OTIS FCU partners with Spruce Mountain Pharmacy to provide free supplies to local teachers
ST.JAY, ME (September 6, 2024) — On Friday, August 23, OTIS Federal Credit Union hosted their second annual “Totes for Teachers” back-to-school event, giving away totes of supplies to teachers employed within the Credit Union’s field of membership. Teachers who stopped by were each given a plastic tote full of supplies ranging from pencils and notebooks to hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes. In total, one hundred twenty-five totes were filled, with one hundred fourteen of them given out to individual educators this year, nearly doubling the results of last year’s in-branch event. Following the event, OTIS FCU employees and Spruce Mountain Pharmacy staff personally delivered the remaining totes to a handful of schools within Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford counties.
OTIS FCU built upon the success of last year’s event through community business partnerships. Spruce Mountain Pharmacy, the Credit Union’s main partner, donated a significant amount of supplies for each tote. When asked about their support, Stephen Maki, owner of Spruce Mountain Pharmacy, stated, “OTIS FCU is very community oriented, and ‘Totes for Teachers’ is a great initiative that helps our educators start their school year off on the right foot. Joining forces with the Credit Union fits perfectly with our vision of giving back to the community and supporting education. Although we realize OTIS FCU’s market area is a little bit larger than our typical marketing footprint, we saw this as another opportunity to get the word out about what we are doing at Spruce Mountain Pharmacy.”
This year OTIS FCU also had donation boxes available for area residents who wanted to show support for our local educators. Community members could drop off school supplies at OTIS FCU, Spruce Mountain Pharmacy, Hight Chevrolet & GMC Farmington, and Jo’s Hair Fashion. Monetary donations were also made toward the purchase of additional school supplies, including one made in memory of Nancy Blodgett, who not only worked at OTIS FCU but also served on the Credit Union’s Supervisory Committee for many years.
OTIS FCU employees planned and carried out this initiative, with the support of these community partnerships. Kimberly Couture (Director of Marketing & Communications) and Jasmine Jackman (Loan Officer) led the charge, organizing planning meetings with Spruce Mountain Pharmacy, and gathering donations and back-to-school supplies. Reflecting upon the results of this year’s event, Jackman commented, “With it only being the second year of doing this, we were truly blown away with the turnout. Teachers put in a lot of hard work and dedication each school year. This is just one way that we can show them support and appreciation for all the work they do.”
OTIS FCU wants to extend a special thank you to the businesses and individual employees of Spruce Mountain Pharmacy, Hight Chevrolet & GMC Farmington, and Jo’s Hair Fashion for purchasing supplies and hosting a donation drop-off location. The Credit Union also expresses gratitude to the generous community members who helped make this initiative possible.
OTIS FCU wishes all school staff and students a great start to the new school year!
Totes for Teachers In-Branch Event at OTIS FCU
L to R: Donna Labbe, Secretary, OTIS FCU Board of Directors; Kimberly Couture, Director of Marketing & Communications, OTIS FCU; Jasmine Jackman, Loan Officer, OTIS FCU; Stephen Hamilton, Treasurer, OTIS FCU Board of Directors
Tote Donation to Spruce Mountain Elementary School
Front Row L to R: Jan Kirkland, Title 1 Reading, SMES; Jenn Stone, School Social Worker, SMES; Karen McDonald, Fifth Grade Teacher, SMES; Kelly Lake, Fourth Grade Teacher, SMES; Back Row L to R: Emma Blaisdell, Teller Supervisor, OTIS FCU; Jasmine Jackman, Loan Officer, OTIS FCU; Stephen Maki, Owner, Spruce Mountain Pharmacy; Julia Annis, Pharmacist, Spruce Mountain Pharmacy
About OTIS Federal Credit Union
OTIS Federal Credit Union was founded in April of 1954 by eleven local millworkers. Pooling their respective deposits of $5 each, they associated themselves as charter members of OTIS under the provision of the Federal Credit Union Act. At a time in America when obtaining a loan was difficult for the average family, the founders of OTIS sought to form a cooperative, independent financial institution operated and controlled solely by its local membership.
Since its inception, OTIS has been committed not only to providing quality financial products and services to its shareholders, but to giving back to the community. Today, OTIS is a full-service financial center offering real estate, auto, and personal lending; digital banking; a variety of checking, savings, and investment accounts; credit cards; financial planning; and much more. OTIS serves more than 11,000 members and holds over $250 million in assets. We proudly serve the counties of Androscoggin, Cumberland, Franklin, Kennebec, Lincoln, Oxford, Sagadahoc, Somerset, and York. The Credit Union is located at 170 Main Street in Jay, Maine. For more information, please visit www.otisfcu.coop or call (207) 897-0900.
