2001 National Dora Maxwell And Louise Herring Award Winners Announced

December 3, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ginny Meharg
CUNA Marketing and Sales Administration
608-231-4880
gmeharg@cuna.coop


MADISON, WI – The 2001 winners of CUNA’s Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility and Louise Herring Philosophy in

Action Awards were selected from among 158 state winners submitted to the national awards committee from 41 states.

First place winners of the Dora Maxwell Awards included: C.U.P. FCU (Utah), Torrington Municipal & Teachers FCU

(Connecticut), Community CU (Maine), Cloverbelt CU (Wisconsin), Yakima Valley CU (Washington), Credit Union 1 (AK),

and the Sabine Chapter of Credit Unions (Texas).

First place winners in the Louise Herring Awards were Santa Cruz Community CU (California) and Georgia Telco CU

(Georgia).

"The 2001 Maxwell and Herring winners are symbols for everyone in the credit union movement of what is possible

when credit unions place an extra special emphasis on caring for their neighbors and serving their members," says

Dan Mica, President/CEO of CUNA. "The good works accomplished by these credit unions—and all those who have

entered the award programs—do so much to demonstrate the credit union difference."

The Dora Maxwell and Louise Herring Awards call on credit unions to fulfill the words of pioneer Edward A.

Filene when he said, "there is an urgent need to bridge the chasms in human society, and cement the brotherhood of

man." The Awards honor two female "founders" of the credit union movement whose careers were characterized by

tireless work on behalf of their communities and credit unions.

Since 1987, the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award has honored credit unions for charitable works in their

communities. Some credit unions have ongoing programs and establish a special relationship with local social

service agencies, or school programs. Other programs address many different needs in the community. No matter the

size or scope of a project, each participating credit union builds its reputation as a good corporate citizen along

the way.

Credit unions enter the Dora Maxwell program in one of six asset categories or the chapter category.

Beginning in 1990, the Louise Herring Philosophy in Action Award has commended credit unions that make

exceptional efforts to include credit union philosophy in their daily operations and member service. Programs that

provide financial education to particular member groups within the credit union, or special assistance to low-

income members struggling to pay heating bills, for example, are clear examples of the philosophy that sets credit

unions apart from other financial institutions. Entrants in the Louise Herring program compete in two asset

categories.

"Just managing a credit union and providing basic services is enough to keep staff constantly busy, but the

staff and volunteers at these winning credit unions wanted to do more. They viewed community service as an

extension of their credit unions’ member service mission," says Diana Roberts, Awards Committee Chair. "They

believed that credit union philosophy means that things are done differently at a credit union...that the bottom

line is a satisfied member."

Award winners will be honored at a reception during CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference in February 2002, in

Washington, D.C.

A list of all

winning credit unions

is attached to this release.