“People Remembering & Helping People” was the theme for the third annual 9-11 tribute by Maine’s credit unions to the seven Red Cross Chapters of Maine, including Pine Tree Red Cross in Bangor.

At the ceremony, Maine’s credit unions paid tribute to the victims of 9-11, their families, and presented checks in the amount of $911 to the Emergency Food Relief Fund of each Red Cross Chapter.

Since 2001, through the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger, Maine’s credit unions have contributed more than $15,000 to the Emergency Food Relief Funds of Maine’s Red Cross Chapters in memory of 9-11.

The seven Red Cross Chapters in Maine who received donations are Aroostook Chapter, Eastern Maine Chapter, Midcoast Chapter, Mid-Maine Chapter, Pine Tree Chapter in Bangor, Southern Maine Chapter and United Valley Chapter.

The tribute included brief remarks in which Maine’s credit unions acknowledged the year-round efforts by Maine’s Red Cross Chapters to provide comfort and support to the people of Maine and recognized the impact on fund raising and donations to the local Red Cross Chapters that 9-11 continues to have. The ceremony concluded with each Red Cross representative lighting a remembrance candle and participating in a one-minute moment of silence.

“The credit union philosophy is ‘People Helping People’ and this ceremony is a way for Maine’s credit unions to remember the victims of 9-11 as well as recognize the efforts of Maine’s Red Cross Chapters. These funds are donated through the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger and are earmarked to help the Red Cross provide emergency food assistance to the hundreds of Mainers that are victims of a disaster each year,” explained Jon Paradise, governmental and public affairs manager for the Maine Credit Union League.

Paradise added, “Unfortunately, many chapters continue to say that the need for emergency assistance is up in many communities in Maine but fund raising continues to lag. We think this was an appropriate way to mark 9-11 on an annual basis, while making a difference in the year ahead here in Maine.”

The Maine Credit Union League is the State Trade Association for Maine’s 76-affiliated Credit Unions providing a variety of services and products to assist credit unions in meeting the needs of their membership.