November 27, 2024
In October, we randomly selected 10 members and paid the remaining balance of their auto loans at the Credit Union. In addition to the 10 auto loan recipients, two members were chosen at random to have their monthly mortgage payments covered for one year. Winners were informed through a phone call from Jenny Vipperman, CEO.
Allen & Janet T.
$30,260.02, 2022 Volkswagen Taos
Allen and Janet have been members since the late 1980’s. When Allen received the call informing him that his Volkswagen Taos was being paid off, he was in disbelief. He was so convinced this was some form of scam, that he visited the Kingston Branch to verify, saying, “Hey guys, I think I’ve been scammed.” Allen and Janet say this gift gives their retirement planning a much-needed boost. According to Allen, “It makes a huge difference in how we plan for that time.”
J. Brian F.
$19,001.14, 2015 Buick Enclave
Brian has been a member since December 2021. When he received the call from Jenny, he immediately called the fraud department. When he realized it was legitimate, he says he was thrilled. “I was almost in tears. I didn’t even know what to think.” Brian says this gift will help him meet his financial goals sooner than expected. “This means a lot because one of my goals this year was to try to help my debt and work on my credit score.”
Jason L.
$11,651.83, 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT
Jason has been a member for around a year. Like others, when he was informed about this gift, he didn’t believe it until receiving another call to confirm. He says this gift offers him the opportunity to do more activities with his family. He explains, “It’s more money that I can spend to do other things and take them to go do stuff we couldn’t before.”
Joshua W.
$42,411.57, 2019 Ford F-150
Joshua has been a member for around a year and a half. When he heard the good news, he was overcome with emotion, telling Jenny, “I’d give you a hug right now.” Joshua says this gift gives him more to plan for his big day. “We’re getting married next year in September. This helps me plan for that.” He also says this helps them with plans to buy a house in the future.
Pearl R.
$5,376.29, Mortgage
Pearl has been a member for over 22 years and worked for the Credit Union until she retired in 2007. When she learned the Credit Union will be paying her mortgage payment for a year, she immediately called her son. “My son said, ‘Well, you deserve to have something good happen to you, mom.’” Pearl says the extra money will allow her to pay off some debt and help her granddaughter go to college.
Richard H.
$8,024.33, 2015 Ford F-250
Richard has been a member since 2010. When he received the call from Jenny, he couldn’t believe it. “I thought it was a joke,” he explains. He says his wife and stepdaughter had to convince him it was legitimate. Richard says this gift allows him to work on saving for a house.
Roberta G.
$1,045.61, 2016 Hyundai Accent
Roberta became a member after her kids joined and told her about all the great things ORNL FCU has to offer. She knew immediately the gift was legitimate after her conversation with Jenny. She says this gift will help her pay some things off and continue saving for retirement.
Sean K.
$31,498.43, 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Sean’s ORNL FCU account was the first account he ever opened. When he answered the call from Jenny, he said he was in shock and took a moment to process everything. He says this payoff is huge. “We’ve got quite a lot of home improvement stuff going on at the moment,” Sean explains. “This provides us a huge relief in monthly payments to do other things.”
Shelby H. & Lillian H.
$44,843.20, 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
Shelby and Lillian joined the Credit Union two years ago through a dealership when purchasing their Crosstrek. They say the call with Jenny made them emotional. “I started crying instantly,” Lillian says. “I kept being like, ‘Are you serious?’” They explain this gift helps them with their expanding family. “We’re about to have a baby, so this helps tremendously. You couldn’t ask for a better blessing.”
Susan M.
$32,244.34, 2023 Kia Sportage
Susan joined ORNL FCU three years ago when she bought her Kia Sportage. Like others, she called the Credit Union to confirm when received the good news. Susan says this gift will help her pay for some medical expenses coming up. “We’re very happy, and we thank you all!”
Taner H.
$22,633.78, 2021 Hyundai Sonata
Taner became a member four years ago. When he financed his Sonata, he got a preapproval and made sure his loan was through the Credit Union. He says this gift came just in time for the holidays. “I have a niece that just turned two,” he explains. “So, she’ll probably get a lot of it.”
Tena B.
$5,677.76, Mortgage
Tena has been a member for over 20 years. Tena received the call informing her of the gift on her birthday. She says she thought the initial call might be spam, but once Jenny was able to verify her information down to the penny, she knew it was real. “This is a lifesaver,” she explains. She plans to use this extra cash to make some needed repairs and save the rest.
One sentiment shared across the board from all winners is a love for ORNL FCU. Sean K. says: “Any time I have done business with you guys it's always been extremely smooth and easy.” Tena B. says: “Everything goes as it should. If I do have one little problem or something, I call, and it’s taken care of.”
Thank you to all our members for an amazing 2024. We look forward to another successful year serving you all!