MADISON, Wis. – In celebration of October Co-op Month and to enhance awareness about member-owned/member-controlled businesses, Summit Credit Union created the “Co-op Connection: A Celebration of Cooperatives and Community” event. On Sept. 29, 2012, the credit union, together with CUNA Mutual and several cooperative organizations, attracted more than 340 people to the second-annual, free public event which celebrated cooperatives and all that they contribute to their communities.
Held at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison, the event included 20 interactive booths, demonstrations, live music, kids’ activities, prize drawings, free product samples and complimentary snacks.
Co-op enthusiasts shared brief stories regarding what cooperatives do and the impact they have on the community and local economy throughout the event. Dane County Executive Joe Parisi also spoke about the benefits of co-ops to Dane County.
“Summit Credit Union is proud to be a not-for-profit cooperative. We believe in the tangible value cooperatives bring to their members, employees, and communities,” said Kim Sponem, CEO/president of Summit Credit Union. “Co-op Connection is an opportunity for consumers to learn what local co-ops offer and how they can benefit. Our goal is to help fellow cooperatives thrive, because when cooperatives thrive, everyone wins.”
“The United Nations declared 2012 the International Year of Cooperatives, with the intention of raising public awareness of the invaluable contributions of cooperative enterprises to reduce poverty and generate employment, among other things,” said Anne Reynolds, faculty associate & assistant director at the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives. “This lent an added level of relevance to this year’s Co-op Connection and the role cooperatives play in the local economy.”
Event sponsors included Summit Credit Union, CUNA Mutual, Frontier FS, UW Center for Cooperatives, Group Health Cooperative, Union Cab, Wisconsin Rx and National Cooperative Rx. Cooperative Network also provided planning and volunteer support, as well as in-kind work.
For a complete listing of exhibitors and more information on the Co-op Connection, please visit http://www.summitcreditunion.com/coopconnection.html.
About Summit Credit Union:
Established in 1935, Summit Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative open to anyone in Wisconsin. Summit holds $1.8 billion in assets and has more than 125,000 members with a total of 23 locations throughout the Madison and Milwaukee areas. For more information, visit www.summitcreditunion.com or call (608) 243-5000 or (800) 236-5560.