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.

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.

Dakota West CARES

2020 will certainly be remembered as a year of news updates and constantly changing headlines, so when we can grab on to the aspects of everyday life that remain consistent and calming, we steady ourselves and keep focused on what matters most.  For Dakota West, we find stability in serving our members with quality loans regardless of the financial climate.

In fact, updates about small business loans made through the CARES Act, and specifically the SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), may stir up news nationally, but in our communities, Dakota West is proud to have helped dozens of small businesses through the economic impacts of COVID-19.  The headlines won’t boast of the entrepreneurs throughout western North Dakota who are keeping employees paid, businesses humming, and lights on for their customers, but we thank our members, both new and long-time, who know they can find a partnership with Dakota West.

If you are experiencing lingering questions about how the ever-changing scenarios in our region are impacting your family, your business, or your finances, reach out to one of our loan officers.  Let us continue to strengthen the relationship we’ve developed with you as a member of Dakota West.  We are committed to your success in good times, in uncertain times, and whenever you need us.

Translate »