Hi there,

With the New Year just around the corner, I decided to step back and reflect on the past twelve months. 2017 marked the beginning of my second year as the Young & Free Maine Spokester, which has been such an incredibly positive experience. Not only have I learned more than I could’ve ever imagined about the world of finance, but I’ve had so much fun along the way! Having just looked back, it’s hard to believe how many places I ventured to around the state, how many credit unions I visited, and how many wonderful conversations I had – with both old friends and new. I have so many fond memories of 2017 and I can’t wait to see what 2018 brings!

With the New Year quickly approaching, I decided to put together a little montage to recap this past year. Time really does fly when you’re having fun, huh?!

Living in Southern Maine, I don’t make it up to Aroostook County too often. It takes me the same amount of time to drive to Fort Kent as it does to drive to New York City. However, each trip to the County reminds me of why I love this state so much. This trip certainly earns a spot on the Best of ’17 list. Bangor, Portland, Boston and beyond may have larger population numbers, but Aroostook County is home to many small, tight-knit communities where members are family, friends, and neighbors. The credit unions in Northern Maine know their members. The people in The County truly embody and represent what credit unions are all about.

We had not one, not two, but three large contests this year! Between Sound Off, Bucks for Books, and “Where in the State is Jake?,” young Mainers from around the state became acquainted with credit unions in a big way!

• Bri Lane and Lindsay Mower both entered the 2017 Sound Off Music Competition back in January for a chance to kick off their music careers with some awesome prizes. They opened up the Street Eats & Beats Festival at Thompson’s Point in front of 4,000 people, and cemented themselves among the best of Maine’s independent music scene.
• Meaghan Brown and Maria Cormier both took home $500 in this year’s Bucks for Books contest while Alison Newcombe won $300 and Hunter McCaslin won $200. And for the first time in the contest’s history, all of the winners were credit unions members!
• Eight young Mainers won gift cards and Sea Dogs tickets after successfully guessing where I was in the state this summer!

In this It's a Money Thing video, Jen learns all about the effects of inflation on the cost of products and services and on wages.

What was your favorite memory from 2017? I’d love to know!

Jake Holmes
Young & Free Maine Spokester