October was CU Kind Month and our branches choose to spread kindness through volunteering, donating, or educating.
Below you will see just how Mountain Laurel Federal Credit Union celebrated our annual CU Kind Month.
For CU Kind Day, MLFCU-St Mary’s donated to Elkland Search and Rescue located in St Mary’s PA in Elk County. What an eye-opening experience! I don’t believe we are alone in our assumptions when we hear their name and think “Oh, they just search for people and rescue them”. That is a gross understatement of what they do. Upon arrival at their station, we saw bay doors opening and volunteers rounding up equipment. Thinking to ourselves, “I wonder who they are going to rescue today”. To our surprise, they weren’t preparing for a rescue but preparing to go out into the community for Halloween night to give back to the kids in the area. We were welcomed graciously, thanked immensely (for our donation to them), and then offered a tour of the facility and equipment.
Elkland Search and Rescue are a QRS (Quick Response Service) and a NIMS (National Incident Management System) Level II search and rescue response team. ES & R provides wilderness medical response, evacuation equipment and trained members to rescue individuals that have been involved in accidents or have medical problems at remote locations. They are equipped with:
1. Pickup trucks
2. Utility Trailer – Mobile Command
3. Enclosed Rehab Trailer and Drone Team Operations Center
4. 2 ATVs (4-wheelers)
5. 2 UTVs (side-by-sides)
6. Wildlife Response Trailer
7. Generators
The Drone is equipped with FLIR (Forward-Looking Infrared), Spotlight, and Speaker. There are both tires and tracks for the ATVs and UTVs. The Rehab Trailer can be used as a warm room or a cool room, depending on the needs of the mission. Equipped with a microwave, refrigerator, charging cables, chairs, tables, water, Gatorade, you name it – it’s in there and ready. Even though they are not a main response agency, they provide support for Elk County (and surrounding counties) EMS, DCNR, PGC, residents, and visitors. These volunteers, as with all of our local EMS volunteers, are so passionate about what they do and so very grateful for the outpouring of support from the community. It was a very refreshing visit.
If you feel inclined to donate in any way (time, money, supplies) please reach out to find out how. ES & R has a website you can visit to learn about them, volunteer, or donate at https://elklandsar.com. Mountain Laurel Federal Credit Union would like to sincerely thank the volunteers at Elkland Search and Rescue for your time and dedication! Keep up the great work!
The Bradford branch accepted donations for No Feline Left Behind McKean County for the month of October. No Feline Left Behind is a nonprofit and volunteer ran organization here in McKean County. They currently have approximately 25 kittens in foster care right now and are urgently in need of the following items:
- Wet kitten food (9 lives, any Walmart brand, Vibrant Life, or Fancy Feast)
- Dry kitten food (Purina Kitten Chow-regular or naturals)
- Cat litter (Clay/Clumping)
The Bradford office collected 4 large containers of cat litter, 4 large bags of cat food, 4 bags of cat treats, 90 cans of canned cat/kitten food and 20 cat toys! We also raised $582 in cash donations.