Vocality Donates $100,000 Each to Redwoods Rural and SHCHD at Chamber Mixer in SoHum Last Night
Redwoods Rural Health Center received a $100,000 check last night. [Photo by Michelle Bushnell]
Southern Humboldt Community Hospital received $100,000 also. [Photo by Jenny Early]
Vocality also revealed the NOMAD mobile banking vehicle at the mixer with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The completely self-contained vehicle has an atm, will be able to process loan applications, open new accounts and provide credit counseling, according to an earlier interview with Pat Neighbors, President and CEO of Vocality.
Community members joked around during the Nomad ribbon cutting ceremony. [Photo by Jenny Early]
Local cafe, Flavors, catered the Chamber mixer and local band, Jammies by 9 provided live music. [Photo by Jenny Early]
“I think the local businesses are really trying to help our community,” she said. “I think that businesses are figuring out to make it…They are over the panic and they are figuring out what works for them.”
She said that many of the businesses are reaching out to keep the struggling local non-profits afloat. “People are saving,” she said. “People are being more cautious with their money…When you are picking on what you can pay for sometimes the non-profits get cut…[So] The non profits are suffering huge….These non profits, small or large, need a little boost.”
With the ink still metaphorically wet on the $100,000 checks, Bushnell understandably singled out Vocality. “The Community Credit Union has done a lot of giving,” she said. She mentioned the scoreboard at the school and the support for Southern Humboldt County Technical Rescue Team.
But she credited many local businesses for their support of non-profits and each other. “It is really inspiring,” she said. “I would like to thank all the businesses for chugging on…I see so much boosting of other businesses.”
She added that the community was very lucky to have Jenny Early as the Chamber of Commerce Executive Director. “I really want to thank Jenny. I know our Chamber board really appreciates her and her staff,” Bushnell said.
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right, now they’re trying to buy us, [edit]…
the sooner we run that smarmy CEO our of town the better…
Hey I yanked my money out of there and dont agree with their new direction, but to complain about them donating to something as important as this is just plain dumb.
all business donations need to be taken with a grain of salt. If they were truly altruistic, they would come from the people running the company themselves, and without recognition.
oh so what? The important thing is that local organizations that serve the community are getting donations. It’s good to keep in mind the underlying motivation of donors like Vocality, but that’s the way the system works — quid pro quo, in a phrase. And suppose Vocality did nothing, didn’t give a dime to any organization — would you really like them any better? They don’t have to be “truly altruistic”; they just have to help.
Eff that!! Give us interest that beats inflation. I feel like thats my money they are giving away. I had quite a bit of savings in there until they began all this dumbness. I was losing against inflation to support the community thru them.
I took the bulkof it out when the stoopidness became evident.
now we are nearly a million spent on nothing. A million dollars.
On a trailer we dont need and charity we werent asked about either.
Give the members some interest. Thats what credit unions are supposed to do since thats the members’ money you lend out.
I will keep 50$ there so i can do a local transaction if i need to, but otherwise, im done with those asses.
Ill bet that $50 those board members have their pretty pictures taken down before new years eve so no one can so easily see who votes for all this malfeasance
Watt, your savings account is not fueling the credit union. Loans are. If you want to hurt them (??) don’t take out a loan.
Be careful to assume I don’t know how credit unions work and that I didn’t have loans through them – it makes you look pompous.
And being a local business owner myself, I don’t see why it is important for you MikeyC to know if the donation was an unselfish act or not. But with “your logic” my company and personal donations to say, Hospice, aren’t altruistic because we put our names down with the contribution?
I tend to partner with or shop at places that put back into their communities, so I think recognition is important. It was a donation to a needed cause (Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth)
While it’s a tremendous boon for our clinics, I don’t understand how such a huge donation could be made without consent of members . Maybe I’m NOT a “member ” of anything . Since they (we?) are so loaded now, maybe they can do away with bogus 5$/month service fee for statements .
Opps, They HAVE done away with many of those fees. Even $25 ones.
No they charge 5 bucks for every statement. They so rich on our backs how bout they gi e me about $500 for all the months they charged me that away.
Bunny those guys are full of crap giving our money away. They have zero right to do that.
Opps, We elect representatives in the form of a board. Can you just image asking 6,000+ people if they wanted that donation? Come on. That’s why we have the board. That board is filled with fine fine community members.
Fine, air headed community members. Can you imagine saying ‘ya, i think vocality will be a better, more sought after, brand for regional cannabis businesses than ccush?’
REDWOODS RURAL & SOUTHERN HUMBOLDT COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE manage to hold on to THEIR names.?
Redwoods Rural did. SoHum Health is the new name for that toxic group of thieves that rip us off in the name ofhm health care. It’s outrageous that the board of the credit union gave away our money while so any I yhiscouity are having trouble meeting monthly expenses. And how many credit union board members are on the board of those other institutions? Did they just give our money to their other pet organizations?
Every large gift to rural healthcare is appreciated. Thanks to Vocality for it’s gift, which will be used for facilitating the existence and maintenance of critically needed basic and essential medical services.
Both these organizations will benefit from the continuing financial support from the community, and your gift sets a fine example.
Thank you again!
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that it’s the credit union’s money. It’s the money of the members of the credit union, which we formed to benefit us. How about reducing interest rates, (highest in the area?) How about a dividend to the members? People are struggling to meet their bills, but *our* credit union gives money away, and plans to move our community asset to other communities.
Wow, it would have actually been nice to have this press release actually speak with and quote the people that it was actually about. Pat Neighbors from the CCU giving two big checks to Tina, redwoods rural health center and Matt Reese from SHHCD and the other board members. They all said some pretty inspired words But. crickets
First, this is not a press release. I take responsibility for writing it. No one sent it to me.
And I absolutely agree that it would have been nice to speak with and quote people more directly involved in the giving and getting of these enormous checks…But…At 4:30 p.m. I was in the rare position of still being in my bath robe and needing a shower. I made the choice of not carving three hours minimum out of my day to go to the event because I am already incredibly far behind. Jenny and Michelle agreed to take time out of what they were doing to fill me in quickly.
Sometimes, you get what you pay for. And when you are consuming free media, you’re stuck with what I can squeeze out in my average 15 hour days.
KMUD was there. Check and see what information they posted/aired. They are one of my trusted places to get the news.
Kym, you rock !!!
Thank you Vocality. Good luck with our new van. Proud to have served on the credit committee in the past and wishing you all the very best of luck in the future. Happy Holidays.
It’s just a drop of granola in the bucket.
Humboldt-Doe-Nation -$- .
There is absolutely NOTHING smarmy about Pat Neighbors. Nothing and what a horrible thing to say… look what they are able to do for our community since she arrived. You don’t see them all volunteering on weekends cleaning and helping people. Their donations have made a big difference. I don’t like the name either. I didn’t like the surprise. But hey, I’m a grownup and I have moved on. Pat Neighbors is a good thoughtful loving person. Hang in there Pat and thank you.
I agree with Bunny
This should be investigated buy The National Credit Union Administration.Lets just start with some facts. Pat neighbors is on the hospital board!!!! And is the head of the credit union . Marsha, Janet, Scott, and Erica are all credit union board members that are also on the redwoods rural board!!!!! This is members money that was given away. How can people give money to themselves? Pat should be investigated and all board members should be forced to resign. Members will be reporting this to The national credit union administration.
The comment by ‘REALLY WTF’ is the most troubling. IF the CCU (!) Board members are also on the Boards of the recipients of those donations, it would constitute (an appearance of, at the least) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Yes, we know that there are few who volunteer to help manage our vital community organizations. And this is why the same people serve in multiple positions. I honor those who volunteer. Yet, when assuming those responsibilities there are rules, laws, and protocols they need to abide. Conflict of interest is a critical one.
(Without more information) I don’t oppose the donations. And. I support a review of the process that may have lead to such seemingly blatant conflicts.
Let us take the needed actions to have a community who’s service businesses are in integrity.
I would venture to guess there are conflicts of interest across non-profits in SoHum, whether that’s paying a “friend” who is just doing some contract work on the side for a community center, Or getting county funding that is then used to promote the people who award it to you – so, if you all wanna throw stones about shit like that, don’t just arbitrarily pluck out one entity to throw under the bus.
Thanks for the suggestion
This press release was nothing short of one individual hijacking our Community Credit Union’s event for her own shameless self promotion at everyone else’s expense. But that’s typical of this particular woman, taking credit for work others have done. The press release should have at least featured SOME comments from my boss Pat Neighbors or the other RELEVANT people receiving our CCU’s donations. Shameful.
Michelle Bushnell and the Chamber’s Jenny Early, reached out to me personally to ask me to be at the event to cover the donation by Vocality. When I couldn’t make it, Jenny and Michelle agreed to send me photos and answer questions so there would be some coverage. This was a Chamber Mixer so I chose to cover more than Vocality’s gift and asked questions beyond the donation.
Michelle went out of her way to get coverage of Vocality’s gift and in my opinion, you owe her an apology. If you have any concerns about the coverage, blame me.
The apparent conflicting interests here are fairly breathtaking
So how does it work? Do the stenographers at the Lost Coast Low Effort Post agree to some sort of shared deal where RHBB gets a percentage of the press releases (and advertising revenues), or do you compete for these prizes?
I know that many people lack the understanding of what makes up a press release and the two earlier comments I made on this article stating that this wasn’t a press release are probably hard for you to find as reading appears to cause you difficulty but let me state this clearly…
I have a policy to ban people who use their email addresses to be crude and insult me. You are banned.
They are pact.They really need it.Awsome.
This is Pat Neighbors, CEO of the Credit Union to address the concerns about potential conflict of interest regarding the credit union’s contributions to our local health care organizations…. First, to fix an incorrect statement made by someone earlier in this post:
– I am NOT a member of the Hospital Board. I am the vice chair of the SHHCD Foundation-which has no voting affiliation or tie to policy or decision making at the hospital. Second, the CU Board’s decision for these contributions was borne out of comments and suggestions made by members of the CU, recognized as a strong commitment to our local economic success and wellbeing, and were deemed highly impactful in their ability to help our community’s two largest health care entities increase their ability to serve our community. Finally, I’ll note that while we do have members of each organization’s Board at the credit union, all parties with potential conflict of interest due to affiliation with either of these entities recused themselves from the vote. Sorry to dissappoint some of you, but this is really just your local CU trying to give back in a big way as we kick off our 40th year of service to you. …and I’ll take this moment to thank all of the Board members from each of these organizations and other organizations in our community for your service. Your volunteer efforts are greatly appreciated by many.
Thank you, Pat, for taking the time to answer some concerns.
And a huge thank you to the Credit Union for supporting our community with these generous checks.
Kym, Pat, Michelle and Jenny Thank you!
Unusual people make unusual strides, you kind people have every reason to be proud. I know I’m extremely proud to read your story.
“so many businesses in the community are working together in spite of the economic downturn following legalizing cannabis.” KK
Your wording, message and meaning are understood to be genuinely positive towards all locals. Improvements to local medical services requires money beyond imagining. $200,000 at one instant!
You guys have set the community astir … well done.
Yo Patty
I want a decent rate of interest
And i want you to stop spending the credit unions money and very surely stop giving it away
Thank you for the coverage of the event last night Kym. We know many of our members and the community at large follow your posts – and we appreciate that Michelle and Jenny made sure you had the info you needed to share our news.
Its Pat again….
I’m concerned from reading some of the comments that our community and our members may be missing what their CU is already doing for many of our local community service groups, even though I know our name appears on countless sponsorship banners and brochures throughout the year….. so heres a quick list of some highlighted examples:
-A new scoreboard for SFHS softball,
-locker funding for Miranda junior high school,
-backpacks for kids (food for people) at Family Resource Center,
-Casual for a Cause donations to : Technical rescue, Heart of the Redwoods Hospice, Miranda’s Rescue;
-sponsor for KMUD Luau
-major sponsor of the Community Park egg hunt
-sponsored all movie nights in town square this summer,
-major sponsor for the Chamber’s inaugural Firemans ball,
-sponsor of the Mateel Summer Arts Festival,
-sponsor of Recycled Youth program,
-sponsored inaugural Meet the Farmer dinner series with the SHBVB
… and we were the anchor sponsor for the Fresh Hop Fest at Gyppo in the Cove, with all proceeds going to the Healy Center.
We are proud to say that our giving and outreach has been going on a long, long time, and will continue for the benefit of our members and our community.
Pat is always so quick to dismiss any opposition. The Foundation that you vice chair has the best interests of the SHCHD at heart. They are very much related, if not in form, then in substance. And the four board members from RRHC recusing themselves is merely a formality. They are all sitting at the table when the vote is taken. A more important point is, VCCU is not a foundation, it is a member owned community credit union. Comments and suggestions by which members? It is not your job to give OUR money away in such large sums. Why not kick off your 40th year with increased dividends and/or reduced interest rates and fees. That is what really helps members.
Hello Not so Fast… I’m sorry, sounds like you weren’t at the event last evening. I started my announcement of contributions from the CU with an announcement of an increase in regular share dividends beginning Dec 1 and into 2020 as our 40th anniversary year kicks off. Raising the dividend rate from .15% to .40% on share balances over $100 (we do have higher rates available on term accounts… ) this is a large adjustment to our dividend offering and represents an estimated base increase in our give back rate of about $94,000 to benefit our members over the year.
Worst investment ever your car loan rates do not compete or even come close. We refied or mortgage tried the credit union waste of time. Lending tree had a better rate we were approved in 24 hrs and they could care less about our farm. Never asked our family with 4 accounts about any donation. Pat is like trump a pompas ass with no idea who the community really is beyond the main street.
Pat, how many members does the credit union have? What would the cumulative impact have been to return $200k across all of your members, who are then taxed on that dividend, receiving even less of the distribution in the end, and probably doubling or tripling the man hours needed to send 1099s to the entire member base? Would that, in your opinion, have been a more impactful way to help the community? How difficult is it to make a decision as a Board if people don’t participate?
Wonderful news that local clinics are getting some much-needed funds. Unfortunately, this is a fairly transparent move to buy good will after all the criticism they’ve received for the direction the entity formerly known as Community Credit Union of Southern Humboldt is taking.
The bribes might work, people are pretty gullible around here.
How about a donation to fix the roads in sohum. Yeah, I drove through garb today, saw some street work, was like a bandaid on a shotgun wound. Good luck driving that van to the cove, might want to rethink that if you want that van to last
Or better yet, donate to the Eel River Clean up Crew, you know the people who work hard picking up transient junky trash, just a thought
Or everyone donating to the existing homeless foundations trying to provide services for people up north so they can get the fuck out of Garberville and get help somewhere else that is actually trying to help them, and our valued and respected community members wouldn’t need to spend years of their lives in retirement fucking cleaning up after people destroying our forests, how about that?
I want to clarify that I am Not voting member of the CCU BOD. I am the chair of the Supervisory Committee and have no voting voice of any matter taken by the BOD. I do attend the BOD meetings regularly but cannot vote.
We are all volunteers and yes, several of us sit on both CCU and RRHC boards. The main reason for that is there have not been new volunteers in our community stepping up to serve on either BOD. As there has also not been member participation at either Membership meetings for many years.
I sorry that I couldn’t attend the meeting, but my wife was just getting home from Pennsylvania. Her niece was just appointed to a federal judgeship and her brother celebrated his 80th birthday. I was left in charge of the dog…
I have to say that I am so darn proud to be a member of a community that cares for each other. I am more than happy that the credit union is helping out all of the things that, we as individuals might not be able to fund to the point of making a difference. I also have to say the credit union has helped my wife, Janis, and I in anything that we have ever asked them to do. I wish I could elaborate endlessly but nobody would read it. Suffice it to say we would not have succeeded as well without them.
I have recently had the occasion to use both the health center and the hospital. I have gotten very competent care at both facilities. Both have very caring and knowledgeable people. I am very impressed with the great improvements in both facilities. Both Tina Tvedt at the health center and Matt Rees at the hospital have used great vision in directing the future of their facilities. We are lucky to have them.
It is too bad that it is so easy to criticize the good things that we have in this community and so hard to make progress. It may be discouraging at times to those that are trying so hard. I take great comfort in knowing that the naysayers are such a small and vocal group. I was greatly encouraged to see the good comments that are showing here.
My thanks to the Credit union and Pat Neighbors.
I often judge people’s character by judging the character of those that criticize them. By those standards we have some great people in our community.
Sorry that my Wife and I weren’t there.
Ernie Branscomb
May the world have more people who take the time to comment thoughtfully and kindly. Huge hug, Ernie. And tell Janice congratulations on her niece!
Thanks Kym
Her niece was recommended for her judgeship by both a Republican and a Democrat. Donald Trump appointed her. Just more reason to be encouraged that the world can be a better place
I’m glad there was bipartisan support. Sometimes it can seem as if the whole world is divided into the Trump fans and the Never Trumpers.
I hate to rain on the parade. Perhaps I should say that it is good that the Mateel Credit Union is making these donations to worthy causes. But it is bad that they had the surplus funds to make the donations with. It means that they are charging their customers – their “members” – too much. They have cannabis accounts now, a bit move forward, but they cost hundreds of dollars a month in fees, which means the Mateel Credit Union (not to be confused with the Mateel Community Center) is one more institution soaking cannabis farmers. Management issued some extremely arrogant statements about that name change to the meaningless “Vocality” saying, in effect, “we’re in charge and we’ll do what we want without interference from mere members.” They are riding high now, but I remind them of the term from Greek Tragedy, hubris. It catches up with you.
I hope this just teaches anyone considering doing business in Southern Humboldt not to illicit public feedback what-so-ever so they can make decisions without 6,000 people with different opinions and no knowledge fucking it all up