CUs in the News: November 2023

Whether it's giving back, awarding scholarships, creating community, providing innovative solutions, or fostering financial literacy (and so much more), here's how Wisconsin's credit unions supported their members and communities in November.

Giving Back

WESTconsin holding Mitten Tree winter clothing drive for 13th year
 With the weather turning colder, there's a way you can help people in need in western Wisconsin communities. WESTconsin Credit Union is holding their 13th annual Mitten Tree campaign starting next week.  Anyone can donate new hats, gloves, scarfs, coats, boots, and other winter clothing. Each WESTconsin office will have a Christmas tree to decorate with the donations before they are distributed to people in need. (WESTconsin Credit Union, 11/2)

 St. Vincent de Paul Conference begins Annual Fund Drive
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) Conference of Merrill announced their Annual Fund Drive is now underway, and they are counting on the support of area residents to help them to help those in need in Lincoln County. SVDP assists individuals and families in need of emergency assistance right here in our community. (Connexus Credit Union, 11/8)

RCU Foundation trivia event raises $5,000 for St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity
Credit Union Foundation (RCU Foundation) Making a Difference (M.A.D) Trivia night sold out for the second year in row and raised $5,000 for St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity. The event was hosted in partnership with the New Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, November 2 at the 45th Parallel Distillery. 160 participants gathered on teams of eight and competed during six rounds of trivia for prizes. (Royal Credit Union, 11/8)

Summit Credit Union celebrating 10th Cash Boomerang
 Summit Credit Union announced an annual patronage dividend, called Cash Boomerang, of $2.66 million to its members. The giveback is based on the cooperative’s financial success and on a member’s use of Summit’s checking, savings, borrowing services, as well as their length of membership. The annual program will send a cash payout to 75,900 members. (Summit Credit Union, 11/8)

Area Rotary, Interact clubs pack some 53,000 meals to feed world’s hungry 
Volunteers packed more than 53,000 meals to help feed the world’s hungry when they gathered at Fort Atkinson High School on Sunday. Organized by the school’s Interact Club, an offshoot of the Rotary Club, the Kids Against Hunger event featured 163 volunteers packaging 53,138 rice-and-veggie meals that will go to Nicaragua, Philippines, Poland or Ukraine. Volunteers, working in a two-hour morning and/or afternoon shift, packed 6,000 meals in the just the first half-hour of the 9 a.m. start. (Fort Community Credit Union, 11/8)

Central Wisconsin businesses hold annual Pajama Drive for kids
Area businesses are doing what they can so kids have something warm to sleep in during cold winter months. The annual pajama drive is ongoing. The event was started by local mom and has been going strong for almost 10 years. Back then, only 25 pajamas were collected for the entire month while last year alone saw over 500 pajamas collected for kids. (Brokaw Credit Union, 11/8)

MMCCU Invites Kids to Decorate Holiday Cards for Nursing Home Residents
 This festive season, MMCCU (302 W Upham) extends an invitation to children for a heartwarming activity – decorating holiday greeting cards for residents of local nursing homes. A dedicated decorating table with art supplies will be available in the lobby of the credit union. (Marshfield Medical Center Credit Union, 11/10)

Childcare event brings employers together to discuss possible solutions
 Many Wisconsin families struggle to find available and affordable childcare but it also impacts businesses and organizations. That's why multiple organizations from the Black River Falls area came together Thursday for a childcare event. Businesses discussed how childcare impacts them and how they can support their employees. (Co-op Credit Union, 11/10)

Connexus Credit Union donating blankets to charities for the holidays
Tis the season for generosity, and Connexus Credit Union is ringing in the holiday season by making fleece tie blankets for local charities. Over 100 Connexus employees gathered in Rothschild to celebrate their annual season of giving campaign. The idea came when they heard the need for warm blankets in the area. In just four hours, they made 250 blankets, over 100 stuffed animals, and about 300 holiday cards. The most important part of the project is helping warm the hearts of families throughout the area. (Connexus Credit Union, 11/14)

Connexus Credit Union gives back to Central Wisconsin families with Season of Giving
An effort is underway to make sure every child has a present to open on Christmas morning. Connexus Credit Union employees made fleece blankets, stuffed animals, and holiday cards to bring some holiday cheer to kids and families in need. Five local nonprofits receive the gifts and give them directly to families in the area. (Connexus Credit Union, 11/14)

‘Kindness Day’ Included Hundreds of CUs and Thousands of Employees
In 2013, the Saint Paul, Minn.-based Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union ($4.1 billion in assets, 260,619 members) hosted an employee-driven volunteer and community kindness day. Over time, the idea spread to other area credit unions. Ten years later, the concept has grown so much that additional credit unions and its employees have created an annual Kindness Day Initiative that now includes more than 300 credit unions and nearly 12,000 employees in eight states.(WCUL, 11/20)

CoVantage Cares announces Giving Tuesday campaign
CoVantage Cares Foundation has announced the kickoff of its annual two-week fundraising campaign. The event will begin Nov. 28, which has become known nationally as “Giving Tuesday,” and will end Dec. 12. Funds generated will be matched with up to $175,000 in contributions from CoVantage Cares Foundation, a public charity established by CoVantage Credit Union. (CoVantage Credit Union, 11/22) 

Racine Zoo participating in #GivingZOOday to fund conservation and care
Supporting zoos and conservation programs is crucial for wildlife preservation. Racine Zoo is stepping up its efforts by participating in #GivingZOOday on Tuesday, Nov. 28, aiming to bolster funds for animal care and conservation initiatives. This day of giving is a chance for the community to play a direct role in the stewardship of environmental and species protection. (Educators Credit Union, 11/22) 

 UW Credit Union “Here for a Cause” Donation
UW Credit Union presented the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee with an oversized check in September to commemorate the credit union’s second annual “Here for a Cause” donation. For every Brewers™ win at American Family Field™, UW Credit Union donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee. The final donation grew to $12,250 at the conclusion of the season and will be used to fund field trips and technology tools for local youth. (UW Credit Union, 11/24)

Investing in Communities

Marine Credit Union breaks ground on new headquarters
Marine Credit Union held a ceremony for their new headquarters they opened in downtown La Crosse. (Marine Credit Union, 11/9)

South Middle School Royal Credit Union school site ribbon cutting held
Royal Credit Union (Royal) held a ribbon cutting ceremony at South Middle School in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to celebrate their newest school partnership.  The South Middle School Royal site features a unique financial services delivery method with a first of its kind, custom designed and built, mobile teller cart. (Royal Credit Union, 11/9)

Fostering Excellence

Interview: Junior Achievement to hold Hero Gala
A local CEO and company will be honored at the Junior Achievement Hero Gala November 15 in Eau Claire for helping JA continue its work through the Covid-19 pandemic. Junior Achievement is proud to announce that Scott Hoffmann from WIN Technologies and the Perigon services team will be honored at the 8th Annual JA Hero Gala on November 15, 2023. Hoffman and his team are recognized for their work that allowed Junior Achievement to continue teaching students about financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career readiness during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Royal Credit Union, Co-op Credit Union, WESTconsin Credit Union, 11/1)

Summit Credit Union Fellowship for Women Entrepreneurs launches
Summit Credit Union, a member owned financial cooperative, and StartingBlock, Madison’s startup hub, welcome seven women entrepreneurs into the 2023 cohort of the Summit Credit Union Fellowship for Women Entrepreneurs. This is an initiative designed to support, empower, and catalyze the growth of women entrepreneurs in the region. (Summit Credit Union, 11/14)

Bay View, Marshall high schools first to utilize Junior Achievement of Wisconsin’s new 3DE program
Junior Achievement of Wisconsin has long provided experiential learning programs to students in the Milwaukee area and across the entire state. But freshman at two Milwaukee high schools this year are getting the first chance to experience the global nonprofit’s latest effort to prepare students for the world of work. Dubbed 3DE, the model provides a guided exploration of business case challenges, equipping students with relevant opportunities to apply their knowledge, fostering deep and practical understanding. (Educators Credit Union, 11/14) 

Jill Ettesvold awarded Royal Credit Union 2023 Positive Impact Award
Royal Credit Union (Royal) Branch Manager II, Jill Ettesvold was presented Royal’s 2023 Positive Impact Award. The Positive Impact Award is Royal’s highest team member recognition for a team member who has truly gone above and beyond to make a lasting impact on Royal’s Members, team members, and communities. All Royal team members are eligible to make nominations for the Positive Impact Award, and the recipients are chosen by the executive team. (Royal Credit Union, 11/21)

Awarding Scholarships

Area students invited to apply for WESTconsin scholarships
WESTconsin Credit Union is offering $1,000 scholarships for up to 15 high school seniors of the Class of 2024 as part of its Student Scholarship Program. The goal is to award one scholarship in each community served by a WESTconsin office. These areas include Altoona, Amery, Baldwin, Barron, Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Ellsworth, Hudson, Menomonie, New Richmond, Prescott and River Falls, including Rice Lake and Spring Valley, which have offices in the process of construction. Scholarship recipients will be announced in May 2024. (WESTconsin Credit Union, 11/13)