During a ceremony held at Portland’s September 11th Memorial on the Eastern Promenade, Maine’s credit unions remembered the victims of 9/11 and their families; the work that the Red Cross does each day to protect the health and safety of Maine’s people was also recognized.
Contributed photo
Communications and Marketing Specialist from the Maine Credit Union League Diana Dionne presents a check for $911 to Michael Sirota of the Pine Tree Chapter – Aroostook Branch of the American Red Cross, which serves all of Aroostook County. The Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger made the contribution to the Chapter’s Emergency Food Relief Fund in honor of 9/11.
The Pine Tree Aroostook Chapter was one of five Red Cross Chapters in Maine that received donations during the ceremony; Catholic Charities of Maine of Caribou was one of the five food pantries that received funds.
The 9/11 tribute included brief remarks from credit union and Red Cross representatives; monetary donations to the food pantries and Red Cross chapters totaled $7,055.00.
“The Maine credit union philosophy of ‘people helping people’ goes hand in hand with the Red Cross mission of saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies,” explained Governmental & Public Affairs Manager for the Maine Credit Union League Jon Paradise during the tribute. “On this day it is important to remember both the tragedies and emergencies that impacted our entire nation, as well as those which occur in our communities each day, hunger being a major one.”
‘People Remembering & Helping People’ was the theme for the seventh annual 9/11 tribute by Maine’s credit unions to the five Red Cross Chapters of Maine
Since 2001, through the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger, Maine’s credit unions have contributed over $45,000 to the Emergency Food Relief Funds of Maine’s Red Cross Chapters in memory of 9/11; Since 1990, the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger has raised over $3.1 million to help end hunger in Maine.
