Youth Month™ Focus Week—April 18-23

Next week is Youth Month™ Focus Week—April 18-23! Stop by your local WESTconsin office for games and learning activities. During the month of April, any child who makes a deposit into a new or existing WESTconsin account will receive a flying disc to thank them for their membership! Let's celebrate and help youth and teens get Credit Union Strong! 💪👍

Visit our Youth Month webpage!

Definition of Credit Union Strong

Credit Union Strong 
(noun): When your local, not-for-profit financial cooperative strengthens your money skills—so you're ready for an awesome future.

Visit our Youth Month page

GUEST POST | How to Shop Cooperatively This Holiday Season

How to Shop Cooperatively This Holiday Season

by Jeremiah Tucker

KENT, Wash. (11/17/15)--It's a trend that's been going on for years. In an attempt to wring more profit from the biggest shopping day of the year, so many retailers start Black Friday on Thanksgiving that it's become almost commonplace.

Many people view these early store hours as eroding family time and corrupting the meaning of Thanksgiving. The backlash has included consumer campaigns and boycotts against companies perpetuating this trend, and some companies, like Staples, are reversing course and staying closed on Thanksgiving.

Cooperative Principle #7—Concern for Community

In honor of Cooperative Month, we will highlight Cooperative Principles each week!

Today we are highlighting the last principle, Cooperative Principle #7—Concern for Community.

While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of communities, including people of modest means, through policies developed and accepted by the members.

Let's review!

1. Voluntary Membership
2. Democratic Member Control
3. Members’ Economic Participation
4. Autonomy and Independence
5. Education, Training and Information
6. Cooperation Among Cooperatives
7. Concern for Community

These seven principles are founded in the philosophy of cooperation and its central values of equality, equity and mutual self-help. They express, around the world, the principles of human development and the brotherhood of man through people working together to achieve a better life for themselves and their community.

Visit asmarterchoice.org for more information about why credit unions are a smarter choice!

Cooperative Principle #6—Cooperation Among Cooperatives

In honor of Cooperative Month, we will highlight Cooperative Principles each week!

Today we are highlighting Cooperative Principle #6—Cooperation Among Cooperatives.

Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, state, regional, national, and international structures.

Visit asmarterchoice.org for more information about why credit unions are a smarter choice!

TONIGHT! | Menomonie Area Chamber Business After Hours

Join us and our fellow cooperatives (Menomonie Market Food Co-Op, West Wisconsin Telcom / 24-7 Telcom, Dunn Energy Cooperative and Royal Credit Union) tonight at the Menomonie Area Chamber's Business After Hours! The event will take place from 5-6:30 p.m. at Menomonie Market. Members $5 | Non-Members $7

Cooperative Principle #5—Education, Training and Information

In honor of Cooperative Month, we will highlight Cooperative Principles each week!

Today we are highlighting Cooperative Principle #5—Education, Training and Information.

Cooperatives provide education and training for members, elected representatives, managers and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of the cooperative.

Credit unions place particular importance on educational opportunities for their volunteer directors, and financial education for their members and the public, especially the nation’s youth. Credit unions also recognize the importance of ensuring the general public and policy makers are informed about the nature, structure and benefits of cooperatives.

Visit asmarterchoice.org for more information about why credit unions are a smarter choice!

FREE SHRED EVENTS TODAY & TOMORROW!

In honor of ‪International Credit Union Day‬, WESTconsin Credit Union is offering multiple free community shred events throughout the region. Services are free of charge and being performed by ShredAway. More information --> http://ow.ly/Tu9RP

Cooperative Principle #4—Autonomy and Independence

In honor of Cooperative Month, we will highlight Cooperative Principles each week!

Today we are highlighting Cooperative Principle #4—Autonomy and Independence.

Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members. If the cooperative enters into agreements with other organizations or raises capital from external sources, it is done so based on terms that ensure democratic control by the member and maintains the cooperative autonomy.

Visit asmarterchoice.org for more information about why credit unions are a smarter choice!

Cooperative Principle #3—Members’ Economic Participation

In honor of Cooperative Month, we will highlight Cooperative Principles each week!

Today we are highlighting Cooperative Principle #3—Members’ Economic Participation.

Members are the owners. As such they contribute to, and democratically control, the capital of the cooperative. This benefits members in proportion to the transactions with the cooperative rather than on the capital invested.

Visit asmarterchoice.org for more information about why credit unions are a smarter choice!

International Credit Union Week | October 12-17

Cooperative Principle #2—Democratic Member Control

In honor of Cooperative Month, we will highlight Cooperative Principles each week!

Today we are highlighting Cooperative Principle #2—Democratic Member Control

Cooperatives are democratic organizations owned and controlled by their members, one member one vote, with equal opportunity for participation in setting policies and making decisions.

Thank you for attending the 19th Annual Free Cooperative Breakfast!

Thank you for attending the 19th Annual Free Cooperative Breakfast! A big shout out to our partners at Dunn Energy Cooperative, Cedar Country Co-op, West Wisconsin Telcom / 24-7 Telcom and Royal Credit Union.

A note from Stepping Stones of Dunn County—this year's recipient of the food drive at the breakfast.

Thanks so much for the great breakfast and for again doing the food and fund drive for the Stepping Stones Food Pantry as part of it. 1,419 food items were donated for a total of 1,546 lbs. as well as $909.25. We are currently serving about 60 households per day, six days a week, so this will help tremendously.

Cooperative Principle #1—Voluntary Membership

In honor of Cooperative Month, we will highlight Cooperative Principles each week!

Today we are highlighting Cooperative Principle #1—Voluntary Membership

Credit unions are voluntary, cooperative organizations, offering services to people willing to accept the responsibilities and benefits of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.

Many cooperatives, such as credit unions, operate as not-for-profit institutions with volunteer board of directors. In the case of credit unions, members are drawn from defined fields of membership.

October is Cooperative Month!

October is Cooperative Month! WESTconsin Credit Union is a cooperative. Watch the video below to learn the benefits of what it means for a credit union to be a cooperative.‪#‎cooperativedifference‬ ‪#‎CoopMonth‬ ‪#‎takeownership

Upcoming Events | October 1-4

Event hosted by WESTconsin Credit Union:

October 2 | Barron Member Appreciation 

WESTconsin Credit Union is proud to sponsor the following community events.

September 28-October 3 | UW-Stout Homecoming
October 1 | Barron Co-op Day
October 2-4 | UW-River Falls Homecoming
October 3 | FREE Cooperative Breakfast