MILESTONES

Capital Communications FCU, Albany, N.Y., has formed a partnership with Rensselaer County Coalition Against Abuse, headed by Rensselaer County District Attorney Kenneth Bruno, to work together against elder abuse and financial exploitation. As part of this effort, CCFCU has planned four training sessions for employees to raise awareness of the problem by teaching what signs to look for and where to report a case. CCFCU serves 38,000 members. Columbia CU, Vancouver, Wash., has held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for its new Hazel Dell branch at the SW corner of I-5 & 99th St. exit. This new office replaced an older Hazel Dell location, and includes an office for Columbia's investment subsidiary, Columbia Financial Network. Decatur Earthmover CU, Decatur, Ill., members received an interest rebate in January. Card holders received a 5% interest rebate on all finance charges paid in `99. In addition to the $600,000 in bonus dividends and interest rebates DECU paid on Dec. 31, another $26,000 was paid to Visa and MasterCard card holders. All bonus dividends/interest rebates were paid to members in good standing who had earned at least $60 in dividends last year, or who paid at least $60 in loan interest. About 10,000 of DECU's 18,000 members received an average payout of just under $61, ranging from the $3 minimum to over $2,000, officials said. Navy FCU, Everett, Wash., the world's largest FCU, has opened its 88th member service center, its third in Washington State, in Marysville. This center will serve military and civilian personnel assigned to Naval Station Everett. The manager of the new center is Susan Sapida. Two 24-hour no-surcharge ATMs also have opened in the area, one at NAVSTA Everett Citgo Mini Mart and the other at the Smokey Point Citgo Mini Mart. The grand opening and ribbon cutting on the new member service center was held in mid-February, said a Navy FCU spokeswoman. Pacific NW FCU, Portland, Ore., recently opened a new branch at the Bonneville Power Administration's Ross Complex in Vancouver, Wash.