When the Massena Mayor's Ball was canceled earlier this year,the big loser was the local D.A.R.E. program, which was slated toreceive funds from the annual event. In order to help the D.A.R.E.program, SeaComm Federal Credit Union, Massena, N.Y., decided todonate $1,000 to make up for the lost revenue. D.A.R.E., whichstands for “drug abuse resistance education,” is a policeofficer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children fromkindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure andlive productive drug and violence-free lives. SeaComm continuedthis anti-drug message by sponsoring a presentation titled, “Thereis No Magic in Drugs,” for 5th graders in both the Potsdam andCanton school districts. The unique educational program featuresprofessional magician “Karvell” and his wife, “Karlene,” andcombines magic, education and personal life experiences toillustrate and encourage youth with the magic words: “Yes I can sayNO!” The assembly deals with understanding the risks and dangers,learning to deal with peer pressure and making positive choices.Community West Credit Union, Kentwood, Mich., recently petitionedits employees to donate books for elementary aged school childrenand they responded with generosity. Over the course of a month, the40 employees of the CU collected over 250 books for Rogers LaneElementary located in Wyoming, Mich. BMI Federal Credit Union,Columbus, Ohio, congratulates and wishes luck to the winners of its2006 scholarship winners. Each scholarship recipient received$1,000 toward their college or university tuition. The winners ofthe 2006 Jack Deibert Memorial Scholarship are: Ashley Park, MaryVarga, Nilesh Wickramanayake and Tanya Emswiler. The 2006 Mary JoMeinrad Nursing Scholarship winners are: Anna Marie Hicks and MaryKatherine Niksa. The winners of the 2006 Dick Pierce MemorialBusiness Scholarships are: John Kircher, Elizabeth Parent, StephaniStreaker and Kathryn Voigt. SC Telco Federal Credit Union,Columbia, S.C., participated in the Annual Midlands Heartwalk, afundraiser that benefits the American Heart Association. Throughthe generosity of both employees and members, the CU was able toraise and donate over $1,500. The Columbia branch held a rummagesale and sold paper donation hearts and American Heart Associationbracelets for help with the donation. The American HeartAssociation Midlands Heartwalk had over 4,000 participants andraised over $450,000 to help protect people of all ages andethnicities from the ravages of heart disease and stroke. CarolinaPostal Credit Union, Charlotte, N.C., donated teddy bears to theCharlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to aid children in dealingwith traumatic situations, such as car accidents and domesticviolence. The bears had been left over from a holiday dinner withSanta event the credit union held in December and the CU thoughtthat donating them to the police department would help childreninvolved in scary situations. Community Financial Credit Union,Plymouth, Mich., sponsored storytelling sessions for more than1,000 children to attend at local libraries and schools inobservance of “March is Reading Month.” Community Financial's threeeducation partnership coordinators conducted 41 reading sessions atarea schools, from kindergarten through fifth grade. The CU alsosponsored three public library reading programs that included guestreaders from their respective communities. “March is Reading Month”is one of many educational programs that Community Financialsupports in the communities it serves. Millstream Area CreditUnion, Findlay, Ohio, awarded three CU members the Friend “Al”Himes Memorial Scholarship. Tonya Roof received top honors and wasawarded a $1,000 scholarship. Amanda Werling and Katelin Heflingereach received $500 scholarships. The Friend “Al” Himes scholarshipis presented in honor of the late Al Himes, who served on theMillstream Area CU board of directors for more than 25 years. Aftertwo rounds of voting, members of HAR-CO Federal Credit Union, BelAir, Md., chose a charity to receive a $5,000 donation at theirannual meeting in March. Selected from six finalists, theHistorical Society of Harford County was awarded the donation aspart of the credit union's 50th anniversary celebration. Althoughthe Historical Society won the members' votes, HAR-CO decided thatall of the finalists were truly deserving, so the CU made asurprise donation of $100 to each of the remaining charities: AlCesky Scholariship Fund Inc., Chesapeake Cancer Alliance, HarfordCounty 4-H Clubs Inc., Mason Dixon Community Services and theSalvation Army. Georgetown Kraft Credit Union, Myrtle Beach, S.C.,became a “Hero for the ARC” recently by donating $1,000 to theCoastal South Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross HeroesCampaign. This local chapter of the American Red Cross has set agoal of $100,000 for the major fundraising campaign that kicked offon March 27. The CU's donation is to help the chapter reach itsgoal. More than 1,000 children each year at Lucile PackardChildren's Hospital are benefiting from an innovative art therapyprogram made possible by private contributions, most recently a$10,000 grant from the Stanford Federal Credit Union, Palo Alto,Calif. Since recreation therapy is not covered by health insuranceprivate donations are important to the program. Children are givenart supplies so they can draw and paint while receivingchemotherapy and art carts are brought to patients who cannot leavetheir beds. The program fosters enthusiasm and promotes anatmosphere that supports creativity and self-expression. The CUearmarked its donation to the program to help ensure emotionalsupport for children is part of their medical care. North JerseyFederal Credit Union, Totowa, N.J., will participate in “Recycle 4Kids,” a program sponsored by Boxed Love Inc., a nonprofitorganization dedicated to providing gifts to underprivilegedchildren in the state. The “Recycle 4 Kids” program collects andrecycles used printer cartridges, copier cartridges and cell phonesat no cost from companies and individual donors. The proceedscollected from the recycled materials benefit the fund. Boxed LoveInc. also accepts new toy donations and gift cards, as well asmonetary donations. Printer cartridge, copier cartridge and cellphone donations can be dropped off at anyone of NJFCU's threebranches. Altura Credit Union, Riverside, Calif., recently donatedfive Dell computers to Hillview Acres Children's Home, a 24-hourresidential treatment center for abused and neglected children. Thegroup home in Chino, serves nearly 50 children from ages six to 16.Employees of the Klamath Falls branch of Rogue Federal CreditUnion, Medford, Ore., recently spent the day at the Klamath CrisisCenter cleaning and painting its children's playroom. Sections ofthe walls were painted with magnetic paint and others withchalkboard paint, mini blinds were hung and furniture was replaced.The Crisis Center even called in an artist to paint a mural on oneof the walls. The staff at RFCU plus several family members donatedmore than 32 combined hours to complete the project and throughout2005, the CU staff donated more than 6,000 hours on similarprojects. Scott Credit Union, Collinsville, Ill., is holding acandy sale to help the Autism Society of Southern Illinois. Onehundred percent of the proceeds will go to the society. In order toraise additional funds, the CU will hold a dress day down once aweek for the month of April for employees who make a $5 donation oneach of the specified fundraising days. In other donation news atScott Credit Union, the CU recently raised $1,000 by hosting anemployee “jeans day” and putting out collection jars for membercontributions. The $1,000 donation went to the March of Dimes,after a CU employee decided to start a walk team to help otherswho, like her, had experienced the trauma of a premature birth.During the Edwardsville walk, the CU sponsored a checkpointproviding bottled water to all participants. Dana Joy, a member ofRobins Federal Credit Union, Warner Robins, Ga., was the proudwinner of a Gateway notebook computer during the CU's “MightyMouse” Online Services Promotion. She was chosen at random from the4,066 people age 18 and above who signed up to receive onlineservices from Jan. 1 to March 31. The contest was designed toencourage members to see what the CU's “Mighty Mouse” can do tohelp save time and money with free online services from RobinsFederal. Pacific Service Credit Union, Walnut Creek, Calif., hasdonated $5,000 to Elder Financial Protection Network for education,training and community awareness efforts in Northern California.The Novato-based EFPN is nationally recognized for developingpartnerships among law enforcement agencies, adult social serviceproviders and financial institutions to prevent the financialexploitation of California's elderly citizens and dependent adults.America's Christian Credit Union, Glendora, Calif., recently joinedwith the American Red Cross to host a blood drive that yielded 31pints of blood. Posters bearing facts such as, “One pint can savethree lives,” persuaded employees to roll up their sleeves anddonate. Flyers could be seen all over town, as staff visited localbusinesses distributing bundles of posters.