Watermark Credit Union Matches $2,000 Donation to Seattle-based Bridges to Understanding

March 6, 2008 - PRLog -- Seattle, Washington – At the unveiling of its new corporate headquarters on February 1, Watermark Credit Union presented member Sherry Perkins with a donation of $2,000 for Bridges to Understanding, a Seattle-based nonprofit that engages students worldwide in interactive learning and storytelling to build understanding across cultures. Watermark made the donation in honor of Perkins who used a $2,000 Watermark travel sweepstakes award last year to visit northern India with a group of volunteers from Bridges to Understanding.

Although not much of a traveler, Perkins wanted to do something worthwhile, yet fun and different, with her prize. After hearing about the work of Bridges to Understanding at a local Wallingford “Friday Night at the Meaningful Movies,” she chose to make the trip to India. Along with several staff members and more than a dozen volunteers, Perkins worked with students of the Tibetan Children’s Village to create videos focusing on social issues the children deemed important, including excessive garbage and pollution, group housing, happiness and more. Upon completion of the project, the students held a small film festival to celebrate their achievement.  

Watermark Credit Union was so impressed with Perkins’ donation and selfless work, its Board of Directors chose to match it.

“Credit unions were built on the concept of people helping people,” President and CEO Chuck Cockburn said. “When the Board learned how Sherry had used the money she won to help others, it wanted to match the funds supporting Bridges to Understanding.”

Greg Tuke, executive director for the nonprofit, was thrilled to learn of Watermark’s donation.

“We’ll utilize the funds to further the learning partnership between the Tibetan Children’s Village and schools here in Seattle,” Tuke said. “It will help to fund our programs which help us to develop more compassion and understanding for each other.”

For more information about Watermark Credit Union, please contact Sherry Lotze, vice president of marketing, at 206-381-6542 or slotze@watermarkcu.org or visit the company’s Web site at http://www.watermarkcu.org. For more information about Bridges to Understanding or to view some of the students’ work, visit http://www.bridgesweb.org.

Founded in 1938, Watermark Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution based in Seattle, Washington. With $486 million in assets and more than 70,000 members, Watermark Credit Union is ranked in the top 15 credit unions in Washington State in terms of assets.

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About Watermark Credit Union: Watermark Credit Union offers a wide range of personal and commercial banking services, with branches in Bellevue, Burien, Lynnwood, Redmond, Seattle, Shoreline and Southcenter. Watermark Credit Union prides itself on remaining true to the original purpose of credit unions—people helping people—to make certain that all members have access to the best products and services, and receive sound financial advice from professionals they trust.

Website: www.watermarkcu.org