BURNSVILLE, Minn. – Credit unions interested in a creativefundraising campaign may want to consider getting into the waterbusiness. US Federal Credit Union has tapped “specialty” wateramong other fun internal campaigns to help raise over $10,000 forMinnesota's food shelves during the month of March. To meet a 2004goal of 4,500 pounds of food and/or dollars donated to local foodbank Minnesota Food Share, a committee made up of staff from avariety of departments dreamt up all kinds of creative internalfundraisers, including jeans days, luncheons, employee massages,silent auctions and a miniature golf tournament. “Well this yearthe marketing/business development team came up with the idea ofselling bottled water relabeled with the faces of the “USFCU seniormanagement team and it was a ton of fun,” said USFCU VPMarketing/Business Development Marty Kelly. “We linked theirpositions and personalities to their labels and it became quite aheated but friendly competition.” Once his older brother and the USFCU Marketing team came up with the copy, Phoenix freelancedesigner Ryan Kelly designed the water bottle labels. Individualbottles were sold for $1 and Kelly says now you can see staffersenjoying Director of Asset Protection Jeff Olsen's “Hot Water” withthe description When Jeff Calls, You're In It. Drink fast-we'recoming back for the bottle; SVP/Chief Technology Officer JoanneJohnson's “H2.0 Water Upgraded” or some of the other remaining ninebottles. Initially USFCU SEG Haferman Water Conditioning, Inc.donated the first 240 bottles, which Kelly says he thought would bea two-week supply. “The water lasted less than two days so westarted to purchase water in bulk from a nearby wholesaler,” saidKelly. “I didn't count on ego. Supervisors were buying cases oftheir own water to hand out at dinner parties while employees sawit as a way to support their bosses.” Opting to play up the idea of“feeding supervisor egos” by quenching thirst, the marketingdepartment posted a sales chart display with the pictures of all 11supervisors and kept track of which senior staff's face sold morebottles. In addition, weekly sales updates were sent to employeesand e-mails were sent out during the promotion with managerspushing their water as a “healthier alternative to the rest” or an“antidote” to another manager's water. “In the end the big winnerturned out to be Minnesota Food Share,” said Kelly. “We doubled ourannual goal in just one month.” According to Minnesota FoodShare,Minnesota food shelf use is nearing an all-time record high duringjust the first nine months of 2003 there were 1,095,020 visits – a15% increase from 2002. As for the internal senior staffcompetition, Kelly says in the end US FCU VP of Research andDevelopment Greg Berry (Wet Dawg Water Make an Impression-Put theDawg Out From the makers of Big Dawg Chili) beat out Olsen's “HotWater” for the most bottles sold. Creative fundraisers for FoodShare are nothing new to USFCU. In February, the credit union wasawarded a National Honorable Mention Dora Maxwell Award for SocialResponsibility for their 2003 Food Share [email protected]