In the News

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BlueOx Credit Union Announces College Scholarship Recipients

BATTLE CREEK, MI (May 30, 2019) - “Education paves the way for continued growth. By investing in scholarships for our youth, we are investing in a better future for our community, said BlueOx Credit Union President/CEO, Fran Godfrey, so we are pleased to help these BlueOx Credit Union members along their educational path with six $1,000 scholarships.” The winners are selected based on their excellence in academics and outstanding community service. 

Robert Harvey BlueOx Credit Union Community Scholarship

Samuel Bussler, Battle Creek

Samuel is a senior at Harper Creek High School and has maintained a 4.3 GPA over his high school career. He is also an Eagle Scout and has been active in baseball and football for all four years, also serving as team captain. Samuel has also participated with his church in the children’s ministry and with a mission trip. He is pursuing his education in the health sciences field at Cornerstone University, with a career goal of becoming a physician assistant.

BlueOx Credit Union Community Scholarships

Olaide Olapade, Albion

Olaide will be graduating from Marshall High School with a cumulative 3.7 GPA. She participated with the Environmental Club, has been a member of the cross-country team for four years and has served as team captain, and was a member of the track and field team for three years, also serving as team captain. Olaide will be continuing her education at the Indiana Institute of Technology to study biomedical engineering.

Sanye Sichinga, Battle Creek

Sanye is a senior at Battle Creek Central High School, maintaining a 4.02 GPA. She has also attended the Battle Creek Math and Science Center. Sanye has participated in a variety of activities throughout high school, including forensics captain, Bearcat Marching Band section leader, International Thespian Society president, the City of Battle Creek Youth Advisory Board vice president, and Lit 4 Social Justice Youth Facilitator. Sanye will be continuing her education at Howard University, majoring in finance, with a double minor in accounting and international business, pursing the goal of becoming an attorney. 

Madison Nelson, Homer

A senior from Homer High School, Madison has maintained a 3.58 GPA. She has been active throughout high school in human service-related activities, including acting as the Flint Water Fundraiser Coordinator and serving as a Big Brothers/Big Sisters mentor. She also served as class vice president in her senior year. Madison will be attending Spring Arbor University to pursue a career in elementary education. 

Joseph Janofski, Marshall

Joseph is a senior at St. Phillip Catholic Central High School with a cumulative GPA of 3.3. Joseph has served as the sophomore class president and as the captain of the cross-country team in his senior year. He also participated with the Catholic Heart Work Camp during his high school years. Joseph will be continuing his education at Kellogg Community College to study health sciences prior to transferring to the Western Michigan University or Michigan State University College of Nursing. 

Dustin Keltsch, Kalamazoo

A senior at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix High School, Dustin has maintained a 4.0 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society. Dustin was a member of the soccer and track teams all four years and served as a member of the Loy Norrix Link Crew to mentor incoming Freshmen. He will be attending Hope College in the fall, studying health sciences with the eventual goal of becoming a physician assistant. 

Representing $182 million in assets, BlueOx Credit Union is a state-chartered, federally insured Credit Union, with membership open to individuals within seventeen counties in lower Michigan. To find out how you can join BlueOx Credit Union, visit BlueOXcu.org.

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BlueOx Credit Union was recently featured in an article by BadCredit.org demonstrating our efforts to strengthen our communities through financial literacy and giving back. 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BlueOx Board Member Retires After More Than 54 Years of Service

BATTLE CREEK, MI (March 11, 2019) – Long-time BlueOx Credit Union Board Member, Robert Harvey, is retiring from the volunteer Board of Directors at the end of his term in April. A BlueOx member since 1960, Bob has served in various volunteer positions since 1964, including a brief stint on the Supervisory Committee before joining the Board. As a Board Member, he served in several roles during his tenure, including Chairman for ten years, and a variety of committee assignments, including the position of Personnel Committee Chair for “as long as anyone can remember,” said BlueOx Credit Union President/CEO, Fran Godfrey. Bob earned several of the credit union industry’s highest honors from the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), including the Edward A. Filene, the Roy F. Bergengren and the Alphonse Desjardins Awards.

To put it in perspective, when Bob came onboard in 1964, BlueOx Credit Union (then known as School Employees Credit Union) had one branch, 1,964 members and almost $1.5 million in assets. Currently, BlueOx has six branches, 23,389 members and $173 million in assets.

“Bob’s long-standing support, industry and institutional knowledge have been invaluable to BlueOx Credit Union. He’s always steered our attention toward member value and Credit Union financial stability, and support to our staff, said BlueOx Credit Union President/CEO, Fran Godfrey. His dedication to us has been vital to our success.”

Representing $173 million in assets, BlueOx Credit Union is a state-chartered, federally insured credit union, with membership open to individuals within seventeen counties in lower Michigan. To find out how you can join BlueOx Credit Union, visit BlueOXcu.org.

Robert Harvey is retiring from the BlueOx Credit Union Board after more than 54 years of volunteer service.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BlueOx Credit Union Pays It Forward with Random Acts of Kindness

BATTLE CREEK, MI (Feb. 11, 2019) – BlueOx Credit Union recently set out to pay it forward to the communities that have supported the organization through the years, as well as encourage kindness and generosity throughout our local communities. The Random Acts of Kindness (RAKs) campaign is also a tie-in to BlueOx Credit Union’s Kasasa campaign “Take Back Banking,” emphasizing the consumer’s ability to have a checking account that rewards and pays them back. In addition to paying it forward by BlueOx Credit Union and its employees, the Credit Union hopes to inspire others to act on opportunities to be kind to one another.

“This campaign is a way to show the people in our communities how grateful we are for their support, paying it forward, if you will, while also promoting kindness,” said President/CEO, Fran Godfrey. “According to research from Emory University, when you are kind to another person, your brain’s pleasure and reward centers light up, as if you were the recipient of the good deed—not the giver. I believe our staff can attest to the validity of this study after having taken part in our spontaneous deliveries of kindness,” Godfrey noted.

Although there are many RAKs which can be provided with no money required, each of six branch offices was provided a budget of $250 and the freedom to choose their recipients. Acts of kindness included: recognizing special teachers at schools in Jackson and Kalamazoo who are known to go above and beyond for their students with flowers and gift cards; paying for groceries for individuals in Jackson; surprising a dedicated volunteer of Henry Ford Allegiance Hospital with flowers and gift card; donating diapers to the Inasmuch House Shelter in Battle Creek; making gasoline purchases for community members in Battle Creek; supplying hoodies, socks, hats and gloves to the Macomb County Warming Shelter and St. Margaret of Scotland Church in St. Clair Shores; contributing to the Harrington Elementary School in Albion for the creation of their “Cozy Reading Spot” in the library; gifting the Shelterhouse in Coldwater with a donation to the Backpack Buddies Program and gift cards to treat domestic violence victims and their children to a dinner out or a trip to the movies; providing pet supplies and gift cards to the Animal Rescue Project in Kalamazoo, the Cascades Humane Society in Jackson and to the Calhoun County Animal Shelter; and surprising the staff at the Jackson Animal Shelter with a pizza lunch.

Said Amy Uphaus, a teacher at the Jackson Area Career Center, “Thank you so much for this. I live my life by treating others with kindness. You made my whole month!”

Representing $173 million in assets, BlueOx Credit Union is a state-chartered, federally insured credit union, with membership open to individuals within seventeen counties in lower Michigan. To find out how you can join BlueOx Credit Union, visit BlueOXcu.org.

BlueOx Credit Union’s Kalamazoo Branch provided pet supplies to the Animal Rescue Project.