BREMERTON, Wash. – Kitsap County Public Employees Credit Union has paid a one-time bonus dividend to its members on their quarterly account statements. Close to $23,000 was paid back to 4,300 members. The bonus dividend paid to each member equaled 11% of the total dividends received year-to-date, including September's regular dividend. "We felt that it was the right time to return a bonus to our members rather than accrue excess funds in our reserve accounts. It was a way that we could show our appreciation to our members for their continued support of the credit union, which has been especially important in these tough economic times," said Tracy Olson, president/CEO of KCPECU. Never one to waste an opportunity, the $23 million credit union also used the bonus dividend as a way to educate members on the many differences between banks and credit unions. A newsletter article entitled, "You won't see any bank doing this," accompanied the statements and explained the bonus dividend.