Youth Financial Literacy is Focus of TopLine Federal Credit Union and KARE 11 Partnership.

"Get Smart with Your Money!" youth financial literacy seminars to be promoted

MAPLE GROVE, Minn. -- TopLine Federal Credit Union has joined in partnership with KARE 11 television to promote youth financial literacy. TopLine and KARE 11 will combine their collective talents and resources to launch Get Smart with Your Money!, a seminar series aimed at kids and their parents.

The Get Smart with Your Money! seminar series is presented in concert with the public efforts by schools, trade and professional associations and organizations, and the federal government to educate our nation's young people about financial responsibility. In his May 2006 presentation to the U.S. Senate, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke called for partnerships between community groups and organizations to increase awareness of financial products and services, and to provide education and support of financial literacy research. Similarly, the National Credit Union Administration calls on credit unions to provide financial literacy education as an economic empowerment tool for individuals and the communities they serve.

TopLine employees will present the Get Smart with Your Money! seminars on three Saturday mornings and Monday evenings during January and February at the Grand Rios water park in Brooklyn Park and Water Park of America in Bloomington. The seminars will be presented to three age groups (grades K - 4; 5 - 8; and 9 -12). Program content includes information and materials available from Moonjar, the National Endowment for Financial Education, Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy and the National Association for Federal Credit Unions. The discussion will include concepts such as balancing needs versus wants; planning and goal setting; spending, saving, and sharing; managing money through savings and checking accounts; and credit and borrowing. As an added bonus, each participant will receive a free pass to the Grand Rios water park or the Water Park of America at the conclusion of the seminar.

The financial literacy initiative will be promoted during the last week in December and throughout January. Commercials will air during various news broadcasts on KARE 11 and the station's popular Saturday Whatever show. The campaign will also be promoted on the KARE 11, KARE About Kids and Whatever Web sites throughout the five-week period and be featured on Showcase Minnesota at 10:00 a.m. on January 4, 2007.

"TopLine employees, and in some cases members, have established a long-term commitment to helping young people in the Twin Cities," said Harry Carter, president and CEO for TopLine. "As financial institutions are being called upon to provide information and tools to help people manage their money more effectively, it seemed fitting that we expand that commitment and complement the great work our schools have done to help educate our youth about wise money management. We're very pleased to partner with KARE 11 on this initiative as they are recognized for their commitment to kids and to our community."

About TopLine Federal Credit Union

Established in 1935, TopLine Federal Credit Union is headquartered in Maple Grove, Minnesota, and is the state's 11th largest credit union with more than $240 million in assets. TopLine offers a complete line of financial services from branches in Maple Grove, Edina, Brooklyn Center, downtown Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park (Summer 2007) as well as by phone and through its interactive Web site at www.TopLinecu.com.

Membership in the credit union requires a completed membership application and an initial deposit of at least $5 into a Share Savings account. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in the Twin Cities counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington. Immediate family members of people meeting these criteria are also eligible for membership.

About KARE 11 Television

KARE 11 Television and KARE11.com are the market leaders in local news in the Minneapolis- St Paul metro-area and are the only media destinations that offer the combined newsgathering and reporting advantages of NBC News, MSNBC, CNN and USA Today. Combined with a professional and trusted news team, no one comes close to the power of KARE 11. From the very beginning, KARE 11 has made community involvement a key component of our brand. Year after year, we work together with the community through a variety of events to make it a better place for everyone.