RALEIGH, N.C. – Walking into any one of State Employees’ Credit Union’s (SECU’s) 255 statewide branches you may spot a bit of unconventional indoor décor – a beautifully decorated birdhouse display. Since 2002, SECU has sold the skillfully crafted boxes in partnership with Frank Newell and the Eastern Bluebird Rescue Group (EBRG) to help create safe habitats for North Carolina’s bluebird population. To date, thousands of the houses have been purchased through SECU branches; in fact, the joint community improvement project recently reached its 200,000 mark and the milestone was celebrated with a bluebird house presentation to Governor Pat McCrory at the North Carolina Executive Mansion. Jo Anne Sanford, Vice Chair of SECU’s Board of Directors, joined Credit Union staff, Eastern Bluebird Rescue Group founder Frank Newell and EBRG volunteers for the commemoration.
EBRG and Newell Farms Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Warrenton have become well known in their mission to save the bluebird population, working with the North Carolina Bluebird Society and other organizations to support activities that foster the resurgence of bluebirds and other cavity nesting birds. The SECU birdhouse project has aided their efforts and reached the 100,000 milestone in 2011. In just four short years, sales of the $10 boxes doubled, leading to this presentation on the Mansion grounds.
Jo Anne Sanford remarked, “We are excited to be at the historic site of the Executive Mansion in Raleigh for this presentation today. When our partnership with the Eastern Bluebird Rescue Group began fourteen years ago, we could have never imagined the success and longevity of SECU’s bluebird project. We are in awe that we have reached the 200,000 mark and continue to be amazed by EBRG’s dedication and SECU members’ support for North Carolina’s bluebird population.”