Red Cross has ‘Everyday Hero Contest’

The American Red Cross announces its American Red Cross Everyday Hero Contest. The contest is sponsored by the American Red Cross, Bank of Oklahoma, T.D.Williamson, Jackie Cooper Imports and Joe Cooper Ford. Oklahoma’s NewsChannel 8 will feature category representatives on their station.

There are five categories from which a winner will be selected.

Hero nominees must live in Adair, Cherokee, Creek, Eastern, Kay, Mayes, Northern McIntosh, Muskogee, Northeastern Noble, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Osage, Pawnee, Rogers, Tulsa or Wagoner County. Every nominee will be featured in American Red Cross promotions and publications, receive a certificate and are invited to a recognition luncheon on May 5th. Category representatives will be featured on KTUL Oklahoma’s NewsChannel 8.

There are three ways you can nominate someone for one of the Everyday Hero Awards — 1) You can either fill out a nomination form that is available at various locations in Rogers and Mayes County, including the Rogers/Mayes County Service Center at 400 W. Will Rogers Blvd. in Claremore; 2) Go online at www.tulsaredcross.org and fill out the nomination form there; or 3) Write a couple of paragraphs about the person you want to nominate, then bring it by the Rogers County Service Center and fill out the nomination form while you’re there.

Nominations must be received by 4:30 p.m. Friday, March 31 at: Everyday Heroes, American Red Cross, Rogers/Mayes County Service Center, 400 W. Will Rogers Blvd., Claremore, Oklahoma 74017 or fax to 918-341-7221.

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.