Ahhh, the 1950s: a faraway time when baby boomers were introduced to the world, families sat down at the dinner table to talk about their days, and “social media” was gathering around the television with Douglas Edwards for the CBS evening news. It was a simple era – uncomplicated, yet invigorating.
Let’s stir up some nostalgia! Here are five great things that happened in the ’50s:
- “Portable” black and white TVs hit the market.
- The King, Elvis Presley, debuted “Heartbreak Hotel” and made television history on The Ed Sullivan Show.
- IBM released the first commercial hard disk drive. Measuring about 16 sq. ft, it weighed over a ton and had 3.75 megabytes of data storage capacity.
- Peanut M&Ms were created in 1954 by Forrest Mars (who was allergic to peanuts!), and Dove Chocolate Squares landed in grocery stores in 1956.
- In 1956, VacationLand Federal Credit Union was founded by a small circle of employees from the Sandusky General Motors (GM) plant to serve local employees, retirees, and families of GM. The VacationLand Federal Credit Union of today is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative dedicated to being the lifetime financial institution of its 20,000+ members by providing services at lower or no fees, or loans with lower rates. Our deposit products offer higher dividend rates, too! We like to think that every member of VacationLand is a part of our large family, all focused on one common goal: Working together, we can all succeed.
While those olden days are long gone, 65 years later VacationLand is still here and getting stronger every year. In honor of our incorporation on September 21, 1956, we’re launching a month-long celebration with you, our members. All this month, we’ll observe our inauguration with in-branch festivities and giveaways of items that were popular in the 1950s – like Play-Doh and Frisbees – and even more surprises! We’ll also be highlighting some of our senior members representing our past, as well as our younger members, sharing their unique stories about partnering with VacationLand FCU, while providing meaning behind our new mantra, “I’m At The Heart Of VacationLand U.S.A.”
It’s fun to reminisce, but we would be remiss if we didn’t reflect on all the ways VacationLand has grown and prospered over the years because of present-day technologies and inventions. Our 1956 founding fathers would not have known what online and mobile banking is – even telephone and drive-thru banking would have been a stretch! They would never have touched a computer keyboard, held a cell phone, or checked their “emails” on a tablet. Technology has certainly changed our lives and how we conduct business, but some things never change. Originally founded on core values like resourcefulness, passion, commitment and trust, VLFCU continues to operate under these fundamental ethics and principles.
VacationLand Federal Credit Union offers our members a full suite of personal financial products including mortgage, home equity, consumer loans, and Visa credit cards, as well as a wide array of savings, checking, money market and certificate deposit products.
Our field of membership includes persons who live, work, worship, or attend school in, and have businesses and other legal entities in Erie County and Huron County; York Township in Sandusky County; Adams, Thompson, Reed or Venice Townships in Seneca County; and the Village of Green Springs, Ohio. Extended memberships also include school employees and employees of the Ohio Edison Company. Contact us directly or visit our Member Center to determine your eligibility.
Be it 65 years ago, yesterday, or today, we’re committed to serving our members’ needs throughout their lifetimes, helping them achieve their financial goals. With over $305,000,000 in assets, we still exist as a not-for-profit cooperative, dedicated to serving all of our members. Whatever your financial future holds, we’re with you every step of the way.
Please stop by, join in the fun, and wish your credit union a happy 65th birthday!