Travis Credit Union, Vacaville, Calif., has made the most of the holidays by reaching out to the community and people in need. From participating in the Solano and Contra Costa Food Banks annual food drive and Festival of Trees, to ChristmasWish 2005 and the 2005 Children's Miracle Network, staffers were ready to lend a helping hand. Evansville Teachers Federal Credit Union , Ind., has helped make the season bright for those in need this Christmas by hosting its first "Celebrate the Season of Giving" event. Designed to encourage cash, food, and toy donations for local charities, attendees were treated to candy canes, cookies, hot chocolate and Christmas carols from local high school choir groups. The credit union promoted the "Season of Giving" through newsletters and a live remote with an Evansville radio station. In addition, an Evansville television station promoted the event and broadcast their weather forecast live from ETFCU during their 5 p.m. news. TopLine Federal Credit Union, Maple Grove, Minn., helped more than 80 children kick-off the holiday season with its annual Winter Wonderland celebration. The children made ornaments, keepsake boxes, and lollipop trees to give as gifts this holiday and got temporary tattoos with the help of TopLine employee volunteers. In the true spirit of the holidays, many of the children brought gifts for donation to Community Emergency Assistance Program (CEAP). CEAP supports families in crisis in Northern Hennepin and Anoka Counties. More than 30 toys were donated to CEAP by children attending the event. Hopewell Federal Credit Union, Heath, Ohio, showed its appreciation for staffers by hosting an annual employee Christmas breakfast. Each year Hopewell FCU treats employees to a breakfast buffet. Teller Kim Bradley was honored at the breakfast for her more than 20 years of service. She received a special flower arrangement from President/CEO Al Smith. In addition the sales and service team celebrated opening a record 103 HO HO Christmas Club accounts-doubling the number opened last year. Earthmover Credit Union, Oswego, Ill., had a special Santa visit during the holidays. Young members, along with their family and friends, celebrated the holidays with Dewey the Dinosaur, Santa and ECU staffers. Over 60 kids enjoyed cookies and punch, special prizes, and pictures with Dewey and Santa. Truliant Federal Credit Union, Winston-Salem, N.C., has made the holidays brighter for over 400 local kids. Truliant purchased 400 stuffed dogs to be distributed to agencies in various communities. In addition, the Duke Energy Foundation of Davidson County and the Share the Warmth Fund of Wake County were each given $1,250 to assist low income families with utility bills; Family Services, Inc & Ways to Work, Inc. of Winston Salem were each given $2,500 to assist low income families with auto repair, used auto purchases, housing expenses, child care, and financial counseling; and the Speedway Children's Charities that assist some 70 + agencies in the Charlotte metro area were given $5,000. Parkview Community Federal Credit Union, Harrisonburg, Va., has donated $2,445 to the Salvation Army's "Hang-A-Kettle" program. This is the fourth year the credit union has made a donation to the Salvation Army, and in total more than $7,500 has been collected. Tampa Bay Federal , Fla., staffers got in the holiday spirit by donning Santa hats provided by the marketing team. Members were invited into branches to help spot Santa or his elves at work throughout the month of December. Robins Federal Credit Union, Warner Robins, Ga., has participated in The Salvation Army angel tag program to help ensure local area children received gifts for the holiday season. Robin FCU staffers have fulfilled the Christmas wish list of 23 children in the Central Georgia area. Technology Credit Union, in keeping with the spirit of the holiday season, participated in charitable campaigns organized by The Family Giving Tree and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Tech CU has participated in Second Harvest's food drive for several years in a row. This season, Tech CU's two hundred employees donated over ten barrels of non-perishable grocery items, while ten volunteers spent an evening at the San Jose Food Distribution Center to inspect, label and help sort food. Tech CU employees also collected 103 toys for distribution by the Family Giving Tree, and volunteered at the warehouse sort. Affinity Federal Credit Union, Basking Ridge, N.J. has collected much needed gifts for the children at Saint Clare's Hospital Children's Crisis Intervention Service. The gifts were donated by employees during Affinity's annual holiday gift drive. CCIS is a program of specialized inpatient care for children and adolescents who are experiencing emotional distress. T & C Federal Credit Union, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., has sponsored the 2005 Oakland-Pontiac Holiday Extravaganza. Nearly 700 people attended the events, which is the largest attendance ever gathered. T&C celebrated the magic of the holiday season this year with Magic 105.1 by hosting a prize vault before the parade. The first 1,000 people tried unsuccessfully to crack the vault. Close to 100 parade units participated this year including floats, bands, balloons, costumes and walkers. Over 10,000 people attended, which is more than the past two years combined. Free hot cocoa stations and shuttles were also available. Richmond Chapter of Credit Union, Va., has donated its staffers time and artistic skill to participate in the Ukrop's/ Retail Merchants Association Christmas Parade. This is the second year the Chapter has participated in this Christmas parade with a float. Over 15 credit unions in the Richmond-area took part in building and/or sponsoring the Chapter's float. SB1 Federal Credit Union, Philadelphia, has donated $1,000 each to Philabundance and Toys-For-Tots for the holiday season. Philabundance is a non-profit organization that helps feed Philadelphia's hungry. In addition SB1′s annual toy collection drive resulted in the donation of 12 full barrels of toys for children across the Delaware Valley. South Jersey Federal Credit Union, Deptford N.J. , has donated over $1,500 to help area families during the holiday season. The money, contributed throughout the year by over 90 credit union employees and scores of members as part of the credit union's "In the Spirit of the Season" holiday contribution program, was used to purchase food and toys for less fortunate families in South Jersey. Kinecta Federal Credit Union, Manhattan Beach, Calif., staffers, volunteers and members have filled more than 23 Toys-For-Tots boxes and 12 large bags with donations during their annual drive benefiting the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Campaign. At the end of the campaign, the pile of toys stood twice as large as last year, setting an organizational record. Georgia Federal Credit Union, Duluth, has donated some 945 gifts for local needy foster children. This marks the 16th year the credit union has collected gifts for local Departments of Family and Children's Services. Hawaii State Federal Credit Union, Honolulu, has donated over 2,000 pounds of food to 185 senior citizens living in the Kaka'ako, Pearl City and Kaneohe neighborhoods. The delivering of food and goodwill marked the eleventh consecutive year that Hawaii State FCU's Cheer On Wheels program has been able to bring some needed holiday cheer to homebound senior citizens. Members Credit Union, Lenoir, N.C., has raised $1,500 to buy necessities and Christmas gifts for a local family in need. This was the fifth consecutive year the Lenoir branch adopted a family in what they call the "Angel Jar" program, in terms of money raised, it was the most successful. The family selected, a mother and father with two children and a baby on the way, had fallen upon hard times; however, the father was determined to do his best to provide for his children and rode his bike five miles to work everyday.