Businesses in the area to aid Katrina victims

> Curves International founders Gary and Diane Heavin have set up a disaster relief fund to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina and will personally match contributions made to the fund up to $1 million.

Donations will be accepted at local clubs, forwarded to Curves headquarters then disbursed to major disaster relief organizations such as the Red Cross, as well as local children's homes, hospitals, food banks and other Gulf state charities affected by the disaster.

Donations must be received by Oct. 24.

For information, call the Curves at 3440 Wilkens Ave. (410-646-2000), the Curves at 5410 East Drive (410-737-9000) or the Curves at 626 Edmondson Ave. (410-788-5500).

> Erickson Retirement Communities' Hurricane Katrina disaster relief fundraising campaign among its 15,500 residents and 8,500 staff nationwide continues through Sept. 14, with money to be given to the American Red Cross and targeted for disaster relief in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

As of Sept. 6, residents and employees had donated more than $93,000.

With the Erickson $25,000 match, the total is $118,000 and climbing.

"Our residents and colleagues, in large numbers, are doing whatever they can to help victims and their families," said Mel Tansill, senior director of public affairs for Erickson.

"We are proud and appreciative of them."

> Provident Bank employees have pledged to aid in relief efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina by partnering with The American Red Cross.

Provident Bank will match employee contributions to the American Red Cross, dollar for dollar, up to $20,000.

Additionally, Provident has made a contribution of $5,000 to the American Red Cross.

Provident's Group Manager of Operations, Russ Johnson, serves as a board member of the Central Maryland chapter of the Red Cross.

Provident Bank's Human Resources team, along with the bank's volunteer arm, the Provident Volunteer Corps, is also working with the American Red Cross to support its blood drive and collect items needed by local area families to assist evacuees who may relocate to the Baltimore area.

Provident's network includes 149 offices in Maryland, Virginia, and southern York County.

Among them are in-store branches at Shoppers Food Warehouse, 5457 Baltimore National Pike, and at Wal-Mart, 6205 Baltimore National Pike, as well as branches at 7210 Ambassador Road in Woodlawn and Wilkens Plaza, 4656 Wilkens Ave.

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.