VERMILLION, S.D.–Vermillion FCU recently here has launched a community appreciation project it is reporting has proven to be a great success, especially for its social media outreach.
According to the Credit Union Association of the Dakotas, which first reported the program, it all began when CEO Janet Mount took notice of the many businesses that had stayed open, despite increasingly difficult circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I was so grateful for those that stayed open; without them, it would have been so much harder to get through this,” Mount told the CUAD.
The association noted the situation hit especially close to home for Mount, as her father is in assisted living in Vermillion, S.D., which was on total lockdown, with no one allowed in or out.
“Her appreciation for the caretakers grew, as she understood that not only did the staff have to deal with worries about their own families, but were also trying to ease the stress of those who couldn’t see their families,” the CUAD said. “A discussion began among the staff at Vermillion FCU, and it soon became obvious that there were many deserving people who were going above and beyond.”
Long Days for Local Workers
Among those people: the Vermillion Police Department worked seven days straight for 12 hours per day, rotating every other week off, to assure there was a separation of officers to prevent the spread of COVID. The local fire department, made entirely of volunteers, would schedule drive-bys at the homes of children to celebrate birthdays. The grocery store workers kept working, along with convenience stores and gas stations, and of course, the many medical personnel who continued to work under very stressful conditions, the CUAD said.
The association said an ongoing discussion between the staff and board over how to show appreciation noted members should also be asked for their input, and a plan evolved to let the members decide. The board then designated $2,500 to be given away in June.
Following work with Amy Kleinschmit, CUAD’s chief compliance officer for legal details, the credit union planned for “good-old cash giveaways” based on nominations – three weeks of 10 individual $50 awards, and then a final week of 20 $50 awards.
The Cash Recipients
According to the CUAD, the cash has been presented to teachers, convenience store personnel, restaurant workers, medical staff, Vermillion Public Transit employees, a librarian, and more. The credit union has also been making the most of their gifts – by posting each award on its Facebook page, with Mount reporting there have been thousands of “views” and hundreds of “Likes,” with more engagement and interaction on social media than the credit union has ever previously experienced.
“It has been a treat for us to be able to read all of the nominations; there really are a lot of people making life better for all of us,” Mount told the CUAD. “The recipients are very happy and excited to get the $50, but it seems so far that they are more appreciative that someone thought enough of them to write out a nomination application.”
To be eligible, the nominees do not have to be members of Vermillion FCU, but they must be located within their field of membership.
The $22-million Vermillion FCU has approximately 2,650 members.