Unexpected gift

Western Division Federal Credit Union has made a point to strengthen the bonds it has within its communities all throughout western New York. One way it chose to do so is by supporting local Boys & Girls Clubs, and Dunkirk's own Club was one of the beneficiaries.

Representatives of Western Division recently brought a giant check and bags full of branded materials to the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County to support the club's programming this summer. The donation amounted to $5,000, and in delivering the check, Silvette Rodriguez, Western Division's Marketing Specialist, and Kristie Skellie, Supervisor of Western Division's Fredonia location, got to meet some of the children who will benefit from their generosity.

Rather than the Boys & Girls Club reaching out to Western Division to build a relationship, it was Western Division who contacted the Club out of the blue with the desire to support the youth in the community. Western Division also has built relationships with Boys & Girls Clubs in the Buffalo area.

"It was really cool that they reached out to us," said Kait Dawson, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County. "To even think of us, because we're local, is nice."

The donation will support the Boys & Girls Club's exciting opportunities planned throughout the summer for its children. Three field trips will take place this summer, including a Buffalo Bisons game, a trip to the Erie Zoo, and a visit to Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve.

The Club is also holding themed weeks this summer, focusing on life skills, team building, and scholarly activities. A career week will highlight the various career paths that staff members and volunteers affiliated with the Club have pursued aside from what they do at the Club. The final week of summer will wrap up at Wright Park, where children will receive catered lunches as they play on the playground and splash pad.

As a new donor to the Club, Western Division helps expand the reach of the Club to its members and staff. "It expands our overall level of outreach," Dawson said. "The more partners we have, the more we can serve the community."