Sabine Federal Credit Union members can now save 15% on TurboTax Online Deluxe Edition. Click here to get started!  You can also save $30 on your individual income tax preparation at participating Jackson Hewitt Tax Service locations. Click here to get your $30 Jackson Hewitt coupon and call 1-800-234-1040 to locate a Jackson Hewitt office near you!

RACHEL'S CHALLENGE

Rachel Scott was the first victim of the Columbine High School shootings on April 20, 1999. Thirteen people lost their lives that day, and the world witnessed what bullying could lead to. Rachel made an impact in the lives of many during her life by showing kindness and compassion, but even after death she is changing the lives of people across the world. Shortly after her death, her father, Darrell Scott, found an essay that Rachel had written that said she hoped she could start a "chain reaction of kindness" by helping others. Darrell and his wife created the Rachel's Challenge program and have since gone around the world honoring their daughter's life. Sabine Federal Credit Union is making the first step in starting a chain reaction by bringing this program to all of the Orange County high schools.

Each school will have a full day of assemblies. The first assemblies will be in the morning and will include all of the students. These assemblies will tell Rachel's story and teach the students how to treat others with kindness. Then, 100 select students from the school will attend a separate assembly, the Friends of Rachel training session, and be trained on how to keep the "chain reaction of kindness" going throughout the school year. A community event will be scheduled for that same evening. This event will also tell Rachel's story and give parents the opportunity to hear the story and get ideas on how they can get involved.

• Orangefield High School is scheduled for January 23, 2012. Their community event will be at 7:00 PM in the high school gymnasium.
• Community Christian School and St. Mary Catholic School are combining and are scheduled for January 24, 2012. Their community event will be at 7:00 PM in Community Christian School's auditorium.
• Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School is scheduled for January 25, 2012. Their community event will be at 7:00 PM in the high school auditorium.  
• Vidor High School is scheduled for January 26, 2012. Their community event will be at 7:00 PM in the high school auditorium.  
• Bridge City High School is scheduled for February 1, 2012. Their community event will be combined with West Orange Stark High School. The event is scheduled for 6:30 PM on February 2, 2012, in West Orange Stark's High School gymnasium.
• West Orange Stark High School is scheduled for February 2, 2012. Their community event will be at 6:30 PM in the high school gymnasium.

Please continue to check our website for updated times and locations for the community events.

SCHOLARSHIP OFFERED

Going to college is something most students look forward to every year. College life offers most students a chance for a brighter future, a taste of independence and a new group of friends. But nothing can spoil all that excitement more than the cost. The cost of higher education continues to increase every year, and in today’s economy many look for any extra help offered.

We’d like to make things easier. Sabine Federal Credit Union will be giving away $8,000 in scholarships. We will offer a $1,000 scholarship to each of the six Orange County high schools, a $500 scholarship to two CUT$ (Credit Union Teen $aver) Club members, and one $1,000 to a student at Lamar State College-Orange (LSC-O). Applying is easy. The high school scholarships can be applied for through the school counselors, the CUT$ scholarship can be found on the Youth Services page of the credit union website, and the LSC-O scholarship can be applied for through the LSC-O financial aid office.

 
Let Sabine FCU finance your next toy loan!

Rates as low as

• 5.00% APR* for loans on boats, motorcycles & ATVs
• 6.00% APR* for loans on recreational vehicles

 With rates this low, there is no reason you can't get that toy you've always wanted. Applying is easy! You can visit our website at www.sabinefcu.org or call 409-988-1300 and speak to a friendly loan officer.

*APR indicates annual percentage rate. Monthly payment approximately $18.88 on $1000 for 60 months at 5.00% APR. Loans available to qualified members only.

 
64th Annual Meeting

The 64th Annual Meeting will be held at the VFW Hall on Hwy 87 on Monday, March 5th at 6:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased from a teller for $3 each.  

 BEWARE OF NEW SCAM

If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be with the Federal Government, and they state that they need your account information, please do not give it to them. You should not give your account information to anyone. If you have questions regarding a phone call you might have received, please contact us at 409-988-1300 or 1-888-319-SFCU.

With a Platinum Rewards MasterCard from Sabine Federal Credit Union, you will feel like you have your very own Genie! The Platinum Rewards MasterCard lets you redeem your points for rewards such as travel, gift cards, merchandise, green products, charitable donations, discount memberships and even cash back. You will earn one point for every dollar you spend in eligible purchases. You can also earn bonus points with exclusive perks. All this with a low interest rate too! Apply today! Call 409-988-1300 or use our convenient online application.

 NEW TERM SHARE CERTIFICATE RATE - 18 MONTHS

The 18 month Term Share Certificate rate has been changed to 1.00% APY. Must be a minimum balance of $1,000 and a minimum opening deposit of $1,000. A 120 day penalty will be imposed for early withdrawal.

*APY indicates annual percentage yield
Rates accurate as of 11/23/2011 and are subject to change at any time without notice. For the most current rates, please contact the Credit Union at 409-988-1300 or 1-888-319-7328. You may also contact us by mail (P.O. Box 3000, Orange, Texas 77631-3000) or by email (sabinefcu@sabinefcu.org).

Savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government.
NCUA - National Credit Union Administration, a U.S. Government Agency.  

Join the winner's circle! With an auto loan from Sabine Federal Credit Union, you will always finish first. Our loan officers can get you on the fast track to a great deal. We offer low rates and great terms to help you cross the finish line.

• as low as 2.49% APR for up to 36 months
• as low as 2.99% APR for up to 60 months
• as low as 3.99% APR for up to 72 months

*APR indicates annual percentage rate. Monthly payment amount approximately $28.86 on $1,000 for 36 months at 2.49% APR. Loans available to qualified members only. Rates apply to new money only.

 SABINE FCU MAILING ADDRESS

Please make a note that Sabine Federal Credit Union's mailing address is PO Box 3000, Orange, TX 77631-3000. Please make sure that all mail is directed to the above address. Remember to change our address on your bill pay site so that your bills at Sabine Federal Credit Union get paid.

CAN YOU SPOT A SCAM?

Test your marketplace savvy. Take the Grand Scam Challenge at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/multimedia/interactive/grandscam/spotscam.htmlto see if you can tell the difference between fact and fiction. Then click on popular links about how to build a better credit report, get credit, prevent identity theft, spot miracle health claims, and handle telemarketing emails.

Sabine Federal Credit Union would like to encourage ALL of our members to be on guard and don't be a victim of fraud. There have been several attempts to retrieve personal information from our members, but these members are savvy and did not take the bait. They shared their stories with us so that we can help prevent others from fraud. Please note that several of these scam artists have perfected their techniques to make the request seem authentic, like it was sent from a legitimate source. The main thing to remember is to NEVER, ever give out your personal account number, social security number, user names, passwords, PIN (personal identification numbers) or any other personal information to a phone call, text, or email in which you did not intitiate.