Press

Celebrating the 66th annual International Credit Union Day

Credit Unions Worldwide Unite For Good

WASHINGTON DC (October 16, 2013) — On October 17, 2013 the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) will celebrate the 66th annual International Credit Union Day along with the expanding credit union membership all over the world. It is estimated that there are over 200 million credit union members worldwide, representing 101 countries – and that number continues to grow. Between 2008 and 2012 credit union membership grew by 14.5 million people, representing an additional 4 countries.

Credit unions and associations throughout the world celebrate the day with open houses, contests, picnics, charity drives, and parades. This year’s theme, “Credit Unions Unite for Good,” builds on CUNA’s Unite for Good campaign, which has united credit unions to work to remove barriers, create awareness of the good credit unions do for members and their communities, and foster service excellence to encourage Americans to choose credit unions as their best financial partner.

“The banking industry claims there is no difference between credit unions and banks,” said Joanne Sepich, CUNA ICU Day coordinator. “Sharing our story with #ICUday is an opportunity to demonstrate our difference. October 17 is our day. Let’s own it by sharing our stories with #ICUDay.”

Among the ways credit unions can participate:

Twitter. Tweet using the hashtag #ICUday. Credit unions can use up to 140 characters to describe their ICU Day celebrations and include a picture. Credit unions can follow @cumagazine for updates.
Facebook. Credit unions can post their activities on the official ICU Day page at facebook.com/icuday.
E-mail. Take a picture and send it to cumagadmin@cuna.com with a brief description. Put “ICU Day” in the subject heading.
Credit unions also can post on CUNA’s Google+ page (use the link), use Instagram, send links to their Flickr or Picasa pages, or send links to videos on YouTube or Vimeo.

Among the ways credit unions and leagues are celebrating ICU Day:

Shell FCU, Deer Park, Texas, has created a short YouTube video asking, “Guess what day it is?” The video features a young man walking around the credit union asking, “Guess what day it is?” Finally, to the young man’s delight, a woman named Kara tells him it’s International Credit Union Day: CLICK HERE
For the second year in a row, credit unions from the Houston and Galveston, Texas, chapters of the Cornerstone Credit Union League are using the campaign theme, “Banks make dollars, not sense,” to celebrate ICU Day. This year’s campaign includes a mix of social and traditional media. Billboards, T-shirts, Web and print ads will be used with Facebook and Twitter to drive consumers to the CreditUnionSense.com website, where they can learn more about the credit union difference and find a local credit union to join.
“The celebration of International Credit Union Week comes at a time when credit union growth in Maine continues to reach new milestones,” said John Murphy, president of the Maine Credit Union League (Weekly Update Oct. 11). Murphy cited this year’s “Unite for Good” theme as an opportunity to “underscore and reinforce the value and benefits that come when credit unions cooperate and come together.”
NAPUS FCU, Alexandria, Va., will celebrate ICU Day with a two-week sale on signature and auto loans. It will offer 0.5% discount on standard rates on signature loans. Members and nonmembers who have financed their car at other financial institutions can call the credit union to find get lower rates.
On Thursday, students from Murrell Dobbins CTE High School in Philadelphia will learn real-life lessons in budgeting and the cost of living as Freedom CU, in association with the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association, presents Philadelphia’s first “Reality Fair.”
Michigan credit unions and ICU Day were featured in an Oct. 9 article in the Sterling Heights Sentry. While not every state resident is eligible to join every credit union, there is a credit union for everyone in Michigan, Mona Shand, Michigan Credit Union League public relations manager, told the paper. Peoples Trust CU, Southfield, and Cornerstone Community Financial CU, Auburn Hills, were also featured in the article.
Credit Unions United for a Cause–credit unions in Indiana’s Delaware County–will celebrate ICU Day with a day of kindness. Ball State FCU, First County FCU, Industrial Centre FCU, and PrimeTrust FCU, all of Muncie, will send out “kindness crews” to perform random acts of kindness. The crews will buy coffee, pay for lunches, serve donuts and bag groceries (even supplying the bags) for local residents to celebrate ICU Day.
In Dublin, Ireland, Swords & District CU will feature a “Hands of Declaration” display, offering members a chance to trace their hands and write the reasons why they are credit union members in return for a chance to win a flat-screen TV.

ICU Day has been celebrated on the third Thursday of October since 1948. The day is recognized to reflect upon the credit union movement’s history and to promote its achievements. It is a day to honor those who have dedicated their lives to the movement, recognize the hard work of those working in the credit union industry and show members their appreciation. The ultimate goal is to raise awareness about the great work that credit unions are doing around the world.