Summer 2016 - Blue Flame Credit Union

Helping you, our member,
achieve financial success
Summer 2016
A publication for the members of Blue Flame Credit Union
Joyce Brown Retires
After nearly 25 years of dedicated service to
Blue Flame Credit Union members, Joyce
Brown retired from BFCU on June 24th.
Joyce began her career with the credit union
in August of 1991 as a member service
representative. Prior to her start with BFCU,
Joyce spent a number of years working in
financial institutions, for over 30 cumulative
years in the industry.
Closings
As time progressed and technology advanced,
Joyce became knowledgeable in many facets of
credit union operations. Joyce assumed many
different roles and as they say “wore many
different hats.” Over the years Joyce has been
the frequent recipient of questions from staff
members; questions that usually began with
“Joyce, how do you…” Joyce has always been
willing to share her knowledge and not just
with a quick answer, but with in depth details
whenever the situation warranted. We all
Joyce Brown is well respected by credit union
members and by those who have worked
with her, not just for her professionalism
and her knowledge but for who she is as a
person. Joyce takes each day in stride. Everyone
encounters difficult circumstances throughout
the course of their lives, but if you were to
observe Joyce you might mistakenly think her
to be an exception to that rule.
No matter what the situations of life, you can
always count on Joyce to handle them with
quiet grace and dignity, never a complaint only
optimism.We would all be served well by taking
a page from Joyce’s book of life.
Blue Flame Credit Union appreciates Joyce
Brown’s many years of dedicated service to the
members and she will be greatly missed.We are
excited for her as she begins this new chapter of
her life and wish her nothing but happiness!
Do you have dreams of a remodeled kitchen, with all the latest appliances?
Labor Day
Monday, September 5th
Perhaps you’d love to put in a swimming pool for the entire family to enjoy.
Dreaming of freedom from your high interest
debts or large medical expenses?
Contact us
www.blueflamecu.org
Toll Free: 1-888-258-3352
Charlotte: (704) 523-0075
appreciate the knowledge she has shared.
Maybe you’re thinking about going back to school or you’re thinking about paying for your teen’s college education.
A BFCU Home Equity Line of Credit can cover all your dreams for years to come.
The possibilities are endless with HELOC credit limits of up to 95% of the home’s value.
Best of all, you can access the equity in your home easily and with affordable payments.
• Closing Costs & Appraisal Fees Paid by BFCU • Rates as low as 5.00% A.P.R.
• You have a chance to win $1,000
Don’t wait to achieve your dreams & possibly gain an extra $1,000! Contact Us Today to Apply!
Offer Expires 10/31/16
APR = Annual Percentage Rate. Rates listed are based on applicant’s credit history.Variable rate based on Prime Rate. Lowest possible APR is 5.00%.
Fees paid by BFCU for loans over $10,000.The maximum appraisal fee paid by BFCU is $300, maximum attorney fee paid, $500. Member will be
required to pay for appraisal if HELOC loan is not closed. Member must borrow minimum of $10,000 to be eligible for $1,000 prize drawing.
www.blueflamecu.org
Blue Flame Credit Union
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Changes to BFCU Checking Accounts
Blue Flame Credit Union has long provided a no cost checking
account to its members, which included the purchase of all standard
checks through Harland Clarke.
To control rising costs, Harland Clarke has reduced the number of
checks in each order to 100. As such, we have sought out a different
vendor, Main Street, which will provide our member the standard
120 checks per box.
Unfortunately, due to the increasing cost of checks, postage and
the continuing state of the economy; BFCU is no longer able to
completely subsidize the cost of checks purchased by our members.
Beginning July 1, 2016, BFCU will pay the first $10.00 toward
the cost of a box of checks ordered by our members (inclusive of
shipping costs.) The remainder of the cost per order will be charged
to the member’s checking account. Most check orders will cost our
members $5.00, additional costs will apply for specialized checks,
monograms or other special markings.
Members with checking accounts established prior to July 1, 2016 must contact the credit union
directly for the first check re-order. Once the initial box of checks has been ordered from Main
Street, members will be able to utilize the online check re-ordering system on the BFCU website.
Members may also mail in the re-order form, contained in the box of checks, to Main Street directly.
When new checks are ordered it is important that you account for the cost of the checks, less the
$10.00 subsidized by BFCU and include the amount on your check register for balancing purposes.
To re-order checks online, visit www.blueflamecu.org
and click on Reorder Checks, located under eServices.
2016 Annual Meeting Update
The 2016 Blue Flame Credit Union Annual Meeting was held on March 24, 2016 in
Charlotte, NC. Various financial reports and supervisory committee reports were presented,
along with results of the 2016 Board of Directors Election.
The 2016 BFCU Board of Directors are as follows:
Michael Dyches - President, Corporate Delores Dockum, Nashville
Virginia Parker - Vice President, At Large
Milton Henderson, Nashville
Trudy Wike – Secretary, Hickory
Lisa McCarter, Spartanburg
Larry Pettis - Treasurer, At Large
Sarah McCluney, Winston-Salem
Randy Bost - Executive Committee, Salisbury
Linda Seawell, Burlington
Dawn Bright, AndersonRicky Simpson, High Point
Yvonne Darnell, GreenvilleRandy Young, Greensboro
Joel Zielazienski, Charlotte
Scholarship Recipients Determined
Blue Flame Credit Union, in conjunction with
the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation is
pleased to announce that the following members
were chosen to receive scholarships:
Hope Arrowood • Alexandra Dyer • Caleb Dyer
The applications were reviewed for academic achievement,
leadership abilities, extra curricular activities, awards and
community involvement. Congratulations to each of you.
Your Blue Flame Credit Union wishes you well with your
future academic endeavors.
Navigating Life’s Changes
Different stages of our financial lives require us to prepare for new circumstances and unexpected changes.
Blue Flame Credit Union wants to help you, our member, achieve financial success. One way that we do
that is through our partnership with BALANCE.
With the free trusted guidance and resources of BALANCE, you can be ready for all of life’s milestones.
On the BFCU website (www.blueflamecu.org) look for BALANCE Financial Fitness under the Member
Services tab. From there you can begin utilizing the tools of BALANCE Life Stages.
In Which Life Stage Are You?
Getting Started
• Saving for today & tomorrow
• Developing good financial habits
• Learn about your 401(k)
Managing Debt
• Controlling credit card use
• Maintaining your mortgage
• Student loans
New Beginnings
• Getting married
• Buying a home
• Raising children
Retirement
• Understanding Social Security
• Planning your estate
• Preserving your wealth
Life’s Curveballs
• Maintaining your health
• Unemployment
• Dealing with divorce
In addition to the tools of BALANCE Life Stages, certified credit counselors are available to answer
questions about personal finances. Call 888-456-2227. This confidential counseling is a completely free
service available to Blue Flame Credit Union members.
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Do We Have Your Current Information?
At Blue Flame Credit Union we are so very fortunate to have members who have been part of the credit
union for many years. But what sometimes happens with accounts that have been established for a long time
is that life events occur (marriages, divorces, deaths, etc.) and members don’t always remember to update their
personal account information.
Since you established your BFCU account, have you gotten divorced or married? Due to that life event, do you
need to make a change to the beneficiary for your account? Do you need to add or remove a joint owner to your
BFCU membership account?
Have you moved?
Do we have your current address,
phone and email information?
Updating your account information is easy, simply
visit the BFCU website at www.blueflamecu.org
and click on the Forms link at the top of the page.
The form you will need is the Update Account
Information form; you may either select the
Secure Online version and submit appropriate
changes electronically or print the PDF version
and send the signed form
to the credit union. Once
we receive the completed
form, we will update your
records.
It is especially important
that we have a valid phone
number for you. In the event
that fraudulent activity is
suspected on your debit
or credit card, our card
processors need to be able
to reach you to confirm.
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