As the industry grapples with demographic shifts and an approaching wealth transfer, My Credit Union ($371.1M, Bloomington, MN) isn’t forgetting about those members who already hold deep relationships with the cooperative. Its Adventure Club for members 55 and older is as much about engagement, loyalty, and long‑term value as it is socializing and entertainment.
The club sponsors a variety of regular events, including everything from movies and educational offerings to day trips and international travel. Any member in that age group can join, but participants must hold at least $2,500 with the credit union in loans, deposits, credit card balances, or some combination thereof.
The credit union launched Adventure Club in 2019, then had to quickly pivot the group to virtual events during the pandemic. Since then, it has mixed virtual and in-person activities, says JulieAnn Worthen, Adventure Club coordinator.
The credit union was originally chartered to serve teachers and still maintains strong ties with that profession. With many longtime members now retired, My Credit Union recognized an opportunity to build on a shared history and sense of camaraderie, making a project like Adventure Club a no-brainer for keeping older members actively involved with one another and with the credit union.
The club currently has an email list of approximately 700 people, and participation in events varies. A recent “What Is AI?” seminar attracted 50 people or so, whereas a card-making course had a somewhat smaller draw. The group also sponsors local trips, like a visit to an Amazon fulfillment center. There are even overnight travel excursions, and a planned trip to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library — expected to open this summer in Medora, ND — already has 30 people signed up.
“It’s a community, and they love traveling together,” says Worthen, adding that participants have not only made friendships but some also have formed other clubs because of their time in Adventure Club.
Adventure Awaits
Of course, events don’t come together on their own. In addition to Worthen serving as a dedicated coordinator, an advisory council also helps select Adventure Club activities, some of which Worthen automatically plans while others go to a vote that the club promotes through newsletters to the group, with Worthen having the final say.
“That helps me understand my crowd a bit,” Worthen says. “And I’m always open to ideas.”
Adventure Club caps advisory council membership at 10 people, but it’s open to anyone who’s a member of the club. The group officially meets two to four times per year; Worthen, however, has a year-round open-door policy.
That structure doesn’t just ensure pertinent programming; it also control costs. Adventure Club is able to offer some activities at no cost to participants whereas others require a fee, which varies depending on the event.
“The goal is to break even on these, not to make money,” Worthen says. “I have to look around and price things and be cost-conscientious. But if I can do it for free, I will.”
Any money the credit union does make on overnight trips for Adventure Club goes toward the group’s annual Thanksgiving lunch, an event that includes entertainment, bingo, live music, and more.
“About 200 people come to that,” Worthen says. “We showcase our services and they have a face they can put with [an employee’s] name.”
Although My Credit Union has reported declines in metrics like member growth and share growth, it maintains a stronger average member relationship than many credit unions within its peer group of credit unions with $250-$500 million in assets. Additionally, its net interest margin has been higher than or level with its peers for the past several years, and its loan-to-share ratio is more than 20 percentage points higher than its peers.
Meeting The Need
The club is one way the credit union is keeping top of mind as the Great Wealth Transfer approaches, when trillions of dollars are expected to pass from older generations to their Gen X and millennial inheritors. For My Credit Union, that means reinforcing trust and relevance with members whose relationships with the cooperative span decades.
According to Worthen, Adventure Club’s impact extends beyond social connection to long‑term loyalty, particularly among members who remember the credit union’s earliest days under Bob Lean, who ran operations out of his home in the 1950s.
“It was Bob Lean’s house, and people would go to the basement and do their transactions,” Worthen says. “It was people helping people. A lot of them remember that, and we’re trying to continue that legacy and carry on that idea of community.”
That continuity matters, Worthen says, because it strengthens the credit union’s role not just as a financial provider, but as a constant presence across life stages. And although the program fills a clear need within the membership, the work is also personal. Worthen’s parents were active in a similar group at their own credit union years ago.
“I have a soft spot for the seniors,” she says. “My parents were much older when I was born, so I took care of my parents until they passed. This is a neat way to give back and create that sense of community. It’s really important here.”