Olin Community Credit Union, Bethalto, Ill.,donated a total of $7,400 to four local organizations. The creditunion presented a $2,300 check to each of these organizations: theCommunity Hope Center in Cottage Hills, the Boys and Girls Club ofAlton, and the Boys and Girls Club of Bethalto. An additional $500was donated to the emergency room fund at the local JerseyCommunity Hospital. The donations were the result of proceedscollected during the credit union's annual skip-a-paymentprogram.

Connex Credit Union, Hamden, Conn., donated$800.37 to Hamden Hall Country Day School, a co-educationalcollege-preparatory independent day school for children inpre-kindergarten to 12th grade. The money for the donation camefrom fees collected by a coin-counting machine in the Connex Hamdenbranch during the fourth quarter of 2008. The donation will helpHamden Hall support costs associated with academics, athletics, thearts and more.

GCS Federal Credit Union, Granite City, Ill.,announced that its employees raised $1,640 for the March of Dimes.Employees of GCS can opt to participate in jean months throughoutthe year during which they donate a specified amount to a selectedcharity in return for the ability to wear jeans on Fridays andSaturdays all month long. GCS also sponsored family areas at twoMarch of Dimes March for Babies walks this year. Money raisedduring the walks is used to fund research and community programsthat help moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies.