2nd Annual SECU Supports the Troops Holiday Campaign Begins September 15th!

RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) is gearing up for its 2nd Annual SECU Supports the Troops holiday campaign, which begins Thursday, September 15th in all 238 SECU branch locations throughout North Carolina.  The campaign goal is to provide 5,000 holiday gift boxes for North Carolina's National Guard and Reservists deployed throughout the world.  The boxes will include items such as snacks and toiletries, and be accompanied by special thank you letters from local school children.  Credit Union branches will have collection boxes for donations, along with a wish list of acceptable items.  In addition to items for the 10" x 10" x 5" gift boxes, SECU is also accepting monetary donations that will be used to assist with shipping costs associated with delivering items to the soldiers.  The gift boxes will be shipped in early December.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110311/CL63636LOGO-b )

In 2010, members, volunteers, staff and local community groups joined together to carry out the first statewide SECU Supports the Troops campaign, collecting enough supplies and monetary donations to ship 5,000 holiday packages to deployed N.C. troops.  The statewide initiative stemmed from a local effort led by Gayle Pigford of SECU's Roanoke Rapids branch.  Roanoke Rapids and surrounding branches assisted with the national Boatsie's Boxes campaign for many years, providing holiday stockings for deployed military personnel.  The overwhelming success of the 2010 SECU Supports the Troop project and the positive response from soldiers who received the packages prompted the Credit Union to bring back the Supports the Troops campaign for another year.

Leigh Brady, SECU Senior Vice President of Education Services states, "SECU serves the N.C. National Guard within its field of membership and the Credit Union employs numerous Reservists in its branch and operations network.  The staff and membership of SECU strongly support these courageous men and women who serve our Country and SECU Supports the Troops is a wonderful way to provide a 'gift from home' during those long and difficult deployments."

About SECU

SECU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members. SECU has been providing the employees of the State of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for over 70 years. Currently serving nearly 1.7 million members, SECU provides services through 238 branch offices, almost 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Contact Centers and a website, www.ncsecu.org.

SOURCE State Employees' Credit Union