BEVERLY, Mass.-Beverly Municipal Federal Credit Union is stepping up to the plate to offer assistance to its members actively serving in the military or participating in relief efforts for victims of natural disasters. "It's just something we wanted to do," Beverly Municipal CEO Laurie Callahan said. She brought up lowering these particular members' loan rates at a board meeting and the members voted unanimously for the 3% level. The rate is being honored for one year, she said. "Each day they need every break they can get," the CEO of the $12 million credit union said. "The members of the military are making enough sacrifices." She added that their pay could be substantially impacted by their service. Callahan also said that members of the local fire department, for example, took some volunteers down to the hurricane-ravaged areas for relief efforts. Her computer system was down at the time, but Callahan estimated that it probably applied to less than 10 loans.