Many celebrate Credit Union Day

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Last week was Co-op Week in Canada and to mark its role in it, the Northern Lights Credit Union in Rainy River celebrated Credit Union Day on Thursday.
Branch Manager, Terri-Anne Lundgren said this year’s theme was “Your money, your choice, your credit union!”
Lundgren elaborated that the theme was designed to raise awareness about how credit unions are more community oriented than their competitors, the big banks.
Lundgren said as part of Co-op Week they unveiled a new chequing account that is only $10 per month. “It is a no frills but affordable account,” said Lundgren.
In appreciation of its members, the staff of Rainy River’s credit union served up brats, hotdogs and cake to visitors on Thursday.
Lundgren said that anyone can join the credit union, unlike the first credit union in Rainy River. Long time member Archie Wiersema said that when he and Bert Van Leeuwen moved to Rainy River in the 1960s the credit union was run by the Catholic church and only parishioners could belong. “We worked with them to open it up to the public and eventually that happened. “We were open three days a week but did not have chequing. Now the credit union is open to anyone to join and offers a range of full services.