DONATIONS

When the Massena Mayor’s Ball was canceled earlier this year, the big loser was the local D.A.R.E. program, which was slated to receive funds from the annual event. In order to help the D.A.R.E. program, SeaComm Federal Credit Union, Massena, N.Y., decided to donate $1,000 to make up for the lost revenue. D.A.R.E., which stands for “drug abuse resistance education,” is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives. SeaComm continued this anti-drug message by sponsoring a presentation titled, “There is No Magic in Drugs,” for 5th graders in both the Potsdam and Canton school districts. The unique educational program features professional magician “Karvell” and his wife, “Karlene,” and combines magic, education and personal life experiences to illustrate and encourage youth with the magic words: “Yes I can say NO!” The assembly deals with understanding the risks and dangers, learning to deal with peer pressure and making positive choices. Community West Credit Union, Kentwood, Mich., recently petitioned its employees to donate books for elementary aged school children and they responded with generosity. Over the course of a month, the 40 employees of the CU collected over 250 books for Rogers Lane Elementary located in Wyoming, Mich. BMI Federal Credit Union, Columbus, Ohio, congratulates and wishes luck to the winners of its 2006 scholarship winners. Each scholarship recipient received $1,000 toward their college or university tuition. The winners of the 2006 Jack Deibert Memorial Scholarship are: Ashley Park, Mary Varga, Nilesh Wickramanayake and Tanya Emswiler. The 2006 Mary Jo Meinrad Nursing Scholarship winners are: Anna Marie Hicks and Mary Katherine Niksa. The winners of the 2006 Dick Pierce Memorial Business Scholarships are: John Kircher, Elizabeth Parent, Stephani Streaker and Kathryn Voigt. SC Telco Federal Credit Union, Columbia, S.C., participated in the Annual Midlands Heartwalk, a fundraiser that benefits the American Heart Association. Through the generosity of both employees and members, the CU was able to raise and donate over $1,500. The Columbia branch held a rummage sale and sold paper donation hearts and American Heart Association bracelets for help with the donation. The American Heart Association Midlands Heartwalk had over 4,000 participants and raised over $450,000 to help protect people of all ages and ethnicities from the ravages of heart disease and stroke. Carolina Postal Credit Union, Charlotte, N.C., donated teddy bears to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to aid children in dealing with traumatic situations, such as car accidents and domestic violence. The bears had been left over from a holiday dinner with Santa event the credit union held in December and the CU thought that donating them to the police department would help children involved in scary situations. Community Financial Credit Union, Plymouth, Mich., sponsored storytelling sessions for more than 1,000 children to attend at local libraries and schools in observance of “March is Reading Month.” Community Financial’s three education partnership coordinators conducted 41 reading sessions at area schools, from kindergarten through fifth grade. The CU also sponsored three public library reading programs that included guest readers from their respective communities. “March is Reading Month” is one of many educational programs that Community Financial supports in the communities it serves. Millstream Area Credit Union, Findlay, Ohio, awarded three CU members the Friend “Al” Himes Memorial Scholarship. Tonya Roof received top honors and was awarded a $1,000 scholarship. Amanda Werling and Katelin Heflinger each received $500 scholarships. The Friend “Al” Himes scholarship is presented in honor of the late Al Himes, who served on the Millstream Area CU board of directors for more than 25 years. After two rounds of voting, members of HAR-CO Federal Credit Union, Bel Air, Md., chose a charity to receive a $5,000 donation at their annual meeting in March. Selected from six finalists, the Historical Society of Harford County was awarded the donation as part of the credit union’s 50th anniversary celebration. Although the Historical Society won the members’ votes, HAR-CO decided that all of the finalists were truly deserving, so the CU made a surprise donation of $100 to each of the remaining charities: Al Cesky Scholariship Fund Inc., Chesapeake Cancer Alliance, Harford County 4-H Clubs Inc., Mason Dixon Community Services and the Salvation Army. Georgetown Kraft Credit Union, Myrtle Beach, S.C., became a “Hero for the ARC” recently by donating $1,000 to the Coastal South Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross Heroes Campaign. This local chapter of the American Red Cross has set a goal of $100,000 for the major fundraising campaign that kicked off on March 27. The CU’s donation is to help the chapter reach its goal. More than 1,000 children each year at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital are benefiting from an innovative art therapy program made possible by private contributions, most recently a $10,000 grant from the Stanford Federal Credit Union, Palo Alto, Calif. Since recreation therapy is not covered by health insurance private donations are important to the program. Children are given art supplies so they can draw and paint while receiving chemotherapy and art carts are brought to patients who cannot leave their beds. The program fosters enthusiasm and promotes an atmosphere that supports creativity and self-expression. The CU earmarked its donation to the program to help ensure emotional support for children is part of their medical care. North Jersey Federal Credit Union, Totowa, N.J., will participate in “Recycle 4 Kids,” a program sponsored by Boxed Love Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing gifts to underprivileged children in the state. The “Recycle 4 Kids” program collects and recycles used printer cartridges, copier cartridges and cell phones at no cost from companies and individual donors. The proceeds collected from the recycled materials benefit the fund. Boxed Love Inc. also accepts new toy donations and gift cards, as well as monetary donations. Printer cartridge, copier cartridge and cell phone donations can be dropped off at anyone of NJFCU’s three branches. Altura Credit Union, Riverside, Calif., recently donated five Dell computers to Hillview Acres Children’s Home, a 24-hour residential treatment center for abused and neglected children. The group home in Chino, serves nearly 50 children from ages six to 16. Employees of the Klamath Falls branch of Rogue Federal Credit Union, Medford, Ore., recently spent the day at the Klamath Crisis Center cleaning and painting its children’s playroom. Sections of the walls were painted with magnetic paint and others with chalkboard paint, mini blinds were hung and furniture was replaced. The Crisis Center even called in an artist to paint a mural on one of the walls. The staff at RFCU plus several family members donated more than 32 combined hours to complete the project and throughout 2005, the CU staff donated more than 6,000 hours on similar projects. Scott Credit Union, Collinsville, Ill., is holding a candy sale to help the Autism Society of Southern Illinois. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go to the society. In order to raise additional funds, the CU will hold a dress day down once a week for the month of April for employees who make a $5 donation on each of the specified fundraising days. In other donation news at Scott Credit Union, the CU recently raised $1,000 by hosting an employee “jeans day” and putting out collection jars for member contributions. The $1,000 donation went to the March of Dimes, after a CU employee decided to start a walk team to help others who, like her, had experienced the trauma of a premature birth. During the Edwardsville walk, the CU sponsored a checkpoint providing bottled water to all participants. Dana Joy, a member of Robins Federal Credit Union, Warner Robins, Ga., was the proud winner of a Gateway notebook computer during the CU’s “Mighty Mouse” Online Services Promotion. She was chosen at random from the 4,066 people age 18 and above who signed up to receive online services from Jan. 1 to March 31. The contest was designed to encourage members to see what the CU’s “Mighty Mouse” can do to help save time and money with free online services from Robins Federal. Pacific Service Credit Union, Walnut Creek, Calif., has donated $5,000 to Elder Financial Protection Network for education, training and community awareness efforts in Northern California. The Novato-based EFPN is nationally recognized for developing partnerships among law enforcement agencies, adult social service providers and financial institutions to prevent the financial exploitation of California’s elderly citizens and dependent adults. America’s Christian Credit Union, Glendora, Calif., recently joined with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive that yielded 31 pints of blood. Posters bearing facts such as, “One pint can save three lives,” persuaded employees to roll up their sleeves and donate. Flyers could be seen all over town, as staff visited local businesses distributing bundles of posters.