TOLDEO, Ohio - A new home for a deserving family was constructed from Sept. 7 to 14 for the Toledo edition of the ABC television series "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," and Directions CU here was proud to be one of the lead sponsors.
The Buckeye Real Estate Group, a local builder and lead contractor of the project, joined more than 3,000 skilled workers and volunteers to help make this project complete.
"We were looking to partner with a local financial institution who cares about the community," said Tim Schlachter, president of the Buckeye Real Estate Group.
Schlachter's father has been a board member of the $500-million Directions CU for several years, and immediately thought of the credit union as a partner for the project, said Brenda Covrett, AVP of marketing for Directions CU. He approached the credit union just two weeks before the project began.
"It moved very, very quickly," Covrett said.
In addition to being a major sponsor of the event, the 85,000-member Directions provided hats for those volunteers working on the job site during the week of the build. The hats were sold at the job site and other events, with all proceeds being given to the family. Direction's branch location also served as a collection site for community donations.
"We're always looking for a ways to get involved in the community," Covrett said. "It's just an extremely exciting project for the city of Toledo, and it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of something like this. We are showing support to the community and helping a family in need."
Covrett said there was a "small cost" to the credit union to be involved.
"We made a financial contribution, and purchased 2,000 hats to be worn on site," Covrett said. "People buy them and the proceeds go to the family."
Getting the credit union's name out in the community couldn't come at a better time, Covrett said, as Directions CU changed its name from Toledo Area Community Credit Union in April of this year.
"It's pretty neat to be one of the lead sponsors," Covrett said. "We also helped organize a rally and benefit concert."
Aside from helping to get the credit union's new name out in the community, another benefit of being involved is the impact the involvement had on the CU's staff.
"It's created so much buzz among our employees and members," Covrett said. "It makes the employees so proud to be part of it."
The Toledo build will be the 125th for the series. It will be the first build in Toledo, and the fourth in the state of Ohio, with previous homes constructed in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Youngstown. Locally, the Toledo event has been themed "Hearts and Hands for Heroes" which compliments the series' efforts this season in honoring families that define the word "hero." The credit union sold "Hearts and Hands for Heroes" paper hands from Sept. 8 to 13, with all proceeds given to the family.(c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved.http://www.cujournal.com/ http://www.sourcemedia.com/
