As 2021 comes to a close, we are looking back at the many accomplishments of our credit union and community. We launched Level Up Member Benefits and I am pleased to see so many of you taking advantage of not just your Everyday Member Benefits, which we’ve always offered, but new benefits including discounted rates on eligible loans and select fee waivers.
We’re thrilled to announce that our President and CEO, Geri LaChance, was selected by the California and Nevada Credit Union League as the 2021 California Advocate of the Year. Each year, the League honors credit unions, individuals and organizations that display extraordinary leadership in advocacy and political action.
I will be the first to admit that I’m not the most technically-savvy credit union employee. I am a frequent visitor to our IT Help Desk. And while I knew SESLOC had launched Pay with Points as part of the SESLOC Rewards program in August, it was a few weeks before I signed up to see what it was all about.
As we enjoy the cautious excitement of moving back to more normal operations, our ever-popular Shred Day drive-thru event happened on June 12 at the San Luis Obispo branch, and another one will pop up in the North County in the fall. We’d love to see more members choose paperless savings and loan statements so you have less to shred; electronic statements in Online Banking provide more secure recordkeeping right at your fingertips. But we’ll still offer Shred Days to help with your overall safe confidential document disposal.
Welcome to spring on the Central Coast! A fresh, new season brings cautious optimism regarding the pandemic as more vaccines are made available; a light at the end of the tunnel for our local businesses and communities.
You have probably heard the saying “fresh start for a new year.” Never have we all collectively been more excited for a new year than in 2021! In the last quarter, we surpassed a monumental milestone of $1 billion in assets. Our growth is especially significant at a time when financial institution mergers and acquisitions are prevalent; SESLOC’s growth has been achieved organically, building healthy relationships with you and our community over decades.
If we had 20/20 perfect vision, we might have skipped to the year 2021. Never have we seen more disruption to life on a daily basis and to how we socialize. It is the ultimate irony that in 2019 we couldn’t allow you to cover your face or head while conducting business in the branch. And now in 2020, with the order from the state of California, we are are requiring masks to be worn. We greatly appreciate your mutual consideration of others.
So much has happened in the last few months—almost every SESLOC member has been impacted from the pandemic, the swift collapse of the economy and the strain of social unrest due to inequality. The cooperative philosophy of credit unions has always supported the notion of equality for all members: one member, one vote, one voice. There are no stockholders. Our earnings are used to keep rates competitive and fees low, and to provide financial access to all.
This note is being written on March 25, and the one thing I know is that our situation will likely be different the day you are reading this. News and caution regarding the COVID-19 pandemic has grown and changed every day. These are unsettling times that we haven’t experienced before.
Happy New Year! Can you believe we just entered into a new decade? As I reflect on the past 10 years, it has been filled with many changes in the credit union industry. All banks and credit unions were recovering from The Great Recession in the early years of the last decade as well as responding to new regulations being imposed on institutions.
SESLOC’s 2024 Shred Day events break nine years of records by serving 746 visitors and shredding nearly 42,000 pounds of paper! Thanks to our members who attended the events at our San Luis Obispo, Atascadero, Arroyo Grande, Paso Robles and Santa Maria branches, plus our new Lompoc event location. In total, we recycled 133 total bins with about 21 tons of shredded paper— saving 357 trees, 147,000 gallons of water, 63 cubic yards of landfill space, and 84,000 kilowatts of electricity!
On Friday, October 11, SESLOC returned to Pacific Beach High School in San Luis Obispo for a second year to engage 55 students in the Bite of Reality simulation. This hands-on event immerses students in a realistic budgeting app, providing them with valuable insights into managing finances. Through interactive scenarios, participants learn to navigate the distinction between needs and wants, equipping them with essential budgeting skills for real life.
We’re partnering with News Channel 12 to honor nonprofit volunteers who make our community thrive. Each month, we’re choosing a different nonprofit and asking them to select a valuable volunteer to receive the SESLOC Cares for Community Award. We’re thrilled to introduce Len Hoskins, from the DANA Adobe.
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and we’re offering tips, webinars, and services to help make the internet safer and more secure.
We’re partnering with News Channel 12 to honor nonprofit volunteers who make our community thrive. Each month, we’re choosing a different nonprofit and asking them to select a valuable volunteer to receive the SESLOC Cares for Community Award. We’re thrilled to introduce David Cook, from Community Partners in Caring.
