What a great article by Kelley Clark's column in the Nov. 10 issue of Credit Union Journal, "How CUs Can Make Financial Crisis the Movement's Finest Hour." She really hit a lot of great points to make to our members. I've decided to include messages like this in our newsletter.

LANSING, Mich.-Chrysler has announced it has joined GM in partnership with credit unions across the country's midsection to offer the Invest in America auto discount program to CU members (CU Journal, Dec. 15).

During the current economic recession, recent studies reported that Americans spent less on gift cards this holiday season. Moreover with companies closing stores or going out of business altogether, there's a sense of "buyer beware" for gift card holders who usually opted for this popular gift.

Credit unions have always been the right financial solution in times of economic and social crisis for common men and women, helping members sustain their income, protect their assets and strengthen their communities. At World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), we have seen credit unions provide working people all over the world with a source of economic empowerment and hope, often under uncommon circumstances.

FEBRUARY

It comes each year and I know you fear, but again I turn to rhyme

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.-Credit unions have begun announcing year-end bonuses:

MORELIA, Mexico-Credit unions here have turned to high-tech personal digital assistants (PDAs) in an attempt to bring financial services to rural, marginalized areas of Mexico. The pilot effort is being led by the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) and Caja Morelia Valladolid, one of Mexico's largest credit unions.

NORWALK, Conn.-Credit union members are showing some early preferences in their gift-giving this holiday season. Shoppers Advantage, a membership-based, shop-at-home service that is a unit of Affinion Group, which provides numerous loyalty programs to credit unions, has released a list of the top 10 most popular items being purchased by shoppers so far this year.

Marketing Guide Is Released

WARMINSTER, Penn.-To head off potential problems with its credit card portfolio and respond to banks reducing members' lines of credit, Freedom Credit Union is aggressively promoting its debt consolidation loan.

AUSTIN, Texas-Expansion into new markets, a new commercial real estate program, and a lack of consumer confidence in big banks has led to remarkable growth by one credit union here.

WASHINGTON-The Federal Reserve last week approved tough new restrictions on the rates and fees issuers can charge on credit cards, adding to the growing squeeze on credit union profitability.

ATLANTA – Vsoft Corp said yesterday it has signed a reseller contract with Integrated Media Management that will enable IMM clients to implement the company’s Check 21 technology.

BALTIMORE – Check printer Harland Clarke Corp. announced it plans to shut two check printing plants in nearby Glenn Burnie and in Charlotte, N.C., laying of as many as 250 employees.

SALT LAKE CITY – Deseret First CU said it has implement UC4 Software’s workload automation, job scheduling and IT process optimization systems.

DALLAS – Lone Star CU said it has signed with Goldleaf to implement the company’s Automated Clearing House product.

VIENNA, Va. – Navy FCU said it has implemented CGI’s CACS Enterprise’s, Stata Enterprise and BureauLink debt recovery management products to provide it with a risk-based collections solution.

LANSING, Mich. – The National CU Foundation announced yesterday it has awarded a $43,828 Innovation Grant to the Michigan CU League to develop a multi-media foreclosure program.

McLEAN, Va. – Long-term mortgage rates sunk again this week to their lowest in 37 years, amid continuing efforts by the Federal Reserve to prop up the market, according to Freddie Mac.