Check out this guest blog from CU1’s Executive Vice President, Lisa Monsen! Lisa serves on the Board for Hospice of Anchorage, and last weekend she helped coordinate a crew of credit union volunteers to aid the Hospice’s annual fundraising benefit. I like how she gave an individual shout-out to each CU1 employee involved. It’s great to be recognized for above-and-beyond effort – and for an 8am (or earlier) start on Saturday morning!

Thanks! To Volunteers for Hospice

My thanks to everyone who volunteered to help with the annual dinner/auction for Hospice of Anchorage this past Saturday. It is their main fundraising event for the year, and as a Hospice Board member, I know firsthand, what a tremendous difference Credit Union 1 has made for this small organization. We had 30 credit union employees, who spent over 100 hours combined, to help make the event a success.

Rebecca Sparks and Maria Quick headed up the check-in/check-out work again this year, and also took on the monitoring/closing of the silent auction tables for the first time. They had help from Christina Diaz, Manuela Fraser and her son Ben, Amanda Barbash, Mary Rudzinski and Susann Hicks. Rebecca also brought her niece and friend to help out.

Donna LaPella headed up the Hotel arrangements and room decorations for the first time. She spent many hours making all the arrangements and got Paul Younger, Terra Nelson and Gerri Tokar-Hines from Administrative Services to help with some of the advance preparation work. She had a large crew for set up - Megan Proctor, Savanhnary Vongthongdy, Sylvette Perez, Brooke Johnson, Jessica Repovsch, Glynn Carter, Scott Butterworth, Gerri Tokar-Hines, Lorraine Bennett, Maria Delgado, Terra Nelson, Paul Younger, Michelle McLaughlin, Cassie Trammell, Jennifer Lutz, Tracy Breimo and Yvonne Mueller. And, she had a crew that came in late that evening and helped with the take down – Pauline Moevao, Margaret Faletagoai, Chanise Russell and Domonique Dubose. Susann also stayed to help after she finished up her part of the check in/check out.

I have heard and read several very nice comments from other Board members and Hospice staff regarding the great job of the Credit Union 1 employees.

Here’s an example:

I'm STILL amazed with the speed that the Credit Union 1 people decorated the ballroom!!!!! It looked wonderful. And the efficiency of the people helping with the auction, check-in/check-out etc was great. Kudos to all of you! You could start a business on the side! Your volunteers are invaluable to us!!!!

- Linda McCarthy Beckworth, Board Secretary, Hospice of Anchorage

And one more example:

Donna LaPella, your wonderful work with the decorations and keeping us within budget is very, very appreciated. The support of the Credit Union 1 crews was amazing at set-up, check-in/check-out and clean-up. This was the smoothest running Dinner/Auction event ever! Several people mentioned to me how elegant and sophisticated the room looked. The lights on the silent auction tables were perfect and the lighting on the stage was great [donated by CU1].

- Donna Stephens, Executive Director, Hospice of Anchorage

I had a couple of people at the event ask me what Hospice was all about. Information is available on their website – www.hospiceofanchorage.org Thanks again to everyone who helped out. You all truly made a difference in the success of this fundraising event.

Lisa

Interested in helping at a community volunteer event? Check out the One for All event calendar!