In Other News

AWARDS HAR-CO Maryland Federal Credit Union, Bel Air, Md., recently received thanks from the Bel Air Independence Day Committee for its continuous support of the annual Fourth of July festivities. Don Stewart, president of the committee, presented HAR-CO President/CEO Jim Meehan with the award. The CU has supported the 4th of July fireworks and parade for over a decade. DONATIONS North Jersey Federal Credit Union, Totowa, N.J., recently donated $1,000 to the March of Dimes in support of research programs to prevent premature births. The donation will be used toward New Jersey programs, research and community education. With the support of Texans Credit Union, Richardson, Texas, two local scholars were honored for their achievements in the Education Exchange 2006 College Grant Program by each receiving a $1,000 college grant. The Education Exchange is sponsored by the ACCEL/Exchange electronic funds transfer network, owned and operated by Fiserv, Inc. Through the program, 34 high school seniors from across the country are selected to share a total of $50,000 in college grants. Grants of $1,000 and $5,000 are offered to students based upon scholastic achievement, community involvement, qualities of charter and leadership and financial need. Emily Franda and Glen Hunt were the Texans CU winners. E1 Financial Credit Union, Alhambra, Calif., recently participated in the West San Gabriel Valley YMCA 3rd Annual “18 Holes Across America” Golf Tournament at Alhambra Golf Course. Everyone participating in the day’s events raised money for the YMCA. Southwest Airlines and Tri-Star Vending presented the event. Participants had the opportunity to take a “tour” across America with plenty of music, food and activities to accommodate golfers at all levels. Travis Credit Union, Vacaville, Calif., recently sponsored the first-ever golf tournament to benefit the local Boys & Girls Club. The tournament was held at Rancho Solano Golf Course and raised more than $13,000. In addition to acting as the title sponsor of the well attended tournament, several Travis Credit Union Board members were present to golf and support the event. The day concluded with an awards dinner and banquet featuring a raffle and auction. Approximately 72 golfers participated in a four man scramble golf tournament. Achieva Credit Union, Largo, Fla., recently awarded six Pinellas County students with scholarships thanks to their new scholarship program. The six winners were: Aaron Freeman, Sierra Gadson, Nichole Lang, Brittany Maben, Ivana Sehovic, and Khalilah Warnke. Employees of Peninsula Credit Union, Escanaba, Mich., recently ventured to the local Dairy Queen to support Children’s Hospital while enjoying a Blizzard at the same time. All proceeds of Blizzards sold that day at multiple Dairy Queen locations went directly to Children’s Hospital in Seattle. San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union, San Diego, recently hosted its 7th Annual Blood Drive benefiting the San Diego Blood Bank. Forty pints of blood were donated at the drive, potentially saving 120 lives. SDMCU’s drive was part of a month-long collaborative blood collection effort on behalf of credit unions throughout San Diego County. Participants, consisting of SDMCU members, employees and members of the local community, received several prizes and a raffle entry, and sponsors for the refreshments included Kashi Company. LBS Financial Credit Union, Long Beach, Calif., along with eight local credit unions and credit union organizations donated more then 600 new items to the Long Beach Veterans Association and the U.S. Vets, a private corporation. Organized by management and staff from LBS Financial and the Long Beach Chapter of the California Credit Union League, items were collected by chapter members and staff at their credit unions in support of local veterans. More than 50 individual participants from the eight credit unions supported the cause. Donated items included new clothing, blankets, personal care products and more. Champion Credit Union, Canton, N.C., recently awarded its A. Roland Leatherwood Memorial Scholarship to high school seniors in its field of membership. Out of the group that applied to be considered for the scholarship, only four were chosen based on their scholastic achievement and merit/community involvement. A total of $16,000 is awarded each year to the four successful candidates of the memorial scholarship, with each applicant receiving $1,000 for four years to assist them financially. In the midst of a serious blood shortage, Kent Credit Union, Kent, Ohio, partnered with the American Red Cross and hosted a blood drive at the CU’s Streetsboro location. This annual event drew members, employees and local residents who donated enough blood to assist in the recovery of 51 people. Scott Credit Union, Collinsville, Ill., raised more than $1,100 for the Children’s Miracle Network of Greater St. Louis by selling discounted Six Flags tickets at the CU’s nine Metro-east offices. A portion of the proceeds from this summer’s sales of $31 single day tickets and $73 season passes was given to the Children’s Miracle Network of Greater St. Louis providing support to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center and St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The Southern Tier Chapter of the New York State Credit Union League, Binghamton, N.Y., recently awarded Kevin Eggleston with a $500 scholarship on behalf of the organization. Stephen Gardner, president/CEO of GHS Federal Credit Union, presented the scholarship to Eggleston. The Chapter is comprised of Horizons FCU, Visions FCU, GHS FCU, UHS EFCU, SEFCU, Empire FCU and Sidney FCU. The staff, board and committee members at Redstone Federal Credit Union, Huntsville, Ala., have embarked on the ultimate community building opportunity this season by partnering with Habitat for Humanity of Madison County to build a new home in Huntsville. The Family Selection Committee within the Habitat for Humanity organization chooses eligible families based upon need, income level and a willingness to dedicate 350 “sweat equity” hours. Sweat equity means working for their own and other construction projects of Habitat goals. In addition, the selected families are trained in basic upkeep and maintenance of their new home. For its project in Huntsville, Habitat selected the Langford family to receive a new home. Wepawaug-Flagg Federal Credit Union, Hamden, Conn., has awarded four $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors and college students to help defray expenses. Applicants were asked to submit an essay on “The Benefits of Credit Unions.” A scholarship committee of WFFCU members based their selections on the merits of students essays, references and community service. The winners were: Jacqueline LaRonde, LaQuaya Cohen, Brendan Law, and Anna Balouskus. NJ Gateway Federal Credit Union, South Brunswick Township, N.J., recently donated Frisbees to the South Brunswick Family YMCA’s Summer Camp Program. With the donation, four young campers challenged two local executives to a Frisbee toss. Both Tom Libasi, executive director of the South Brunswick Family YMCA, and Rina Pantano, president/CEO of NJ Gateway FCU, participated in the challenge. Congressman Jim Ryun was at Kansas Super Chief Credit Union, Topeka, Kan., to help present $17,850 to Wendell Snodgrass, St. Francis Health Executive Director. The 4th Annual Miracles Golf Classic sponsored by Kansas Super Chief Credit Union to benefit St. Francis Children’s Miracle Network was the fundraising event that produced the donation for the health center. St. Francis Children’s Miracle Network is a nonprofit organization that assists children with critical medical needs. The Capital Communications Cares Foundation, a foundation of Capital Communications Federal Credit Union, Albany, N.Y., donated $5,000 to the Prescription Drug Program at Bethesda House in Schenectady, so that medications and prescriptions can continue to be provided to homeless and low-income people. The Capital Communications Cares Foundation was established in 2003 as an extension of the efforts Capital Communications FCU was making to provide support for educational endeavors, community enrichment and children’s causes. The Foundation has since made in-kind and monetary donations of more than $500,000 to Capital Region organizations in need. Employes of Afena Federal Credit Union, Marion, Ind., are “getting comfy and casual for a cause” with the return of Denim Fridays, the newest installment of the “People Helping People” program in support of Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. Every Friday for a month, staff members are given the option to wear jeans in exchange for making a $5 donation in support of Riley Children’s Foundation. Staff members are also encouraged to wear their “Celebrate Miracles” t-shirt, regardless if they opt for the denim look or not, to show support of the foundation and Afena Federal CU’s focus on Riley Month. ART: HCU School Supply Drive.jpg CUT: HCU Branch Manager Connie Wiese and Sherman Middle School Principal Ann Yehle display the school supplies collected during the drive. Heritage Credit Union, Madison, Wis., recently held a school supply drive to benefit children in need on Madison’s northside. HCU members and staff were encouraged to bring school supplies into the Shopko Drive Branch to be distributed by Sherman Middle School to children in need. The donations included backpacks, notebooks, scissors, folders, markers, pencils and many other items. ART: Doylefielddonation2081609.jpg CUT: Ralph Caisse and Dick O’Brien, of Doyle Field Foundation, stand in front of the Doyle Box under construction, along with Paul Sefakis, assistant vice president and Leominster branch manager of Workers’ CU. Workers’ Credit Union, Fitchburg, Mass., recently contributed $5,000 toward the restoration of Doyle Field in Leominster. Paul Sefakis, assistant vice president and Leominster branch manager at the CU, met with Ralph Caisse and Dick O’Brien of the Doyle Field Foundation to see the field under construction. The CU also made a $10,000 donation to the Leominster Public Library for its 35,000 square foot addition which is under construction. ART: Peter with school supplies.jpg CUT: Peter Matthews, president/CEO of Merrimack Valley FCU, shows the schools supplies that were donated to five schools in the CU’s service area. Merrimack Valley Federal Credit Union, North Andover, Mass., recently picked a school in every city where it has a branch and gave them $500 worth of school supplies in celebration of opening its newest branch in Plaistow, N.H. The total donation from the CU was $2,500 worth of school supplies. MILESTONES ART: Community Choice group w/ plaque.jpg CUT: Indiana Credit Union League President John McKenzie (second from left) presented commemorative plaques from the League and CUNA at the 25th anniversary reception for Community Choice FCU. Community Choice Federal Credit Union, Indianapolis, Indiana’s only credit union that was chartered specifically as a Community Development Credit Union celebrated 25 years of service to members recently. The two-day celebration marking the 25th anniversary of Community Choice began at the Historic Firehouse #2 during a reception attended by members, state legislators, Cliff Rosenthal, executive director of the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions and Indiana League President John McKenzie. The credit union partnered with community and city representatives to celebrate the revitalization of the area by hosting an ice cream social following the dedication of Moon Block Park on the second day of the celebration. Mutual Savings Credit Union, Birmingham, Ala., recently offered two special seven percent certificate of deposit specials to celebrate 70 years of service. Orginally created to serve employees of U.S. Steel’s Fairfield Works, Mutual Savings Credit Union has been serving communities since 1936. MSCU offered two special CDs: seven percent for seven months and seven percent for 12 months. ART: CEO and cake.tif CUT: United Health CU Board Chairman Tony Violanti and President/CEO Linda White proudly display a cake that was 50 years in the making. United Health Credit Union, Burlingame, Calif., recently celebrated 50 years serving members. The CU gave away 50 vacation packages and shared a birthday cake with the credit union’s 50th anniversary logo with members. There was also an after-hours open house for local officials, colleagues and longtime members at the main branch. About 50 guests enjoyed a light catered meal and drinks and each received a souvenir key chain with the CU’s 50th anniversary logo.