Voting ballots were placed in the Folsom Life newspaper for over a month and generated close to 1,000 entries. Entries were accepted via mail, fax or in local drop boxes.

Schools Financial FCU was founded in 1933, serves more than 111,000 members and has over $1.2 billion in assets.

CU of Denver Partners with a Bronco

DENVER — John Lynch, of the Denver Broncos, has chosen Credit Union of Denver as the new financial home for the John Lynch Foundation.

To kick off this new alliance, Credit Union of Denver and the John Lynch Foundation are introducing "Defense for Denver," which will provide a free t-shirt and autographed photo of John Lynch in uniform with every $47 donation to the Foundation. The free gifts are available only by going to one of Credit Union of Denver's three branches.

The John Lynch Foundation's mission is to develop quality young leaders. The Foundation encourages dreams, provides programs that assist and motivate, and recognizes achievement and excellence.

Some of the Foundation's key youth programs are the Star of the Month program, which recognizes local student-athletes who excel in athletics, academics and community involvement; the Lynch Family Legacy scholarships; and the Salute the Stars awards luncheon. Through these and other initiatives, Lynch and his wife Linda are providing youngsters with encouragement and positive alternatives.

For more information about the John Lynch Foundation, go to www.johnlynchfoundation.com.

HAR-CO Celebrates Six Years of Sponsoring After-School Help

BEL AIR, Md. — Imagine a classroom filled with lively exchanges between teachers and peers, where trivia questions are as important as curriculum concerns. An exchange where high school students help younger peers, while teachers provide informative, interesting insights into topics the students will see during the school year. In between, there's information about events in the community and the schools and everyone gets a chance to talk and interact. It's like a cool, relaxed study hall, only this "classroom" is on TV and the interaction is via phone calls, and for the sixth year in a row, HAR-CO Maryland Federal Credit Union is a major force in making it happen.

Homework 411 is a production by Harford Cable Network designed to help Harford County third through eighth graders with homework questions. The show is made possible by HAR-CO and McDonalds, and presents a great opportunity for students not just to learn, but to teach as well, with local high-school students providing the staffing to answer the phone banks and help with the production.

"Homework 411 is just a great tool to help Harford County students," explains Nan Brennick, vice president marketing director for HAR-CO. "We've been involved since the beginning because the education community is our community, and being able to be part of such a service is what we're all about."

In addition to providing underwriting to produce the show, HAR-CO also sponsors prizes for Reward Points for students who call in. Students earn points for calling, and can trade the points for prizes during the year, encouraging students to phone in frequently.

"We want students not to be afraid of calling in," says Brennick. "With the Reward Points, we try to make it fun to ask for help; the more they interact the more the program helps the students to learn and succeed."

Homework 411 is broadcast live Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:30 p.m., and rebroadcast on Wednesdays and Fridays at 7 p.m. Huntington Learning Center sponsors a homework tip of the day.

TruMark Financial CU Radio Spots Earns Top Honor

TREVOSE, Pa. — The Fourteenth Annual Philadelphia March of Dimes Achievement In Radio Awards recently recognized TruMark Financial Credit Union's "Actual Person" radio commercial as the best commercial in the agency/advertiser category.

TruMark Financial hired David Witz Radio Spots to create and produce radio commercials to create brand awareness and coincide with the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association's iBelong campaign to promote the availability of credit unions.

The credit union's commercials aired over the summer in conjunction with a series of community events it held on Sundays at its branch locations.

The spots depict a prospective member on the phone hitting the Operator button trying to bypass an automated voice tree in the hopes of reaching an "actual person". Instead, the client speaks to a member service representative and learns at TruMark Financial you speak to a live person and not an automated system.

The A.I.R. recognizes the achievements of the Philadelphia radio industry for its creativity and contributions. All proceeds from the A.I.R. Awards benefit the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation whose sole mission is to eliminate birth defects and infant mortality.