WICHITA, Kan. -
At the same time, CUs in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri were nervously eyeing the flooding Missouri River. Although the flooding had already overtaken small towns in those states, at press time no credit unions were affected.
Mid American was the only credit union with a branch in beleaguered Greesburg, Kan. CU Marketing Director Mike Welli said the small branch was run by one staffer and three employees servicing 65 accounts, mainly auto loans. Welli said photographs of downtown Greensburg show the blown store front of the Mid American branch, but said credit union officials can't determine the structure's soundness until they perform an on-site inspection.
"It's amazing. Our sign is still on the front. It doesn't even look like it's damaged," Welli said.
Mid American VPs of lending and finance were traveling to Greensburg at press time to meet with their business partners, Associated Financial Specialists, Inc. who own the building where the branch is located. Welli said the two accountants said the roof and rear wall of the branch building were destroyed by the F5 tornado. Police and the National Guard are allowing only residents into Greensburg.
"There's no utilities or anything. We've not been able to do a lot, it's still pretty much a devastated area. It's been fairly difficult to respond to since you're locked out of the area," he said.
Welli said the credit union is still in the process of determining where all of its employees and members are, as so many Greensburg residents were scattered by the tornado. Mid American took out ads in local newspapers and sent press releases to radio stations to remind its members of local ATMs and shared branching in Wichita and nearby Larned, Kan. Mid American also put together a quick mailing as there were indications a mail collection would take place for Greensburg residents. "We're prepared to help as many as we can remotely," he said.
Welli said the $120-million CU doesn't have the assets to own a mobile branch and doesn't have plans at present to obtain one. Welli said many CUs have already contacted Mid American with offers of assistance.
Missouri CU Association spokesperson Amy McLard said there have been no CUs have been impacted by the floods, yet, noting that Kansas City would be the first affected if the river overflows. At press time, sections of the river near Kansas City had exceeded the record heights of the 1993 flood, but had begun to recede.
To aid the Greensburg tornado victims, Kansas CU League's Bridgeman said the state Red Cross and United Way Greensburg Disaster Fund have been established for cash donations.
United Way donations can be mailed to United Way Greensburg Disaster Fund, United Way of the Plains, 245 North Water, Wichita, Kansas, 67202. Security Service Federal Credit Union in San Antonio, Texas teamed with local Uvalde, Texas radio station, KUVA, the American Red Cross and locals dropped off canned food, water, blankets, clothes and other items to the SSFCU branch.
