Member Calendar - December 2020
Did you remember to "fall back" this morning? With the arrival of earlier sunrises for the next few weeks, we begin our preparation for the seasons of giving thanks and welcoming the joys of Christmas.
There may not be as many community activities on the December Calendar, but we certainly can reflect on the passing year and all that we can celebrate that made an unusual calendar year into a memorial holiday season.
We may be grateful for our families, our friends, our communities, our schools, our churches, our health, or our even our small victories in a year of tough odds. We may not get to gather together to trim the tree or ring in the new year with the same traditions we have in years past, but we can create new traditions, and continue to recognize that this season accentuates the gifts that are most important to all of us: each other.
Of all the qualities we love about our members, the sense of community we feel ties us to our membership, but in the case of Bonnie Locken, it brought her to work for Dakota West.
Nearly thirty years ago, after losing her husband, the credit union reached out to her knowing she and her small children needed a financial boost to her part-time job. It was more than keeping her safe and secure, she recalls, "They wanted the kids to stay." The humor she uses to describe her first job at Dakota West continues to be a part of her welcoming smile and personality as the Regional Operations Manager at our Mohall location.
Born and raised in North Dakota, she always wanted to study interior design, but went to school to be a dental assistant. In the end, her creative touches can be felt in the branch and in the community that welcomed her. She sews, she restores furniture, and she designs and sells her own creations of purses and handbags.
Helping those who helped her brings her joy in the ways she can help our members. Bonnie recalls helping someone in her community who came to the branch in tears, worried about the family's debt, whom she helped get a small personal loan. "It made me feel amazing, watching the weight of the world lifted off their shoulders."
Bonnie celebrates her birthday this month among the friends and community that opened its arms to her, and calls her one of their own even today. If you stop into our Mohall branch this month, be sure to wish her best wishes - it's what she wishes for all of the people in Mohall who opened their arms to her and kept her close to their town and their hearts.
Let’s Make A Difference In Our Community
As we begin to move about through our towns, our cities, and our counties and start to adjust to our changed environments, many of us still are looking for ways to help build up our communities. Even if we still are not 100% comfortable gathering in groups and celebrating the arrival of summer and all the fun and togetherness it usually brings, think about ways you can reach out to help others and make a difference from a socially acceptable distance.
- Donate to a local food pantry, and donate again in a couple weeks.
- If you are new to your community, request a ballot for your local, state, and national elections.
- Reach out to your local Dakota West branch if you have questions about your financial situation during this time – we are here to help.
- If you’re healthy and have the ability, donate blood.
- Focus on and share reliable sources of information about COVID-19 resources in North Dakota.
- Complete your census information to bring resources to your community in the future.
Remember, as much as you want to support your neighbors and your community, we want to support you. We are here to help our members as we get back to work, back to summer, and back to the activities that bring us joy. We look forward to seeing you soon!
When she started college, Michala Kueffler planned to be a nurse. She studied all through college and even anticipated earning her graduate degree in the health care profession, but life sometimes takes another course.
Growing up in Grenora, Michala’s father worked for Dakota West for almost a quarter of a century and when the opportunity arose for her to follow in his footsteps three years ago, she really wanted to change direction. “I really wanted it,” she recalled of her chance to start as a part-time Member Service Representative. Today she serves our western-most community and its members full time.
Besides living and working in the same community, Michala enjoys the opportunity to really get to know everyone she helps, seeing the same faces and spending each day in a friendly atmosphere that welcomes her, and where she welcomes others. “Our members like to be able to talk to someone they know,” and Michala is definitely that someone. “That is something that is lost at bigger banks.”
On weekends, she helps her family raise cattle and when she can, she gets out to ride the horses. Michala recognizes that her change in careers is kind of the way life went, and for the members of Dakota West, we’re so glad it did.
Stop into one of our branches today and discover why our communities matter to us and meet someone you can talk to about your financial needs, too.
