One Member's Journal

Kiernan O'Brien, a member of THE Credit Union of Palm Beach County (Flordia), left here last week on a spur-of-the-moment trip to provide help in areas hit by the tsunami.

At the time he was departing, O'Brien told The Credit Union Journal he wasn't even sure where he was going once he arrived in Bangkok, Thailand.

Once he arrives, he said he will make every effort to travel to the hardest-hit areas and apply whatever skills he can.

A carpenter and real estate broker who has never visited the region, O'Brien said he simply wants to help. He contacted John Deese, president of TCUPBC, who spread the word about O'Brien's plans, and within four days employees of the credit union and nearby Gold Coast Credit Union had collected cash and bags of clothing to take to victims (see photo, page 1).

At press time, O'Brien was still seeking suit cases into which he could place all of the clothing he had gathered. He said he was hopeful the airline would waive the fees on the extra baggage; if not, TCUPBC has agreed to cover the cost.

O'Brien plans to spend three weeks in Asia.

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