May 7, 2008 As the Maine Credit Union League marked its 70th Annual Meeting & Convention on May 2-3, in Portland, the milestone occasion was celebrated with a well-known speaker providing the keynote address. Steve Ford, son of the late President Gerald Ford and a well-known TV and motion picture actor, gave a passionate and inspiring presentation that coincided perfectly with this year's theme of 'Maine Credit Unions - 70 Years of Giving Back'.
Nearly 650 representatives from all but a handful of the state's 68 credit unions were in attendance for this year's Annual Meeting & Convention, and had strong support and praise for the cooperative spirit of credit unions that "remains as relevant today as it was back in 1938 when the League was founded."
In his remarks, Ford took attendees inside The White House when he "as an eighteen year-old kid was all of a sudden thrust into the spotlight when my father went from a Congressman who was going to retire at the end of his term to Vice President to President, all in ten months." Ford stressed the importance of family, drawing comparisons with the personal attention that credit unions provide to their members with that of a family structure. "Credit unions are about helping each other and that is what many families do and that is something to be cherished." He also spoke at length about leadership, overcoming adversity, living with values and character, setting and juggling priorities, and making the right choices in life. "Seven years ago, I was challenged by three people in my life to do something inspiring and work to make a difference. I took time off from acting and other activities and traveled to places like Africa and saw poverty, hunger and tragedy but my travels inspired me because the people in these places, despite their obvious hardships, still had a great attitude and hope. Hope sustains people during dark times, and it challenged me to look at my life and my goals in a totally different light and I believe today that I am a better person because of it." The three people Ford referenced as challenging him were, he noted at the end, "two very special nieces and a special nephew."
In addition to Ford's keynote, the Annual Meeting & Convention also featured remarks by Congressman Mike Michaud, Congressman Tom Allen, and the League's endorsed candidate for the First District Congressional race, Adam Cote. Both Senator Collins and Governor Baldacci were scheduled to address the Convention but had to cancel at the last minute due to the flooding in Aroostook County.
John Murphy, League President, also addressed the Annual Meeting telling delegates, "Through leadership and commitment and by working together, the Maine Credit Union League and Maine's credit unions have a strong record of giving back for over 70 years, and we'll continue to give back to members and the community in a variety of ways for years to come."
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