By Frank J. Diekmann
Hapfy Mfernathunul Cerdit Umion Dah.
I’m sorry, I forgot to remove my mask. Happy International Credit Union Day. Today is the 72nd annual celebration of a tradition that began in 1948, but it’s the first to ever occur during a pandemic.
And that’s a good thing. Here’s why.
Had 2020 been the kind of year we all expected to have back on Jan. 1—you know, “normal"–during this week and especially today credit unions and their employees would have been out in communities with fundraisers and projects, and in their branches with cookies and cake and prize giveaways. Many CUs found ways to do many of those same things, just virtually, this year.
All of that is the “nice” side of the people helping people community.
But for International CU Day 2020 there is a story being told with the press, the public and elected officials of all the assistance credit unions are providing to their members and their communities in the form of reduced fees, skip-a-pays, forbearances, emergency loans, PPP loans, unbiased advice and sometimes, what is often needed most of all, just an ear that will listen.
That’s the “effective” and “integral” side of credit unions, and it’s an especially powerful story to tell this year that becomes only more powerful when lots of credit unions are singing together as a chorus.
The 2020 International CU Day theme is "Inspiring Hope for a Global Community." It's a nice slogan, but it needs an addendum: "And Here's How We Do Just That."
Credit unions around the world need to work to make every day International CU Day and to especially understand that just because you’ve told the story once (I mean really, how many of your members know they’re members?), it doesn’t mean everyone is slapping their foreheads and saying “We get it.”
But demonstrate the real financial value credit unions bring during a pandemic and economic slowdown and then demonstrate it again and again, and enough of them will understand.
And if you can get some cookies and a drink while hearing it, all the better.
Frank J. Diekmann is Cooperator in Chief of CUToday.info and can be reached at Frank@CUToday.info. Mr. Diekmann is also author of the new book, ‘501 Name Tags: Everything You Need to Know About Business Can be Learned at a Conference & Forgotten in the Trade Show.” For info: www.501nametags.com.