WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- Choice One Community Credit Union CEO JohnKebles recently hosted an event for Congressman Paul Kanjorski(D-Pa.) at the credit union to link him up with the localofficials.

According to Kebles, Kanjorski spent about an hour with somearea credit union officials. The Credit Union RegulatoryImprovements Act (H.R. 1537), of which the congressman is theprimary co-sponsor, was a key point of interest for allparticipants.

Kebles has hosted events like this many times in the past."Anytime I possibly can, I'm willing to do it. I've had along-standing relationship with the congressman. We go back quite away," he explained. As an aside, he said that Kanjorski was lookingvery well after his triple bypass surgery earlier this year.

He noted that Kanjorski has been a long-time friend of creditunions. "He's been a champion not only of this credit union butevery credit union nationwide," Kebles said of Kanjorski.

Political activism like this event is crucial to the future ofcredit unions. "H.R. 1151 pointed that out to us. If we didn't havepolitical clout at that time we might not be in business today,"Kebles pointed out. Kanjorski took the lead in that credit unionlegislation as well.

He added, "In Wilkes-Barre, I pride myself for knowing all thecity councilman personally." Kebles has done door-to-doorgrassroots work for lawmakers like Kanjorski and helped thePennsylvania Credit Union Association work on a campaign event withothers for now Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.). He highlighted that it isimportant to do this type of work when you do not necessarily needanything so that the lawmakers remember you and remember that youhelped them.

The PCUA also made a campaign contribution to Kanjorski'scampaign during the event.