America’s Christian Credit Union (ACCU), a faith-based financial institution, concluded its sixth annual Patriot Week on Wednesday, June 5. The celebration, organized in collaboration with Project Glendora Yellow Ribbon, reinforces one of the credit union’s corporate priorities of Building Stronger Communities.
Patriot Week unofficially kicked off Saturday, May 18, when ACCU staff joined forces with Operation Community Cares (OCC) to pack over 500 care packages for service members and women abroad. Community members from throughout Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties united in the pre-Memorial Day event to commemorate the spirit of the holiday.
The traditional Patriot Week opening ceremony took place on Tuesday, May 21, at the credit union’s Glendora, CA headquarters. The ceremony was attended by local service members, law enforcement, first responders, and educators, Glendora’s city council, and distinguished guests such as World War II veteran Carl Harstine, and Vietnam veterans Gary Lynch and Leonard Coates.
“This is a special week in the life of our nation,” said ACCU President/CEO Mendell L. Thompson. “Too often we forget to pause and pay tribute. Without that pause, we can easily miss the significance of this holiday that honors the sacrifice and service of thousands of America’s heroes.”
The following day, May 22, Citrus College Board Vice President, Dr. Barbara Dickerson, President/Superintendent Dr. Geraldine Perri, along with other representatives of the premier college addressed ACCU staff at their weekly meeting. Citrus, is consistently ranked among the nation’s most military friendly colleges, its Veterans Success Center (VSC) having helped many transition into fulfilling post-military careers. As such, funds raised during Patriot Week were donated in support of VSC.
The festivities ended on Wednesday, June 5, with the Patriotic Essay award ceremony. Each year, local students are asked to write a patriotic-themed essay. This year, they had to imagine writing to the surviving family members of a servicemember or a parent who had died in combat. About 80 Glendora-area schoolchildren in grades 3, 6, 7, and 8 submitted essays titled “Letter to a Young Patriot.”
ACCU staffer Richard Mathews, who was one of the three judges, reminded attendees that it was fitting to wrap up the Patriot Week commemoration on the eve of the 75th anniversary of D-Day, which remains one of the most heroic episodes in our nation’s history.
“To this day, we owe our freedom to the brave service members who, at great sacrifice, stood up to the Nazi aggressors, reclaimed France and the European continent, and reversed the course of WWII. It was a crucial victory for all peace, justice and freedom-loving patriots,” said Mathews.
The first prize winners were Kennedy Adams (grade 3); Evan Hauffen (grade 6); Noelle Chakbazof (grade 7); and Marie Timko (grade 8), whose essay concludes with this wise advice:
“During this hard time, try to remember the good your parent brought into the world. Accept the joy they would want you to have and spread it to other people.”
If you would like to participate in next year’s Patriot Week, please contact Nikole Pearce at npearce@americasccu.com.