A few years ago, in 2011, Lynne Jenkinson, Executive Director of Flagstaff Family and Community Services, was approached about putting in a nomination form for the board of directors for Vision Credit Union, by a private citizen.

“It was just when I took over as Executive Director, though,” she says, “so I decided not to try it at that point, and perhaps wait for another opportunity once I was more settled into my job.”

This year, however, Jenkinson put her nomination papers forward for one of three Director seats in the Camrose/Daysland area.

Jenkinson says, “I feel like I have something to offer the board.”

In order to be nominated, she had to find 11 other Vision Credit Union members willing to endorse her, she says.

“As far as I know, there’s never been a woman on the board, but we make up a large sector of employment, dealing with money, and those making financial decisions.

“Vision Credit Union is very welcoming to women employees, so I think the board will be as well,” says Jenkinson.

Jenkinson is generally in favour of co-operatives, specifically like Vision, The Wild Rose Co-operative, and UFA. “There are definite advantages to the cooperative system, and I see what they give back to the communities where they do business.

“These are organizations that are home grown from the bottom up rather than the top down.

“I’m also very impressed that Vision Credit Union is in the top 50 Alberta employers.”

Paulette Robinson,Vision Credit Union Manager of Marketing and Communications, says, “If a new candidate submits a nomination package, an election will be held for the region where the new candidate’s “home branch” is located.

Daysland branch, this year the election is for the Camrose/Daysland region.”

The only people eligible to vote for Jenkinson are those who hold a common share account, and are over the age of 18, and it must be their ‘home branch’ (this is the branch where your account is maintained and from where your statements come). The voting is done in-branch, during regular branch hours on Dec. 1 and 2.

The Vision Credit Union has seven regions: Camrose/Daysland (7); Vegreville/Two Hills (1); Sedgewick/Alliance/Killam (1); Stettler/Castor (1); Viking (1); and Peace River (1), with a total of 12 places on the board in all.

Robinson says the following seats are open for re-election: Camrose /Daysland, three positions; Stettler, one position; Sedgewick/Killam, one position; and one position in the Peace River area.

Because only the Camrose/Daysland area received a new nomination, that is the only area holding an election this year.