Things to Do on Your Staycation

There are so many hidden gems in West Virginia, and many of them are in our area. If you’re looking to take a mini vacation, but don’t want to venture far from home, a staycation right here in our area is just the thing you need.

Guyses Run Fishing Park

If you’re looking to try something new, make sure to add fishing at Guyses Run Fishing Park to your list. The fishing pond provides catch-and-release fishing for avid fishermen and beginners alike. Learn more Guyses Run Fishing Park here.

Photo courtesy of Times West Virginian

Hovatter’s Wildlife Zoo
Hovatter’s started as a small zoo with a collection of deer, black bear, cougars, and even tigers! Since then it’s grown into a variety of fun animals to come visit, including chimpanzees, grizzly bears, white and orange tigers, leopards, baboons, and lemurs. Learn more about visiting the zoo here.

Valley Falls State Park

This beautiful state park has all the outdoor activities you ever wanted, including hiking, fishing, picnicking, and even mountain biking. If you’re looking to disconnect, sit back and soak up the sun on one of the perfect flat rocks among the falls. Learn more here.

Immerse Yourself in the Arts
Harrison County is bustling with a fun and talented art scene. Catch a show at the amphitheater or visit a performance put on by the Cultural Foundation for Harrison County. Their next big event is the Celebrate America Concert put on by the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra. To find more details about the event, please visit their website.

Forks of Cheat Winery

If you’re looking for a relaxing night complete with a tasty glass of wine, visit Forks of Cheat Winery in Morgantown. Enjoy the views while sipping on a glass of wine from one of Virginia’s foremost wineries. To learn more about the history of Forks of Cheat Winery and how you can grab a glass of wine, please visit their website.

Visit a full-service Fairmont Federal Credit Union location to speak with a member service representative about saving for your staycation. To find a location and to learn more about the services we offer visit fairmontfcu.com. Your FFCU family wishes you a safe and enjoyable summer.

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References

http://www.mcparc.com/curtisville-lake.html?utm_source=MarionCVB&utm_medium=Link&utm_campaign=MarionCVB

https://marioncvb.com/things-to-do/

http://www.cityofclarksburgwv.com/262/Things-to-Do

https://wvexplorer.com/recreation/winery-touring/wineries-in-west-virginia/

http://wvwines.com/forks-of-cheat-winery/

How to Declutter Your Life in 2018

What do you like to do in your down time? Perhaps you enjoy settling in on the sofa and reading a good book. Maybe you prefer to go on a walk or take a bike ride in your neighborhood. Whatever your favorite method of relaxation is, one answer we don’t hear a lot of is cleaning or organizing the house. Let’s face it—there’s a bunch of other things we’d rather be doing in our spare time than scrubbing our bathrooms or cleaning the kitchens. But you have to admit it, once you actually do, doesn’t it feel amazing?

There’s really no better time than now to de-clutter your life; after all, a new year means a new you.  Having a closet in your home full of mystery contents or a drawer with too many miscellaneous items is so last year. This is 2018; this is going to be your year where your life has minimal chaos and excessive order.

It sounds a lot scarier than it is; after all, we’re always afraid of some potential, hidden problem we’re going to find. But getting your finances in better shape, particularly with tax season right around the corner, is going to be the most therapeutic and beneficial way to get a fresh start in 2018.

Here are a few things we consider to be helpful to declutter your financial life in 2018:

Pay Bills Immediately

Never receive a bill, set it aside, and pay it later. Not only are you adding extra steps to your process, but you are just adding more paper to an already growing list of bills. Instead, open your mail as you are in your home office, and pay your bills immediately with a computer in front of you. Better yet—set up automatic online payments as you work on that computer.

Buy a Shredder

Bills like credit card statements and bank statements don’t need to be saved; often your bank will easily be able to access that information online for you. We recommend you go for a cross-cut shredder to help declutter your files.  

Ditch Paper Receipts

There’s an app we are loving right now that will easily declutter your life in 2018. Foreceipt Receipt Tracker is a great way to take pictures of your receipts and organize them digitally, set budgets, and track your spending. It’s an easy way to both store the information you need while significantly cutting down on paper.

Organizing your storage, re-evaluating your financials, or cleaning out your closet doesn’t have to mean that book that you’ve been reading gets abandoned. Decluttering your life and sorting out your bills means bringing a renewed balance between your professional life and your personal life. For more information on how to start the new year right by better financial organizational tips, contact your friends and experts at Fairmont Federal Credit Union.  Call 304-363-5320 or visit one of our locations today.

Operation CU Cares: Honoring and Celebrating our Veterans

Veteran’s Day is a time to remember and honor those who served in our military. Giving up their safety, security, and precious moments with their family, our veterans demonstrate the level of humility and bravery it takes to serve and protect our country. For Fairmont Federal Credit Union, honoring our military veterans is incredibly important to us.

This past October, FFCU participated in National Freedom Day. Recognized on October 12th, Freedom Day USA is America’s largest military thank you event. On this day each year, businesses show their thanks by providing free gifts, services, or offers to active military members, veterans and their immediate family. The idea behind National Freedom Day is “day of free, for a lifetime of freedom.”

FFCU was incredibly proud to decorate all of our offices in red, white, and blue balloons as well as offer active military members, veterans and their families special credit union items.

Additionally, FFCU employees donated items like food and toiletries to create and send care packages to one of their fellow employee’s husband's active military unit.

This November, FFCU plans to continue its commitment to honoring our military family by recognizing our own. We were honored to provide a restaurant gift card to each of them. FFCU is proud to employ and be connected to so many incredible active military members and veterans. Let us present:

Corporal Stephen Quisenberry

USMC

Feb 1, 1993 – Feb 1, 1997

Paul Cross

YN2 E-5

1983-1987 at SACLANT (Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic Fleet

1988 about USS IWO JIMA (LPH-2)

Travis Snuffer

SMSgt Michael L Vanhorn

(Senior Master Sergeant)

USAF Reserves

1988-Current

Husband Of Sandy Vanhorn

Tony Nuzum

Army/ E5 Artillery Unit

Served In Germany & Vietnam

1968-1971

Honorable Discharge in 1974

Husband of Susan Nuzum

Lashawn M Elison

E4 3rd class

USS Sacramento AOE-1

USS Shreveport LPD – 12

Seabee Base Gulfpot MS

Served 8 years

Husband Of Alisha Bogan

Alec Burkel

Nellis Airforce Base, Las Vegas 4 years

F35 Mechanic

57th Aircraft Maintenenance Squadron

Aircraft Armament Journeyman 2W151

Husband of Jessica Burkel

Ian Toothman

Son of Teresa Toothman

E3 Lance Corporal

Jamey Travelstead

Marine Corp. Infantry Division

0311 Infantry Man

Stationed at Camp Lejuene

Son of Marianne Rowe

Not Pictured:

Eric Hudson – Husband Of Katie Husband

William Dickey – Husband of Cindy Dickey

Veteran’s Day is Saturday, November 11th. In honor of this, FFCU will be closed. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank each and every service member for their dedication and sacrifice. We also want to do our part. We are here to serve your family’s financial needs. Visit us today to learn more about credit union membership.

#WeAreFFCU #wvcreditunionscare

Fairs and Festivals in West Virginia

Summer may be winding down, but the fair and festival scene is going to be hopping in West Virginia even after the kids head back to the classroom. We’ll bet you can find something for everybody at these great local events.

West Virginia Blackberry Festival (August 3, 4, 5) - Nutter Fort

2017 marks the 21st year for the West Virginia Blackberry Festival, and this year promises to be a great event. Festivities start Thursday, August 3 at 11am when the Cartoon HQ opens, amusements open at 7pm, then finish the night with entertainment by Cody Wickline and Rick K and the Allnighters.

Friday entertainment includes a show by In Step Dance & Fitness, our famous Pet Parade (please register at the Festival HQ), and music from the Ed Davisson Band and Shades of Blue.

Join in the 5K Fun Run Saturday morning, then stay for the talent show, baking contest, and much more. Saturday entertainment will be provided by Dominique Demus, Blue Steel, Josh Oldaker, Ryan Cain and the Ables and Motown Sound of Touch, then be sure to stay for the closing fireworks at 10:30pm Saturday night.

Mannington District Fair (August 7 - 12) - Mannington

Dating back to 1932, the Mannington District Fair has long been recognized as a “super kind of homecoming,” where old friends meet and new ones are made. Chock full of activities, including horse shows, a circus, demolition derby, livestock judging, rides, chain saw carving, and even an escape artist, the fair truly offers something for everyone. Live music includes:

Wednesday,  August 10 - Shania Twain and Tim McGraw Tributes

Thursday, August 10 - Davisson Brothers Band

Friday, August 11 - Eliminator KC -  ZZ Top Tribute

Saturday, August 12 - Tane Lynne & The Total Package

West Virginia State Fair (August 10-19) - Lewisburg

The West Virginia State Fair offers a fascinating world of horse shows, livestock animals, competitive exhibits, entertainment, concerts, and carnival rides. Highlights include the daily Bengal Tiger Encounter, Extreme Raptors Show, Rowdy Rooster, Harness Racing and the Draft Horse Pull. Check out the full schedule of events online, and don’t miss the live concerts, including Martina McBride and Josh Turner and Brantley Gilbert with special guest Dylan Scott.

West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival (September 1 - 3) - Clarksburg

Celebrating its 39th year in 2017, the WV Italian Heritage Festival is not to be missed. Rated one of the “Top Four Italian Festivals in the Nation” by the National Sons of Italy, the festival offers a wide array of authentic Italian street food, including pastries, and tons of great entertainment. This year’s live entertainment includes The Diamonds, Sal “The Voice” Valentinetti, Moreno Fruzetti, and Dennis Tufano, The Original Voice of the Buckinghams.

West Virginia Black Heritage Festival (September 8 - 10) - Clarksburg

Downtown Clarksburg invites you to celebrate the 27th annual WV Black Heritage Festival. This is a fun-filled weekend of delicious food, family activities, crafts and live entertainment. The festival’s mission is “to promote the African-American experience while addressing the many milestones that our forefathers have made since the Emancipation Proclamation”.  There will be live entertainment Saturday starting at 2pm, and the festivities finish Sunday at 6pm with the Closing Ceremonies.

Why Fairmont Federal Credit Union is Thankful for Veterans

November 11^th marks Veterans Day, an opportunity for us to honor and thank those who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Veterans Day was proclaimed in 1919 by President Wilson and was made a legal holiday in 1938. This year, Veterans Day takes place on Friday, November 11^th and will honor all American veterans, no matter when and where they have served.

Veterans Day is a time to pay tribute to the men and women who serve in the Armed Forces. At Fairmont Federal Credit Union, we are proud to express and show support to the veteran

s who have served or are currently serving our country. Why is Fairmont Federal Credit Union thankful for veterans? Here are just a few of the ways that we are grateful!

·      Members of the armed forces risk their lives every day for our country.

·      US citizens are free thanks to the sacrifice that veteran’s make.

·      We are kept safe thanks to those guarding American soil and beyond.

·      Those who join the military help us avoid a mandatory draft.

·      Armed forces provide both domestic and international support to those in need.

·      Very few Americans wake up with worry about our safety. This is because members of the armed forces risk their lives every day for us.

At Fairmont Federal Credit Union, we encourage everyone to express your gratitude to veterans on not just November 11^th, but every day of the year. If you yourself have served or have a family member currently serving our country, you know that the smallest gesture can go a long way. In observance of Veterans Day, Fairmont Federal Credit Union will be closed Friday, November 11^th. For a full list of holiday closures, please visit our website.

Owned and operated by our members, Fairmont Federal Credit Union is committed to being your go-to financial institution for a variety of needs. Our success has been built on our commitment to helping people in the local community. To learn more about Fairmont Federal Credit Union, visit www.fairmontfcu.com.  

Robes for Recovery

Robes for Recovery is a community service project that supports breast cancer patients. The project was started in 2013, and dozens of robes were donated to area hospitals in the first year alone.

Robes for Recovery was founded by Debbie Droppleman, Chief Financial Officer of Fairmont Federal Credit Union, after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and subsequently underwent radiation treatment. “When I began radiation treatment several years ago at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, I was given a “dignity robe” that was made by volunteers and donated through the hospital. The robe was specially designed with Velcro closures up the center and sides for easy access. That smock has been with me for over 100 radiation treatments and every time I wear it I am grateful for the kind and considerate volunteers who support cancer patients with their love and handiwork. While dignity robes are routinely provided to cancer patients in the Pittsburgh area, they are not generally available in our area hospitals. It is for these reasons that Fairmont Federal Credit Union employees are eager to commit their time and resources to producing radiation robes for breast cancer patients in our communities,” Debbie said of her experience that inspired Robes for Recovery.

After she came up with the idea, she presented it to the Fairmont Federal Credit Union management team. They loved the idea, and Robes for Recovery began as a community service project. Robes for Recovery relies on volunteers to either sew or do fundraising to make the creation of these wonderful robes a possibility. Robes for Recovery has been a great success and has so far created more than 700 robes!

Robes for Recovery Mission Statement:

We Have Hope

Our hope is that by providing specially tailored radiation robes to breast cancer patients, we will help them maintain their pride and dignity during their journey through treatment toward recovery.

We Have Faith

We have faith that we will raise sufficient funds from donations and recruit enough volunteers to sustain our project.

We Have Commitment

We are committed to honoring and supporting breast cancer patients by giving these garments with love, kindness, hope and care.

For questions or to volunteer for this worthwhile community service project, please call Debbie Droppleman, Robes for Recovery Coordinator, at 304.363.5320 ex. 6028 or email her at ddroppleman@ma.rr.com.