Since 1987, the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award has honored credit unions for their charitable works in their communities. Some credit unions have ongoing programs and establish a special relationship with local social service agencies or school programs while others address many different needs in the community. No matter the size or scope of a project, each participating credit union builds its reputation as a good corporate citizen along the way. Credit unions enter the Dora Maxwell Award program in one of nine asset categories.

Beginning in 1990, the Louise Herring Philosophy-in-Action Member Service Award has commended credit unions that make exceptional efforts to include credit union philosophy in their daily operations and member service. Programs that provide special assistance to low-income members struggling to pay heating bills or student-run in-school or campus branches, for example, are clear examples of the philosophy that sets credit unions apart from other financial institutions. Entrants in the Louise Herring Award program compete in five asset categories.

The deadline to submit entries to AVCU for state-level judging is Friday, July 12, 2013. A committee of judges assigned by AVCU will review all entries in accordance with each program’s guidelines and submit winners for the national-level competition to be judged by CUNA later this fall.

• Complete Maxwell / Herring Award program information

• Secrets of a winning Dora or Louise entry

• A letter from the national judges

• Dora Maxwell entry form

• Louise Herring entry form

What began in 1987 as an ATM card program born out of the Credit Union Service Center, one of the nation's first shared branch concepts, AVCU's CUcard ATM / Debit program is celebrating its 26^th year of service to Vermont credit unions. When debit processing and the Falcon surcharge-free ATM network were added around the turn of the century, the enhanced program quickly became the backbone of AVCU's product and service portfolio.

Today's CUcard program is still our most comprehensive service offering to credit unions and continues to proudly honor the movement's traditions of strength, value, and service through cooperation. Backed by AVCU's team of dedicated and knowledgable professionals, and featuring the new CUcard Connect user interface, the program continues to provide a technologically advanced turnkey debit card solution to more than half of Vermont’s credit unions every day. With in excess of 140 surcharge-free ATMs, and more than 20,000 cards in circulation, AVCU's CUcard program remains a shining example of the value and service that even a small organization can bring to its membership through hard work, leadership, and vision.

• Superior contract pricing through a cooperative group network agreement

• Ongoing discounts and incentives

• Access to Vermont's own surcharge free Falcon ATM network featuring more than 140 machines located throughout the state

• Compliance and service consultation

• Continued valuable education and support on how to best deliver debit card services to credit union members

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