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.

Charity Calendar Contest Brings Out Artist in Young Members

Kids 2017 Calendar Art Contest

Freedom is having a Kids’ Art Calendar contest to benefit the Greater Excellence in Education Foundation (GEEF)!

Enter your kid’s artwork by June 1, 2016 for a chance to have it published in our 2017 calendar. Each entry chosen for the calendar will win a great prize! To participate, kids must be a Freedom Youth Club Member.

“People Helping People”
Kids are asked to use the theme of “People Helping People” in their artwork. Demonstrate how Freedom achieves its mission of giving back to the community, or how we encourage members to meet their financial goals. Calendars will be available for free at our branches, although members will be asked to make a donation to GEEF in support of their annual school supply drive.

Artists Aged 4 – 17 Are Eligible to Enter
The three age groupings are: 4 – 7, 8 – 12, 13 – 17.
Twelve calendar entries will be chosen, one for each month, and four from each age group. Entries will be judged by a panel of Freedom employees, board members and volunteers. Winning artists chosen from the 4 – 7 age group will win a Nabi tablet; those from the 8 – 12 and 13 – 17 age groups will win a Kindle Fire.

In addition to the prizes for artwork chosen, three $50 drawing prizes will be awarded, one from each age group. Please see Contest Instructions and full Sweepstakes Rules. The Permission to Use Art form must be submitted with artwork, and is available online or in branches.

DID YOU KNOW: Where the idea for Credit Unions comes from?

How and Why Credit Unions Got Started

The idea for CREDIT UNIONS began in Germany in the mid-1800s when peasants were being charged unfair rates to borrow money from their landlords. They got together and pooled their resources to help each other. Then when someone needed to borrow they were able to lend the funds at a very reasonable rate. They got better rates on savings, too. They made enough to continue.

Credit Unions were born — for the benefit of all their members. People Helping People!

Freedom Federal Credit Union began as MATCOM in 1953 in Baltimore. We moved to Harford County in 1956 to what was then Edgewood Arsenal, the Army post, which later merged with Aberdeen Proving Ground. We still have a branch there today, serving the military and civilian employees of APG. Now we also have four additional branches, and a charter to serve all of Harford County.

What has not changed? The CREDIT UNION PHILOSOPHY! People Helping People. Charging fair rates on loans and credit cards, awarding fair dividends on savings. When our members participate fully, bringing all their banking needs to the credit union, we can do the most.

We are not the biggest or most well-known of Maryland’s Credit Unions, but we live in and know about Harford County. We take pride in our community and give back every way we can—through sponsorships, donations, scholarships, and employee volunteerism. If you, too, care about Harford County and helping your community, join us and be a part of something special!