Just a quick note to qualify as our first “live blog”! Today is the chapter board’s annual planning session. Today and in the coming days a lot of updates will be showing up on our Upcoming Site. This is a pretty good site to bookmark to keep up with our calendar.

With all that is going on in the credit union industry, we’re certainly focused on credit union budgets and providing affordable, LOCAL educational opportunities. We’ve also rolled back our dinner price from our recent increase.

We’ll be seeking input from our credit unions on the needs that still must be met, especially opportunities where we can work together to hold down costs. Come prepared with your ideas and suggestions at our upcoming meetings, or feel free to start the discussion in our comment section.

The Chapter is again offering scholarships to Southwest CUNA Management School for employees of member and affiliated credit unions. The application and instructions can be downloaded here:

• Scholarship Application

For more information, conact: Nancy Croix-Stroud, President of First Class American CU and Chair of our scholarship committee.

In cooperation with EECU, we are again holding advanced IRA training to prepare your credit union for the upcoming tax season. Many credit unions were only able to send part of their staff last year, so here is your opportunity to send more or come back for a refresher. For details, please contact Scott Ward.

OTHER REMINDERS:

RSVP’s for this month’s dinner are due NOW! Our speaker, Jeff Huffman has headed back to Washington to lobby on our behalf and Jim Phelps will be standing in for him. In addition to election of board members, we will hold our annual Cake Sale to benefit the Texas Credit Union Foundation. In addition to our commitment to Newspapers in Education, the chapter has also supported the hurricane relief efforts of the Foundation this year. We’re hoping for terrific results from our sale for these great causes.

The school Christmas parties are fast approaching. All volunteers will need to submit background forms and those are due to the party coordinators by Friday, November 21. See the prior post for the forms and contact information.

Save the date: Our Christmas dinner at the Petroleum Club will be Monday, December 8th. Watch for the invite soon!

Here’s an amazing stat: This year we will be hosting our 18th holiday party at Sam Rosen Elementary in Fort Worth.

We had so much fun with that one, we just had to have another and will be celebrating our 8th year at Webb Elementary in Arlington.

Volunteering for these events is guaranteed to be one of the highlights of your holiday season.

Here’s the schedule for 2008:

Dec 9 (morning) Party Prep at Sam Rosen

Dec 10 (all day) Party at Sam Rosen

Dec 16 (morning) Party Prep at Webb

Dec 17 (all day) Party at Webb

Natalie Parish is the volunteer coordinator for Sam Rosen

Vince Heimann is organizing workers for Webb.

Sandy Spitzmueller is the coat drive coordinator.

Even though the parties last all day, you are welcome to work only part of the day if that is what you can do. In addition to volunteers, we make a donation of winter coats to each school and try to buy a few items for goodie bags for each child. Your donation of coats and/or cash would be greatly appreciated!

All volunteers must be approved in advance by the district. Click here for a copy of the Arlington ISD volunteer form Please fill out the form, attach a copy of your ID and forward it to Vince, his fax number is 817-273-5913.

The Fort Worth ISD volunteer form is one page, be sure to copy your I.D. on to the form and fax to Raymond at 817-882-0136.

The deadline to submit the background form is November 21st. If you are recruiting volunteers from your credit union, you may also want to plan in advance for substitute volunteers by having them fill out the form as well.

If you need directions to the schools, click on their names above.

Lastly, check back and check the comments to this post for any subsequent information from the committee.

Here’s what the chapter did in response to this letter in the Krum Star:

Dear Citizens:

My daddy is asking for our help. He is a fireman for the United States Air Force and is in Iraq for his third time. He has asked me to gather school supplies for my friends in Iraq for school. Will you please help me show my daddy that the citizens within Krum do support him?

This will make my daddy happy as he is a Denton County Deputy Sheriff and on the SWAT team. He is my hero and I’m sure a Hero from someone in Denton County, it will be my wish that my daddy will get all the school supplies and win his competition over there with other bases.

The supply list includes but no limited to the following:

Stapler, Notebook paper, Notebook, 10 pack of pencils, 10 pack of pens, 10 erasers, Ruler, Protractor, Box of crayons/chalk, Scissors

For each of these items my daddy will get one point, for items not listed they will be at least one point.

Whoever sends my daddy the most supplies will have a flag flown in their honor on a mission with a certificate signed by everyone on that mission. When he gets home he’ll present the flag and certificate in uniform to say THANKS.

Thanks for your help in helping my daddy, if you have any questions please call my mommy at ……

Thanks to all of our members who contributed!

To: CEOs in the Fort Worth Chapter Credit Unions

From: Pat Mott

I am personally inviting you or a representative from your credit union to attend Southwest Corporate FCU’s Financial Review Roundtable on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at the Radisson Fossil Creek (2540 Meacham Blvd.) from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. The roundtable is free and open to all credit union management and volunteers.

The event is designed to give you an opportunity for expanded discussion of Southwest Corporate’s financial reports.

If you have not yet registered, you can do so at Southwest Corporate’s Site

I hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Pat Mott, President/CEO

Arlington Federal Credit Union

Southwest Corporate FCU Board Member

Our next Greet The Troops days are Friday, August 22nd and Saturday, August 23rd. I strongly encourage our members to arrange for at least some of their employees to make it out to the Friday and encourage everyone to join in on Saturday and bring your families.

The flights usually arrive around 8 a.m. but it is strongly advised that you call the phone number below, beginning at 8:00 p.m. the preceding night for the flight arrival time. It is also a good idea to check the number again before heading to the airport. 972-574-0392

The troops arrive at Terminal D, Gate 22. You may park in the lot located on the arrivals level. You will walk across to greet the troops in the Arrival Hall. Parking passes will be issued as you arrive so there is no parking fee or charge to your toll tag.

For more information Click Here

The Fort Worth Chapter is 2007 Chapter of the Year in the Group 1 asset category ($1 Billion +). To be eligible for this honor, a chapter must score in at least five of the seven performance categories and post a points total of 500 or more. The Fort Worth Chapter scored in ALL seven performance categories, posting a point total of 980!

Well done!

Winners will be formally announced in tomorrow’s Leaguer. And, a “2007 Chapter of the Year” logo will be posted on the Fort Worth Chapter page on the TCUL web site to commemorate your achievement.

Thank you for all you do. Keep up the great work.

Dean Borland Director, Chapters & Councils

The Fort Worth chapter will be hosting our annual golf tournament benefiting CULAC & TCUL PAC on Wednesday August 13, 2008.

This year’s tourney will be held at Fossil Creek.

NOW TAKING REGISTRATIONS! Download or view the registration information here.

For more information, contact Ron Fox at Fort Worth City Credit Union.

Our annual vendor exposition will be at Will Rogers Center the day after Memorial Day.

Preferred Partners and other vendors interested in taking part should complete and return the vendor application.

ALSO: We will again be using the expo to gather donations for the USA Home Team and the 86th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. Last year your generous donations filled a pickup truck, cab and all, and was the largest single donation USA Home Team had ever received. Our goal is to top last year’s donation. Please donate whatever you can from their wish list.