Mississippi league refocuses after Katrina

JACKSON, Miss. (8/30/06)--The Mississippi Credit Union Association is getting back to business--league business, that is--after spending nearly a year on relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina.

That's not to say that the members, credit unions and staff are being forgotten, but rather they are getting on with their lives, said league President/CEO Charles Elliott.

They have been through a turmoil of emotions over the last year and that will continue, he told News Now. "It would be unfair to say everything is 'fine,' but it would be just as unfair to paint a picture of doom...A new normal is being established."

His first trip to the Gulf Coast after the hurricane resulted in one of his best memories, he said.

In February, the Mississippi Credit Union Association and the Southeast Corporate FCU delivered roses and $200 checks to those affected by the hurricanes. They visited 14 credit unions and delivered more than 650 roses and $68,000 in relief checks. From left are: Nancy Beoney, CEO manager, Biloxi (Miss.) Municipal CU; Jamie Duncan, member relationship manager, Southeast Corporate FCU, and Charles Elliott, president/CEO of Mississippi Credit Union Association (Photo provided by Southeast Corporate FCU).
"I watched these employees in T-shirts and shorts, standing in 90-degree heat and 70% humidity, serving members in the drive-through lane by handing out $200, $300 in cash and hand-writing receipts," Elliott said.

These employees were forsaking their personal tragedy to come back out and serve members, he added.

"Being part of the credit union family gave so many people hope," he said. "It wasn't just a check. It was knowing that they were part of something bigger.

"It was the most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life."

The league's relief efforts included grants, counseling, and even delivering Valentine's Day roses and 275 fully cooked Thanksgiving turkeys.

Some credit union facilities and ATMs still need to be replaced, and employees and members are still displaced--living in temporary homes, FEMA trailers or homes that are being repaired.

"Everyone needs to see progress," he said. Most of the debris has been removed, but construction and rebuilding is not as evident.

A recent planning session gave the league staff time to reflect on its core functions, resources and efforts, and helped it "get some control back," he said.

If another storm hits, the league will do "whatever it takes... that is what we do," Elliott said. Katrina took a toll on staff and credit unions, but if they have to go through it again--"We're in this together."

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