Credit Union Magazine: Peoples Community CU Funds Life-Saving Device

Half of all heart attack victims die if left untreated for five minutes.

DEDICATION TO A cause often means "going beyond the call."

Responding to an early morning wake-up call to join co-workers in a fund-raising effort requires a certain commitment. But by any measure, crawling out of a warm bed when the outside temperature has dipped to 10 degrees below zero represents teamwork and commitment at its best.

The 10 employees of Peoples Community Credit Union, Hopkins, Minn., met at 4:30 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving to sell coffee and doughnuts to early-bird holiday shoppers. It was part of their campaign to secure an automated external defibrillator (AED) for the Hopkins Police Department. For these and other efforts, the credit union earned a first-place award in the 2004 Dora Maxwell Social Recognition program in the $5 million to $20 million asset category.

"It was miserably cold," recalls Rosemarie Kuretich, credit union president, "and we didn't make much money. But we had a ball getting ready for it, and we had a good time. And everyone showed up for work when the credit union opened later that morning."

The sale on that cold morning was part of a six-month effort to raise $2,660 to purchase an AED. For someone suffering cardiac arrest, an AED can mean the difference between life and death. AEDs assess a person's heart rhythm and use an electric shock to restore a normal rhythm. But to be most effective, AEDs must be used immediately.

"No one knows when he or she might be a victim of cardiac arrest," Kuretich says. About half of all victims die if left untreated for five minutes, and nearly all victims die if there's a delay in treatment for 10 minutes or more.

"In our community, the police are usually the first on the scene of a medical emergency," Kuretich says. But due to the lack of budgeted funds, the Hopkins Police Department had just two AEDs. That left the department with two choices-neither of them acceptable. The officers could: 1) leave both AEDs at the police station so they would be available to officers on duty but not immediately accessible; or 2) play Russian roulette by placing them in two of the department's eight squad cars and hope the officers would be in the right place to answer an emergency call.

So when the Hopkins Crime Prevention Fund, a nonprofit community effort that assists the police department by funding programs and special purposes not covered by budgeted funds, contacted the credit union for help, the staff responded. Staff made a unanimous commitment to raise the funds but were concerned about their ability to do so. As a backup to its fund-raising efforts, the credit union invited its major sponsor, Supervalu Inc., to get involved and donate $1,300, or half of the AED's purchase price.

Formerly known as Supervalu Employees Credit Union, Peoples Community Credit Union expanded to a community charter two years ago. "It would be hard to find a sponsor that did as much for its credit union as Supervalu did for us," Kuretich says. For 65 years, the credit union was housed within its sponsor's facilities. "Supervalu was totally supportive of our moving off-site and expanding into the community," Kuretich notes. "We have a close relationship and we wanted to let the community know we still do things together."

The credit union also held four raffles in its lobby. Members could buy chances to win a six-foot Halloween stocking, a boom box, an eight-foot Christmas stocking, and a five-foot Easter Bunny named Baxter who took up residence in a lawn chair in the lobby. "We needed a lot of sales at $1.50 to $2 apiece to make our goal," Kuretich says.

At the end of six months, the credit union had raised the $2,660 needed to buy one AED and could buy another AED by partnering with Supervalu.

The credit union also played a role in the purchase of a third AED. Noting the campaign in the credit union's lobby, a member mentioned the effort at a meeting of the Hopkins Business Civic Association. That organization made an appeal at a membership meeting, raising enough funds for the additional AED. For their efforts, the credit union and the business group earned a Heartsaver Award from the American Heart Association.

Kuretich cites the project's three goals:

* Supporting the community in the spirit of people helping people;

* Helping people recognize the credit union's Supervalu ties and its community ties; and

* Gaining recognition as an interested participant in the community.

"We met 100% of our goals," Kuretich says. "It's the best project we've ever worked on." The police department also met its goal, outfitting each of its squad cars with an AED.

Kuretich urges credit unions to get involved in the community. "Give it a shot," she encourages. "It's rewarding and fun."

Look for a good fit with your credit union. She predicts, Once the staff members become interested, they'll want to do it again. I know we're looking forward to having fun with our next project."