Golden Apple-Plus Educator Award

Golden Apple-Plus Educator Award Winners

2017 Golden Apple-Plus Education Award Winners — Freedom’s 2017 Golden Apple-Plus annual Educator Award winners! Pictured are (L to R): Sandra Waltemire, special education teacher at North Harford Middle, runner-up award; Patrice Ricciardi, Freedom Business development Specialist; Paula Pawlowicz, fifth grade teacher at Churchville Elementary, the winner!; Mike MacPherson, Freedom President and CEO; Kim Mayforth, early intervention special educator at John Archer School, runner-up award; and Randy Geyer, Principal, Bel Air High School.

We’re happy to announce that Deborah Pawlowicz has won our 2017 Golden Apple-Plus Annual Educator Award competition. Ms. Pawlowicz wins the top $1,000 prize for her idea to use technology to improve the reading skills of her students.

We support the Harford County education community. Therefore, this annual Golden Apple-Plus Annual Educator Award is for a Freedom member who is also a deserving teacher, school administrator or school support employee. Ms. Pawlowicz is a fifth grade English Language Arts teacher at Churchville Elementary. She states in her entry that she wants her students to read with a purpose, and to be able to really understand and analyze text. This is often a challenge when reading is done on a computer. Therefore, Ms. Pawlowicz recommends buying a website subscription to enable this interaction. Features include a way for both the teacher and students to choose their reading level. This way, students who are struggling readers can read and interact with the same article that gifted readers use. This award allows Ms. Pawlowicz to purchase the needed subscriptions.

Runner-Up Winners

There are two Runner-Up awards with each recipient earning a $250 award. The Golden Apple-Plus Education Award runner-up winners are:

Kim Mayforth, an Early Intervention Special Educator in the Infants and Toddlers Program at John Archer School. Ms Mayforth works with developmentally challenged children from birth to age 3. She proposes the purchase of adaptive toys that promote the learning of cause and effect and intentionality. The toys also foster communication, motor development and social-emotional development.

Sandra Waltemire teaches children with significant intellectual disabilities at North Harford Middle School. Her idea is to purchase supplies and ingredients to help her students apply skills in a real-life-situation — completing a cooking recipe. In the process, functional math skills, such as budgeting, price comparison and measurement are taught. In addition, students learn to independently prepare food at home in the future.

All Golden Apple-Plus Award applicants are asked to submit an essay demonstrating how their idea serves their students, class, school and the Harford County community. A panel of Freedom employees and board members judge each year’s entries.

Hope in Handbags

Hope in Handbags Sale is September 9

Once again, we’ve collected gently-used handbags for sale at the Hope in Handbags event! This sale and silent auction benefits Harford Family House. The Hope in Handbags event begins with a preview event on Friday, September 8 and culminates with the main event on Saturday, September 9 at Bel Air’s Reckord Armory.

CEO Appointed to Health Foundation Board

MacPherson Joins Health Foundation Board

The Upper Chesapeake Health Foundation has appointed Michael MacPherson, Freedom’s president/CEO, to its board of directors.

The Foundation supports the mission of University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health. It does this by developing relationships with those who support the expansion and improvement of health care services in Harford County.

“We are pleased to have Michael MacPherson join our foundation board,” said Lyle E. Sheldon, FACHE, president and CEO of University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health. “His leadership experience and community involvement will be of great help to us as we strive to provide patients with the highest quality care, in state-of-the-art facilities, using integrated technologies and the most skilled and esteemed physicians and health care providers.”

MacPherson has served as president/CEO of Freedom Federal Credit Union since 2016. He has been with the credit union for 13 years. During that time he also served as interim president/CEO and chief operating officer.

MacPherson is a member of the Credit Union Executive Society and Harford County Chamber of Commerce. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Towson University. More recently MacPherson graduated from the Harford Leadership Academy.

Freedom strives to support the Harford County Community through support, donations, volunteer work, and community involvement. MacPherson’s place on the Upper Chesapeake Health Foundation Board furthers our efforts to support this great organization.

Lending a Hand at Aberdeen ReStore

Staff Donate Weekend Time at Aberdeen ReStore

Freedom staff, Board Member and spouse at the Aberdeen ReStore — L to R John and Lisa Ermatinger, Mike Dilworth, Dominique Beverly, Julie Irby, and Stacey Butler. (Crouching) Steven Batchelor

This weekend, 10 Freedom staff and board members gave back. Their work benefited Habitat for Humanity’s new Aberdeen ReStore. Rather than go all at once, staff worked two shifts. They helped in the ReStore warehouse and storefront.

Habitat for Humanity’s mission is to house those in need. Home owners can get a low cost home. This happens thanks to Habitat’s volunteers and donations. Volunteers typically help on building projects. Less well known, they can also work in the air-conditioned comfort of a Habitat’s ReStore! Learn more about Habitat’s Susquehanna’s work in Harford County. The Aberdeen ReStore‘s location and hours are online.

Freedom Staff at Habitat — From left, Stacey Butler, Julie Irby, Lisa Ermatinger, and Dominque Beverly

This volunteer effort is one of several organized by Freedom’s Volunteer Committee. We give back to our Harford County community!

Freedom Staff members at ReStore warehouse — From left, Steven Batchelor, John Ermatinger and Board Member Lisa Ermantinger

Freedom Awards College Scholarship

STEM Scholarship Presented June 9

Freedom scholarship winner — Harford County Chamber of Commerce scholarship winner Kassidy Kollmann (L), is shown accepting her award from Mike MacPherson, Freedom President and CEO (R)

Freedom awarded a $1,000 scholarship in the area of science, technology, engineering and math to Kassidy Kollmann on June 9, as part of a Harford County Chamber of Commerce program, hosted at Harford Community College.

Ms. Kollmann is a graduate of C. Milton Wright High School, and is attending the University of Maryland at Baltimore County this fall where she plans to acquire a degree in Physics, and then to have a career in Astrophysics. She was very active in high school as a member of the National Mathematics Honor Society, French National Honor Society, Student Government Association, Sophomore, Junior and Senior Class Councils, Best Buddies, and French Club. She has volunteered at numerous organizations, including Brightview Assisted Living. She participated on the varsity swim team, junior varsity and varsity field hockey team, as well as varsity track and field team. Once Kassidy’s graduate studies are complete, she plans to use her knowledge to obtain a job at a government facility, such as NASA.

Ms. Kollmann was one of ten recipients awarded scholarships through the Education Committee of the Harford County Chamber of Commerce. Sharon Mellor, Freedom’s Human Resources Manager, serves on the committee.

Credit Union Night at Camden Yards

Orioles vs. Los Angeles Angels on August 18

Join us for Credit Union night at Camden Yards — credit union members get discounted tickets! This game will also be followed by fireworks!

Ticket prices:

Lower Left Box (Sections 6-14, 60-64): $41*

Left Field Lower Box (Sections 66-86): $33*

Upper Reserve (Sections 306-364): $16*

*There is an additional 10% service charge per ticket.

Here’s how to buy your tickets:
1. Click on the link below
2. Select a quantity of tickets
3. Create a Baltimore Orioles ticket account
4. Purchase and print your tickets

http://www.orioles.com/tix/mddccreditunion

Tickets posted for re-sale are subject to cancellation. Offer is NOT valid at the Box Office.
Let’s Go O’s!

Freedom Volunteers at Pirate Fest

Staff Volunteer in Havre de Grace

Havre de Grace Pirate Fest 5k volunteers — **Pirate Fest 5k volunteers, L to R, Jeff Herman, Kristi Kelly, Janis Motichka**

Freedom staff volunteers spent the weekend helping out at the Susquehanna Museum at the Lock House’s Pirate Fest in Havre de Grace. Festival activities included a 5k run, a pirate encampment, kids’ activities and food.

Janis Motichka, VP of Accounting, Kristi Kelly, Electronic Services, and Jeff Herman, Business Banking, covered the 5K race in the morning. Later in the day Marcus Johnson and Jen Davenport from our Swan Creek branch and Heather Theisen, Loan Program, Dominique Beverly, Indirect Lending, and Anthony Allen, IT, handled the games at the afternoon’s Pirate Encampment. The weather was beautiful and the staff were happy to lend a hand.

**Pirate Fest pirate encampment volunteers, L to R: Heather Theisen and daughter, Anthony Allen, Jen Davenport, Dominique Beverly and Marcus Johnson**

Freedom Adds Another HLA Grad

Stacie Sloan Completes Harford Leadership Academy Program

Stacie Sloan graduates from Harford Leadership Academy — Pictured (L to R): Dr. Dianna Phillips, Harford Community College President; Stacie Sloan, Freedom’s Senior Vice President, Member Services; Angela Rose, President & CEO, Harford County Chamber of Commerce.

Congratulations to Stacie Sloan, Senior Vice President, Member Services on her graduation from the Harford Leadership Academy!

Stacie joined Freedom in 2008 as a Branch Manager, and has held the positions of Branch Operation Coordinator and Vice President of Member Services. She was promoted to Senior Vice President in 2016.

The Harford Leadership Academy (HLA) is a Community Development Program, co-sponsored by Harford Community College and the Harford County Chamber of Commerce. The Academy is designed to promote the development of existing and emerging leaders and to create a committed, involved, and diverse network of leaders in Harford County.

Several other Freedom employees are HLA graduates: Mike MacPherson, President/CEO (2000); Dawn Hamilton, VP Lending (2005); Patrice Ricciardi, Business Development Specialist (2013); Sue Manning, Business Development Specialist (2014); and Bob Wehland, SVP business Banking and Business Development (2016). Freedom board members who are HLA graduates include: Rick Gerety (2016); George Heidelmaier (2000); and Ronnie Davis (2009).

More than 700 individuals have completed this outstanding program, including leaders representing the areas of business and industry, education, government and civic organizations. Attendees complete thirteen sessions on the topics; how government works, economic development and planning for the future, education and workforce development, agriculture and the environment, ethical leadership, public safety, emergency response, healthcare, Aberdeen Proving Ground, focused social issues, volunteerism and personal visioning, leadership, and meeting with county administration and Academy wrap-up.