Maxwell, Herring Winners Reflect CU Principles

This year’s Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service and Louise Herring Philosophy-in-Action Member Service awards winners have demonstrated a dedication to social responsibility, working to better their communities and improve members’ financial health.

Community initiatives first-place Dora Maxwell winners coordinated include:

• Hosting a “bike-a-thon” to raise funds and awareness of prostate cancer.
• Launching "Operation: Maximum Impact," a version of the television series “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” to assist members in need.
• Raising funds for the Georgia Health Sciences Children's Medical Center by leveraging a parking lot, which is convenient to a local concert venue.
• Sending individuals with special needs to summer camps through an “Adopt a Camper” fund-raising campaign.
• Hosting a Military Appreciation Day at a minor league baseball ballpark.
• Funding a “Secret Meals for Hungry Children” program to feed at-risk children on the weekend when school lunch program aren’t available.
• Repurposing a former office for a local nonprofit organization that provides health-care services to the uninsured or underinsured.
• Supporting hospitalized children with a music therapy program so they can work through trauma and developing coping strategies.
• Raising funds to build a pirate-themed distraction therapy room at a local children’s hospital.

First-place Louise Herring winners demonstrated member service and financial education outreach by:

• Offering a matched savings program for first-time homeownership, microbusinesses, higher education, and vehicle purchases.
• Partnering with social service agencies to open microbranches within their facilities for underserved members.
• Inviting members and potential members to save money by offering a free review of current bills and credit reports.
• Providing members an estate planning essentials program to give them tools to plan and obtain peace-of-mind.
• Presenting $8,000 in scholarship awards to students annually.

All winners will be honored during the GAC.