Blog

Curtis Memorial Library launches Making It In Maine website scavenger hunt focusing on financial literacy.

October 28, 2015

Curtis Memorial Library launches Making It In Maine website scavenger hunt focusing on financial literacy.

[Brunswick, ME] -- On the newly redesigned Curtis Money website, Curtis Library is promoting free resources to help consumers better manage money, credit, investments, and debt and learn to avoid identity theft, protect their privacy, and steer clear of financial scams and fraud.

The Curtis Money website is hosting monthly website scavenger hunts starting November 2015 and running through May 2016. Each month, answer five short questions correctly using the sources found at curtismoney.com to be entered into a monthly drawing for prizes.

Monthly winners can select from prizes valued up to $100, including a crockpot full of kitchen items, a holiday feast with all the fixings, a stay warm winter kit with mittens, scarf, hat and backpack, a sewing machine, or a AAA Plus Annual Membership.

A new section of the Curtis Money website will be featured monthly. All completed entries will be entered in a grand finale drawing for your choice of $500 worth of heating oil, electricity or propane. Play each month to enter the grand finale drawing with seven chances to win. The grand prize drawing will take place on National Scavenger Hunt Day, May 24, 2016. Go to curtismoney.com to learn about how to participate in the scavenger hunt.

“We want Curtis Library to be seen as a go-to resource in our community for unbiased information about money and investing. Our aim is to help people make well-informed financial decisions for themselves and their families.” said Jessica Flaherty, Making It in Maine Grant Manager. “For many families, money is tight. More people are turning to us to learn about budgeting, getting out of debt and planning for college or retirement. We’ve got quality information and are eager to help.”

Curtis Memorial Library is pleased to continue providing community access to better financial and investor information and educational programs through it’s Making It In Maine program thanks to receiving a second grant from the American Library Association (ALA) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation as part of Smart investing@your library^®.

With this funding, Curtis Memorial Library has developed a community-wide financial literacy program – focused on helping individuals and families who want to learn simple strategies and skills to achieve better financial health. The year-long series features a variety of practical, easy-to-implement educational tools and opportunities for people to access at the library, online and at community partner sites.

“The libraries participating in this grant program make reliable financial information and education readily accessible in their communities,” said Gerri Walsh, President of the FINRA Foundation. “Libraries are paying close attention to their communities’ needs and aspirations, and can respond in creative, sustainable ways to help residents achieve financial goals for themselves and their families.”

Smart investing@your library^® is a partnership between the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association, and the FINRA Investor Education Foundation. The program supports public libraries across the country in their efforts to meet financial education needs at the local level.

The Reference and User Services Association is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services and collection materials they need.

Established in 1876, the American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world. It strives to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org.

FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, is the largest independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. FINRA is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through effective and efficient regulation and complementary compliance and technology-based services. FINRA touches virtually every aspect of the securities business—from registering and educating all industry participants to examining securities firms, writing rules, enforcing those rules and the federal securities laws, informing and educating the investing public, providing trade reporting and other industry utilities, and administering the largest dispute resolution forum for investors and firms. For more information, visit www.finra.org.

The FINRA Investor Education Foundation supports innovative research and educational projects that give underserved Americans the knowledge, skills and tools necessary for financial success throughout life. For details about grant programs and other FINRA Foundation initiatives, visit www.finrafoundation.org.