Briceton and Kilee Arnold of Shawnee, OK, are the latest winners of Tinker Federal Credit Union’s Storm Shelter Loan Payoff totaling $2,157.
Tornado survivors
The decision to install a storm shelter came after the couple experienced severe weather damage not long after moving into their home. Just one month after purchasing the house, a tornado struck their neighborhood.
“We hadn’t even made the first payment on the house yet,” Briceton said. “The tornado came through and ripped the whole back side of our house off.”
For Kilee, getting a storm shelter was tied to a much longer history with severe weather in Oklahoma. She was among students who took shelter at Highland East Junior High School during the devastating 2013 Moore tornado.
Insisting on safety
“I feel like tornadoes follow me,” Kilee said. “So, I insisted that we get a storm shelter.”
When it came to applying for the storm shelter loan, Briceton, who has been a long-time TFCU member since childhood, said the process moved quickly from approval to installation.
Helpful timing
This loan payoff comes at a helpful time for the growing family, which includes two young children, Leo and Aria. The Arnolds have also been balancing everyday expenses while working on a small cabin on family land near Cromwell.
“That’ll help out a lot,” Briceton said. “An extra $100 a month makes a difference.”
Low-rate storm shelter loans
Every spring season, TFCU draws one lucky winner from all current TFCU storm shelter loans to receive a payoff up to $5,500 (see official rules). The credit union also makes it a priority to help keep members safe and provide low everyday loan rates on storm shelter loans all year long.