SECU, SPIRE CU, Others Donate Time & Resources

Members and staff from the $521 million Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, pose for a picture during a seven-hour Relay for Life fundraising event. For more than three months, Hawaii Community’s staff and members dedicated themselves to support cancer research, acknowledge survivors and honor those who lost their battle against the disease. Those passionate efforts culminated in a seven-hour fundraising marathon on July 14 at Relay for Life, a non-profit community fundraising initiative of the American Cancer Society. Hawaii Community Kailua-Kona, Kaloko and Kealakekua branches donated more than $11,000 from the marathon, through in-branch ribbon sales, Punalu’u Sweet Bread sales and other campaigns. Hawaii Community was one of 25 teams that raised more than $60,000 for the cause.

Al Skramstad with Mora American Legion and Sara Engblom, SPIRE Mora Branch Manager, hold up a T-shirt honoring military veterans. The $1 billion SPIRE Credit Union in Falcon Heights, Minn., is a sponsor for the upcoming Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall, which will be visiting Mora August 1-5, 2018. The Moving Wall is a replica of the Washington, D.C., Vietnam Veterans Memorial and has been touring the country since 1984. The multiple-day celebration, coordinated by Mora American Legion Post #201, includes events to honor all veterans, an unveiling of the statue and a special ceremony for Vietnam era veterans.

Amy Etheridge from the $2.5 billion Robins Financial Credit Union in Warner Robins, Ga., presents a check to Pat Chastain with Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia. Robins Financial recently gave a corporate donation in support of the Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia. The Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia provides residential shelter and meals to those in need in the Middle Georgia community.

Steven Bugg, president/CEO of the $820 million Great Lakes Credit Union in Bannockburn, Ill., presents five education scholarships to (left to right) Zachary Everly, Sellars Vines Jr., David Blair, Julie Magiera and Liliann Gaspar (missing from the photo is Rodger Gruchot). The Great Lakes Credit Union Scholarship Committee selected and awarded individual $1,000 scholarships to the students. The scholarship program is available to any qualifying member, no matter their age or education level. The funds can be used to help pay tuition, accommodations, books, etc., at colleges of the winner’s choice. For the past 17 years, Great Lakes CU has raised money annually, in large part through employee fundraising, to award scholarships to members continuing their education.

(From left to right) Mike Lord, State Employees Credit Union president/CEO; Roy Cooper, North Carolina Governor; Dr. Anthony Jackson, superintendent of Vance County Schools; and Pam Hartley, president/CEO of Communities in Schools of North Carolina pose for a picture during the kick off Governor Cooper’s 2nd Annual School Supply Drive. All 263 branches from the $38 billion SE CU in Raleigh, N.C., will again serve as collection sites for the annual school supply drive, which begins July 30 and runs through August 17.

Staff members from the $571 million Align Credit Union in Lowell, Mass., volunteer at Dr. An Wang Middle School. Volunteers from Align recently hosted four CU 4 Reality Fairs for eighth grade students in the Greater Lowell area. The fairs helped prepare students for real life personal financial decisions by teaching them about career development and personal money management. Prior to the fair, students were taught about budgeting, savings, investing and more. At the fair, students visited tables and booths to determine their personal expenses like housing, transportation, food, entertainment and more. They also spun the “Wheel of Reality” to receive an unexpected expense or windfall that they incorporated into their budget. The two-hour fairs were held at Dr. An Wang Middle School, Benjamin F. Butler Middle School, Henry J. Robinson Middle School and Stocklosa Middle School.

Please send your Community news items to Tahira Hayes at thayes@cutimes.com.