Summer Stock Food Drive Under Way

Posted by Chris Sievers on Jul 2nd, 2010 | View Comments

Our research has shown that many children don’t get enough to eat during the summer.  Withers Broadcasting and SIU Credit Union will be collecting kid-friendly food items to donate to local food pantries.  We will be collecting food at Wal-Marts throughout Southern Illinois through July 12.

Carbondale Big 3 Auto Sale This Week

Posted by Chris Sievers on Jun 29th, 2010 | View Comments

Each year SIU Credit Union partners with the three largest Carbondale car dealerships to offer special financing rates to our members.

Get the SIU Credit Union price through July 3 at

Auffenberg of Carbondale

Vogler Motors

Vic Koenig Chevrolet

Show Me The Future

Posted by Chris Sievers on Jun 14th, 2010 | View Comments

We spend a good amount of time out in the community teaching financial literacy. Whether it’s to families, college students or high school and grade school students, we understand the importance of teaching the basics of good financial habits. I’m always on the lookout for new ways to deliver the information. When Show Me The Future came across my desk this morning it caught my attention. 

If you have grade-school to college-age kids, you’ll definitely want to pass along this link to them. With this game, you’ll have a whole new identity including occupation, income, whether you’re married or single, whether or not you have kids, and more.   You have a checking account with a register, which will contain the money you earned as your new identity.  Then you get to make choices, like the kind of house you’ll live in and what you’re going to eat, based on your identity.  Every choice you make costs money, which will be deducted from the money in your checking account.  The trick to the game is to see if you can make ends meet and still have some cash at the end. 

About Show Me the Future

Click here to Take a look and enjoy.

Florida CU establishes fund for oil spill wildlife recovery

Posted by SIU Credit Union on Jun 7th, 2010 | View Comments

PENSACOLA, Fla. (6/7/10 CUNA)–A Florida credit union that says it can’t sit idly by and wait for others to solve the oil spill crisis has committed $50,000 for a matching donation fund to assist the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida in its recovery efforts from the spill.

“We wanted to create an opportunity for the community to double the amount they give to the Wildlife Sanctuary,” said Pensacola-based Gulf Winds FCU President/CEO Chris Rutledge. “When they give through our website, we will match the gift dollar-for-dollar, up to a total of $50,000.”

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

The aim is to take the $50,000 pledged and turn it into a $100,000 donation “with help from the Gulf Coast residents,” Rutledge said. Rutledge and several Gulf Winds staffers toured the Wildlife Sanctuary recently. “We were very impressed with the facility and the work they are doing,” said Rutledge. “The Wildlife Sanctuary has been a part of this community for over 28 years and will be here long after the BP (British Petroleum] cleanup operation has left the area.

“We know that the Wildlife Sanctuary will be assisting and doing all they can do to protect, restore and rehabilitate wildlife that will be affected by this disaster,” said Rutledge. “Our wildlife cannot wait while lawsuits are settled. They will need our help now and long term.”

Although reports indicate that BP has committed to covering the costs associated with the oil spill incident, including the wildlife cleanup, the Wildlife Sanctuary is preparing for a potentially overwhelming amount of work. Dorothy Kaufmann, Wildlife Sanctuary director, said her staff and volunteers are working closely with many collaborating organizations in the recovery efforts.

It already has received injured birds from Tri-State Rescue and Research, an organization contracted by BP to rehabilitate wildlife in this incident. “The birds and other animals can’t be released to the wild immediately,” says Kaufmann. “The oil is still out there. We will be ready to nurse the animals back to health and if needed, hold them until it is safe to release them.”

The sanctuary is a non-profit organization that has served Northwest Florida since 1982. It does not charge for its services and relies on contributions to stay open. The money is used to build facilities, and for grounds upkeep, medical supplies and food. During a normal year, the sanctuary takes in 3,000-4,000 injured or sick animals. Staff expect a big increase this year.

Donations can be made by clicking here.  The credit union said 100% of the donation goes directly to the local sanctuary.

CU Employee Crowned Miss HerrinFesta Italiana

Posted by Chris Sievers on May 25th, 2010 | View Comments

photo by The Southern.

At the 2010 HerrinFesta Italiana Scholarship Pageant, Andrea Mays was crowned Queen. Mays, a native of Cobden, was sponsored by SIU Credit Union. She is 23 years old and the daughter of Ron & Shelly Mays. Andrea is a senior teller at SIU Credit Union’s Giant City Road Location.

Mays has been competing in pageants since she was 11 years old. She will serve as Miss HerrinFesta for the next year.

CU Employee Competing for Miss HerrinFesta Italiana

Posted by Chris Sievers on May 21st, 2010 | View Comments

One of the missions we have here at the credit union is to be active in the communities we serve. The big event in Southern Illinois this time of year is the HerrinFesta Italiana. Located in Herrin, Illinois, the Festa draws crowds from surrounding areas. This year, one of our senior tellers is competing in the HerrinFesta Scholarship Pageant and we couldn’t be more proud of her.

Andrea Middleton, a senior teller at our Giant City Road location, will compete with other women from Southern Illinois for the $5,000 scholarship award. SIU Credit Union is sponsoring Andrea in the pageant.

Andrea has won other crowns and we wish her well in her upcoming competition.

The event is 7 p.m., May 24, at the Herrin Civic Center.