By Dean Young
Credit unions throughout the U.S. proudly join together to participate in and sponsor the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run held in our nation’s capital each April to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network.
The credit unions provide both volunteer manpower to put on the race and much needed financial support for the one in 10 children who enter a Children’s Hospital annually for treatment, cures and hope.
PSCU sponsors the race to make a difference in the lives of these children. It also gives us the chance to put credit union community involvement on center stage for members of Congress and other D.C.- area influencers. The race in D.C. complements the active lobbying efforts of the CUNA and NAFCU trade associations. Hundreds of the runners are Capitol Hill staffers, and the race gives them first-hand exposure to the community service and white hat efforts of our nation’s credit unions. The combination of the trade associations’ voices with the participation of staffers from the Senate and House of Representatives ensures our elected officials more clearly understand credit unions’ role in the industry’s future success, and their importance in the community.
For credit unions, and the CUSOs that serve them, the commitment to helping children is a natural part of our role in the community. Since 2002, the event has raised more than $7 million. For the ninth year in a row, PSCU is helping underwrite the title sponsorship expenses for the world-class Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, the flagship event in the Credit Union Miracle Day (CUMD) Family of Races. Our sponsorship helps ensure that the donations raised by participating credit unions and runners can go directly to local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and not to overhead costs.
PSCU’s employees and their families hold the cause of children’s healthcare very close to their hearts. Since this charity hits close to home for our employees, many of them apply for the chance to participate in the race, and we proudly send two teams of runners to Washington, D.C.,to support the industry and to take part in the healthy competition.
What is equally meaningful about the event is that it provides the perfect opportunity to increase awareness on Capitol Hill about credit unions’ dedication to helping their local communities thrive, thanks to the race being held in D.C. More than 170 members of Congress are Honorary Race Chairs and nearly 1,000 Capitol Hill staffers participate in the run. There is no greater stage than the halls of Congress to emphasize to those who govern our country the significant community investment provided by credit unions.
Our excitement goes well beyond the race, as we are honored to assist credit unions that are recognized for the committed service they provide every day to their communities across the nation. By working together to provide essential and fairly priced financial services to millions of hardworking Americans, we get the distinct pleasure to see the incredible difference that this commitment can make.
For more information about the CUMD Family of Races, visit www.miracleday.org.
Dean Young leads PSCU’s strategic direction on how to best leverage the cooperative’s scale to advocate on behalf of the credit union industry. He works collaboratively with key national industry partners to ensure there is alignment on hot topics and a cohesive voice. Dean currently sits on the board for the National Association of Credit Union Service Organizations.