TUMWATER, Wash.–The Great Eclipse of 2017 will arrive in North America on Aug. 21, and several credit unions have announced related promotions.
O Bee Credit Union is offering viewing glasses for what is being billed as a “once in a lifetime event.” The center of the eclipse will pass directly over much of the Pacific Northwest.
The total eclipse of the sun, the first since 1979, will put portions of the country in complete darkness, while other portions will see varying degrees of darkness. O Bee Credit Union is distributing the glasses while supplies last.
Meanwhile, in Memphis, Orion FCU said it is donating 10,000 eclipse viewing glasses to its 13 adopted schools in the greater Memphis area. These glasses, made by American Paper Optics in Bartlett, Tenn., are to be used for safe viewing of the solar eclipse, the credit union said.
“I remember experiencing the last solar eclipse 26 years ago. I kept my viewing glasses for years,” said Jason Lee, CFO, Orion Federal Credit Union. “Orion believes providing these glasses for students will allow them an educational experience of a lifetime.”
The solar partial eclipse will be visible in the Mid-South area on August 21, 11:52 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. In the Mid-South, the most exciting two minutes will happen approximately 1:23 p.m., depending on exact location in the Memphis area. In Memphis, the eclipse will be almost in totality. The sun is predicted to be approximately 94% covered by the moon.
“We’ve already had tremendous response from the schools that are thrilled to be able to safely incorporate viewing the eclipse into the curriculum,” said CEO Daniel Weickenand.