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.
Member Calendar - November 2020
Welcome to Autumn – officially – although the weather of late still feels a bit like the previous season. So what! The fall fun is underway in many of our communities, and looking at the November Calendar, it is time to start planning for your Thanksgiving meal. It’s been a year to truly give thanks for what is most important in our lives: our families, our freedoms, our health, and our traditions.
Whatever November holds for you, we are here to provide you with the guidance you need to plan for the coming holidays, to express our gratitude to our members, and to enjoy the first fall of snow together. Happy Birthday North Dakota, and Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Meet Nathan Stoker
If you’re stopping by our Watford City branch, you may have the opportunity to visit with Nathan Stoker, our Member Service Manager, who leads a team of five assisting our members with branch services. Nathan might also sit with new members and guide you through the process of opening a new account. Nathan could be the face at the drive-through on Saturday mornings, or he might be behind the wheel of a McKenzie County Ambulance, or plowing your driveway in the winter.
Nathan worked in law enforcement, but decided to make a career change and last year received his bachelor’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University. “I wanted to take a new course with my life, and began working with Dakota West as a Member Service Representative.”
Moving to the Bakken region from Wyoming during high school, his family followed opportunities in the energy industry to settle in Watford City. Family time consists of camping and getting together with his parents, brother, sister, and including his extended family in southern Utah. He even journeyed to South Africa for two years on a mission trip.
One of the most common questions Nathan receives from members relates to the frequency with which he helps new members open accounts: what do you need to become a member? “That’s a two-fold answer,” he explains, “as there’s documents required to open any account, such as a proof of address, but many new members ask about what is required to belong to Dakota West Credit Union.”
Credit union membership varies, but for our members, it is simply a matter of living in or around one of our communities. Although Nathan admits he uses the question as a way to get to know new members and create lasting relationships with them.
If you’re interested in starting a relationship with Dakota West, stop by any of our branches and open a new account. You might find yourself sitting with Nathan and becoming a part of his Dakota West family.
Let's Talk Mortgages
If you’ve ever gone through the process of buying a home, you may have one of the four most common types of home mortgages. But if you are considering buying your first home, or even starting to save for the down payment on a future home, it doesn’t hurt to talk to a home mortgage lender now to be sure you are headed on the right path towards home ownership.
Some of our branches have dedicated home mortgage specialists, such as Stef Russell in our Watford City branch and Jayne Pochant in our Washburn branch, but regardless of where your house may be, the expertise of our loan officers will help guide you along the path as you plan together for your biggest purchase: your first home.
Whether you are considering an FHA loan or a VA loan, whether you are building from the ground up, or your house will be rolling on to your piece of land, we want our members to plan and purchase a home that will be the warm and inviting location to raise a family, create memories, and spend your lifetime.
Let us help you get started today. Call your local branch and make an appointment with a loan officer to work together and be sure your plan for home ownership is growing forward.
