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Columbia Credit Union is committed to improving the quality of life for the
families living and working in our branch communities. This is best achieved through
partnerships with local organizations whose focuses align with our specific values:
children & families, business/industry/economic, arts & cultural, health, housing,
environment and multipurpose organizations that serve one or more of the above.
Columbia In Action
12-10-2011
Free Christmas trees spread holiday cheer
Columbia coordinated with two local Boy Scout troops to give away free Christmas trees for the holiday season. Lines of people waited in the cold while Columbia staff members handed out tickets for 80 free trees in just two hours. "Making life better is one of our core values and it's great to make a difference to families who might be struggling over the holidays," said Columbia Credit Union Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, Laurie Kusch.
12-03-2011
Revelers ride in Ridgefield
Ridgefield residents came out for holiday fun at the Ridgefield Hometown Celebration, enjoying arts and crafts, musicians, fun run, special treats, and much more. Columbia once again sponsored carriage rides through the downtown area. Ridgefield Branch Manager, Kyle Schulson and his daughter greeted eager riders with smiles and hot chocolate packets.
12-02-2011
Helping hands for Hometown Holidays
Each year, the holiday season kicks off with fun for everyone at the Camas Hometown Holidays celebration. Attendees enjoyed a community tree lighting ceremony followed by a variety of attractions including arts and crafts, food vendors, tractor rides, live music and more. Washougal Branch Manager Teresa Didier and members of her staff helped with picture-taking duties in Santa's workshop. Columbia is proud to once again be a sponsor of this event.
11-2011
Books brings comfort and joy to military
Books are one of the most popular items requested by those serving in our military. Throughout November, Columbia worked with Books4Charities to coordinate a book drive at all branches to collect 2,311 books – the largest single drive ever! The donations will provide military service people with quality books during their deployment overseas.
11-28-2011
Columbia helps students find meaning
Columbia once again joined with local Rotary Clubs
to provide dictionaries to Clark County third graders
in support of Rotary International's focus on literacy.
Nearly six thousand dictionaries complete with
bookplates and bookmarks were distributed.
11-16-2011
Library fundraiser books $60,000
The Fort Vancouver Regional Library Authors & Illustrators dinner featured New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Weiner. Weiner has written 10 books, including "In Her Shoes," which was turned into a major motion picture in 2002. Columbia is proud to be the presenting sponsor of this event to support our local libraries.
11-11-2011
Remembering our Veterans
For 24 years, local veterans have been recognized at this annual community memorial service. Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt and Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler addressed the audience. Columbia is proud to be a sponsor of this event to honor our past and present military service people.
11-01-2011
Purses open for mental health
Fashion, food, fun and chic purses were on tap at the Power of the Purse Auction & Benefit Luncheon. Keynote speaker and founder of the Zelda Wisdom empire, Carol Gardner shared her strategies for survival and success. As the presenting sponsor, Columbia Wealth Management is pleased to support Community Services Northwest and The Wellness Project, Clark County's only free mental health clinic.
11-2011
Books for Troops
Book donations offer invaluable comfort and diversion to our military service people. During November, Columbia collected books in all branches and at the Operations Center. More than 2,300 books were amassed to benefit Books4Charities, an organization that provides soldiers with quality books over the course of their deployment.
10-2011
Project helps students find meaning
Columbia once again joined with local Rotary clubs to provide dictionaries to Clark County third graders in support of Rotary International's focus on literacy. As the project sponsor, Columbia provided 4,800 dictionaries complete with bookplates and bookmarks to the effort. Columbia staff also assisted with dictionary preparation and distribution to schools.
09-2011
SELF supports healthy development
Did you know the brain's growth is highly dependent on the experiences of childhood? Parents learned that and more at the Support for Early Learning and Families (SELF) Center's first Love, Talk, Play event. The event helped guide parents in activities to foster healthy development through infancy and toddler stages in life. Through support from Columbia Credit Union and the United Way, the event was held at no cost to participants.
10-07-2011
BirdFest welcomes fall and feathered friends
Did you know there is an iPhone application for bird calls? The birders and nature enthusiasts that gathered in Ridgefield for the 12th annual Bluegrass at BirdFest event learned that and much more! Attendees enjoyed bluegrass music and a variety of fun events including nature walks, tours, and birdwatching. Fourteen bluegrass groups entertained 3,000 guests throughout the celebration. Columbia is pleased to support the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge by once again being a sponsor of this event.
10-09-2011
Shopping shindig supports breast cancer treatment
It was the shopping event of the season - complete with Nordstrom deals, delectable appetizers and delicious drinks - all to benefit breast cancer awareness. Columbia was pleased to support the annual Pink Power fundraiser by hosting a booth and doubling our donation to Pink Power for every Better community debit card ordered. The event raised $180,000 to purchase new 3D mammography equipment for the Kearney Breast Care Center at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.
10-22-2011
Party for pets nets $500,000
The donations were raining like cats and dogs at the Humane Society's 2011 Dinner and Auction. With over 700 attendees, the event raised $500,000 to benefit local animals in need. Columbia was pleased to support this event to help cover animal care, shelter operations and community outreach and educational programs in Southwest Washington.
10-2011
Women supporting women are a WIN!
Columbia is proud to be the October sponsor of the Women In Networking (WIN) event. About 235 professional women gathered to share resources, network, offer support and announce employment opportunities. Attendees enjoyed presentations from guest speakers Michelle Thor, Columbia Vice President Business Development, and career facilitator and award-winning author, Kathy Condon.
10-2011
Local credit unions fight hunger, identity theft
In celebration of International Credit Union Day, Clark County credit unions banned together for the Nourish Our Neighbor Food Drive & Shred and E-Recycle Day. The events amassed a total of 2,152 pounds of food for the Clark County Food Bank, of which Columbia contributed 1,468 pounds. Additionally, 19,650 pounds of paper and seven bins of electronics were gathered for recycling. Volunteers from area credit unions, including Columbia, were on-hand to collect paper and electronics for safe disposal.
09-07-2011
Luncheon raises $128,000 for YWCA
Keynote speaker and author Erin Merryn provided the luncheon theme with the title of her new book, "Living for Today." Merryn shared her personal story of survival to raise awareness of abuse and provide perspectives on keeping children safe. As the Keynote Speaker Sponsor, Columbia was pleased to help raise more than $128,000 to support YWCA programs that serve survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, oppression and homelessness.
09-11-2011
Fancy footwork fortifies Trust
Eight local community leaders put their dancing shoes on to benefit the Fort Vancouver Trust in the Dancing with the Local Starts event. The dancers, including Columbia Board Director Paul Montague, raised $121,000 to help support the Fort Vancouver.
09-13-2011
Columbia honored for community support
Columbia was awarded the 2011 Nonprofit Excellence Award for Corporate Community Support by the Nonprofit Network of Southwest Washington. Columbia was recognized for outstanding work in the community serving a wide span of needs and was awarded a check for $1,000 – which Columbia matched and donated the entire amount to Support for Early Learning and Families, an organization dedicated to supporting local children and families.
09-15-2011
Black Tie & Blue Jeans raises green for nonprofits
Whether you dressed up or down, casual elegance abounded at this fun event featuring music, auction, keynote speaker and more. Columbia is a proud sponsor of this event to benefit Chamber member nonprofits.
08-22-2011
Putting for Clark County parks
This annual golf tournament raised nearly $35,000 to benefit local parks throughout Clark County with new playground equipment, trails, recreation programs and more. Columbia is proud to be a sponsor of this annual event.
08-21-2011
Making the move to middle school
Entering middle school can be a challenging step for any sixth grader. Worries about dealing with bigger kids, managing the extra work, and finding support when they need it can be overwhelming. Such challenges can be especially grueling for kids in families that are struggling. To make the transition easier, the Fruit Valley Foundation offers S.T.E.P., a free, week-long day camp to incoming Discovery Middle school sixth graders.
08-19-2011
Hooked event snags $32,000!
Live entertainment, local food and wine, and games were the highlights at Hooked, a carnival for adults in the beautiful green space of Columbia Springs. Columbia is pleased to be the presenting sponsor of this event that raised nearly $32,000 to support environmental education in our community.
08-12-2011
Suiting up for the Trust
Ladies were welcome, but the Suits & a Keg event was designed with guys in mind! Attendees were asked to suit up and enjoy an evening of appetizers, cigars, poker and drinks to benefit Fort Vancouver National Trust. Columbia was proud to be a sponsor of this event that raised just over $6,500!
08-2-2011
Night Out boosts nieghborhood spirit
About 850 citizens attended Ridgefield's "National Night Out" to strengthen neighborhood spirit, fight crime and promote drug prevention. Columbia is proud to be a sponsor of this event and support the Ridgefield community.
08-1-2011
Yard clean up supports lives in transition
Columbia Credit Union staff members recently gathered to do yard work at a home sponsored by Second Step Housing, a nonprofit organization that provides safe, affordable housing for at-risk women and families. The credit union adopted the home, named "Columbia House," in 2010 with a three-year commitment of support to cover essential needs of the home and perform special projects throughout the year.
07-20-2011
Concerts for a Cause
Columbia was a concert event sponsor to benefit the Coastal Conservation Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and restoration of marine natural resources. Attendees enjoyed an evening of great food and music to raise $2,600.
07-1-2011
A wealth of books!
In celebration of Children's Book Week, Columbia's Wealth Management team donated dozens of books to the Children's Center.
Books were donated to the agency's mental health programs serving local children and their families.
06-13-2011
Columbia Credit Union Blood Drive
Columbia's quarterly blood drive at the Operations Center netted blood donations to benefit more than 45 local patients through the Southwest Washington Blood Program.
05-21-2011
Washougal School Foundation The Stride
About 1,000 people participated in a fun run or adult 5K run/walk around Washougal High and Gause schools to raise $19,985.90. Proceeds help fund grants and programs for Washougal students.
05-26-2011
Walk/Run for the Animals fetches $80,000 for furry friends
More than 800 animal enthusiasts and 500 animals - including a ferret and a miniature horse - gathered at Esther Short Park to support The Humane Society's 2011 Walk/Run for the Animals.
04-26-2011
Loaves & Fishes Meals on Wheels Luncheon
As co-presenting sponsor, Columbia helped raise $140,000 to provide meals for seniors in Clark County. In September 2010, Columbia Credit Union adopted a Meals on Wheels route. Every Friday two staff members deliver hot meals to over a dozen seniors in our community.
04-21-2011
Children's Center Luncheon
Columbia underwrote a promotional video for the Children's Center that was shown at this annual luncheon. The event raised just over $88,000 to benefit mental health programs for local youth and families. Children's center is a locally governed mental health agency in Clark County focused on mental health services to children, youth and families.
04-23-2011
Ten Grands Concert
Ten pianists on 10 grand pianos play a variety of pieces in concert to benefit the Snowman Foundation. Columbia sponsored this event to benefit youth music programs, scholarships and more in Oregon and SW Washington. The Battle Ground High School Jazz Band is this year's local recipient.
04-29 - 05-01-2011
Home & Garden Idea Fair
Several staff members hosted a booth to promote Columbia's VISA, home loan products and the new Equity Builder loan. Staff held mini "Making Life Better" moments by handing out coupons for free food and drink throughout the event.
04-15-2011
Credit Unions For Kids Wine Auction
Credit union officials from Oregon and SW Washington gathered to raise over $135,000 to benefit area Children's Miracle Network Hospitals at OHSU, Rogue Valley Medical Center and Sacred Heart Medical Center.
04-24-2011
Credit Unions for Kids raises $135,000 for Doernbecher
A variety of items and fine wines were auctioned at the Credit Unions for Kids Wine Auction, raising more than $135,000 to benefit Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Columbia was pleased to once again be a sponsor of this event to support new facilities, equipment, research, patient services, special patient needs and health education programs at Doernbecher.
04-06-2011
Salmon Creek Kiwanis Club Misty River Band Concert
Columbia was once again the sponsor of the Salmon Creek Kiwanis Misty River Band Concert. The event was held at Skyview High School and drew over 800 people. The concert also featured Grammy-winning guitarist Doug Smith of Portland. The event brought over $16,500 for the Kiwanis Club.
04-06-2011
Community Housing Resource Center "Home is Where the Heart Is"
The 11th annual Home Is Where the Heart Is fundraiser raised over $17,000 to support the Center's important programs. In addition, Pam Baker our VP of Home Loans, was awarded the Community Housing Resource Center’s 2011 Volunteer of the Year. Pam has been an active volunteer for nearly 5 years, helping with the Center’s fundraising, program and development and personnel committee efforts.
04-06-2011
Flyfishers Annual Banquet & Auction
The Clark-Skamania Flyfishers held their annual spring banquet and auction on March 26. Columbia Credit Union has supported this event for the past three years. The event raised money in the low five figures for various projects that the club supports throughout the year. This is the one and only fundraiser of the year for these projects.
04-06-2011
Northwest Association for Blind Athletes enrich a Life, Provide an Opportunity
Columbia was a sponsor for the 2nd Annual benefit dinner and auction. Through our generosity and the support of others, they raised over $13,000 to support sports programs for individuals who are blind and visually impaired.
02-15-2011
Leadership Breakfast raises $31,000 for local scouts
The Friends of Scouting Cascade Pacific Council Leadership Breakfast raised $31,000 to benefit area youth. Columbia was a proud sponsor of this event that supports scouting services and youth-development programs in 18 counties in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington.
02-15-2011
Library Foundation Dinner/Auction raises $155,000
The Fort Vancouver Regional Library Foundation's 2010 Authors & Illustrators Dinner and Silent Auction raised more than $155,000 to benefit local libraries. Former First Lady Laura Bush was the special guest and keynote speaker. As the presenting sponsor, Columbia is proud to support the Foundation's programs and services and the new Vancouver Community Library, scheduled to open in July 2011.
02-19-2011
Share Mardi Gras & Casino Night raises $485,000 jackpot
Share's Seventh Annual Mardi Gras Gala & Casino night raised a gross total of $485,000 to support Share's programs and capital campaign. The total includes a $250,000 challenge gift from a community leader. As a sponsor of this event, Columbia is proud to support Share in providing vital services to the hungry and homeless in Clark County.
01-04-2011
Supporting local seniors with meals and more
Columbia Credit Union has adopted a Meals On Wheels route to benefit local seniors. Columbia staff volunteers deliver meals each week throughout Clark County for an entire year.
Community News Archive
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