WESTBROOKE, Maine — Volunteers from Maine credit unions have demonstrated the people helping people philosophy by setting record-breaking numbers of hours volunteered by credit union staff and directors in 2007.

The Maine Credit Union movement's volunteer program, Credit Unions Share for ME, released the final results of volunteer efforts by Maine credit unions in 2007 in celebration of National Volunteer Week. The program documented 23,004.50 hours volunteered by credit union staff and directors, which was an 18% increase from 2006.

"By their very structure credit unions are about volunteers, with each credit union governed by a volunteer, unpaid board of directors," said Jon Paradise, governmental and public affairs manager at the Maine Credit Union League. "Volunteering to help others in the community is an extension of the credit union philosophy of 'people helping people.' Credit unions are not just about being located in the communities they serve but truly being a part of them through involvement for the simple reason of it's the right thing to do."