Water and Power Community Credit Union, Los Angeles, has awarded 24 young baseball players from the North Valley Youth Baseball League education IRA accounts as part of the credit union's first Homeruns-4-College derby. The remaining competitors walked away with prizes including t-shirts, gift certificates to the movies and most importantly a good time. Empire Corporate Federal Credit Union, Albany, N.Y., employees joined forces to donate 1,529 pounds of clothing. The clothing, ranging in all size and age categories, has benefited the Capital City Rescue Mission. Spokane Teachers Credit Union, Liberty Lakes, Wash., has raised over $8,300 for the Credit Unions for Kids, which benefits the Children's Miracle Network of Spokane. This year, Credit Unions for Kids presented a check for $53,000 to CMN during their annual Celebration Telethon in which they raised over $1.3 million dollars. Leominster Credit Union, Mass., has donated $5,000 to the city's Starburst 2003. The donation will be used to fund the event's finale, a giant fireworks display over downtown Leominster. First Corporate Credit Union, Phoenix, has raised $6,500 to benefit Credit Unions for Kids in Arizona. The funds were allocated equally to Phoenix Children's Hospital and Tucson Medical center. Local celebrities along with credit union professionals dueled it out on the basketball court during the "Basketball as You've Never Seen it Before" fundraiser. The Sioux Valley Chapter of Credit Unions, S.D., has sponsored a Community Credit Union Blood Bank Drive. Credit unions that participated in the Blood Bank Drive included: East River FCU, Service First FCU, Midwest Partners FCU, Sioux Empire FCU, Air Guard FCU, Sioux Falls FCU, Sioux Falls Bell FCU, and Empire Corporate FCU. Nearly 50 people stopped by during the event, and 37 units of blood were donated to help the community provide the "gift of life." MidWest Financial Credit Union and UMHS Financial, Ann Arbor, Mich., has held a staff dinner and white elephant auction, raising $1,000 for SafeHouse, a domestic abuse shelter in Ann Arbor. Auction items were donated from staff members' desks, closets, pantries, wrapped and then tagged with a clue as to what might be inside. Clues were read to the group by auctioneers before bidding for each item began. Tropical Financial Credit Union, Miami, Fla., has raised $3,233 for Junior Achievement of Greater Miami, Inc during the JA Bowl-a-thon. A total of 84 bowlers converged at Don Carter Lanes for a day of fun. Prizes awarded ranged from duffle bags to a box of cigars. Employees from seven different branches showed up to pledge money for JA. Merck Sharp & Dohme Federal Credit Union, North Wales, Pa., has donated 18 computers to Project 2000, an organization that helps provide computers for economically challenged families. The organization has provided computers to over 35,000 local families, impacting well over 12,000 children.