Pennsylvania Credit Union Association

Season’s Greetings

A special issue of People Helping People

People Helping People Live Each Day to the Fullest

There are at least four things you can do with your hands. You can wring them in despair; you can fold them in idleness; you can clench them in anger; or you can use them to help someone. We should all be masters at lifting them up and making them feel better.

The People Helping People philosophy is alive and well in credit unions. Staff and volunteers go above and beyond in carrying out the philosophy throughout the year in their credit unions, as well as giving their personal time. People who have this passion do so to help those in need and improve their quality of life, rather than gain personal recognition.

This issue, the final edition for 2010, and the last printed issue (it goes electronic in January), is dedicated to all the volunteers who unselfishly give their time in helping others through their communities, churches, and other local organizations.


Carole Fischer, CEO of P.G.&W. EMP. FCU, is a volunteer firefighter for Madisonville. She has been involved with the fire company her entire life, and serves as Treasurer of the Ladies Auxiliary. Fischer explains, “Since we are an all-volunteer fire company, when we aren’t busy fighting fires or responding to car accidents, we are usually doing a fundraising event. We spend thousands of hours each year raising money to keep the fire company operating and to maintain our equipment. We are all people helping people.”


Sandi Carangi, Vice President of Business Services, Erie FCU, has been a board member of Erie DAWN for more than two years. Erie DAWN is a transitional housing program for legally homeless women. Maureen Dunn, Executive Director of Erie DAWN, said Carangi is an ambassador for the organization at every opportunity, and her experience with Erie FCU and the People Helping People philosophy is evident in everything she does.“ Carangi noted that all of the credit union’s employees volunteer hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to numerous organizations throughout the community.


Karen Janoski, Manager of Consumer Healthcare FCU, Moon Township, is President of the New Kensington Rotary Club, and has been a member since 2006. The group holds fundraisers and supports various local charities. It also provides dictionaries to all third graders in the local school district and conducts a literacy program for elementary schools. Janoski also is a six-year volunteer in the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program. Last year she prepared more than 90 returns on her own time (evenings and weekends) for senior citizens at a local senior living complex. “I have always prided myself in being helpful to others. My satisfaction is seeing a smile on someone’s face that I have helped,” said Janoski.


Kay Kurtz Vogel, Business Development/Community Relations Manager for People First FCU in Allentown, explains that the credit union has been involved with non-profit organizations since it converted to a community charter in 2002. Community involvement is not just monetary contributions, but also the invaluable contribution of volunteers. On the personal side, Vogel is involved with KidsPeace, a 128-year-old national children’s charity. She is a former board member and past president of Meals on Wheels of Lehigh County, and now serves on the Golf Committee. She is currently president of the Mayfair Festival of the Arts, the Lehigh Valley’s premier outdoor festival held in May.


Johnnie Grantz, Assistant Treasurer of Central Valley FCU in Arnold, applies the scripture, “Do unto others as you would have them do to you,” in her daily life. Grantz has been using her job skills to help her church treasurer reconcile financial statements and get the books in balance. In addition, she works with friends to teach them the importance of balancing their checkbooks to avoid overdraft fees. “I love my job here at the credit union and I love working with numbers.”


Carrie Wood, CEO of Timberland FCU in DuBois, has served on the Alumni Board of Penn State DuBois since 2002. The Board is focused on creating a better quality of life and affordability of college for the students. Wood says she’s been able to bridge a relationship with the college and credit union. Wood is also involved with the GFWC Curwensville Woman’s Club. She is a Past President, past treasurer, past secretary, chairman of various committees. One of the projects that Wood coordinated reflects the People Helping People philosophy. “We did an education series on fraud and identity theft for the club members. The group was recognized by the state organization for this program,” said Wood.


Pittsburgh FCU is very involved in the community it serves. President/CEO Cookie Yoder serves as Treasurer for both the Mt. Oliver Area Chamber of Commerce and the Hilltop Economic Development Corporation. Also, each year for Thanksgiving and Christmas the credit union collects donations for the Elder-ado, a local senior citizens center, with two offices that do wonderful things for the seniors in the area. “We have done financial education sessions for them and helped many of their members sign-up for direct deposit and other financial services,” said Yoder.


At AmeriChoice FCU, Mechanicsburg, employees are encouraged to take an active role in the lives of members and in their communities. “Giving back to the community is not just something we do, it is who we are,” said Toni Montgomery, Communications Manager. Throughout the year, employees personally volunteer in more than 100 community organizations giving greater than 2,000 hours of service. With three employees, the People Helping People philosophy has become their personal mission.

Claudia Luci, Loan Operations Officer, volunteers approximately 17 hours per week with the Humane Society. “I have to admit that I would never have thought of volunteering before it was suggested, and I am so happy that the opportunity was presented.”

MaryAnne Nguyen, Community Relations Manager, has been a volunteer for the Pennsylvania Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Network (PAIRWN) since its inception in 2001. Her goal is to encourage individuals to step out of their comfort zones to offer the People Helping People spirit in diverse communities.

Tom Ha, Vice President of I.T., is known as a rocket scientist. He has a life-long passion for building and flying model rockets and started Central Pennsylvania Rocketeers, a section of the National Association of Rocketry (nar.org), to be able to help local groups, schools, and individuals have fun with rockets and also understand what makes rockets work, from physics to chemistry. His volunteer time for the NAR and CPR has averaged 900 hours per year for the last five years. 


Connie Mattis, CFO, Service 1st FCU, Danville, serves as Secretary on the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Susquehanna Valley. “They see what their Big Brother and Big Sister do, and they want to emulate that, like doing well academically and volunteering to help others in their community. This is truly a beautiful philosophy of People Helping People!”

Karen Wood, VP of Community Relations, served as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees for the Bloomsburg United Way during 2009-2010. Most recently, the United Way assisted several fire victims in Bloomsburg, providing $10,000 worth of monetary support to the Red Cross to help these individuals recover.


Employees of Discovery FCU, Wyomissing, give back to their communities in various ways. The credit union participates in various charitable events, such as the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life; blood drives; United Way; and Greater Berks Food Bank. In addition, employees donate their time and efforts in the following ways:



Jenna Kaczmarek, President/CEO of Community of Health-care Employees Credit Union, Chambers-burg says, “Giving back to my community is such a part of who I am. I try to give a little in each area of my life – professional, personal, and family.” As an alumnus of Leadership Franklin County, Kaczmarek currently chairs the Advance Leadership Program, one of two programs she helped develop. She is also Vice President of the Council for the Arts. In addition, she uses personal time to speak at the Girl Scouts Leadership Conference; makes financial literacy presentations in schools; participates in Franklin County Education Days; and mentors students through PA E-Mentoring.


Joe Wambach, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Credit Union Foundation, along with his sister, Rita, present paintings from Haiti to PCUA President/CEO Jim McCormack. Wambach and his wife, Maryse, purchased the paintings during their Haiti visit in October. The detailed pictures represent the destruction from the January 2010 earthquake. Rita represented Maryse, who was unable to attend the presentation.

The Pennsylvania team spent two weeks in Haiti in late September/early October on a fact-finding mission to explore opportunities for credit unions to help restore the remittance system.


Tina Dolgash, CEO, People’s Choice FCU, and Terri Stocki, Education Director, Consumer Credit Counseling Service, introduced credit unions and financial fitness to Riverside High School students, through a program funded by a grant through the Pennsylvania Credit Union Foundation. Students are asked to visit iBelong.org to get familiar with credit union history and locate the nearest credit union. They are given a “pre” and “post” test on personal financial topics, such as budgeting, credit cards, loans, checking/savings accounts, car leasing vs. buying, and much more.


Diamond Credit Union employees Kim Deery and Deb Maskrey celebrate the credit union’s achievement of 100 percent employee participation for the United Way campaign totaling more than $27,700.

Credit Unions in the News

American Heritage FCU kicked off the holiday season with its Grand Illumination ceremony, which included a spectacular fireworks show and musical presentation after the 40-foot tree was illuminated with over 30,000 lights.

Santa and Mrs. Claus visited Tri County Area FCU and greeted more than 65 children, who shared their holiday wish lists. Each child received a gift from Santa, as well as cookies and a coloring book.

William Craver, a member of Horizon FCU, donated five bicycles to the Toys for Tots campaign. Craver presented the bicycles to Traci Donahue, Operations Manager, with the assistance of State Senator Eugene Yaw, and grandson, Brandon Craver.

West Branch Valley FCU conducted a poinsettia sale to benefit its Relay for Life team. Team members including, Jamie Rinehart, Diane Foresman, and Kendra Long, sold 153 plants, raising nearly $300.

TruMark Financial Credit Union employees Maureen McKay, Susan Simeti, Barbara Moore, Tara Kelly, and Karen Stopyra, packed boxes with 135 stockings filled with toys, donated to the Stockings for Kids program, for the Salvation Army of Greater Philadelphia.

ARC FCU participated in Family Service’s Santa’s Project. Employees donated presents for a family of seven, who were financially unable to provide gifts to their children to celebrate the holiday season.

Events Calendar

December

31 - Deadline for Awards & Scholarships applications, nominations, and entries

2011

January

16-19 - CEO Summit, Key West, Florida

Save the Date

May 11-13 - Annual Convention & Expo, Hershey