BEL AIR, Md. — HAR-CO Maryland Federal Credit Union has been recognized for excellence in two categories recently by the Maryland & District of Columbia Credit Union Association. HAR-CO won a Trailblazer Award for Best Annual Report for its 50th Anniversary Annual Report, which celebrated a half-century of service. HAR-CO also was the sole winner of the Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award. "These awards, especially the Desjardins Award, are important to us," said HAR-CO President/CEO Jim Meehan. "The Desjardins Award serves to confirm the path of our work for the past ten years, refreshes our efforts and encourages others to duplicate our work in other regions. It also reinforces our brand as Harford County's credit union for the education community, students and their families." In 2000, HAR-CO placed second nationally for CUNA's Dora Maxwell award for Social Responsibility and found it to be valuable for these same reasons. "We are excited to be in the running again for a national award, and proud to be representing our region," added Meehan. The Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award is a CUNA award, which recognizes leadership within the credit union movement on behalf of youth financial literacy. Winners are selected based on all activities supporting the personal financial education of young members and nonmembers, including teaching, publicity, lobbying for curriculum requirements, teacher and volunteer training and much more in choosing award winners. HAR-CO was the only credit union in the Maryland-DC district to win the award, and will now represent Maryland & DC in the national Desjardins competition. Those awards will be presented during CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference in February 2007.