Christmas comes but once a year, yet the Christmas Spirit is alive and well all year round at Members Credit Union. Even during the rough economic times over the past twelve months – unemployment remains over 10% in North Carolina – the generosity of our members, employees, and the communities we serve has been outstanding. Because of your selfless acts of giving, no matter how small, Members Credit Union has been fortunate enough to help other organizations and make a great impact on the communities we serve.

One shining example of this spirit was MCU’s successful food drive for the Tri-County Christian Crisis Ministry in Elkin. On a Saturday in July, MCU employees collected non-perishable food items from patrons shopping at the Jonesville and Elkin Food Lion grocery stores. It was amazing and gratifying to see how fast the donations poured in. In no time volunteers had shopping carts overflowing with food and household necessities. What was even more extraordinary was the source of the donations. Ordinary people, who understand what it is like to struggle and many who were experiencing hard times themselves, gave as much as they could. To them, generosity was more important than the last dollar they had in their pocket. Because of these acts of selflessness, MCU volunteers were able to fill a pick-up truck with 1,039 pounds of food items and collect $683.63 for the Tri-County Christian Ministry.

The summertime food drive is just one instance of MCU’s enthusiasm for giving that is without seasonal boundaries. This past fall, MCU employees were in the spirit to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Employees held bake sales, special prize raffles, and participated in a Saturday two-mile walk to help drum up money and support for JDRF. Their enthusiasm was contagious. They inspired members to give and the result was a total of $9,075 to help find a cure for juvenile diabetes, bringing our three-year JDRF contributions to a total of nearly $27,000. Each donation was recognized with a colorful paper sneaker that was posted on the walls of branch lobbies in the Triad. At the end of the JDRF campaign, the halls at MCU were brightly decorated. Instead of boughs of holly the walls were decked with paper sneakers. The sneakers, just like the cans of food piled in the pick-up truck, were brilliant symbols of generosity that revealed itself in a time of need regardless of the season.

So, on behalf of all Members Credit Union’s board members and staff, I thank you for the generosity you display every day of the year. It is because of you that Members Credit Union continues to be a champion for community service.

Best wishes to you and yours for a safe and happy holiday season.