Scott Credit Union�contributed about $325,000 and its employees volunteered more than 2,400 hours to a variety of local civic efforts.
Employees of Scott Credit Union have volunteered more than 10,000 hours in communities throughout the area during the past five years.
"We realize that without our members and the communities in which we serve, we would not exist as a financial alternative," said Scott Credit Union Community Relations Supervisor Ashleigh Deatherage. "Through the end of the year, we donated about $325,000 to a variety of fund-raising efforts, civic organizations and to sponsor sports teams and community events."
The credit union has increased its community involvement in the past few years while also increasing its efforts to educate consumers of the value of doing their financial business with a not-for-profit credit union.
"We really want people in the area to know more about the value of doing business with a credit union," Deatherage added. "That is why we have really focused our time on educating area residents about Scott Credit Union. One of the big ways weve done that is through our community involvement."
"Conducting financial business with a credit union saves the consumer real money," said Scott Credit Union President & CEO Frank Padak. "Many credit unions, like Scott Credit Union, offer similar products and services to what the conventional financial institutions have, but we do so with our members best interest in mind because we are a not-for-profit cooperative. Plus, we care about the community and we are committed to supporting local efforts through contributions and volunteerism."
Scott Credit Union created a Community Volunteer Incentive (VIP) Program to show how important community involvement is to the organization and to encourage the staff to volunteer their time supporting local efforts, Deatherage said.
"The community VIP program has gone great. We simply offer our staff a chance to win prizes with every hour they volunteer increasing their chances to win," she explained. "Our staff logged 2,400 hours in community service at a variety of charitable or civic events or efforts. Were extremely excited and proud of our staff for all that they do to give back to the community."
Scott Credit Union has supported many regional and local projects in and around the 13 communities in which it has branches, Deatherage noted.
"We have pledged $50,000 to the American Cancer Society over three years," she added. "We also contributed $25,000 to support technology in the classrooms in the Edwardsville School District and continued our pledge of $20,000 per year over five years for the new St. Josephs Hospital in Highland and the same to the expanded Kaskaskia College Trenton Education Center."
Scott Credit Union contributed $13,000 to YMCA of Southwest Illinois, $7,500 to March of Dimes and $5,000 to the MS Society as a presenting walk sponsor.
Scott Credit Union also provided $10,000 for St. Elizabeths Hospital in Belleville for its annual fund-raising campaigns and donated more than $22,000 to the United Way from the 7
th annual Scott Credit Union golf tournament fund raiser, Deatherage said.
"We also donated $6,000 over three years to the Collinsville Area Recreation District and $1,000 to several other community groups, including the Mascoutah Little Indian Touchdown Club, and Tour de Belleville," she added. "We also supported the Our Lady of the Snows Shrine with a $5,000 sponsorship and supported the Midwest Salute to the Arts with a $2,500 sponsorship."
Scott Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative that is member owned. The credit union recently gave over $1.3 million back to members through a bonus dividend and loan interest rebate.
Scott Credit Union is open to anyone who lives or works in a 17 county area, including Madison, St. Clair, Monroe, Randolph, Perry, Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Clinton, Marion, Bond, Macoupin, Montgomery, Fayette, Effingham, Williamson, and Jackson counties. Anyone who lives or works in St. Louis County, Missouri also can open accounts at SCU. Additionally, anyone active or retired military also can have accounts with Scott Credit Union.
Scott Credit Union currently has 15 area locations: Scott Air Force Base, East Belleville, Fairview Heights, Collinsville, OFallon, Edwardsville, Waterloo, Highland, Caseyville, West Belleville, Millstadt, Mascoutah, Troy, Wood River and its Home Office in Edwardsville.
For details on opening accounts at Scott Credit Union, visit
www.scu.org, call 1-800-888-4728, or stop by any of the credit unions branches.
