icuday

2008 International Credit Union Day Celebration Plans
       and Success Stories

SouthPoint Federal Credit Union
Angie Pidde

The southwest chapter of credit unions in Minnesota held their second annual Kids Against Hunger event. Over 70 employees, volunteers, and family members helped package over 22,500 meals for this event. The southwest chapter also collected and donated $4,400 to Kids Against Hunger to pay for supplies. This event has taken place of our fall meeting and is one way our credit unions can come together and enhance the credit union philosophy.

Poplar Bluff Federal Credit Union

We celebrate by having international flags all around our atrium. We serve international foods and coffee and place flags by them. We also have giveaways for our members. On the Saturday following ICU Day we hold Member Appreciation Day in the parking lot and invite the entire community.

Local radio stations that we advertise with work with us. We have a live broadcast, free hotdogs, sodas, and popcorn. The Poplar Bluff Police Department sets up fingerprinting for kids and brings their "smoke house", the US Army will do dog-tag engraving, a local youth museum will have an educational booth, the Boys & Girls Club will do face painting, The Missouri Highway Patrol will demonstrate their rollover simulator, and the shredding company that we use will set up to shred members' documents to protect them from identity theft. We will also have a coloring contest for the kids and we have plenty of freebies for those attending. We will give tours of our facility and even open accounts if needed. We are also working with the local hospitals to set up a tent for blood pressure and blood sugar testing. We take ICU Day and week very seriously! We appreciate our members and want to spread the word on the credit union difference.

North Jersey FFCU Click for larger view

Sun Federal Credit Union - Westville, NJ (Eagle Point)
Beth Cook

Decorated their branch and served doughnuts. In addition, all employees were encouraged to wear their Sun Federal logo apparel.

North Jersey Federal Credit Union
Maria Alves-Schemetow

North Jersey Federal Credit Union participated in the celebration of International Credit Union Day on Thursday, October 16, 2008. Established in 1948, International Credit Union Day is celebrated annually on the third Thursday in October to promote the credit union idea around the world. With over 42,000 credit unions in 97 countries, International Credit Union Day is an open invitation to more than 136 million members to share the credit union experience. This year's theme is "My Credit Union, It Belongs to Me.TM"

Olean Area Federal Credit Union
Lee Ann Dineen

We celebrate all week long with drawings for prizes, treats for members such as cider and donuts, candies, memo boards, coloring books, crayons, etc. We also celebrate Member Appreciation Day on ICU Day Thursday, October 16, 2008! Employees and board of directors serve our members meatball sandwiches, chips, and a drink. They absolutely love it!

Weststar CU Click for larger view

Bay Area CU Click for larger view

Bay Area CU Click for larger view

Sun Federal CU - Oregon Click for larger view

Sun Federal CU - West Toledo Click for larger view

Weststar Credit Union
Noelle Saravolatz

WestStar Credit Union's 2008 International Credit Union Day began with an open invitation for members to join us in celebrating the credit union difference. We posted the invite on our homepage as well as in paper statement messages, asking members to enjoy complimentary refreshments inside each branch lobby.

The theme, "My Credit Union. It Belongs to Me" really hit home, and we wanted to show our members just how much they are appreciated. Stations were set up at each branch with cookies, chilled bottled water, and assorted cupcakes decorated with international flags. A banner was hung by each table that said "Happy International Credit Union Day." It was great to see how much our members and their families enjoyed the celebration treats.

Bay Area Credit Union
Valerie Strickland

Bay Area Credit Union spotlighted both the benefits of ownership and being green this International Credit Union Day. All members visiting the lobby were given a "Go Green Eco-Friendly" shopping bag and chances to win a variety of prizes all day long.

Embracing credit union philosophy of ownership, refreshments consisted of gourmet coffees and special cut-out cookies that exclaimed "Ow It."

A grand prize of a personal Diamond Cut Paper Shredder ties to this weekends' "Shred for Safety" event sponsored by Bay Area Credit Union and the Northwest Ohio Chapter of Credit Unions.

Ohio Credit Union League
Going to do a statewide media tour the week of October 13 - 17.

Sun Federal Credit Union
Beth Cook

• Maumee (Arrowhead Park) - Decorated with balloons, sunny figurines each holding an international flag, and a refreshment table loaded with doughnuts, juice, hot dogs, and popcorn. In the afternoon, employees washed car windows for members who came through drive-thru and gave each driver a card thanking them for being a member. Members who came into the branch had the opportunity to complete a survey and be entered to win Abuelos, Carabbas and PF Changs gift certificates.
• Oregon - Served doughnuts, cookies & cider and offered 2009 calendars and coloring sheets for the kids. Decorations included an International Credit Union Day banner and Sun Federal balloons.
• Toledo (West Toledo) - Had cookies and apple cider. They also gave away key chains and coloring pages for the kids. They will hang the coloring pages in the branch when kids are finished with them. A "Happy International Credit Union Day" cake was also brought to a local SEG to celebrate!
• Toledo (Executive Parkway) - Served refreshments, hung balloons, and had an Assistant Branch Manger in the lobby to greet members.
• Maumee (Support Center) - Surprised employees with special doughnut treats.

UTELCO Credit Union Inc.
We will be serving cookies and lunch in the lobby.

First Capital FCU Click for larger view

First Capital Federal Credit Union
Tara Houser

First Capital Federal Credit Union celebrated International Credit Union Day with a bake-off contest. Staff members made their favorite dessert and members got the chance to sample each and vote for their favorite. Many members told employees how much they enjoyed the food and what a great idea it was. One member enjoyed the employee's dessert so much that she called in for the recipe when she got home! The goodies ranged from chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies to caramel apple salad and chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter icing. The contest winner at each branch received a First Capital umbrella.

Freedom United Federal Credit Union

On October 15 we offer 5 MO CD @ 5%- one day only. On October 16 we offer cake, coffee, and punch to celebrate both International Credit Union Day and begin our celebration of 70 years.

Horizon Federal Credit Union
Judy Harris

Horizon Federal Credit Union has had refreshments out all week for our members, and we have secure, lock boxes in each credit union office, compliments of Keystone Mobile Shredding of Williamsport. This allows our members to come into the lobbies of each office and place their personal documents into the box for Keystone to retrieve and shred.

Then in closing we will be holding hot dog burns at all of our offices on Friday, Oct. 17 from 11:30 to 1:00. Our CEO, John Sharp, will be donning his grilling apron and cooking up hot dogs at one of our offices. We are also handing out 2009 calendars and calendar cards with identity theft info on the card.

Pittsburgh FCU

As old as the story is and done by so many credit unions in the past, last year we decided to have a credit union celebration with a tried and true idea.

What we did was serve hot dogs, potato chips and bottled water in our lobby Thursday and Friday. It was a major hit and our members have asked when we are going to have hot dogs again. The nice part of that is we are able to say that they were for a special occasion -Credit Union Day and we will be doing the same thing again this year.

Sun Federal CU - South Philly Click for larger view

Sun Federal CU - Center City Click for larger view

Sun Federal Credit Union (Pennsylvania Branches)
Beth Cook

• Philadelphia (Center City) - Had cookies, coffee and juice in the lobby as well as pens and calendars for members. During the day, any member that added a new service to their account was entered to win a $25 Visa gift card. Credit union quiz sheets were in the lobby for members to have fun with. The member with the highest score won a $25 gift card.
• Philadelphia (South Philly) - Had coffee, doughnuts, balloons, and a coloring contest using CUNA's kid coloring sheets.
• Philadelphia (Northeast) - Set up a table with refreshments, calendars, balloons, giveaways, and offered a gift to members who signed up for a new service or made a specific deposit amount. Gary Moritz, Sun Federal President and CEO, greeted members and posed for pictures.
• Radnor - Served refreshments and the branch manager made himself available to greet members in the lobby.
• West Lawn - Decorated with balloons, a big sign, and Sunny (the Sun Federal mascot). They served sticky buns cut into bite-sized pieces with candy corn toothpicks and pretzels in mini individual bags. They also gave away pens, yellow debit card holders, and key chains.

Timberland Federal Credit Union
Jordan Lydick

This year, ICU Day was a week long celebration. Tuesday the members had a chance to learn and sign up for a verified by Visa and MasterCard secure code. On Thursday the branch office got to play plinko for international restaurant gift certificates and enjoy free hotdogs. On Friday, the main office played plinko and gave out hotdogs.

Pittsburgh EFCU

We start the morning off with coffee, tea, and muffins. Every hour on the hour we give away a cash door prize. We open our door for new membership and put the first $5 in their account. This year we have a good old-fashion popcorn stand making constant fresh popcorn served in cones, great thanks to one on our team. We serve punch and cake in the afternoon. Every one of our members looks forward to this day and so do some of the old retirees. It is a social and fun time for all.

Norstar Federal Credit Union

We will be serving popcorn and sodas all week.

Watertown Employees Federal Credit Union

We will have coffee, cookies, popcorn, candy, and balloons for the kids and prize drawings the whole week. We will have a banner and poster hung in the lobby. All of the employees are also doing radio spots inviting the community to our celebration.

LCO FCU Click for larger view

LCO FCU Click for larger view

Tomah Area CU Click for larger view

Tomah Area CU Click for larger view

Tomah Area CU Click for larger view

Generations Credit Union

We are going to bake homemade cookies and give every member who comes in a giant reusable shopping bag that has the legend "Please take care of our earth-it's the only one we've got". The bag will also have a thank you card inside.

Quimper Community Federal Credit Union

AB and W Emp Credit Union Inc.
Connie Simpson

All week we serve coffee and danish in the morning, and cookies and punch in the afternoon. On ICU Day our board of directors set up in our front parking lot and cook hotdogs and fry fish. Chips and soda is provided also. Our members look forward to it each year and we have a great turn out!

LCO Federal Credit Union
Kelly Nayquonabe

The LCO Federal Credit Union celebrated International Credit Union Day with popcorn and hotdogs. We gave out balloons, calendars, pens, and buttons. We also had a coloring contest, with the top three winners receiving a piggy bank.

Prime Financial Credit Union

Prime Financial Credit Union is celebrating International Credit Union Day in a very unique way. Each of our nine branches have chosen a country and each branch lobby will be decorated to represent their prospective country. Treats associated most closely to that country will be served to Prime Financial Credit Union members. It's a fun way to engage members on this celebrated day and communicate that they belong to a very special worldwide effort.

Tomah Area Credit Union
Kari Mlsna

We celebrated all week long here at Tomah Area Credit Union. We had a coloring contest for our youth members and prize drawings. On Thursday, ICU Day, we had hot dogs and soda in the lobby for Member Appreciation Day. On Friday we had a bake sale with all proceeds going to Children's Miracle Network.

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