LATHAM, N.Y. — Sunmark Federal Credit Union is bringing its members together to help combat expected high energy costs this winter.

The credit union has launched its members helping members program, which includes an interactive networking Web site (www.memberhelpingmember.org). The Web site is a blog-type forum monitored by the credit union where members can go to ask questions and exchange ideas on how to help lower fuel costs.

“We started to see that this was going to be a very hard winter for people, and we didn't want the program to end at just our involvement,” said David Weinstein, vice president of marketing at Sunmark.

The site went active in mid-Sept. and has already drawn a few responses even though Weinstein said that they have not yet launched their in-branch marketing. One member said that he was glad to see a community-based Web site and asked what others were doing right now to save on heating costs for the winter. Another member used the site to ask for information on putting a wood-fired boiler in his home to cut down heating oil costs.

“In my opinion people are more reactive to energy conservation when there's a dollar sign attached to it, so we want people to see that conservation can be a cost saver,” Weinstein said.

Sunmark started to develop the idea of the networking site in late July and wrapped up the project in six weeks. Weinstein attributed the fast turn around time on the project to having an in-house creative services team.

Sunmark will also have an employee monitor and prescreen the blog posts before they go live.

As part of the members helping members program, Sunmark is also offering a special rate on auto loans for members who upgrade their cars to models that are more fuel efficient. Weinstein said that they first offered the special rate on the auto loan for just hybrid models but then realized they would not get the response they wanted by just offering it for hybrids.

Members who register for members helping members will also be allowed to register to win five free, certified home energy audits from Zerodraft. Zerodraft provides energy efficiency treatments and projects that lower utility costs. They do home energy audits that Weinstein said are detailed evaluations that sometimes last three hours and valued the audit at $350. Sunmark will also provide free home energy kits for qualified members that are having difficulty meeting heating costs.

Sunmark also held an energy day seminar that Rich Meddaugh, public relations specialist, said was conducted before a packed house. The credit union had 30 members attend the Saturday morning session along with Assemblyman George Amedore (R-Rotterdam).

Weinstein said that many members that attended the seminar expressed concern about the upcoming winter and didn't know where to turn for help.

“Our goal in this is to create a network between members. We have some members that are philanthropists and some that aren't and we want to connect them. We want this to be a value add for people to see that they can join any financial institution, but not every financial institutions will help you with your finances and help you figure out how to cut costs,” Weinstein said.

–lsiegriest@cutimes.com

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Sunmark FCU Starts Networking Site to Help Members Save on Energy

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