When Theresa Jehle and her husband moved here from Hilton Head, SC a few years ago, she took the philanthropic opportunity for the women in our area in a “New Direction.” After being a part of a women’s philanthropic group in Hilton Head, 100 Women Who Care, she decided to fill the void for a women’s group in our area, by starting a chapter here.
100 Women Who Care
100 Women Who Care is an organization that brings together a group of women who are dedicated to supporting their local non-profit community and believe that by working together they can make a difference.
100 Women Who Care was founded by Karen Dunigan in 2006, to meet the need for infant cribs at a non-profit organization in her area. Since Karen was very involved in her community, she knew she could probably call ten people and ask them to write a $1,000 check, but she also figured she probably knew one hundred women who would be willing to give $100. She began making phone calls to the women in her community for donations and scheduled a meeting for them to hear the non-profit’s story about their need for cribs. In her first meeting, Karen raised $12,800 in just an hour. She began scheduling quarterly meetings where any member could present an immediate local need, and other members could give to the cause. Overtime, 100 Women Who Care has expanded to over 1,000+ chapters worldwide.
Founding The Grand Strand Chapter
Theresa started the Grand Strand Chapter of 100 Women Who Care in December 2018, with less than 10 women who met in her living room. Currently, the Grand Strand chapter has grown to 117 members, surpassing her original goal to reach 100 women by December 2019.
“So many women here want to make a difference, but don’t know how or have a lot of free time to do so.” said Jehle. “My goal is for our organization to be the catalyst for change in whatever way we can. As a full-time realtor, a wife and a mother of four children I know finding the time to give back can be challenging, which is why 100 Women Who Care was so enticing to me. With just an hour-long quarterly meeting, and $100 per member, we can collectively make a huge difference in Horry County.”
The chapter is made up of a diverse group of women. Our members range from 21 to 80 years old. Membership is open to anyone 18 and older, who is interested in helping the community, open-minded, and willing to donate $100 each quarter to the selected charity.
Assisting The Non-Profit Community
100 Women Who Care focuses on donating to local 501c3 organizations who need financial assistance, many of which spring up through recommendations from chapter members. There is no overhead organization with whom they are required to report to, which allows the members to oversee their non-profit selections. The donations are modeled after a small grant process, where organizations come and ask for money and the members get to decide where they choose to donate. The non-profit organization’s executive director will attend the chapter meeting and speak to the members about their organization and its specific needs. This allows members to get a better understanding of how their donation is being used and learn more about non-profit organizations in the area whom they may be interested in becoming more involved with.
New Directions
The first non-profit organization that the Grand Strand Chapter donated to was, New Directions. New Directions is the primary provider of shelter services in Horry County, SC. They operate shelters for men, women, and families with children. New Directions provides those in need with shelter, basic necessities and connections to resources.
“All non-profits struggle financially and 100 Women Who Care has provided an outlet for the community to give back,” said Kathy Jenkins, New Directions Executive Director. “Many people want to give back, but most people don’t know how. By asking the directors of non-profits to come in and speak to the members, they’re able to learn about the needs of the community that they otherwise would have never known existed. We’re thankful not just for the donation that we received from 100 Women Who Care, but for the awareness that the organization brought us for future donations and involvement.”
Bringing Women Together
Theresa hopes that 100 Women Who Cares will continue to grow and bring women in our community together. For more information on how you can get involved with the Grand Strand Chapter of 100 Women Who Care, you can check out the group’s Facebook.
“Although our organization is called 100 Women Who Care, we are only limited by the number of chairs that we can fit into a room, and we will stand if we have to,” said Jehle. “Although we’re ultimately coming together to give back, this organization makes me feel connected and at home here, and I hope it provides the same experience for other women.”
Carolina Trust Federal Credit Union Board of Directors Chairman, Colonel Charles M. Thrash, has announced his retirement. Col. Thrash has served as a member of the Carolina Trust Board of Directors since September 1995. During this time, he held the position of Secretary from March 1996 to May 2001 before being elected Board Chairman.
Col. Thrash holds a master’s degree in Business from Texas Tech University. He received a commission in the United States Air Force through Officer Training School and completed pilot training in May 1969.
During his 26 years in the Air Force, he served in a variety of assignments both in the United States and overseas. Following graduation from the National War College in 1991, he was assigned to Myrtle Beach AFB as the Vice Commander. He was stationed at Myrtle Beach AFB on three different occasions. During these three tours, he filled nearly every flying-related leadership position in the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) and amassed more than 2,000 flying hours in the A-10A. He served as a squadron pilot, instructor pilot, Mission Commander, Standardization-Evaluation pilot, Flight Commander, 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) Assistant Operations Officer, 355 TFS Operations Officer, and 353rd Fighter Squadron Commander.
He retired from the Air Force on July 1, 1995 as the Vice Commander of the 23rd Wing, Pope AFB, NC and returned to the Myrtle Beach area to live. He was the General Manager of Bay Tree Golf Plantation for five years and was employed as Director of the Professional Golf Management Department at Coastal Carolina University for over 10 years before retiring on June 30, 2013.
Col. Thrash has spent his entire life serving others and is truly a man of honor. We are so grateful for the time we were blessed to have him as our Board Chairman, and he will be greatly missed by everyone at Carolina Trust.
Vice Chairman, B. Michael Marlowe will succeed Col. Thrash as Board Chairman. L/Col. Marlowe is a native of Horry County and a graduate of the University of South Carolina. Lt. Col. Marlowe is a retired Air Force pilot, airport manager, and former owner and operator of Marlowe Art Glass Co. He has over twenty-five years’ experience in wholesale and retail sales, marketing, and production. He has served as a board member and president of the Broadway Business Association, board member of the Surfside Area Rotary Club, and former state commissioner. He continues to be an active pilot, instructor, and pilot examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration.
Carolina Trust Federal Credit Union has recently been named one of the 2019 Best Credit Unions to Work For. Credit Union Journal has partnered with Best Companies Group to identify companies that have excelled in creating quality workplaces for employees.
This survey and awards program is designed to identify, recognize and honor the best credit unions. The 2019 list is made up of 50 credit unions.
“I am honored that Carolina Trust is part of this esteemed group of credit unions,” said Tim Carlisle, Carolina Trust President/CEO. “I am inspired by the passion our employees demonstrate when serving members, the community, and their coworkers. Their efforts inspire me to be a better President and CEO.”
Carolina Trust is preparing for the holiday season by providing ways to help the less fortunate. Our branches will be collecting monetary donations for Meals on Wheels. Stop into any of our branches today to make a donation!
We celebrated International Credit Union Day, which was on October 17th, by serving our local community. Carolina Trust employees visited the Horry County Animal Care Center, Boys & Girls Club of The Grand Strand, Lake City Fire Department, Benjamin’s Bakery, and the Johnsonville Circle K Gas Station to bring needed items to these facilities and a smile to people’s faces. It is our mission to live out the credit union philosophy, “People Helping People,” not just on ICU Day, but every day.
Carolina Trust was a proud sponsor of American Cancer Society’s Making Strides of Myrtle Beach Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness. Making Strides’ events allow people to come together and celebrate survivors, have fun, and raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society’s efforts to save lives.
Parents of Chanticleer fans ages 5-13, this is the last time this season that you can register your child for a chance to be the CCU Coin-Toss Kid! One lucky participant will be randomly selected*.
The winner will receive four tickets to a CCU home football game, one parking pass, a signed football from CCU, and the opportunity to accompany the team captains and referees for the official pre-game coin toss.
*No purchase necessary to enter or win. Must be age 5-13 to participate. All eligible entries, as provided in the Official Contest Rules, must be received August 5, 2019 through November 13, 2019. An authorized adult or guardian must accompany each winner to the game. Winners must have verifiable parental or guardian permission to enter. For complete details and Official Contest Rules visit carolinatrust.org. Entry in this promotion or acceptance of any prize constitutes acceptance of the Official Contest Rules.
Carolina Trust Employees, had the opportunity to attend the Carolina Forest Elementary School Career Day and speak to the students about the important role that the financial industry plays in our community, and some of the different careers that we have at Carolina Trust.
It’s a good practice to check your credit report for fraudulent activity annually. The three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, will provide you with a free copy of your credit report upon your request once every 12 months. These three national credit reporting agencies have established one central website, phone number, and mailing address to use for ordering your report. The credit bureaus will provide the free annual reports only through this central location and not through their individual websites, telephone numbers, or web addresses. Be cautious of websites offering “free” credit reports since you do not need to go through third party providers.
For your free credit report, contact the Annual Credit Report Request Service by Web: www.annualcreditreport.com, Toll-Free Telephone: 877.322.8228, or Mail: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. Since you are entitled to one free annual report from each of the three bureaus, you can get them all at one time or stagger the requests throughout the year. If you request the report online, you should be able to view it immediately. Requests made by phone or mail will take approximately 15 days to process.
Whether you’re traveling, shopping for gifts, or entertaining, those extra expenses add up quickly. To help provide some holiday relief, you may choose to skip your Carolina Trust loan payment during December 2019 or January 2020 for just $25.00*. Interest will continue to accrue on a skipped loan payment and other restrictions may apply. Contact Carolina Trust for all the details.
*Modified loans, Mortgage loans, home equity loans, and VISA® credit card payments are excluded. A payment cannot have been skipped on an eligible loan within the past 12 months. The loan cannot have been delinquent in the past 12 months, and eligible loans must be opened for at least six months. The $25 fee must be received before payment date will be changed. Other restrictions may apply.
Consider opening a Carolina Trust Christmas Club account to save for holiday expenses throughout the year while earning a competitive rate on your deposits. Monthly deposits may be made via direct deposit, payroll deduction, or at the Credit Union. Your Christmas Club balance will automatically transfer to your checking or savings account on November 1st.
Need health insurance? The open enrollment period runs from November 1st until December 15th.
- You could save hundreds* a month on health insurance.
- 87% of consumers who enrolled last year qualified for subsidies.**
- GoHealth advisors can help you find the right plan for you and your family.
Get coverage! Call 1-888-416-2166 or go to TruStageHealth.com today.
The TruStage® Health Insurance Program is made available through TruStage Insurance Agency, LLC and GoHealth LLC. GoHealth LLC is licensed to sell nationwide and operates in all states with the exception of Massachusetts and Vermont. The insurance offered is not a deposit, and is not federally insured, sold or guaranteed by your credit union.
*Families who qualified for the Advance Premium Tax Credit saved an average of $539 per person per month on their health insurance when they shopped through the health insurance marketplace (based on CMS 2019 open enrollment data). **87% of those who enrolled qualified for the Advance Premium Tax Credit to lower the cost of their health insurance (based on CMS-2019 OE data). © TruStage Insurance Agency 2019.
