Press Working Olympics Carry Credit Union Card

Reporters and other staff with the Associated Press who covered the Summer Olympics in Greece carried stored-value Visa cards developed specifically for them by Card Services, an affiliate of the New York State Credit Union League. The card was developed over the past year in conjunction with Associated Press (AP) EFCU, New York City, to ensure AP's 300 staff members had funds at their disposal while they covered the XXVIII International Olympiad. The cards were reloadable, so they could be replenished with U.S. dollars, which were then converted to Euros that AP staff could access as cash at ATMs or for point-of-sale purchases. Each AP staffer received a Visa card with a predetermined set value from Bud Weydert, director of special events for AP. If additional value needed to be added to the cards, Weydert only had to e-mail Card Services, let them know which card(s) needed to be reloaded and with what dollar amount. The cards expire at the end of this year.