For one Pennsylvania credit union, it would have been hard enough to lose an employee to cancer in July 2009. But, when it lost another employee two months later, the call to action couldn’t have been louder or clearer.

So, the Erie Federal Credit Union (EFCU) answered the call by creating a fundraiser that allowed any one of its members to raise money for KCRF. They turned to their EZ Saver Debit Card Round-Up Program. How much money, they thought, could be raised if they let members opt to have those round-ups go to KCRF instead of their savings accounts? The answer: a lot!

Their campaign ran for three months in 2010, which was enough time for members’ pennies, nickels, and dimes – along with $10,000 from the credit union – to reach $18,200. What’s more, the donations are still rolling in: “Members wanted their EZ Saver round-ups to continue to go to KCRF, so we decided to let the fundraiser continue indefinitely,” says Sandi Carangi, the credit union’s Vice President of Business Services.

In part due to its support of the Kanzius Foundation, the Credit Union National Association named them the first place national winner of the 2010 Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award; later, the Card Services for Credit Unions awarded them a Community Outreach Award that came with a $1,500 prize that went straight to KCRF. While these were both welcome accolades, the greatest reward is the knowledge that someday other people won’t have to lose a coworker to cancer. “We’re so happy to be able to do something that makes it simple for our members to help such a worthy cause,” says Mary Beth Wilcher, President and CEO, Erie Federal Credit Union.