Members Credit Union, Lenoir, N.C., recently held its inaugural Wig Walk, a 5K walk/fun run benefiting the Wig Bank of Caldwell County. The event took place on May 12th at the Aquatics and Fitness Center in Lenoir, NC. The walk brought in $5,120 for the Wig Bank, a nonprofit cancer services center that provides prosthetic wigs for cancer patients, promotes the importance of cancer screenings and provides funds to cancer patients for transportation to cancer treatment centers. David Icard and Alicia Stanislaw opened the doors to the Wig Bank in 2001. Since then, the services offered to their community have expanded to include support groups such as Restorative Yoga, Arm in Arm and Just Us Guys. Participants in the Wig Walk were encouraged to wear costume wigs during the 5K trek on the Greenway that winds throughout the city of Lenoir. During the months leading up to the Wig Walk event, additional funds were raised through T-shirt sponsorships that were sold for $100 each. T-shirt sponsors honored a loved one who had lost their battle with cancer by having their name printed on the back of the Wig Walk T-shirt. These T-shirts were given out to the walkers who registered for the event. Members CU and the Wig Bank are planning for a second Wig Walk in 2013. 

Orion Federal Credit Union, Memphis, Tenn., introduced its Orion Gives Back program at the beginning of 2012, selecting a local non-profit each month as the focus of its charity initiative. Thus far, Orion has donated approximately $5,500, more than 2,500 items and volunteer time in support of local nonprofits.lity, and you can too!

You can help by volunteering, donating, or simply telling others about what Literacy Mid-South does in the community. This is life-changing work, and we should all be involved January marked the beginning of the program with a focus on the Mid-South Food Bank. Memphis Family Shelter was announced as the February focus and Literary Mid-South as the March focus. Memphis Farmers Market was chosen as the April focus and Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired was May's focus. In conjunction with Orion Gives Back, desktop computers and laptops have been donated to the following local organizations: Seed House of Guidance, Church Outreach Leader, Literacy Mid-South, Memphis Area Boys & Girls Club, Tennessee Baptist Children's Home, Memphis/Shelby County Schools, St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, Fayette County Schools and the Memphis Public Library.

Silver State Schools Credit Union, Las Vegas, gave a $5,000 check to Cyril Wengert Elementary School on May 17. The school was chosen among 35 other schools which were given five stars in the “School Performance Framework,” the Clark County School District's system for ranking schools. CCSD's School-Community Partnership Program worked with community partners to develop a program to recognize the top-performing schools. All four and five-star schools received recognition with banners, lunches and certificates.  The five star schools were eligible to receive the $5,000 donated by the credit union, with Wengert randomly chosen as the winner. The elementary schools that have been identified as 'high-performing' under this program gain greater autonomy and control not only in budgeting, staffing and scheduling, but also in core areas such as instructional practices and selection of supplemental programs and materials. The School-Community Partnership program began in 1983 as a pilot program of seven schools partnered with seven businesses. Since that time, it has grown to hundreds of partnerships with programs that range from kindergarten to 12th grade, from tutorial programs to scholarships. The Partnership Program staff offers students programs that are curriculum-based with an emphasis on human resources. Partnership ventures are designed to support, supplement and complement the curriculum of the Clark County public schools.

St. Anne's Credit Union, Fall Rivers, Mass., recently raised $1,875 and participated in a walk held at Colt State Park to benefit the American Heart Association. Employees, family members and friends divided up into 3 teams at the walk – “Team Wild and Kracy,” “Team Heartbeat” and “Team Heart & Sole.” 

United Heritage Credit Union, Austin, Texas, recently raised $47,865 through a raffle as a part of its charity program. Sandra King of Llano, Texas is the new owner of a 2012 Honda Civic LX Sedan after being drawn as the winner of the United Heritage Charity Foundation Auto Raffle on June 1. Through ticket sales, the United Heritage Charity Foundation raised $47,865 to be distributed to local charities and organizations. The 2011 inaugural Auto Raffle enabled the Charity Foundation to support organizations such as Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Austin, CASA of Travis County, Ripples of Hope for Children, Caring for Children, Folds of Honor Foundation and others. Since its inception in 2003, the Charity Foundation has distributed more than $1 million. Ticket sales for the auto raffle were available for only $1 each during a two month period and sales were open to the public. The second annual auto raffle experienced an increase in ticket sales of $7,876 over the 2011 total of $39,989. The auto raffle winner was randomly chosen at United Heritage Credit Union's Manchaca branch amid festivities for those on hand to witness the drawing.

VyStar Credit Union, Jacksonville, Fl., said that Terry West, president/CEO, was 2011-12 campaign chairman for the United Way of Northeast Florida. And announced 4 that this year's annual campaign met its goal and raised $25.53 million. The Leadership Recognition breakfast, “Investing In Impact – Celebrating The Power Of You,” was held at the Omni Jacksonville Hotel downtown, with more than 500 volunteers, corporate representatives, impact and community partners and donors attending the celebration. n