County Teachers Win Golden Apple Awards

Golden Apple Awards Reception Held June 22

Freedom Federal Credit Union President and CEO, Mike MacPherson, with 2018 Golden Apple Annual Education Awards recipients — **Freedom Federal Credit Union President and CEO, Mike MacPherson, with 2018 Golden Apple Annual Education Award recipients. (L to R): Jacob Bennett, Kathleen Ford, and Tara Recor**

Freedom hosted a reception at the Credit Union’s Park Avenue branch to celebrate this year’s Golden Apple Awards winners. Kathleen Ford, a music teacher at the John Archer School won this year’s grand prize. Ms. Ford received the $2,000 prize for her plan to better connect students with disabilities through music and song. One of Ms. Ford’s goals is to purchase a complete set of Music K-8 magazines and CDs. Her entry also calls for adapted instruments, assistive devices and software. These items will better enable students with severe physical challenges to produce music independently.

Although we received a record number of submissions this year, Ms. Ford’s thoughtfulness and creativity in considering how the award could affect positive change for her students, school, and community made her application standout.

Additionally, two runners-up were selected: Jacob Bennett, Kindergarten Teacher at Havre de Grace Elementary, and Tara Recor, Gifted &Talented Resource Teacher at Prospect Mill and Halls Cross Roads Elementary schools. Both Mr. Bennett and Ms. Recor will receive $500 each to fund initiatives at their respective schools.

The Golden Apple Educator Award benefits Freedom members who work for HCPS and have a creative vision for education that can only be met with community support. Contest applicants must submit an essay demonstrating how their idea would serve their students, class, school and the Harford County community. A panel of Freedom employees, board members, and community leaders judges each year’s entries.

Homeruns for Healthy Kids

Partnership with Aberdeen Ironbirds Benefits Kids

Freedom cares about Harford’s kids. We’ve partnered with the Aberdeen Ironbirds and MedStar Health to create Homeruns for Healthy Kids. Each time an IronBirds player hits a homerun during the season we’ll donate $100! These funds benefit services for children at the MedStar Health Bel Air Medical Campus.

This sponsorship began with the start of the Ironbirds season on June 15 and runs through the end of the regular Ironbirds season, when a check will be presented to MedStar Health at one of the final games.

Homeruns for Healthy Kids builds on Freedom’s partnership with MedStar Health. To date, we’ve donated over $30,000 to MedStar Health to support initiatives benefiting pediatrics and neurological rehabilitation services for children in Bel Air.

Join us in supporting our local team, and our local kids!

Gift Helps Expectant Mothers

Maternal Fetal Medicine Machine Helps Expectant Mothers

Freedom recently funded a piece of state-of the-art equipment for MedStar Health’s Maternal Fetal Medicine Center (MFM) in Bel Air. The new Maternal Fetal Machine and its viewing monitor helps expectant mothers at risk. The gift also helps us show our support of women in Harford County! In September, MedStar Health held a ceremony to celebrate the gift.

Maternal Fetal Medicine Center physicians are high-risk pregnancy experts. MFM physicians work with other specialist to keep women healthy as their bodies change and their babies grow. The Center addresses chronic health issues and helps women with unexpected problems like bleeding, high blood pressure, or early labor.

The Maternal Fetal Medicine Center’s Lead is Dr. Anadir Silva. Dr. Silva credits Freedom with providing better patient care by paying for the Maternal Fetal Machine. The equipment greatly enhances patients’ experience and comfort. The large-screen monitor allows family members who are with the expectant mother to see fetal images.

Freedom’s CEO, Mike MacPherson, attended the equipment dedication. Representing MedStar were Dr. Silva, Karol Edwards, Regional Director of MedStar’s Ambulatory Services, and Linda Hawes, MedStar Bel Air’s Manager of Operations.

Mr. MacPherson said, “In my position there are very few ‘no brainers’ that you can make a call on. So, when I heard about this opportunity and the necessity for this particular chair and what it represents for soon-to-be moms, we had to support it. It’s really important that we serve the community, not just as a credit union and financial institution, but as a community partner.”