SAFE Credit Union invited its members and the general public to
drop off old U.S. flags at its branches for honorary flag
retirement ceremonies.
FOLSOM,
Calif., Aug. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- When a
new employee resource group (ERG) at SAFE Credit Union that focuses
on veterans and military families looked for a way to connect its
mission with credit union members, it landed on a unique initiative
centered on the nation's flag.
"We were pleasantly surprised that we
collected over 300 flags from our members. That far exceeded our
expectations." SAFE Credit Union Chief Technology Officer
Michael McCarthy
In honor of Flag Day in June and Independence Day in July,
members of the Veterans and Loved Ones Resource (VALOR) ERG led a
collection drive for flags ready for retirement. From June through
early July, they placed bins in SAFE's 20 branches and Contact
Center in the Sacramento area and
in its headquarters building in Folsom for people to honorably place their
flags. VALOR members arranged to forward the flags to a local Cub
Scout group for them to conduct honorary flag retirement ceremonies
in alignment with the U.S. Flag Code.
"We were pleasantly surprised that we collected over 300 flags
from our members," says SAFE Credit Union Chief Technology Officer
Michael McCarthy and the executive
sponsor of VALOR. "That far exceeded our expectations. Members
brought in multiple flags and had family and friends bring flags to
our branches, too."
The initiative "sparked conversations and connections that
deepened our relationships with members," McCarthy says.
Those connections are particularly meaningful given SAFE's
military history as a credit union originally founded to serve
Sacramento-area U.S. Air Force
personnel, McCarthy adds.
The drive was so successful that VALOR plans to hold it annually
around the summer patriotic holidays: Memorial Day, Flag Day, and
Independence Day.
"Our branches were honored to be able to provide this service,"
says SAFE Credit Union Vice President Retail Branches Janine
Southwick. "It's another way we can connect with our members and a
unique way to show we honor the national symbol."
VALOR chose the flag collection as its first outreach event in
part because of the symbol of unity the flag represents.
"Flag Day is an opportunity to reflect on the significance of
the American flag and what it represents: unity, freedom, and the
enduring spirit of our nation," says Loan Servicing Manager
Yvette Tibbs, who leads VALOR. "The
flag is a powerful symbol of our shared values and the sacrifices
made to uphold them."
About SAFE
SAFE Credit Union is a $4.6 billion
credit union serving 236,000 members in Northern California. Insured by NCUA.
Media Contact
Carole Ferguson, SAFE Credit
Union, 916-836-6318, carole.ferguson@safecu.org,
https://www.safecu.org/
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content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/safe-credit-unions-drive-to-collect-flags-for-proper-retirement-ceremony-a-success-302224969.html
SOURCE SAFE Credit Union