And the Fall is upon us! Are you still battling for the 80+ weather? Or are you ready for some cold night and cool days?
From the desk of the CEO – Thank You!
I regularly try and make it a point to thank our members for choosing to do business with First Choice. There are many financial options available and if you have chosen to do your banking with us, it is an honor and a privilege that I don’t take lightly.
What I don’t do as often as I should is call out the reason why you have probably chosen to bank with us in the first place… the people. We have a wonderful collection of talent and experience at First Choice.
Most often they get thanked by our membership for their customer service and friendly manner. And they deserve it. But what truly continues to make this credit union a success is their dedication to the process and commitment to the goal.
They serve you and this credit union in many ways; taking on many responsibilities and wearing many hats. They appear to be tireless and driven to succeed. They make it a pleasure to come to work every morning. They make me want to work harder for them. It is a great environment to work, and I hope you feel that translated when you come in our doors.
Change to our Surcharge Free ATM Network
We regret to inform you that after nine years, PNC has decided to terminate our surcharge free network relationship. As of November 19th, our members will no longer be able to use the PNC ATMs free of charge. However, we have joined a new surcharge free network known as MoneyPass. Anytime you see the symbol to the right, you will be able to use that machine free of charge
PNC was located in 19 States, and offered 9,000 ATMs. Our MoneyPass Network is one of the largest ATM Networks in the Country, located in all 50 States and boasting over 32,000 ATMs.
We know that after nine years you have found your “favorite” ATMs and have used them loyally. This change was not our idea. However, this has forced us to find an alternative option that actually increases our coverage.
There is a MoneyPass ATM Locator App to download for Apple or Android devices or you can look them up by zip code at moneypass.com. There are many options for those in and around the Lawrence County Area, including, but not limited to:
- First Choice FCU (W State St, Wilmington Rd, and Butler Ave)
- GNC FCU Locations
- 7-Eleven Locations
- Sheetz Locations
- Home Savings Banks
- Farmers National Banks
- Clearview FCUs
- Seven Seventeen Credit Unions
There are plenty of ways for you to get cash free of charge. You can:
- Visit a First Choice or MoneyPass ATM
- Visit a First Choice Branch
- Get Cash Back at a Retailer from your debit card purchase
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to bring them to us. We look forward to this new relationship and the ability to bring even more valuable services and locations to our members.
Here comes Santa Claus, Here comes Santa Claus…
Ready or not, here he comes. Christmas is a time of peace, joy, happiness, and the still gentle sounds of children’s laughter.
But before there can be visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, there is a lot of stress to overcome. There are cookies to bake, dinners to make, cards to send, shopping to do, gifts to wrap, toys to build, and so much more.
And that is all before December 25th. Then the real fun starts, you have to pay for everything.
Don’t let the holiday blues derail your holiday joy. We can help.
First, set a budget and stick to it. Think of creative ways to express your love for those around you. The most meaningful gifts don’t have to be the most expensive.
Think about collaborating with others to get gifts. Sometimes a series or pooling your resources can help to spread costs over two or three families.
If you have to go into debt, be smart about it. Get and use a First Choice Rewards Card so you can be rewarded for the purchases you make. We have Board Special Loans that can help to fix interest, fix payments, and know exactly when you will be debt free.
You don’t have a whole workshop full of elves helping you, so be smart about spending. We wish you the very best that the Holiday Season has to offer.
Kids make all the difference
Recently we hosted our 17th Annual Kid’s Club Picnic. Seventeen years is a long time. If a child was 10 years old at our first picnic they are now 27, possibly with kids of their own attending our picnic.
It is a lot to ask to have our staff and the parents and grandparents give up their time on a gorgeous Saturday in August. All you have to do is look at the faces of these kids below to see why we have and will continue to make this event a priority.
Thank you so much to all of those who came and entrusted your kids with us. Thank you to the Neshannock Fire Department for their informative and fun presentation. We had a blast! We hope you did too.