Living in Oklahoma means living with unpredictable and severe weather. After experiencing several close calls with tornadoes—including sharing a generous neighbor’s cramped storm shelter and terrifying early-morning warnings—the Pitts knew it was time to invest in their own safety.
“Last year’s storms hit so close to home,” said Sheree. “There are families still rebuilding just a few miles away. We realized we had to make a storm shelter a priority.”
TFCU was there to help. The Pitts secured a loan for an in-garage storm shelter, which was installed in February. “It (the lending process) was so fast. TFCU made it convenient for both of us, even with our demanding healthcare jobs,” said Sheree, a geriatric nurse. Thomas, a healthcare administrator, added, “TFCU respected our time and made everything accessible. That’s rare these days.”
Surprise News
Then came a phone call the Pitts never expected. TFCU randomly selected their storm shelter loan–from a pool of many others–for full payoff. “I thought it was a prank,” laughed Sheree. “I was at work with a patient and had to add my husband on the call—I’m the gullible one!”
The impact was immediate and deeply felt on the family of six, with four children ranging from age 6 to 21. “I had no idea TFCU was a not-for-profit,” said Sheree. “Getting that call made my faith stronger—it’s a tremendous financial relief for our household.”
Less Stress, More Fun
Now, rather than worrying about storm season or a shelter loan payoff, Sheree, Thomas and the kids can focus on their vegetable garden, going to the library, fishing and watching movies (with popcorn, of course)—just some of their favorite family pastimes. Plus, they’re planning a trip to visit their daughter, who is serving in the Navy, this summer. To learn more about TFCU storm shelter loans and the credit union’s commitment to providing a great interest rate on this service, go to TinkerFCU.org/Shelter.