A 93-year-old Grandmother’s Advice Earns Her and Her Grandson $50,000 Through New Program at Gesa Credit Union 

RICHLAND, WASH. (November 28, 2023) When it comes to grandparents, many of us think about the wisdom and guidance they’re known to provide. Little did a local man from Kennewick know, however, that his grandmother’s advice to open up an account with Gesa Credit Union would lead them both to win $25,000 each.

Bernadean Farris, a 93-year-old from Kennewick who has been a Gesa member since 1975, had advised her grandson, Richard Brown, to open up an account with the credit union. He agreed this would be a good idea, but never got around to doing so. When Richard was scrolling social media a month later, he saw Gesa promoting its Refer-a-Friend giveaway and asked his grandmother what he should do. She replied, “It won’t hurt anything. Go ahead and fill it out.”

Richard had forgotten he had signed up for the promotion until a few weeks later, when he answered a call from his grandmother. “We won, we won!” she exclaimed. The two, shocked and excited, went to Gesa’s South Kennewick branch together to claim their joint $50,000 prize, with both receiving a $25,000 check each.

“I’m really happy that he did [sign up],” said Bernadean. “He’s my grandson, but he’s my friend also.” Richard agreed, as he said, “We are definitely friends, Grandma and I.”

Gesa’s Refer-a-Friend promotion runs through December 31, 2023. New Gesa Credit Union members who were referred by a current member and have a promo code must open a savings account, a SmartPlus Checking account, and a consumer debit card to be eligible for and enter the sweepstakes. Once opened, every swipe by the referred member equals one entry into Gesa’s monthly giveaway of $50,000, split evenly between the referee and the referrer. The next monthly drawing will be held on December 1, 2023, and will be from all entries received between November 1 and November 30, 2023. A final grand prize drawing will be held on January 2, 2024, from all entries received between December 1 and December 31, 2023, for one grand prize of $35,000 account credit to the referee and $35,000 account credit to the referrer. For more rules on the promotion, including eligibility, visit gesa.com/promotions/refer-a-friend-giveaway/. 

Gesa Credit Union is one of Washington’s largest credit unions with over $5.5 billion in assets and is 285,000 members strong. Gesa is a full-service financial institution that offers a complete array of consumer, mortgage, and business products and services. Headquartered in Richland, Washington, Gesa operates 28 branches, including three loan centers, two full-service student-operated campus branches at Washington State University, and 12 student-operated high school branches across Washington state. The Gesa Community Foundation, established in 2022, further supports Gesa’s ongoing commitment to local communities and charitable giving, which includes support for schools, Local Heroes groups and community organizations through its Affinity Debit Card Program, as well as through its annual youth scholarships, and free financial and educational resources available to members and the general public. For more information, visit gesa.com.