The 99,500 members of the $1.2 billion MECU of Baltimore havereceived bonus dividends and loan interest rebates totaling morethan $2 million.

The payouts were made during the first week of July, the creditunion said. MECU has paid cash bonuses to members annually since1981 and since 2008 has been paying half of it at the end of Juneand the rest in December.

The move was made to accommodate the many members who areBaltimore city school teachers during the summer months and to helpwith holiday bills, the credit union said.

“Paying our members this cash bonus is very important to us. Ourmembers put their trust in us to manage their funds well and thiscash bonus is just one way that we are able to show our membersthat we deserve that trust.” said Bert Hash Jr., the credit union'spresident/CEO.

“We talk about the credit union difference all the time,” saidHerman Williams Jr., MECU board chairman. “Paying our members thiscash bonus reminds them that MECU truly is different.”