TOOLS 4 SCHOOLS FUNDRAISER

What a success we had with the help of our members! Our goal was $500.00 dollars and we hit over $1000.00 in cash donations along with school supplies donated by our HCCU members and wonderful partners and peers that we are so lucky to work with.

Of course, we did have some extra motivation with getting to throw a pie in our boss's (Pat Josephson, Horizon's President/CEO) face for reaching our $500.00 dollar goal. Staff got so much pleasure from watching that. I am sure a lot of you out there would love the opportunity to pie him as well!  Thank you for giving us that experience, along with helping out our community.

Martin and Nicolet Elementary Schools here in Green Bay reaped the rewards of your generosity this year; they were over-the-top grateful for all the wonderful supplies that we were able to purchase and donate with all your help.

Thank you again for helping us crush our goal. We look forward to doing this very rewarding fundraiser again next year.

Along with the Tools 4 Schools, we had three of our staff members participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, what a great Month. Thank you to all who went ahead and completed your own ALS Challenge. What a great cause and a fun way to inform everyone of this debilitating disease. Check out our photos and videos of the Ice Bucket Challenge and pie-throwing on HCCU’s Facebook page!

Don’t forget to donate!

Post by: Katie B. and Lori S.

Getting Ready for College!

Getting ready to go off to college can be stressful enough…figuring out classes, setting up dorm rooms, finding roommates, etc.  Being financially secure and ready with your accounts is just another process that adds to the excitement of getting ready for college.  With that said, there are many ways at Horizon Community Credit Union that can help you with this process!

A student checking account with a debit card is a great item to have when going away to college.  There are plenty of ATMs around that allow you to take money out of your account without having to pay for an ATM fee.  This way you are able to take money out of your account hassle-free no matter where you are!  If you are unsure which ATMs are fee-free, check out the Horizon Community Credit Union ATM Alliance website for a complete list of all the participating free ATMs out there.

Another good thing to do before going to college is to enroll in e-statements and set up online banking. Having access to your account online helps you to manage and keep track of your money throughout the year...especially when you’re trying to figure out if you have enough money to buy that late night pizza once a week (trust me, we've all been there)!  Knowing how much money you have (or sometimes don't have, right?) can save you from getting costly overdraft charges too!

One last thing to consider that can be helpful when you head off to school is applying for a credit card with a low limit.  (Bonus: all of our cards earn Scorecard Rewards points!)  It’s always nice to have one on hand in case an emergency comes up.  Also, using your credit card here and there helps you build up your credit score.  Just make sure that if you do use it, you remember to make your payments on time and you don’t max it out!

Learning how to handle money before you’re out on your own is a step in the right direction of getting through college and being independent. These are all important steps that can help lead to setting up a student’s financial goals and eventually meeting them.  If you want more resources or information, don't hesitate to ask a member of our staff!

Post by: Lindsey L

Image courtesy of hywards at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

September Community Events

Just because school is starting doesn't mean that the fun has to stop! Check out these events around the area in September to either bring the kids or have a date night!

Art Harvest featuring Fall Family Festival at Green Bay Botanical Gardens
September 6th from 9-4
Free Admission!
Homemade lemonade, teas and coffee served by La Java. Concessions served all day include brats, hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, veggie patties, chips, ice cream and more! There will be FREE parking and shuttle bus pick-up and drop-off at NWTC Lot G. Plenty of free activities for the kids! From pumpkin bowling, apple toss, build your own scarecrow, pumpkin ring toss, face painting from 10 - 3, pumpkin Golf, and wagon rides! Children will also have a chance to win prizes by participating in games and activities!

2014 Fall Harvest Fest
September 6 from Noon-6pm at Parallel 44
There will be a Traditional Grape Stomp starting at 3 pm. If you are interested in stomping, come early and enter your name in a drawing to stomp. Wine sampling (available for $6) includes 5 samples and a Parallel 44 Signature Wine Glass. Vineyard Tours will occur on the hour at 1, 2, 4 & 5 pm. Live Music Talk of the Town and local food vendors. Local Art Vendors will also be present displaying and selling their crafts!

“If Tombstones Could Talk" Woodlawn Cemetery Walk
September 9 & September 10 @ 6:30
September 13, 2014 @ 2:00
$6.00/person and $14.00/family --- Reservations Required
Come and listening about some of Green Bay's past residents, who now rest at Woodlawn Cemetery. You’ll get to hear some fascinating stories about lives in the earlier eras. The Tour involves walking and standing. Lightweight, portable chairs and flashlights are recommended.

Wet Whistle Wine Fest
September 12th from 4-8
September 13th from 10-6
Von Stiehl Winery- Algoma
Wine festival featuring food, grape stomping, music, arts and crafts.

Rails & Ales Brewfest
September 20th from 6:00 - 10:00
Standard Ticket - $35 in advance; $45 at the door
Premium Ticket - $55 advance reservation only
Walk around the Museum's historic trains while sampling dozens of craft beers, fine wines, and food prepared by local chefs! With the standard ticket you’ll enjoy unlimited craft beer, wine and food samples and take home a souvenir pint glass. And with the Premium ticket, you’ll enjoy a three-course dinner aboard the Museum's restored 1939 dinette-lounge car Silver Spirit paired with additional craft beer selections, as well as unlimited craft beer, wine and food samples in the Sampling Hall and take home a souvenir pint glass.

Fallfest on the Fox
September 27th from 10-2
Fallfest will take place in the Adams Street parking lot in Downtown Green Bay.  Fallfest on the Fox officially kicks off with the longtime favorite, the Annual ASPIRO Awareness Walk. The two mile walk will take participants through Downtown Green Bay, on the Fox River Trail and end on the Fallfest grounds.  Fallfest on the Fox will host the famous Chili Cook-Off and a popular children’s area with games and bounce house.  The ASPIRO Pub & Grill will provide food and beverage choices.  Also, Big Mouth will perform from 10:30 pm – 1:30 pm.

As always, there are local farmer's markets going on through the month of September:

Green Bay Farmer’s Market
Wednesdays starting at 3 pm and Saturdays starting at 7am

Stadium District Farmer's Market
Thursdays starting at 3 pm at Stadium View

Oneida Farmer's Market
Thursdays from 12 pm-6 pm at Oneida One Stop on Hwy. 54

(East) De Pere Farmer's Market
Thursdays from 7 am-12 pm
*Parking available in Seroogy’s Parking Lot

Post by: Sara D

Image courtesy of Evgeni Dinev at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

All about MONEY!

· On February 3, 1690, the Massachusetts Bay Colony, one of the Thirteen Original Colonies, issued the first paper money to cover military costs.

· In 1785, Congress adopted the dollar as the money unit of the United States.

· On January 23, 1901, the first credit union in North America, the Caisse Populaire de Lévis in Quebec, Canada, began operations with a 10-cent deposit.

· In 1909, Abraham Lincoln was the first American to be pictured on an American coin.

· In 1963, the motto “In God We Trust” first began to appear on U.S. paper currency.

· On September 2, 1969 Chemical Bank installed the first ATM in the U.S in Rockville Centre, New York.

· It costs more than a penny to make a penny. It costs roughly 2.5 cents.

· A quarter has 119 grooves on its circumference and a dime has one less.

· In Old English, the word “pygg” referred to a type of clay that people would use to make containers that held money. As language changed, “pygg” and “pig” started to sound similar, which is why we have banks that look like pigs.

FAMILY

What does family mean to you?  Family to me means a great support system and someone to be there to help me out.  Working at Horizon Community Credit Union, I feel like the credit union is a part of my family. Not just because of the great people I work with, but for all the situations HCCU has helped me though.  Whether it was refinancing my mortgage loan to a lower rate and saving me tons of money or helping my family buy our dream car, HCCU has been there, like a family member, to support and help me out.  I now have a wedding to help plan and put on and I am sure if we need to take out a small loan for this, HCCU will be there again to help out.  I can always count on HCCU.

So, become a member of Horizon Community Credit Union and let us be a member of your family!

Post by: Karen S

Volunteering……an opportunity to give back!

Helping others can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. You can do cleanup work for an elderly person, coach youth sports, aid in a building project, serve on a board of directors, work fun community events and more. There's almost no limit to the opportunities open to you as a volunteer, and most of it may not require you to have any prior experience (but it can if you would prefer). Here are some things to consider before diving in.

Before you get started, think about why you want to volunteer. Do you want to meet new people? Could the volunteer work enable you to spend time doing something you enjoy? Do you have a cause that is near and dear to your heart?

When you are clear on the why, think about what you could do, where you might want to do it, would you rather work individually or in a group, and available times to do it.

There are many resources that can help you in your search. Start with friends, family and co-workers. They may know of organizations that would interest you, maybe even ones that would allow you to work with them. Contact local volunteer agencies; they often have a large list of possibilities. You can search for them on-line. One such place is VolunteerMatch (http://www.volunteermatch.org) it lets you search for projects by your city or Zip code, as well as keywords (such as "environment" or "mentoring") that describe what you want to do. For a list of volunteer opportunities locally, check out The Volunteer Center of Brown County (http://www.volunteergb.org/).

Once you have found a likely group or organization, you will want to call to learn more about volunteer opportunities. In order to assure yourself you made the right choice, schedule a visit and take a tour of the organization. They may even ask you to interview. Don’t be nervous, your new role will be an important one.

Volunteering can be a great opportunity to step outside the routine of your daily life. You have a lot to offer, so try to find the place that's right for you and start making a difference!

Post by: Pat J

Tips for the First-Time Home Buyer

Do you have dreams of buying your first home?  Whether you’re ready now, or even if you don’t think you’ll be ready for a year or two, it never hurts to be prepared.  Talk to a loan officer about different loan options and look over your current debt.  If you need to, take the steps now to boost your credit rating or pay down debt.  When you ARE ready to start shopping for a home, stop in to chat with that loan officer again and get pre-approved for financing.  This will help you determine the price range of homes that you can afford before you start looking.  You should also talk to a real estate agent about what you’re looking for and get signed up with email listings.  You’ll stay up-to-date with new properties while at the same time getting an idea of the types of homes within your budget.    

One thing that will help you from the start is saving. If you know you’ll be in the market to buy a home in the next couple years, you’ll want to start to save what you can. Putting down 20% will help you avoid having Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) added on to your monthly mortgage payments.  PMI is insurance that allows lenders to safely accept a lower down payment than it would normally require.   Basically, it is a financial guaranty that protects the lender from losses in the event that you would default on the loan.  

On the other hand, if you don’t have 20% to put down, you can still buy a home with PMI.  As long as you have a conventional mortgage, once your loan is paid down to 78% of the home value the PMI will automatically drop off. 

Start making a list of what you do and don’t want in a home, similar to what you see on all those home buying TV shows.  This is an investment – and a pretty expensive one!  Keep in mind what you can and cannot change in a home.  You can always remodel the kitchen or put in hardwood floors but you can’t change the neighborhood or make the lot bigger. 

We’d be glad to help from start to finish on making your first home your dream home.   Call or make an appointment to talk to a loan officer to go over your finances or apply for a mortgage.  And once you’re in your home, we can even help you turn your house into your dream home by financing your remodel!  

Post by: Sara D

Image courtesy of phanlop88/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net