GALVESTON, Tex. - As credit unions have found ways to keep operations going following Hurricane Ike by borrowing generators and working out of makeshift or damaged facilities, what's really kept member service intact are CU employees.
In the middle of the struggle, credit union staff have made personal sacrifices, disregarding their own hardships to put service to members first.
In Galveston, where a JSC Federal Credit Union branch will be down for months due to damage from Ike, Branch Manager Joetta Petteway left her home as waves crashed over the sea wall. "I wasn't going to leave," said Petteway, concerned about the credit union at the time. "But my husband said it was time to go."
Petteway headed out on a Friday to stay with her sister in Texas City. On Monday she reported to work at the JSC's Houston headquarters.
"I couldn't sleep thinking about our members and my branch," Petteway said. "I had nightmares about money floating in the water. I really do take my job to heart."
Petteway's home is very close to the sea, but her first stop back to Galveston was the CU. "I think I almost cried when I saw the damage to the credit union," said Petteway. "But it could have been worse."
The same can be said for her home, which she found to be surprisingly in good shape upon her return. "I lost a piece of siding and my fence was down," she said. "I was blessed."
Many Texas CU leaders told Credit Union Journal they are doing everything they can for their teams.
In Pasadena, Texas Bay Area Credit Union worked with staff to shuffle generators from home to home. "As power came back in each house we moved generators where they were needed," explained Paul Withey, VP of strategic development and public relations.
Withey said the CU has been "in constant communication" with staff to find out if they have power or need food.
"We've been trying to quickly take care of staff, and some of them have been hit pretty hard," Withey said. "We bring in breakfast, lunch, and ice cream to keep morale as high as possible because our staff is really focused on serving our members. Despite their personal situations-some haven't showered in days and trees are down on their homes-they are coming to work and putting smiles on their faces."
The Texas Credit Union Foundation (TCUF) stands ready to issue emergency grants to credit union employees in the affected areas, but needs help to fulfill this commitment. Texas Credit Union League CEO Dick Ensweiler has asked the credit union community to make donations to TCUF's Disaster Relief Fund.
"Their homes have been wiped out, material possessions lost, and futures are uncertain. Yet they still muster the strength and courage to report to work everyday," Ensweiler stated.(c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved.http://www.cujournal.com/ http://www.sourcemedia.com/
