Gilbert has been a member since 1954. He was fresh out of the military, and while he and his wife had begun renting an apartment, they had nothing else. He tried to get a loan from multiple area banks, but—without credit--they would not help him. He heard about Menomonie Farmers Union (now WESTconsin) and his wife wanted to give us a try, but Gilbert was skeptical. He finally met with the then-CEO, who told him that he’d run it past the board and contact him the next day. True to his word, Gilbert was asked to come back in and ultimately was approved for his first loan without even needing a cosigner. Gilbert was so amazed and thankful that he’s been a member ever since and has never used another financial institution. He shares this story often, and his love for our credit union all these years later is clear!