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Greetings!
Greetings from Skowhegan!
This is a beautiful time of the year along the Kennebec River. We are fortunate to live in an
area that has some of the best fall foliage in the world. This time of year,
especially this year, has special significance as we mark our 140th Anniversary
and kick off a year-long celebration.
Rain or shine, on Thursday, October 22, 4:30-7:00 pm at the Main Branch, we
invite you to join us as we celebrate 140 years of service in our communities
and look to the future. Under a large tent, we will have live jazz by the Andy
Russakoff trio, hors d'oeuvres by the Heritage House and a cake made by The
Bankery.
The event will also mark the 120th anniversary of
our neighbor, the Skowhegan Free Public Library. Both institutions were founded
by Abner Coburn, the former Maine
governor and prominent Skowhegan resident. The Library will officially launch
its Project 2012 Campaign that evening and will be open for short tours from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.
From 4:30
to 5:30 pm our mascots,
Trusty Tree and Penny Pine Cone, will join the celebration and mingle with
guests young and old.
In addition, each of Skowhegan Savings' branches will host
an open house event in the coming months as anniversary celebration continues,
so keep an eye for more events near you.
I am also honored to report another cause for celebration:
Skowhegan Savings was recently named one of the 2009 Best Places to Work in Maine. It is the people
we work with, and the people we work for, that made this recognition possible.
Thank you and I hope to see you on the 22nd!
Yours Sincerely,
John Witherspoon
President & CEO
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Skowhegan Savings is Hosting "Build a Better Business"
Workshops
Skowhegan Savings
is excited to announce we are sponsoring a workshop series called "Build a
Better Business" to connect business owners in central Maine with the resources they can use to
grow the economy in the region. Each session is $10.00 and a light breakfast
will be provided. All proceeds will be donated to Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG).
One
workshop will be held on November 12th and is titled PR,
Marketing & Social Media for Small Business and will be presented by Marshall Communications. Nancy
Marshall, President of Marshall Communications, will demonstrate how a social
media marketing strategy can help a small business. From Blogs to Twitter, to
social networking sites like Facebook or photo sharing sites like Flickr,
businesses can achieve a great deal of online recognition.
Thursday,
November 12,
2009; 7:30-9:00 am
Skowhegan Community
Center, 39 Poulin
Drive, Skowhegan, ME
Space
is limited; so please register by October 26, 2009. You can either download
the registration form at www.skowsavings.com/business or call Amanda Waterhouse at 858-2586. Payment in the
form of check or cash will be accepted at the event.
Skowhegan
Savings is planning additional workshops that will focus on accounting and
financing, and other business topics. We will keep you posted!
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Credit 101
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Having good credit is crucial in today's economy. But what
is a "good" credit score? What's the difference between a credit score and a credit report? In this article, we will help you understand what you need
to know about your credit and steps to take to make your credit better.
1. What is a credit report?
Your credit activities are recorded on a credit report. The
report lists any credit-card accounts or loans you may have, the balances and
how regularly you make your payments. It also shows if any action has been
taken against you because of unpaid bills. Any time you purchase anything using
credit, it goes on your report and affects your credit score. If you have
many late payments, or default on a loan, that will damage your credit score.
2. What is a credit score?
A credit score is a three-digit number based on your credit
report that lenders, like Skowhegan Savings, use to determine the risk of
loaning to you. The credit score is a number generated by a mathematical
formula. This formula analyzes information in your credit
report to derive your credit score - a number ranging from 300 to 850. In general, scores above 700 represent good
credit.
3. How can you find out what is on your report?
You can order a free credit report from Equifax, TransUnion
and Experian once a year through annualcreditreport.com. This will show you what your report
says. It will list all of the credit accounts you have had, former addresses,
and any basic information that affects your credit standing. There is a fee to
see your actual credit score, but the report will show you all you need to know.
Creditors do not have to report to all three credit bureaus, so it is
also a good idea to look at all three reports. One report could be better than
another, leaving you vulnerable to a poor credit rating.
4. What are the keys to good credit?
Pay your bills on time, keep low balances on your credit
cards, do not open a lot of new accounts at once and pay off debt as opposed to
transferring between credit cards. All these tactics will help you keep a good
credit score.
5. How can you repair
your credit report?
Check the report and look for anything that is inaccurate. Most
credit reports have errors on them. Unfortunately, it is your job to make the
credit agency fix your report. Write a letter to Equifax, TransUnion or
Experian (which ever has the mistake on your report); the credit bureau must
investigate any relevant dispute within 30 days of receiving your claim. Any
item that is not verified as accurate by a creditor is removed.
Remember to keep a record of what you have done; phone
calls, letters, etc. You may need them.
For more information
on Credit Bureau Reporting, visit the Learning Center on our website.
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Skowhegan Savings, founded
in 1869, is an independent mutual savings bank dedicated to strengthening the Maine families,
businesses and communities it serves. Our team of friendly, committed
employees takes pride in delivering personalized, competitive banking services
with integrity and putting the needs of our customers first. An
innovative and progressive approach to banking ensures our personal and
business customers enjoy a banking experience that is quick, easy and
convenient.
Our nine Maine branches
include two locations in Skowhegan, as well as locations in Belgrade,
Bingham, Dexter, Fairfield, Madison,
Norridgewock, and Pittsfield.
For more information, visit www.skowsavings.com
or contact Customer Service at 800.303.9511.
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