MADISON, Wis.–Summit Credit Union drew nearly 2,000 people to its “Member Fest” here.
The event, a family friendly picnic and festival, was greeted by very nice weather, the credit union reported, helping to double the attendance from last year, with an estimated 1,895 at the Member Fest this year.
According to Summit, it transformed its traditional annual membership meeting into the family friendly festival in 2014 in an effort to celebrate the cooperative difference and thank its members.
“The response has been overwhelmingly positive, prompting the growth in attendance,” Summit said. “The event features picnic fare, music, prizes and kids’ activities such as face painting, balloon animals, tattoos, bounce houses and an obstacle race.”
More than 300 children participated in the obstacle races, which began with a “Diaper Dash” for 1- to 2-year-olds and ended with a “Varsity Chase & Climb” for tweens that included inflatable obstacles, a net crawl and a climbing wall.
Given an opportunity to donate to three Summit community partner organizations as part of the event, Summit members gave more than $500 to the American Heart Association, Boys and Girls Club of Dane County and Domestic Abuse Intervention Services.
Summit also awarded three $1,500 Volunteer Board of Directors continuing-education tuition scholarships at the event to three local students.
The $2.2-billion Summit CU reported that more than 80 of its employees volunteered their time at Member Fest, which was held at Warner Park in Madison. The credit union said planning is already in process for next year’s Member Fest.