This week I am taking the liberty to talk about something that is important to me and Rogue Federal Credit Union. In our effort to be part of the solution for Southern Oregon we decided that is was time to recognize the unsung heroes in our community. Starting in February we introduced our Community Builders program and asked Southern Oregon to tell us who they think are the key people out there helping to build a better community and why. We received numerous nominations and 775 people voted to select the winners. The winners will receive a $500 donation to the cause of their choice. The winners selected by the community as making a positive difference for Southern Oregon are:
Matt Sampson, Southern Oregon Regional Director with Sparrow Clubs, the nation's only youth-based charity of its kind. Sparrow Clubs provide financial and emotional support for critically ill children and their families, and they also empower young people to help a child through charitable service experiences. For more information about Sparrow Clubs and their mission check out http://www.sparrowclubs.org/
Burnadine Bratton, serves as a volunteer for ACCESS as the pantry coordinator at the Seventh Day Adventist Church. ACCESS is the largest food pantry in Jackson County and has been helping county residents break the cycle of poverty since 1976. For information about all of the programs that ACCESS offers visit http://www.access-inc.org/
Bea Ryan, founder of Our Foster Kids, an organization that takes action by improving the quality of life for the children in foster care in Josephine County. Her program focuses on providing gifts and other critical supplies for every child with an open Department of Human Resources case in Josephine County. Check out Bea’s website at http://www.ourfosterkids.com/
Congratulations to our winners. We live in an amazing community and I want to truly thank our winners and everyone else out there working hard every day to make our community a better place to live. We are all winners when we work together!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Advantage You!
Throughout this whole financial crisis it has been the everyday person that has been the silent victim of our country’s economic challenges. While we have “invested” billions of dollars to help financial institutions, auto manufacturers, and other types of businesses – the bailout has had limited benefit for you. Well, that is beginning to change and it is time for you to take advantage of the benefits available.
In order to help restore the real estate market and reduce foreclosures, many programs have been introduced for homeowners. In the past, programs like this made great news stories, but were really limited to a small number of people. Now things have changed and with a little work, you can save a considerable amount of money. For example, a 1.0% reduction on a 30 year $200,000 mortgage loan can save over $100 per month on your payment and over $40,000 in interest over the life of your loan. Now that is real money and could be the catalyst that helps you keep all that you have worked so hard for.
Of course with any program like this there are requirements, but they are reasonable and inclusive. Simply go to www.makinghomeaffordable.gov to find out more information. The website provides information on qualifications, frequently asked questions, and the different programs available. It is simple to navigate with easy to use tools that help you determine if you are eligible, and video summaries on the key aspects of the programs available. (Special Note: Just because your lender is not listed on the site does not mean they are not participating in this program. Just call and ask your lender if you are not sure.)
With mortgage rates below 5.0%, Rogue Federal has already seen considerable interest in this program. Your lender will be busier than normal so you should expect an extended processing time. In some cases it is now taking over 60 days to close a mortgage loan. However, from what I have seen, it appears to be well worth the wait.
Advantage You!!
In order to help restore the real estate market and reduce foreclosures, many programs have been introduced for homeowners. In the past, programs like this made great news stories, but were really limited to a small number of people. Now things have changed and with a little work, you can save a considerable amount of money. For example, a 1.0% reduction on a 30 year $200,000 mortgage loan can save over $100 per month on your payment and over $40,000 in interest over the life of your loan. Now that is real money and could be the catalyst that helps you keep all that you have worked so hard for.
Of course with any program like this there are requirements, but they are reasonable and inclusive. Simply go to www.makinghomeaffordable.gov to find out more information. The website provides information on qualifications, frequently asked questions, and the different programs available. It is simple to navigate with easy to use tools that help you determine if you are eligible, and video summaries on the key aspects of the programs available. (Special Note: Just because your lender is not listed on the site does not mean they are not participating in this program. Just call and ask your lender if you are not sure.)
With mortgage rates below 5.0%, Rogue Federal has already seen considerable interest in this program. Your lender will be busier than normal so you should expect an extended processing time. In some cases it is now taking over 60 days to close a mortgage loan. However, from what I have seen, it appears to be well worth the wait.
Advantage You!!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Taking Stock
No, this is not about balancing your stock portfolio… it is about remembering what is important. As I was sitting in my backyard lamenting over the fact that the value of my home had dropped so much that I could not take advantage of the reduced mortgage rates (good news on this front and a topic of a future blog post) I took a moment to reflect on how truly fortunate I am. I am healthy and enjoy a vibrant family. I work for a great organization and my wife and kids all have rewarding careers. I live in a wonderful community that is blessed with a small town feel and big town amenities. We have low crime, amazing beauty, and recreational opportunities just minutes away.
One of the things that this economic downturn should do for all of us is to help us remember to appreciate what we have. With rapid economic expansion we were all becoming “me to” purchasers. I saw too many folks comparing square footages and auto models in an ever increasing disposable society. While many of us have been lured into a material mindset, it is time to take stock of what we truly value and make sure we don’t lose that appreciation when our economic challenges go away.
So, let’s take stock of the assets that will be with us for the rest of our lives. It is time to refocus on our family, our friends, our community, our values, and our purpose. What do you truly value? Have you taken time to think of it lately? Please consider the current economic challenges as an opportunity to take a few moments to ponder what is important and “take stock” of your assets. Your discoveries will serve as the foundation of who you will be no matter what the economic climate might be.
There are a variety of tools, books, tapes, etc. to help you with this journey of discovery including one of my all time favorites, Stephen Covey’s “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” However, the best tool that I have found for clearing my head to focus on what is important is a quiet spot on a sunny rock next to the Rogue River with a pencil and a notepad… I guess it is time for me to “take stock” because I hear the river calling my name!
One of the things that this economic downturn should do for all of us is to help us remember to appreciate what we have. With rapid economic expansion we were all becoming “me to” purchasers. I saw too many folks comparing square footages and auto models in an ever increasing disposable society. While many of us have been lured into a material mindset, it is time to take stock of what we truly value and make sure we don’t lose that appreciation when our economic challenges go away.
So, let’s take stock of the assets that will be with us for the rest of our lives. It is time to refocus on our family, our friends, our community, our values, and our purpose. What do you truly value? Have you taken time to think of it lately? Please consider the current economic challenges as an opportunity to take a few moments to ponder what is important and “take stock” of your assets. Your discoveries will serve as the foundation of who you will be no matter what the economic climate might be.
There are a variety of tools, books, tapes, etc. to help you with this journey of discovery including one of my all time favorites, Stephen Covey’s “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” However, the best tool that I have found for clearing my head to focus on what is important is a quiet spot on a sunny rock next to the Rogue River with a pencil and a notepad… I guess it is time for me to “take stock” because I hear the river calling my name!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Rally Caps On!
A new television commercial caught my eye and made me think of how I am looking at the challenges that we all face today. The commercial reminded America to band together and put our "Rally Caps" on. For those of you who aren't familiar with the term "Rally Caps" it is a sports metaphor linked to baseball. The idea is that if you are behind and need to rally your team to victory you need to change your luck. You change your luck by turning your cap inside out and thus, put your "Rally Cap" on!
So, why did this strike me? With the constant barrage of bad news and down-and-out forecasts I was reminded of ball games where we were behind with no hope of winning. Often, all it took was one teammate to say, "Wait a minute... we can win this one!" A positive attitude becomes infectious and in baseball it is displayed with a "Rally Cap." The energy, excitement, and positive thoughts lead to a new energy that infects everyone around them. After seeing that commercial I knew that what we needed was the one person, one business, and one community with a positive outlook to start the rally.
So, how are you being part of the solution instead of part of the problem? How can we join together to put our "Rally Caps" on? We can all do it one by one, with one purchase that you were putting off, with one employee that you chose not to layoff, purchasing a new car because the price is lower than you could ever imagine, attending one concert that you thought you couldn’t afford, or supporting one charity that can multiply the value of your donation several times over. Businesses are starting up, expanding, and creating new markets but we are not hearing of them. These businesses have come to the realization that this is a time of opportunity and they have put their "Rally Caps" on. If we want to see things change we need to be part of the change. We must look to the future and find ways to create jobs in our community and rally Southern Oregon to economic revival!
Rogue Federal has made the conscious choice to be part of the solution. We could have easily chosen to stop the construction of our new facility in Medford. However; we knew that there is no better time in recent history to build a building from a cost perspective, and our investment has provided employment for up to 200 local builders and contractors throughout the construction process. So, what are you doing to put your "Rally Cap" on? I would love for you to share with me how you are stepping out to be part of the solution. Whether it is big or small, please share it with me. Maybe we can be that teammate who starts the rally!
So, why did this strike me? With the constant barrage of bad news and down-and-out forecasts I was reminded of ball games where we were behind with no hope of winning. Often, all it took was one teammate to say, "Wait a minute... we can win this one!" A positive attitude becomes infectious and in baseball it is displayed with a "Rally Cap." The energy, excitement, and positive thoughts lead to a new energy that infects everyone around them. After seeing that commercial I knew that what we needed was the one person, one business, and one community with a positive outlook to start the rally.
So, how are you being part of the solution instead of part of the problem? How can we join together to put our "Rally Caps" on? We can all do it one by one, with one purchase that you were putting off, with one employee that you chose not to layoff, purchasing a new car because the price is lower than you could ever imagine, attending one concert that you thought you couldn’t afford, or supporting one charity that can multiply the value of your donation several times over. Businesses are starting up, expanding, and creating new markets but we are not hearing of them. These businesses have come to the realization that this is a time of opportunity and they have put their "Rally Caps" on. If we want to see things change we need to be part of the change. We must look to the future and find ways to create jobs in our community and rally Southern Oregon to economic revival!
Rogue Federal has made the conscious choice to be part of the solution. We could have easily chosen to stop the construction of our new facility in Medford. However; we knew that there is no better time in recent history to build a building from a cost perspective, and our investment has provided employment for up to 200 local builders and contractors throughout the construction process. So, what are you doing to put your "Rally Cap" on? I would love for you to share with me how you are stepping out to be part of the solution. Whether it is big or small, please share it with me. Maybe we can be that teammate who starts the rally!
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