Credit Union 1 is hosting a Create-a-Card contest! To join in, simply submit your original design, photo, or artwork to oneforallalaska@cu1.org and become famous if your entry is chosen as a stock design for our new Visa® Create-a-Cards. Three top winners will receive $250-$1000, plus a free Create-a-Card. Full contest rules are attached to this blog, so please be sure to check them out!

This contest isn't as directly related to social service as our usual One for All topics, but from the entries we've received thus far, I'm noticing TONS of Alaskan pride. Showing pride in your community can work wonders toward inspiring others to care too!

Check out our growing contest album here.  

It’s Wednesday, and that should definitely mean you’re getting a head start on weekend plans. Me too! My house is full of family visiting from Maryland, so if the warm weather sticks, I plan to play tour guide and go enjoy Talkeetna, Girdwood, or somewhere of the like.

Speaking of your favorite two days of the week – last weekend, a group of Credit Union 1 employees made great plans to help out at the “From Alaska with Love” fundraiser held at the Northway Mall in Anchorage! This fundraiser benefitted victims of the earthquake in Haiti and Officer Jason Allen who was recently shot in Anchorage.

That being said, today’s blog is a GUEST BLOG! A few of our lovely volunteers from the weekend have contributed their thoughts on how the fundraiser went. I hope you’ll be interested, inspired, or encouraged by their positive remarks to volunteer at an event of your very own! Check it out:

“I had an absolute blast. …Kudos to the organizers, the community and the volunteers.” – Bev Morrell, CU1 Abbott Branch Manager

“The “From Alaska With Love” event gave Alaskans a chance to see the enormous talent our youth have, and that the littlest amount of support encourages them to continue to strive to better themselves and stay out of trouble. The donations for the fundraiser came pouring in, whether it was through the $1 raffle, $1 bingo, or the silent auction, or even just random people coming by to make their contributions. It was very touching to see that Alaskans can come together to support the cause, whatever it may be. This time, the donations went to Haiti and Officer Allen. It was expressed numerous times the amount of thanks to everyone that attended and contributed to their fundraising efforts. The host of the event (Kim Mendez) became emotional because she was so touched by the turnout and that she, along with the rest of us, were trying to make a difference. And no matter how much money we raised, or how many people showed up, we all made a difference.” – Brandi Avery, CU1 Records Clerk

“The event turned out to be really entertaining. I thought it was really cool how numerous people came to our table to just donate money or they would purchase raffle tickets and give them away to other people that were there. It was also nice to see the variety of local talent that we have in Anchorage. It was nice to see how supportive people were who came to the event.” – Nina Zamarov, CU1 Consumer Loan Processor

Ahhhh…. Isn’t that great to hear! Seems to me that if you’re looking for an easy way to feel good about yourself, you life, and your community, social service is a great way to go.

It’s a new One for All year, and as always, we’ve got big plans. OneforallAlaska.org will soon be seeing new contests, events, and ideas for YOU to inspire positive change in your Alaskan community. As you wait in eager anticipation for new things to come, I’d like to reflect a bit on how the One for All project is going so far.

In 2009, we gave over 1050 hours of volunteer service throughout the State. In addition, Credit Union 1 members raised nearly $46,000 for local charities. Wow!

Last week, the One for All page on Facebook cleared 200 fans – and we have just as many users on this website (and counting). Thank you!

Hiding amidst my event and blog postings, there is an increasing number of One for All user comments. Likewise on Facebook, our fans are making their voices heard. I LOVE this! Comments and criticisms alike, it’s great to know that when y’all need to tell us something, you can and do.

Speaking of user comments, I’ve seen quite a few financial reflections on this website lately as well. That’s cool! The One for All mantra is social service and financial education, so we can definitely chat about money, the economy, whatever you’d like to know. However, several of the comments I’ve seen this month are posted in areas of the site that other users may not notice – so I have an idea! Soon, there will be a new topic under the “Resources” section in the right hand column ----> titled “Let’s Talk Money!” We can chat about whatever finance topics you’d like here – and if you’ve got extra tough questions, I have a team of CU1 finance geniuses who will jump in and help out.

Meanwhile, please don’t hesitate to toss in your two cents about anything in this blog as well. I’d like to know what you’re thinking, start a conversation, burn up our keyboards with fresh ideas… you get the picture. Don’t be shy!

P.S. Have you played the new Match ‘Em game over there yet? ---> It’s fun, and goats tap dance at the end. Double whammy!

Check out this email forward from our friend Trevor Storrs with the Alaskan Aids Assistance Association. This message is from an unknown Alaskan author, and it’s definitely worth passing along. When you sign up for your PFD this year, please remember to Pick.Click.Give!

"This may surprise you.  Did you know that here, in one of the most abundant states in the Union, there are 85,000 Alaskans who don’t know where their next meal will come from, 3,800 children suffering from abuse or neglect, and the average age of our homeless is nine years old?

Alaskans who file for their Permanent Fund Dividend online are now able to give all or part to qualifying nonprofit organizations. With Pick.Click.Give., one person can start a movement. If we all work together, we can make significant change in our state.

Last year Pick. Click. Give. raised $545,000 from 5,100 Alaskans, making it the second largest fundraising effort in Alaska. This year, we want to double this success.

Be part of the movement. Commit to give part of your dividend to at least one organization this year ($25 minimum).  If each filer gives just $25, together we can raise $15 million.

See this year’s Pick. Click. Give. video on YouTube and be part of the movement. And pass it on."

Happy Holidays! 

When I was a little kid, procuring a Christmas tree didn’t seem that difficult. My parents simply piled their three little girls into the back of our rusty, lime-green suburban (I think it was a left-over from the Wisconsin forestry department?), and rumbled off into the forest. The perfect Christmas tree would be waiting within easy walking distance of the road, and I didn’t even have to help pull it back through the snow! Things aren’t so easy now that I’m grown.

Last weekend, Dan and I made our first attempt at a Christmas tree. We found a beautiful tree (and not just in the Charlie Brown sense), and we loaded it into the pick-up with ease. But…Dan forgot to tie it down. Yes, I say Dan forgot, because tying down the tree is not in my wife-ly job duties - just like picking up socks is apparently not in his job description, as you recall =). The tree flew out of our truck bed barely two miles from the vendor’s stand. And then our trailer ran over it. It didn’t survive.

We had killed a tree! I felt horrible. So horrible, in fact, that for tree #2 (the same day – I wasn’t giving up yet) I picked a less-beautiful tree, as if I was slightly undeserving of a regal pine now that I’d killed one of their brethren. Tree #2 made it home, thanks to some sturdy twine, and we decorated it that evening. It was gorgeous! A few glittery bulbs can do a lot for balding branches. Unfortunately, my two devil cats found the Christmas bulbs just as attractive, and when they leapt into the tree to explore, the tree toppled over, took out my coffee table, and broke its neck. Tree #2, down.

Tree #3, taken straight from the forest, has thus far survived. We picked it quickly, without much discretion, yesterday evening. On our way back down the long, twisty, backroad, I was surprised by how deeply we’d wandered into no-man’s-land. It had seemed like such a short jaunt in – but it was taking forever to get out! We rounded one more turn and - AH! - almost skidded into a rusty, red suburban stuck in snow. Inside, an older man and his wife were trying to dial out on their cell phones, catching only static. Dan was happy to swing his truck around and tow the couple out of their predicament. They breathlessly wished us happy holidays, gave up their own search for a tree, and headed back toward civilization.  

In the end, I was frustrated and worn out by my Christmas tree search. My parents weren’t here to do the dirty work (though they’d just laugh if I asked them now!), and we got pretty beat up for our efforts. But last night, while relaxing on our saggy old couch with hot chocolate and leftover stir-fry, I basked in the glow of our Christmas tree lights.  We had helped somebody out of a jam, thanks to tree excursion #3. If we hadn’t been driving down the road just then, that couple could have had a very dangerous night. As I sipped my cocoa and pondered whether there are any true coincidences in life, my realtor stopped by to deliver some holiday rum cake. Karma or a blessing, coming back around.

Have you ever volunteered for a community service project? If not, is it because the idea seems a little intimidating? Or too much work to coordinate? Or you just don’t know how to get involved with the right project? Oooeee, can I relate!

Before I joined the One for All team, I had never really tried my hand at volunteer people-helping. I didn’t know who to talk to, how to get involved, or what I was supposed to do after I joined a project. Plus, I was a little touch-and-go about the idea of sacrificing my free time to work more.

Don’t worry, this anecdote has a heartwarming twist! (Lol, I wouldn’t let you down this late in the game…er, blog). Volunteering is a big part of my life now, and I love it. Plus these days, a big part of my job involves helping non-profits and co-workers coordinate projects around our big, wild State. It’s a blast, and at the end of day, I feel like I really helped people – like I’m living One for All.

I’m jibber-jabbering about this because I want to invite you to join a project. Sure, I’ve mentioned our One for All event calendar before, and sure, you’ve heard me talk about different projects the One for All team is doing – but today I’m personally inviting YOU to come volunteer with me! What sort of project would you like to do? I’ll be your volunteer buddy so you’re not alone at your first event. December projects are popping up on the events calendar, so keep an eye out and let me know what you want to do.

Personal suggestion: The Talkeetna Bachelor Society is raising funds for Women and Children in Crisis this weekend with a Wilderness Woman Contest and Bachelor Auction. This sounds AWESOME!

The Fall Feast is tonight at the Mountain View Boys and Girls Club in Anchorage! From 4:30pm-7:30pm, the One for All team will be helping serve dinner, clear tables, check coats, etc. This is Thanksgiving come early, and boy am I THANKFUL! Already, I think I can smell the sweet potatoes. And turkey….mmm. Wanna come? Dinner is free. Email me for more info.

I was hoping to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family in Wisconsin this year, but OUCH are those ticket prices high. Instead, I’m going to finally unpack the kitchen at my new place and have a meal at the table, not on paper plates! Whoa! I might even cook food that didn’t come in a box or can.

I’m kinda bummed to not see mom and pop for the holidays. Thanksgiving is during deer hunting season in Wisconsin, so all the guys head into the forest while my two little sisters, mom and I rent movies or go skiing. It’s girl-fun, and it’s as important as homemade mashed potatoes and gravy to my Thanksgiving.

Now that I’m a married girl, maybe it’s time to start my own holiday traditions. Like last year, when Dan and I drove all the way to Hope, AK trying to find the right Christmas tree. Here’s hoping that particular drive doesn’t become a tradition (Home Depot this year, hun) – but those sort of memories are what create a new family’s holiday nostalgia. I’m half of a new family, and we’re going to branch out on our own this Thanksgiving. I hope I don’t burn the turkey (isn’t that how it goes in the movies?).

Who will you spend the holidays with this year? If you’re missing your family, visiting the Fall Feast might help. When your blood family isn’t around, a strong community family can help fill the gap. The more we celebrate and grow together, the stronger we become. Like gremlins when you dump them in water. AHHH! 

Dear Snow:

Hey there!  I’ve been wondering when you'd come around. Thanks for that hour and a half commute this morning. Can I look forward to it regularly for the next few months?

A few extra inches of icy fluff aren’t going to get me down, you know. I’m prepared for winter! Coat, gloves, boots, snow tires, hefty windshield wipers - and a coffee pot on a timer. I’ve even got a not-too-happy husband who is on “plow the driveway” duty at 5:30am sharp until next April. Though…it’d be nice if you stopped falling before then (I’m just saying).

Sincerely,
Jess

Dear One for All readers:

Winter’s here – and even though I’m colder and more sleepy because of it, I’m still counting my blessings for having heat in my house and food on the table. We don’t all have that. Check out our events calendar for what’s happening in November; there are LOTS of food drives and free meals going out to Alaskan families. Many of us are in extra need this time of year, and it’s really inspiring to see so many community groups reaching out to help.

Here’s a special thanks to Beans Café, the Children’s Lunchbox, and the Food Bank of Alaska for coming out in full force this season, with hot meals and holiday cheer for all.

Thanks!
Jess

It’s almost November, which means the Barrels in Branches fund drive will be starting soon at CU1. This fundraiser benefits the Food Bank of Alaska - specifically in Anchorage, Kodiak, and Fairbanks. We hope you’ll stop by and give a buck for one of our cute paper barrels. People who donate get to write their name on a barrel, and we plaster our branch walls with them as décor.

Crazy Food Fact: Every $1 raised for the Food Bank buys 5 pounds of food for Alaskan families! 5 pounds! That’s a big meal for just a little green. If I take my $5 lunch and give half the cash to this fundraiser, that’s 10+ pounds of food in the bank! Personally, I wish I could save that efficiently all the time.

The weather’s getting cold and money is tight across our state. Not many of us have funds to spare. But happily, this is one fundraiser where every dollar we give will fill someone’s plate for the holidays. Can you buckle down and eat PBJ for two days next week? The money you save could feed an entire family!