HUNTINGTON, Utah — It almost went unnoticed five months ago when the $28 million Desertview Federal Credit Union with a little industry help quietly put together a special $58,000 fund-raiser for the families of the Crandall Mine disaster in this central Utah town of 2,200.
As the media over the New Year's weekend marked Utah's top story of the year it became known that Desertview organized a hugely successful Sept. 15 country/rock concert in the very junior high school where the grieving families heard the news Aug. 6 of six miners being trapped. Later three more miners died trying to rescue them.
"We were never out to make some kind of name for our credit union but our gesture in sponsoring the concert was simply a way of assisting our members who were mourning the mining families of Huntington," explained Gary Arrington, Desertview vice chair who recounted how corporate donations helped pay for three separate funds including an $18,000 college scholarship.
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Also helping the 5,000-member Desertview with ads and concert arrangements were the Utah League of Credit Unions and America First FCU of Ogden.
"I think what we did shows that you don't have to be a large credit union to put on something like this to help your members," said Arrington. Desertview served as the lead sponsor for the free concert called "Celebration of Heroes" with the CU barring any ad mention at the event "because this was about the families not the sponsors."
Apart from the concert, the CU took immediate steps after the tragedy "to make sure any member affected would not have a negative report to any credit bureau."
Regarding the free concert, planners first tried to keep it local in nature but interest grew and "we ended up with a nine-hour event held at Canyon View Junior High School," said Arrington.
The concert, which drew a crowd estimated at 15,000-17,000, was the largest event of its kind for the area and featured country star Colin Raye plus two-time Grammy winner Rachel Lynn Howard, American Idol finalist Carmen Rasmussen, winner of America's Got Talent Terry Fador, and X-Games gold medalists Ronnie Renner and Adam Jones.
Also in attendance was former Utah Jazz star Karl Malone who met with families, talked to the crowd and signed autographs.
"In addition, the sponsors, which included McDonalds and Sam's Club, paid for 4,500 hamburgers and chips which were given out," said Arrington.
"The mine tragedy was something that affected us all," said Arrington. "Several of those that died were our members, plus some of the injured. Our head teller's brother-in-law was the first rescuer that died."
Even without charging, the event raised over $38,000 for the families and also over $18,000 to start a scholarship fund, said Arrington.
"To put on this event as a paid item would cost over $200,000," said Arrington. "To us, it is not the size of your credit union but the willingness to make a difference."
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