MADAWASKA, Maine — A year of waiting on spare change was well worth the wait for 11 County nursing care and assisted living facilities.
NorState Federal Credit Union is donating fees collected from the use of their coin counters in Madawaska, Presque Isle and Fort Kent to local nursing care and assisted living facilities for their activities departments and the residents they serve.
The week of Jan. 25-29 is National Activity Professionals Week. In honor of the activity professionals at nursing homes or assisted living facilities, who through their efforts in improving and enriching the daily lives of patients and residents, the credit union staff will promote the theme of “Activity Professionals Brighten Each Day” and send each facility a thank you card and a NorState Visa gift card in the amount of $462, an equal share of the funds raised.
“With the help of all members and non-members who came in to use the coin counter machines at NorState FCU during 2020, who are assessed a fee of 2 percent of coins sorted for members and 6 percent for non-members, the credit union and users of the coin sorter machines were able to raise $5,092.45 in spare change,” Susan G. Whitehead, NorState CEO, said.
The messages of thanks state,“On behalf of NorState members, staff and volunteers, we sincerely thank you for your professionalism during a year of pandemic and isolation. Special thanks to your activities department who brought residents moments of joy and inclusion during these trying times. Please accept this gift card in the amount of $462 to be used toward future activities with our loved ones. This donation is made possible by usage fees collected from NorState coin sorting machines.”
Facilities receiving the donations for their activities department are: Highview Nursing & Rehab, Country Village Estates and Ridgewood Estates in Madawaska; St. Joseph Memory Care in Frenchville; Crosswinds Residential Care and Forest Hill Manor in Fort Kent; Eagle Lake Mercy Home; Borderview Rehab and Living Center in Van Buren; the Caribou Nursing Home and the Maine’s Veterans Home in Caribou; and the Presque Isle Nursing and Rehab Center.
There are many different staff members and volunteers that contribute to the activity program at health care facilities — activity Professionals, Therapists, Nursing staff and Volunteers, and for this reason, credit union staff extended their gratitude for the work activity professionals do to give residents and staff a vibrant and active daily calendar.
“They improve the lives of those who may be reaching the final years of their lives or may be restricted by injury or illness, so activity professionals deliver interesting and fun activities that will be universally applicable, realizing that different residents have varying levels of capability,” Whitehead said.
The financial institution and its members are known for their strong belief in volunteering and giving back in multiple ways, from paying it forward to random acts of kindness to working diligently on the Maine Ending Hunger Campaign.
“We are in the service industry, really, and service to others is always top of mind,” added Whitehead.
Recipients of the coin sorter fundraising efforts for 2021 will be local food pantries. Members and non-members can use NorState’s coin machines in Madawaska, Fort Kent and Presque Isle for a small user’s fee, which will in turn be donated to these facilities at year end.
For more information about NorState FCU, visit them on the web at norstatefcu.org or visit their Facebook page.
