The Member Newsletter October 2020

Help is on the way! If you've been socking away money in a 1st Cooperative Holiday Helper account, Christmas is about to come early. On November 1, the credit union will transfer those funds directly into your 1st Cooperative savings or checking account. If you elected to have your Holiday Helper funds transferred to another financial institution, your funds will be available November 3 at your other financial institution. Don't have a Holiday Helper account? You can get started today with an easy-to-complete online form.

When the motor blows... Frank Furtick has been a 1st Cooperative member for more than 25 years. In that time, he's financed cars, trucks and boats. So, when the motor blew up on his pontoon, he knew exactly where to turn. "It was a no brainer to get in touch with John (Middleton) to see what the credit union could offer," said Frank, Tri-County Electric Cooperative's chief operating officer. "As usual, the interest rates were better than the other means of financing I'd looked at, and the process was so easy." Now, Frank's back on the water and riding the waves in style. Members who have been looking for a car or boat loan may want to follow Frank's approach and call John Middleton today at 803-796-0234 or email him here. Photo: Frank Furtick poses with the new boat motor he financed through 1st Cooperative.

Helped more times than he can count Alex Alderman joined 1st Cooperative in 2011, just a few months after he started working for Edisto Electric Cooperative. Since joining, he's started a Holiday Helper account and taken out a personal loan, an auto loan and a loan for a new ATV. "1st Cooperative is the best credit union to deal with, with their friendly staff and eagerness to help," said Alex. "They've helped me more times than I can count. They have helped me with things I didn't understand and helped me weigh my options to figure out what's best for me." Whether the goal is to buy an ATV, a car or a truck, it's worth investigating the possibilities available through the credit union. Representatives are a phone call away, and more information is available at 1st Cooperative's new website. Photo: Alex Alderman gives 1st Cooperative and his new ATM a big thumbs up.

Put a bow on it The big yellow bow on Jenna Alvins’ new car was about as big as the smile on her face. The Black River Electric Cooperative member services representative had a big reason to smile—she financed the car with 1st Cooperative. When it comes time to make payments, she has another reason to smile. "I don't have to remember to make a payment every month. It's drafted out of my account on the date it's due," said Jenna. For Jenna, the smiles continue because of another credit union member benefit—shared branching. It's something Jenna calls "double banking." She gets to use 1st Cooperative and, if she needs to go into a branch, she visits a nearby credit union that's part of the 1st Cooperative shared branch network. Members can locate those shared branches—as well as hundreds of fee-free ATMs—at www.CO-OPatm.org. Photo: Jenna Alvins shows off her 2017 Nissan Sentra and its big yellow bow.

1st Cooperative members can use 700 ATMs across South Carolina and 30,000 nationwide—all surcharge-free. Find them at retailers such as Publix, 7-Eleven, Circle K and Costco. Plus, you can use ATMs at credit unions all across the state. Don't have a checking account with a debit card? To open one, call us today at 803-796-0234.

Find ATMs near you at CO-OPatm.org, download our mobile app, text your address to 91989 or call 1-888-748-3266.