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Small business is important to Central Oregon, and to Mid Oregon. Find tips and resources for business, and information about Mid Oregon’s commercial services and business members.

2022 Duck Race Raises Nearly $94K
19,500 plastic ducks race down the river for the win
Each year Mid Oregon Credit Union joins other credit unions as “Credit Unions Working Together”, to be the title sponsor for the Great Duck Drake Park Duck Race. This year, the 2022 Duck Race Raises Nearly $94K. Beneficiaries this year were the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend, Central Oregon Veterans Outreach (COVO), Deschutes Children’s Foundation, and MountainStar Family Relief Nursery. This year marks the 33rd consecutive year of local Rotary clubs, businesses and community members raising much-needed funds for local non-profit organizations.
On September 11, the ducks returned after a two-year hiatus and were excited to show off their racing skills. Spectators eagerly awaited at the Galveston Bridge “starting line” as 19,500 plastic ducks splashed into the river, competing to be first to cross the finish line.
20 Happy Winners!
In the end, Debbie Anderson’s duck outpaced the pack for first place earning her the Grand Prize of $5,000 cash!. The list of 2022 Great Drake Park Duck Race winners include:
- $5,000 cash—Debbie Anderson
- Two 2022-23 Hoodoo area season passes—Shirley Robinson
- Saxon’s 1/2 carat signature diamond earring—Fiona Noonan
- Milwaukee 18V cordless tool set, job radio, wet/dry vacuum—Jennifer DeFeo
- K1 Speed one-hour use of building—Julane Dover
- Half-day customer tour for ten from Wanderlust —Lorie Mays
- Webfoot painter for a day—Sally Irving
- Sony 43” X85K 4K HDR LED TV—Megan Duerk
- Four rounds of golf at Widgi Creek—William Smith Properties
- $500 in Bend downtown bucks—Craig Edwards
- $500 gift card from Les Schwab—Marcia Houston
- $500 gift card from Les Schwab—Brad Hester
- $500 Box Factory gift box experience— Chris Conant
- Gozney Roccbox portable pizza oven—Tim Wood
- $425 Red Carpet gift card—Kathy Skidmore
- $400 Amazon gift card— Colleen Puterbaugh
- $400 Old Mill gift card— Taylor Thayer
- $250 Wild Rose Thai gift card— James Casey
- $250 Zydeco gift card— John Snippen
- Two 10-punch, two-hour pickleball gift card—Denise Walker
2022 Duck Race Raises Nearly $94K
Mid Oregon sold $5 duck race raffle tickets throughout the summer, in person and digitally. Tickets were also distributed by local Rotary clubs, First Community, OnPoint, SELCO Credit Unions and online at www.theduckrace.com. The Great Drake Park Duck Race is presented by local Rotary clubs and sponsored by Credit Unions Working Together, and this year the 2022 Duck Race Raises Nearly $94K.
Prize Sponsors
2022 prize sponsors included Cascade Insurance Center, Century Insurance, Compass Commercial, Hoodoo Ski Area, Hutch’s Bicycles, Johnson Brothers Appliance, K1 Speed, Les Schwab, Miller Lumber, PacificSource Medicare, The Pennbrook Company, RBC Wealth Management. Saxon’s Fine Jewelers, Stereo Planet, Webfoot Painting, Zivney Financial Group. Media and other sponsors include Bend Parks and Rec, Bend Radio Group (Mix 100.7, KSJJ 102.9, Power 94, 92.9FM, Backyardbend), The Bulletin, Cascades Business News, Central Oregon Daily, Combined Communications (99.7 The Bull, KBND, 107.7 The Beat, 98.3 The Twins, 101.7), News Channel 21, Smartz, Source Weekly, and Wahoo Films. In-kind support includes Carlson Sign, Sign Pro, and Xpress Printing.

Supplies 4 Schools Completed Successfully!
Donations help support students in the new school year, as Mid Oregon’s Supplies 4 Schools completed.
Significant Financial and Supply Donations
With the support of our members and the community, Mid Oregon Credit Union collected over $2,200 and several bins of school supplies for local students during its annual Supplies 4 Schools fundraiser.
Throughout the month of August, we collected school supplies and cash donations. Each of our seven branch locations in Bend, La Pine, Madras, Redmond, Prineville, and Sisters offered a bin for supply drop off, and took financial donations in person and digitally. All donations stay in the local communities where they were received.
Long Term Effort Supporting Schools and Students
“For almost two decades, Mid Oregon has helped Central Oregon K-12 students. It helps start the school year off right by providing them with the supplies they need to be successful the moment they walk into their classroom,” says Kyle Frick, VP of Marketing and Community Relations for Mid Oregon Credit Union.
Getting to the Students Who Need It Most
Mid Oregon partners with Family Access Network (FAN) to distribute supplies to students in Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson Counties. Those students lack the necessities to succeed at school. FAN offers assistance, possibility, and hope to Central Oregon families in need. They connect them with crucial resources to help those children flourish in school and life. FAN is unique to Central Oregon, located in nearly all public schools across Central Oregon. Working through a dedicated FAN advocate, a child or parent is connected to essential services such as food, shelter, heating, health care, clothing, and more.
“FAN supported over 1,550 children with school supplies last year,” said Robyn Harmon, FAN Project Manager. “With the help from Mid Oregon’s Supplies 4 Schools donations, we will ensure each student has the tools they need to be ready to learn.”
Learn more about Family Access Network (FAN) at familyaccessnetwork.org.
Learn more about Mid Oregon community efforts.

Check-In on 2022 Financial Goals
We are more than halfway through 2022. Hard to believe, right? How are you doing with those 2022 financial goals you set on January 1? Hopefully the answer is, “right on track.” However, if you need a little nudge to set them back in motion, you can begin a fresh chapter today. Check-In on 2022 Financial Goals.
Your National Financial Awareness Day
In case you missed it, Sunday, August 14 was National Financial Awareness Day. You can’t be blamed for letting that pass by. It’s not highly publicized, and it happens in the middle of the short but significant Central Oregon summer.
So what is National Financial Awareness Day? It is a day dedicated to revisiting your finances and taking steps toward financial stability. So why not make today your personal Financial Awareness Day? If you’re looking for a little inspiration to get started, we’ve got a few ideas that’ll help you get back on track.
Spending Plan (or Budget)
• Set up (or revisit) a budget and track your expenses. Write it all down—every dollar you spend. From daily coffee to monthly subscriptions to treats for Fido, it all adds up. You can also use the spending analysis tool in Digital Banking. This tool allows members to categorize and view all of their spending in one place.
• Make sure your credit report is accurate. To better manage your money, you need to better manage your credit. You can get your credit report from several sources. You can also take advantage of Mid Oregon’s free, secure option Credit Savvy located in Digital Banking. When you enroll, you will receive anytime, anywhere access to your credit score, as well as key information from your credit report. Reviewing your credit report and score is essential to your check-In on 2022 financial goals.
• Pass on unnecessary purchases. Get disciplined by identifying needs vs. wants. Do you need that newest gadget or merely want it? Turning down something today, can mean greater financial stability tomorrow.
Grow Your Knowledge
• Increase your financial literacy. Mid Oregon provides free Financial Literacy Webinars throughout the year. They cover many topics such as Managing your Credit, Estate Planning, Social Security, Medicare ABCs, and more. Visit midoregon.com and register for our upcoming webinars.
• Explore new or different financial products. Have you considered refinancing your vehicle at a lower interest rate? What about taking advantage of the equity in your home with a HELOC? There are several product offerings at Mid Oregon which might improve your situation. Another option is to consolidate credit card debt with one of our low-interest VISA®cards. Visit us for more info on our products.
It’s never too late to take control of your finances. Whether it’s the first of the year, today or National Financial Awareness Day, Mid Oregon’s experienced staff is here to help.