Family First Credit Union, Rochester, N.Y., presented a daytime program of the Ballet Hispanico for over 300 Rochester City School District students, in conjunction with the Nazareth College Arts Center. Family First CU also sponsored an evening performance at the Arts Center.

North Coast Credit Union, Mount Vernon, Wash., donated $1,000 in food from Costco Wholesale in Burlington and the Grocery Outlet in Mount Vernon to the Sea Mar Homeless Office in Mount Vernon. This is the third year that North Coast CU has partnered with Sea Mar to provide help to those in need. Sea Mar Homeless Office provides bilingual social services with a focus on low income homeless and Latino populations. Sea Mar aims to provide individuals with the services they need to acquire their basic needs.

Wescom Credit Union, Pasadena, Calif., has selected three Southern California charities it will support in 2008 through its WeCare Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Wescom employees to help people in need through volunteerism and donations. The charities are Hillview Children's Home, Soldiers' Angels, and Monarch School. WeCare will also continue to support the Free Arts for Abused Children, The Unforgettables Foundation, and Canine Companions.

Central Minnesota Credit Union, Mora, Minn., was the winner of the 2007 Annual Big Buck Contest. Each year, Minnesota credit unions compete to see which one could bring in the highest number of total antler points based upon its top five deer. While Central Minnesota CU was the winner, a total of $1,500 was donated to Gillette Children's Hospital from the four participating credit unions. Greater Minnesota Credit Union, Minnco Credit Union, and Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union were the other three participants.

Advance Financial Federal Credit Union, Schererville, Ind., is conducting a fundraiser now through April 15 to support March of Dimes. The fundraiser titled "Moe Money, Fewer Birth Defects" involves the selling of a plush toy version of "Moe" Monkey the Kid's Club mascot at all Advance Financial FCU branches. The toy is $6 and all proceeds will go to the Northwest Indiana March of Dimes.

White Crown Federal Credit Union, Denver, Colo., donated $12,500 to the Food Bank of the Rockies. To raise the money, members paid a fee to skip a loan payment knowing a portion of the fee would go to a local nonprofit organization. Members voted and selected Food Bank of the Rockies as the organization.

AWARDS

Consumers Credit Union, Kalamazoo, Mich., is within the top 4% of credit unions in the country for overall performance, according to Raddon Financial Group Performance Index. Consumers CU was one of 700 credit unions that took part in the RFG study.

CapCom Credit Union, Lansing, Mich., has received the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Recognition Award from the Michigan Credit Union League for its "Paying the Road to Your Financial Success" class. The award recognizes a credit union for its social responsibility work and charitable projects that support its community. CapCom CU began the class to teach individuals who struggle with finances and limited incomes how to budget their money and maintain a good credit rating.

Travis Credit Union, Vacaville, Calif., was the winner of the "Best of 2007″ award for the second year. The "Best of 2007″ award is determined by a poll of Vacaville Reporter readers. Readers vote in a poll of the Best of Solano County places, services, people, food, and places to bank once a year. Also, for the 10th time in 11 years, Travis CU was named the winner of the Fairfield Daily Republic's "Readers Choice Award 2007 Best Place to Bank in Solano County."

Pen Air Federal Credit Union, Pensacola, Fla., received the Top Sponsor Award from the Pace Area Chamber of Commerce. The award is given at the chamber's annual meeting. Pen Air FCU was recognized because it sponsors and assists with various chamber events.

MILESTONES

Georgia Federal Credit Union, Duluth, Ga., celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year. GFCU began in 1958 as the Dekalb County Teachers Federal Credit Union with seven members and $35 in deposits. Today, GFCU has 81,000 individual members, 430 member groups, 10 county school systems, $450 million in assets and 14 branch locations across Georgia. To celebrate GFCU has been holding online cash drawings of $50 every day until the end of March. They will be holding a drawing for a 50 inch flat screen television. In the second quarter, everyone who takes a new first or second mortgage HELOC loan will qualify for a $5,000 mortgage payment drawing. Each branch will also hold a birthday party where members can enjoy cake, refreshments, and spin a prize wheel to win giveaways.

Evergreen Credit Union, Neenah, Wis., celebrates 50 years of business this year with: a Celebration Week with prizes and surprises scheduled for March 24 through 29 with a public Open House on Wednesday, and wrapping up with a special Annual Meeting on Saturday. Evergreen CU started in 1958 with 37 members, and today has $23 million in assets and nearly 3,000 members.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Retail Employees Credit Union, Atlanta, announced that a scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded annually to a graduating senior or college student in the name of retiring board member James K. Adams. The student must successfully complete RECU's financial literacy course on establishing credit and maintaining a checking account. The first scholarship will be awarded this May. Adams has served as the board chairman for RECU for 15 years.

California Credit Union, Glendale, Calif., will award $1,000 scholarships to 75 students in honor of its 75th Anniversary. This is California CU's fourth annual college scholarship program for graduating high school seniors in Los Angeles County schools and for students of Los Angeles County community colleges that are transferring to a four-year college. Applications are available at any branch or at www.californiacu.org and must be received no later than March 31.

Premier Credit Union, Palatine, Ill., is offering 12 scholarships at $2,000. Applicants must be a member of Premier CU. Applications can be downloaded at ww.mycu.org or picked up at any branch.

Members Advantage Credit Union, Michigan City, Ind., will be awarding a $1,000 scholarship, the Leona Bruno Scholarship, to a local high school student. The scholarship was created to honor the first branch manager of the credit union. Applicants must be active members of the credit union, in the senior class, and a student of the local high school. Applications can be received at any branch or at www.macuonline.org and must be received by May 1.

BRANCHING OUT

Redwood Credit Union, Santa Rosa, Calif., will be opening a new full-service branch in Cloverdale, Calif. in April 2008. The branch will be Redwood CU's 14th full service branch in the North Bay. The new 2,100 square foot branch will offer a full line of financial services including new accounts, loan and teller areas, financial management/investments, insurance, a walk-up ATM, and a coin machine. RCU has also included environmentally friendly remodeling efforts in the new branch by using renewable materials including carpet and wood products, non-toxic paints, water-efficient restrooms, stepped lighting to aid in energy conservation, and a recycling program.

Southeastern Federal Credit Union, Valdosta, Ga., has broken ground for its new headquarters and branch office in Valdosta. The new headquarters will be a total of 25,000 square feet and will be located on a 2.8 acre corner lot. The lobby will include a meeter/greeter section and a business center as well as plasma screens, banners, and posters that will promote Southeastern FCU's products and services. It will also include three drive-thru lanes and a drive-up ATM. A large board room will be located on the second floor that can be transformed into a training room and an open patio will be available for hosting employee and community functions.

Insight Financial Credit Union, Lady Lake, Fla., will host a grounding breaking ceremony at the site of its future branch in Lady Lake on March 4. Key executives and city officials will swing golf clubs to make a divot in Lady Lake for the ceremony. The branch will open in the summer.

DATCU Credit Union, Decatur, Texas, announced the grand opening celebration of its new Decatur branch on April 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. The celebration will allow for the visitors to see the new office, visit with employees, enjoy a fajita buffet, and the sounds of a Mariachi band. There will also be door prizes.

Point Loma Credit Union, Palm Desert, Calif., opened its new Palm Desert branch on Feb. 29. The grand opening ceremony featured a ribbon cutting ceremony that was attended by members of the Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce. Giveaways were passed out and refreshments were served along with a live radio broadcast from EZ-103.1. Guest also had the chance to enter a drawing for a chance to win a $500 golf package. The new branch is full service with a 24-hour ATM. It is PLCU's fourth branch in Riverside County.

Empower Federal Credit Union, Syracuse, N.Y., opened a branch inside Veterans Administration Medical Center in Syracuse. The new branch will serve Veterans Administration staff exclusively and will offer basic transaction and new account services. Located in the basement of the medical center, the branch will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and also features an Empower ATM that is available 24 hours a day.

American Airlines Federal Credit Union, Forth Worth, Texas, celebrated the grand opening of its new branch at the American Airlines Cargo Building located in the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Jaun, Puerto Rico with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Angie Owens, president AAFCU, Lori Hall, senior vice president marketing and member services for AAFCU, and Angel Martinez, San Juan branch manager presided at the ceremony. The new facility is located within the Cargo building to provide convenient access to American Airlines, American Eagle and other air transportation employees. Also, AAFCU celebrated the grand opening of a new branch at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The grand opening included a ribbon cutting ceremony with John Tippets, CEO, Angie Owens, and Lori Hall presiding. The branch is conveniently located next to the airport employee bus stop with a 24-hour ATM.

1st United Services Credit Union, Pleasanton, Calif., announced that it will transfer its NAS Lemoor and NAS Fallon branches to Navy Federal Credit Union. This change will allows 1st USCU to focus on building its members and business in the San Francisco East Bay and will allow Navy Federal to expand its service to members in the Lemoor and Fallon areas.

The Credit Union Associations of Colorado and Wyoming, Arvada, Colo., will be moving its headquarters later this year and is recycling many of its old electronic technology and computer equipment in an effort to "go green." Partnering with Luminous Recycling, CUAC/CUAW has been gathering old computers, printers, typewriters, scanners, cell phones, and keyboards for proper recycling. Luminous has handled the package, removal, and transport of all the outdated equipment and then inspected, tested, and evaluated all the items to safeguard the date to meet the requirements of HIPPA, FACTA, the GLB Act and other federal laws. According to the EPA each year nearly two million tons of used electronics are discarded and an estimated 128 million cell phones are retired from use annually.

Visterra Credit Union, Moreno Valley, Calif., opened their fifth branch at 27130 Eucalyptus Avenue in Moreno Valley. The branch is located in the Stoneridge Towne Center and is the second Moreno Valley location for Visterra CU. The branch features 2 walk-up ATMs and a night deposit box. A grand opening celebration was held on March 1 that featured prizes, raffles, special offers, and food. Also, through out the month of March all membership fees collected at the Stoneridge branch will be donated to Moreno Valley's Promise.