Cornerstone Credit Union, along with credit unions across our province, will celebrate International Credit Union Day on October 16, 2014 as part of National Co-op Week, October 13-19, 2014.
The credit union's theme for Co-op Week is "Credit Unions, a world of possibilities". Cornerstone will be hosting events in their communities to show the impact that credit unions have in their communities. "Our employees live, work, and volunteer here. What happens in our communities matters to us as a business and it matters to us as people," says Kevin Lukey, CEO of Cornerstone Credit Union. "Co-op Week provides us with another opportunity to connect with our members, and celebrate the credit union difference."
Credit unions consider Co-op Week as an opportunity to educate the public about the differences between credit unions and other financial institutions. As true financial co-operatives, credit unions are democratically controlled, which means every member has a vote. Members can vote for and run for the board of directors and lead the strategic direction of their credit union.
"We have the right people and services to take care of all your financial needs, and decisions are made local," said Kevin Lukey. "Our impact is local, which means funds on deposit are turned into loans within our regions, improving the communities and the well-being of the families, businesses and individuals."
Credit unions give back to their communities to an extent not possible for the private sector. This giving takes the form of patronage dividends to members, donations (both in kind and monetary) and volunteer hours to local charities and non-profit organizations. In 2013, Saskatchewan credit unions returned $16 million in patronage dividends to their members. Community giving amounted to over $6 million. Credit union fundraising brought in almost $300,000 for causes like the Children's Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan, Red Cross Disaster Relief, Terry Fox Run and Telemiracle. Credit union employees logged nearly 35,000 hours of volunteer time for community organizations.
Cornerstone Credit Union is one of 51 credit unions in Saskatchewan. These full service financial institutions serve more than 490,000 members across the province. Saskatchewan credit unions build lives and fulfill dreams by helping members achieve financial well-being and by investing in their communities.
