As Nelson and District Credit Union prepares for its 65th annual general meeting on Tuesday, its directors are encouraging members to get engaged and participate.
Traditionally, a credit union AGM was a social event, a place for debate and recognition as members celebrated the running of a financial institution based on the principles of democracy. This may not seem like a radical idea today, but in the first half of the 20th century, when profit-motivated banks made it difficult for the average citizen to borrow or invest, it was revolutionary.
Today, annual meeting interest is declining across the credit union system. Compared to the early system pioneers, today’s membership is experiencing a disconnect from the core values of a credit union. The credit union belief of putting people before profits should have members lining up out the door. The purpose of this year’s AGM and conversation café is to bring that credit union passion back.
“One of the biggest benefits of banking at Nelson and District Credit Union, as opposed to a bank, is that your input into improvements to your credit union’s operations will actually be listened to carefully and possibly acted upon,” says board chair John Edwards. “We are very much interested in listening to what our members have to say about their credit union, so please come out to our AGM and be part of the conversation.”
Following the business portion of the AGM, members and guests are encouraged to participate in the conversation café. Moderated by Lucas Myers, members and guests will discuss Caring for Community. Once the group conversation winds down, a panel of local community champions will answer questions posed by Myers.
The café panelists are: Jenny Robinson, executive director, Nelson CARES; Helen Lutz, chair, Osprey Community Foundation; Deanne Steven, executive director, Tourism Rossland; and Sandra Bernier, operations manager, Guiding Hands Recreation Society (Tipi Camp).
Credit union members share a common purpose: a commitment to keeping interest local by banking locally. This pledge ensures that a vibrant and resilient community-based financial institution is part of the fabric of each community we serve. Investing in a credit union promotes vitality: every dollar that remains in the community has a multiplier effect. When members borrow and invest the credit union can continue to actively help the local economy by cycling money back into the community through mortgages, loans, community giving and employment.
The credit union hosts its annual general meeting on Tuesday at the Prestige Lakeside Resort in Nelson at 7 p.m. Members are encouraged to attend as the AGM is a chance to meet their board of directors, ask questions and hear about their credit union’s activities and accomplishments from the past year. At 8 p.m. all members and guests are asked to participate in the conversation café.
Nelson and District Credit Union was established in 1950 and has grown to over $196 million in assets and serves members throughout the Kootenay. Branches are located in Nelson, Rossland and Crawford Bay.