WESTBROOK, Maine — Maine credit unions through their unique volunteer program called Credit Unions Share for ME volunteered nearly 20,000 hours in 2006.
Based on figures from the Points of Light Foundation, which calculates the value of one hour volunteered at $18.77, the value of the time volunteered by Maine's credit unions equaled $366,015 in 2006.
According to the Maine Credit Union League, which coordinates the Program, a total of 2,029 CU staff and volunteers, representing a 5% increase from 2005, participated in the program during the past year.
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In 2006, the top five credit unions donating the most volunteer hours were Saco Valley CU in Saco (2,789); Five County CU in Bath (2,506.75); Rainbow FCU in Lewiston (2,299); Oxford FCU in Mexico (1,338); and Maine State CU in Augusta (1,245).
The top five credit unions with the most total volunteers were: Rainbow FCU in Lewiston (201); Saco Valley CU in Saco (200); Midcoast FCU in Bath (178); Five County CU in Bath (159); and Maine State CU in Augusta (138). Throughout the year, credit union representatives participated in community-related projects, such as school activities, ending hunger, serving on nonprofit boards, organizing community fundraisers, donating blood, youth athletics, soup kitchens, walk-a-thons, and a host of other events and activities.
In 2006, the Program averaged 1,624 hours volunteered per month with an average of 169 volunteers participating.
Credit Unions Share for ME tracks and updates the volunteer efforts of credit unions on a monthly basis. Since the program began in April 2002, Maine credit unions have volunteered a documented 83,600 hours for community-service projects.
"This program is another way to emphasize the importance of volunteering and giving back to the communities and people that credit unions serve," said Maine CUL Governmental and Public Affairs Manager Jon Paradise.
Through Credit Unions Share for ME, Paradise adds that the League hopes to increase awareness of how active credit unions, their staff and directors are as an entire movement as well as to encourage new volunteer opportunities.
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