Member Stories

Name: Ann T.
Home branch: Eastland
Member since: 1972

Ann's love of adventure started with a trip to Europe she paid for with money borrowed from TTCU. She had always dreamed of traveling to Europe, and even wanted to be a foreign exchange student while she was attending Oral Roberts University, but it never quite worked out. As an elementary school teacher for Union Public School District, Ann opened a TTCU account to start saving.

The summer after her first year of teaching, Ann and a friend both borrowed money from TTCU to backpack across Europe. They spent time staying in the homes and apartments of people Ann knew from ORU and churches they were connected with, so Ann got to experience what life was like in those countries.

"Then we ate macaroni and cheese for a year to pay it off," Ann laughed.

The experience broadened her horizons and enriched her teaching of history and art both in her classroom and later when homeschooling her own children.

"My friend and I put our last few dollars together to buy an acoustic guitar for me in Barcelona," Ann said. "I have it to this day, and used it to play songs with the kids at school... TTCU helped make that happen."

Later, when Ann married, she and her husband took another trip to all her favorite places around Europe, once again with a loan from TTCU. This launched a life-long love of traveling together. Recently, they have visited Tunisia, Alaska and Hawaii. They also took a trip around the world, with stops in India, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Dubai and Ireland.

"I love exploring and adventure," Ann said. "TTCU made my dreams come true."