BATON ROUGE, La. — Pelican Credit Union closed out 2025 by awarding a 2026 Honda CR-V to a Louisiana member as part of its #PelicanPays program, a member-focused initiative aimed at community impact and financial relief.
The vehicle giveaway drew nearly 12,000 entries from members across Pelican’s 18 Louisiana branches. The month-long contest concluded with a live announcement at the credit union’s Pineville branch.
“There is a lot of bad news in the world, and Pelican is intentional about creating moments that inspire hope,” said Leigh Porta, Chief Growth Officer at Pelican Credit Union. “Reliable transportation can be life-changing for a family. We wanted to provide meaningful support during challenging economic times.”
The randomly selected winner, Terrance Beauregard, became a Pelican member in July 2025. On the day of the announcement, he was experiencing vehicle trouble while trying to take his wife to work. Pelican employees arranged transportation to the branch, where he was surprised with the new SUV.
“This giveaway reflects the heart of our organization,” said Jeff Conrad, Chief Executive Officer of Pelican Credit Union. “As a member-owned financial institution, our mission extends beyond financial services. We strive to make a tangible difference in our members’ lives when it matters most.”
The car giveaway capped a year of expanded #PelicanPays activity. In 2025, Pelican also hosted two grocery-assistance events providing $50 in groceries to shoppers and launched a summer program that paid up to $10,000 in personal debt for selected members, broadening the initiative from small goodwill gestures into a larger community-investment strategy.