program.  At each location we have a brochure that lists how many points each service earns, as well as lists what benefits you earn!  You can also preview the program on our webpage at http://www.horizonccu.com/ProductDetail.php?SID=136. Want to know what level you’re at today?  Just ask!  After 1/1/2015, your point totals will also be listed on your monthly statement and in It’sMe247 Online Banking.  If your family has accounts at the credit union, let us know!  We can link accounts by household so that all the members of a family can enjoy the benefits of the top point earner for that month.  If you want to earn more points but aren’t sure how it’s possible to reach the next level, stop in and we would be glad to help create a plan!

We’re all very excited to launch SunDrops!  We know HCCU has the best members out there, and we can’t wait to say thank you by giving everyone some added perks and benefits!   

Post by: Emily P

Happy Holidays from HCCU!

We know the end of the year is a busy time for many of you.  Traveling, decorating, shopping for gifts, returning gifts, celebrating...  All that fun can get expensive, and we would never want you to be without access to your cash!  In order to help you plan ahead, our holiday hours will be:

Wednesday, December 24th    8:30 am -  12:00 pm
Thursday, December 25th       CLOSED
Friday, December 26th            8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday, December 27th        9:00 am - 12:00 pm   Voyager Dr. location only
Monday, December 29th         8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Tuesday, December 30th         8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday, December 31st    8:30 am - 3:00 pm
Thursday, January 1st             CLOSED
Friday, January 2nd                 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday, January 3rd              9:00 am - 12:00 pm   Voyager Dr. location only

To access your account information, It'sMe247 Online Banking and CU*Talk Phone Banking are available anytime of the day or night - even on holidays!  For cash, our ATM at Voyager Dr. is available 24/7 every day, but if that's not convenient for you, you can also use any ATM Alliance Network terminal without incurring a surcharge!  For a map of fee-free ATMs near you, visit the  ATM Alliance Network page on our website.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM HCCU!  

Gividends - giving has never been so easy!

Sometimes donating to a charity of choice can be a long and stressful process. First you have to pick a charity you wish to contribute to, then you have to decide how much and how often you would like to donate, and finally you have to hold yourself accountable for those funds and keeping track!

Well enough of all that work, HCCU is coming to the rescue! Beginning January of 2015, we are rolling out a GREAT new program that makes donating simple! Each month all depository accounts, such as a savings, club or money market, receive dividends. This new program is designed to automatically withdraw these dividends for you after they are posted, and donate them to a charity of your choice! We have a list of 10 great local & national charities to pick from, including Bay Area Humane Society, House of Hope, Beacon House, and Paul’s Pantry.  Every little bit helps, and if we all pool our dividends, just think of the difference we can make in our community!

I know setting this up may seem like a lot of effort as well, but really it’s simple! Stop in to either of the HCCU branches and speak with an MSR!  It’s as easy as filling out a quick enrollment form that tells us which charity you would like to donate to, what percentage of your dividends, and from which account.  From there, we take care of everything!  And when it comes to tax time, you can see the dividends you earned as well as your donations on your monthly statements, so keeping track is super easy!

Let’s kick off 2015 the right way, and start donating to our local community!

Post by: Emily P

Your CU does a lot more than you might think!

Did you know that, in partnership with TruStage, HCCU now offers Children’s Whole Life Insurance,  providing parents or grandparents with an opportunity to protect the children they love for coverage amounts of up to $50,000?  Children's Whole Life coverage provides lifelong protection options for children at childhood rates, and features a guaranteed insurability rider which gives the child the opportunity to add additional coverage once they reach adulthood.  Or maybe you don't have any kiddos in your life, but you want to purchase insurance for yourself.  TruStage also recently launched an Essential Whole Life product, with affordable coverage options up to $250,000.  TruStage Essential Whole Life helps our members better protect their families’ financial security.  

And we know you've been hearing about health insurance a lot lately!  If you're currently without insurance, HCCU & TruStage have options for that as well!  With less than two months left in the open enrollment period, there’s still time to enroll in TruStage Health Insurance. There is a really easy-to-use online application and it is backed by TruStage's expert guidance via phone.

TruStage is an insurance partner that brings valuable services to our HCCU members.  TruStage offers investment services, home, auto and life insurance, as well as many other great products!    Take full advantage of your credit union membership and all the added perks that come along with it!  For full details or to apply for coverage, visit http://horizonccu.com/general.php and click on the TruStage banner.  

The CU Difference in Action….Come See the Difference 2/4/15!

You’ve probably heard it before, whether it was from us or some other source, people often talk about the difference between banks and credit unions.  Is there a difference, what is the difference, we all have similar products and services, right? 

It’s true!  We do offer very similar things.  There is a major difference though.  A credit union is a democratic, member-owned cooperative. So when you join a credit union, you’re more than a member; you’re an owner—and that means you have a say in how your credit union is run.  How do you have a say you ask?  By voting! 

Every year on the first Wednesday of February we hold our annual meeting, and ALL members are invited to attend.  Attendees will learn about the credit union’s performance in 2014 and receive information about its impact on members and the community.  All eligible members in attendance will also vote for nominees to fill vacant board of director positions.  (Eligible members must be at least 18 years of age, must be a member of HCCU for at least 90 days, and accounts at HCCU must be in good standing.)

So join us Wednesday, February 4^th when Horizon Community Credit Union will hold its 83^rd annual meeting.  The meeting will be held at our branch at 3139 Voyager Drive, Green Bay.  The meeting will begin at 5:15 P.M.  Hope to see you there!

Post by: Cari J

The Credit Union Difference

There are tons of reasons to love your credit union!  Credit unions are a really unique business, and by belonging to a CU, you’re a part of something pretty cool.  Credit unions are member-owned financial cooperatives.  This means that as a member of the credit union, you’re also an owner.  You get a say in how we do things here!  Your credit union is run by a volunteer board of directors that is elected by the membership (that’s you!) in a democratic process – each member has one vote.  Our board members are also members of the credit union, so they have a unique interest in seeing the credit union succeed and grow.  They are also members of our local community, so they understand what it is like to live, work, and transact business in northeast Wisconsin. 

Credit unions are also not-for-profit.  Money that we make is returned to the membership in the form of higher deposit rates, lower loan rates, and lower fees.  So all that means is rather than pad the pockets of a handful of stakeholders, we pay our dividends to you, and pad YOUR pockets.  During the recession of 2008, credit unions as a group fared much better than the bigger banks, because credit unions had been doing business responsibly all along. 

You may have also heard it said that credit unions are "for people, not profits”.  “People helping people” is the credit union philosophy.  It is the principle on which all credit unions were founded, and it is how credit unions still do business today.  This is brought to life when we lend a member $500 to fill their propane tank for the winter, or when we help a member devise a plan to pay off medical debt from an illness.  On a broader level, we live this philosophy by offering financial education to our members and communities, participating in charity events, and sponsoring community events, in addition to serving the needs of our members.

       

To learn more about the credit union difference, visit www.asmarterchoice.org or the Wisconsin Credit Union Scorecard.

Debit or Credit-Which should you choose at the checkout?

So many people carry a debit card (aka check card) these days. They’re so convenient, they’re safer than cash, and the card allows the vendor to take the money right from your checking account. But at the checkout you are often asked Debit or Credit. Which should you choose & what’s the difference?

You might think that since it’s a debit card you have to say debit, but that’s not true. The best option for you is to choose Credit! (Yes, choose credit even though you are using your debit card) The result might seem the same either way, since the money will still be deducted from your checking account, however there is a BIG difference.

Choose Credit and you will be asked to sign for your purchase. Signature transactions are routed through the VISA network, which comes with the additional security offered by credit card companies, fraudulent use protection, and VISA’s Zero Liability Policy.

Just so you know, because we want you to have all the facts before deciding what to do. The credit union does get paid a small amount for each transaction that is routed through as credit, but remember we are a credit union! We don’t give the money we earn to a couple people on our board. Any money we earn is returned to ALL our members by bringing you new products and services, keeping our fees low, our loan & credit card rates low and our deposit rates high.

Choose Debit however, and you will be asked for a 4-digit PIN number. These purchases are processed through an EFT system like STAR or NYCE which don’t provide the additional liability protection offered by VISA.

While it’s great for us to get that little bit of extra income, the real bonus is the added protection choosing Credit offers you. So unless you are going to use the cash back option on your transaction to avoid an ATM fee, choose Credit, and be assured that if sticky fingers get a hold of your card or card number, you will be protected!

Post by: Cari J.

A Christmas Gift that comes from the heart…and your kitchen cabinet!

Tis the season to be...creative! I think that as the years go by, and as I get older it starts getting harder to find gifts for some of my family and friends so I had to start thinking outside the box when it comes to giving gifts.   A few months ago I stumbled across an idea to make a magnetic board using materials that I already had at my house: an old cookie sheet and some spray paint.  The only other materials I needed to purchase were some magnets and some Command Brand picture hanging strips…hello brilliant idea!

Intrigued? Read on... Now at first this was a bit of an experiment since I first tried making this using a cookie sheet that had a little rust on it…bad idea! After I had spray painted the cookie sheet you could see all the rust spots even with the paint covering it so I went back to my kitchen and grabbed one that was a bit cleaner, but old enough that I wouldn’t miss it in my kitchen. I sprayed the top of the pan as well as the sides and the back so that none of the silver would show through.

After the pan was completely dry I added a decorative scrap booking decal to make the magnetic board more creative and more my style. I then followed the instructions on the package for using the Command Brand picture hanging strips to hang the magnetic board on the wall above my desk. Below is the picture I originally got the idea from:

 http://bestfriendsforfrosting.com/2011/10/diy-how-to-make-a-magnetic-cookie-sheet-board/

This is such a cool idea for organizing pictures, art projects, coupons, etc. in your home or office. This gives you a chance to be creative and really make it your own.  It’s also a simple project for someone who maybe isn’t as craft as the next person. 

As the Christmas season approaches instead of wracking your brain trying to figure out what to get your friend who has everything, get out your old cookie sheet and bake up something creative!

Posted by: Katie B.

Tis the Season - the Bells are Ringing!!

I heard (and saw) my first Red Kettle ringer yesterday at Festival.  Tis the season for the red kettle’s to come out and start raising money for the less fortunate families in our area.

In 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee started the first kettle in San Francisco.  He was able to raise enough money to feed many needy families in that area.  Today in the U.S., The Salvation Army assists more than four and a half million people during the Thanksgiving and Christmas time periods. 

The Red Kettle Kickoff is just the beginning of an exciting Christmas season for The Salvation Army. In addition to the more than 25,000 Red Kettles located in storefronts and on street corners nationwide, there will be other ways for the public to get involved. 

For you mobile people out there, text the word “KETTLE” to 80888 and reply “YES” to donate $10.00.

You can also go to the website www.ringbells.org to sign up to ring bells at area businesses.  The Salvation Army has a list of businesses in the Green Bay, DePere, Howard-Suamico areas to choose from, starting with 2 hour periods of bell ringing.

I know everyone is busy during the holiday season, but it’s something the whole family can do together.  Plus, think about how good it would make you feel to know that you have helped out with this great cause!

Posted by: Karen S.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at HCCU! Here are some fun tidbits about Thanksgiving that you may not know....

• The first Thanksgiving was held in the autumn of 1621.
• Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November.
•  Turkey was not on the menu at the first Thanksgiving.
• The average weight of turkeys purchased for Thanksgiving is 15 pounds. Seventy percent white meat and thirty percent dark meat.
• According to the National Turkey Federation, 88% of Americans surveyed eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
• The heaviest turkey on record weighs 86 pounds.
• Female turkeys (called hens) do not gobble. Only male turkeys goggle.
• Wild turkeys can run 20 miles per hour when they are scared.
• A turkey under sixteen weeks of age is called a fryer, while a young roaster is five to seven months old.
• Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird, not the eagle.
• Each year, the president of  the U.S. pardons a turkey and spares it from being eaten for Thanksgiving dinner. The first one started in 1947 with President Truman.
• The NFL started the Thanksgiving Classic games in 1920 and since then the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys have hosted games on Turkey Day.  In 2006, a third game was added with different teams hosting.
• The first Turkey Trot was run in 1896 in Buffalo, New York.
• The Dallas Turkey Trot is the largest Thanksgiving race in the United States.
• Turkey Bowling is an event that takes place annually in Cincinnati’s Fountain Square ice skating rink. Contestants use a frozen turkey to knock down pins by sliding it across the ice.
• Thanksgiving is the reason for TV dinners. In 1953 Swanson had so much extra turkey (260 tons) that a salesman told them they should package it onto aluminum trays with other sides like sweet potatoes - - and the first TV dinner was born!
• The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade began in 1924. No large balloons were at this parade, only live animals from Central Park Zoo.
• Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States, where it is the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season.

So on the fourth Thursday in November, families across the U.S. gather to feast on turkey, watch football and gear up for Christmas by looking for Santa at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and looking at  the store ads for Black Friday Shopping  in the local newspaper.