PASADENA, Calif. – A one-day political action fund-raising effort has raised $257,000 for the California/Nevada Credit Union League, officials have announced. The third-annual phone bank event, held April 6 at Wescom Credit Union here, set a new one-day league PAC record, breaking the 2003 phone bank record of $166,000. California credit unions contributed $244,000 of the total with Nevada credit unions adding another $13,000. The funds will be used to support political advocacy efforts in Sacramento, Carson City and Washington, D.C. "Once again, league credit unions made an outstanding effort and showed their commitment to help ensure the future of credit unions," said David L. Chatfield, league president and chief executive officer. "The PAC phone bank is a critical fundraising activity and we really appreciate the outpouring of support from the credit union community." The fundraising effort is part of the league's overall goal to raise $2.3 million in 2003-2004. About a dozen credit union CEOs along with members of the league's PAC committee made telephone calls to their peers to solicit corporate contributions for the state PAC and individual donations for the federal PAC. "What makes this fundraiser unique is that our members aren't hearing it from league staff, they're hearing it from their peers," noted Ron Fong, the league's political finance director. "It's their peers who have gotten the message (about the importance of political advocacy) and who have given up their whole day . . . to dedicate to PAC and to make that kind of effort. It tells me that people are getting the message and they're willing to dedicate some of their time to give other people the message."