Women’s Conference Spends Time on Money

BURLEIGH –– Money was the main topic of conversation when the Cape May County Advisory Commission on the Status of Women held its Seventh Annual Women’s Conference March 29.
Over 50 women attended the morning event, held at Wildwood Country Club, to visit exhibits and hear a panel discussion on the conference’s theme “Financial Freedom.” Conference sponsors included Sturdy Savings Bank, Cape Bank and First Bank of Sea Isle City.
Commission Chairperson Kathleen Bresan and Vice-Chair Helen McCaffrey shared duties by introducing guests and moderating the program, which was aimed at aiding in the group’s ultimate goal of enhancing the quality of life and position of the women and girls in this county.
Freeholder Ralph Bakley Sr., board liaison to the commission, opened the program by reading a resolution that designated the week of March 23-29, 2008 as Women’s History Week in the county.
State Sen. Jeff Van Drew and Assemblyman Matt Milam (both D-1st) presented legislative commendations to the conference sponsors and exhibitors. They also wanted to thank the Women’s Commission.
“I just want to say we appreciate the good work you do for women in the county and throughout the state,” Van Drew said.
Before the panel discussion began, attendees ate breakfast and visited exhibits provided by area organizations including: A Personal Touch money management service, the county Department of Consumer Affairs, Consumer Credit Counseling,
Franklin Savings, OWLS (Older Women Living Single), the Small Business Development Center, Showcase Magazine, Inspire Magazine and A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc., a division of Wachovia Securities.
The exhibitors offered a range of information on building and maintaining wealth, money management, investing, retirement, mortgages, credit and small businesses. Company representatives were available to answer any questions.
Special guest speakers included Veronica Fraiser, president of I AM Empowerment Coalition Inc., and Kevin Deely, vice president of Sturdy Savings Bank.
Frazier, whose company provides credit-counseling services, told of being buried in debt just 10 years ago and how she developed a plan for digging herself out.
“I was $93,000 in debt and felt lost,” she said. “Now I’m running my own successful business.”
Her plan focused on two sides, spiritual and practical. She said that by putting her financial situation in God’s hands, she was able to think clearly on the practical aspects of debt management that included creating and maintaining a budget, saving and repairing credit.
Deely focused on FICO credit scores and their importance in qualifying for a mortgage or other credit.
“Some things the system takes into consideration are payment history, amounts owed, length of credit history, new credit and types of credit in use,” Deely said. “All lenders use FICO scores in the loan process, but community banks like Sturdy don’t have to rely as heavily as the larger banks.”
He mentioned some first-time homebuyer and reverse mortgage loan programs that Study offers, but the main point Deely wanted to impart to attendees was to “take advantage of free credit report services to review your credit regularly.”
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com