Bismarck, ND - The Credit Union Foundation of the Dakotas met on Thursday, September 1, and approved a donation in the amount of $8,000 for CUAid to assist flood victims in the southeastern United States.� The contribution will be divided, with $5,000 going to Louisiana flood victims and $3,000 to West Virginia.
Eight continuous days of storms recently inundated Louisiana with 7 trillion gallons of water creating the worst natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy and affecting some 300 credit union employees in that state alone.� West Virginia has also been severely impacted by the flooding.
Here in the Dakotas, we can relate to this tragedy.� It was only five years ago, in 2011, that we experienced some of the worst flooding ever along the Missouri River through North and parts of South Dakota.� Minot and Bismarck, ND were two of the areas that were severely impacted, with nearly 5,000 residential homes destroyed or damaged.� Through generous contributions to CU Aid at that time, CUAD was able to present
$36,000 in assistance to credit union employees and members.
"Having communities devastated by floods is something we can certainly relate to," said Jeff Olson, CUAD President-CEO".� "We were humbled by the CUAid response and the tremendous outpouring of concern and help that we received from the credit union community all over the country in our time of need."� He continued, "The generous contributions were instrumental in helping hundreds of credit union employees and families rebuild and get back on their feet, and the gesture was a great comfort to the suffering at the time."
Mike Reisnour, Board Chair of the Credit Union Foundation of the Dakotas and CEO of Dakota Plains Credit Union in Edgeley, ND agrees with Olson.� "Our Foundation Board unanimously approved the donation as a token of our appreciation and sincere gratitude to the credit union community.� It is the right thing to do, it is in line with the credit union motto of people helping people, and it is our way of paying it forward," said Reisnour.
You can learn more about CUAid and make a donation here: �
http://www.cuaid.coop/site/PageServer
