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Cris Wescott
Happy New Year! It is amazing how quickly the holiday season came and went. While I hope it was a relaxing and joyous time for you, it certainly was a busy period for the League. We are excited about the offerings we have planned for our credit unions in 2024. We have a robust agenda outlined for GAC, a variety of educational and professional development workshops for credit union professionals on the calendar, and of course, our annual Ending Hunger Results Luncheon scheduled for next month. These are just a few of the things on the horizon.
Additionally, we are gearing up for what will surely be a busy legislative session in Augusta. While this is considered the shorter session, it will no doubt be filled with activity despite the condensed time. Our Governmental Affairs team will be actively engaged, ensuring credit union interests are heard and represented in the halls of the State House. Simultaneously, our team will be working with our credit union allies from across the country to advocate for important federal policies before Congress like the SAFER Banking Act and opposing changes to our current interchange payment system.
Fraud—in a variety of forms—continues to impact members, and ongoing communications on this topic will remain a top priority for the League in the days and weeks ahead. Whether it is through our earned, social, or paid media efforts, or even in a direct communication to your credit union, we will continue to help you amplify messages that can keep your members protected from financial exploitation. This is one area where we all must remain particularly vigilant.
With over 1,600 students already benefiting from our Financial Fitness Fairs this school year alone, we look forward to increasing that number as more events get scheduled at high schools across the state. Chapters have been working hard to lock in events for the spring and the League stands ready to offer support where needed. We are also deep in the planning stages of other signature League events like the 86th Annual Meeting and Convention and the Ending Hunger Golf Tournament. Details will be shared soon for both, and registrations will open within the coming weeks.
As your credit union begins to execute your strategies for 2024, please know the League is here to help aid your efforts. Your success is our success, and we look forward to partnering with you every step of the way. 2024 is destined to be a wonderful year for the credit union movement, and especially for the vibrant credit unions our League has the privilege of partnering with here in Maine!