A Keepsake for Your Kindness: The Power of Giving

When you think of the holiday season, decorating a Christmas tree with twinkling lights and ornaments is probably one of the first things that come to mind.

Decorating a tree has long been one of the most cherished holiday traditions. It gives families time to reminisce about when and where they received an ornament before finding the perfect branch to hang it on.

Holiday historians believe that early Christmas tree decorations were made of fruits and nuts, but they evolved into today’s traditional ornament styles.

However, for many families, Christmas ornaments have become a collage of their lives, coming in all different shapes and sizes. Some families collect ornaments from everywhere they travel. Other families have ornaments for their babies’ first Christmases or the handmade reindeer their not-so-young adults made back in the fourth grade.

In some shape or form, ornaments can symbolize the most important and memorable moments of the holiday season.

That’s why each year, those who donate $10 or more to the PACU Foundation during our Annual Holiday Giving Campaign receive a commemorative ornament to hang on their tree and reflect on how giving back to the community brightens the holiday season.

Before the PACU Foundation existed, the credit union supported another organization’s fundraiser, where donors could write their names on paper ornaments and place them on a tree in the credit union branches.

“There was a desire to take that idea and elevate it,” said Jean Golden-Rumer, president of the PACU Foundation. “That resulted in our ornament fundraiser today.”

Every donation to the PACU Foundation goes directly to organizations in our community that help residents overcome financial hardship through access to financial literacy, education and disaster relief.

“Forsyth County and surrounding areas have large income disparities, so putting money toward financial education and counseling is huge,” said Brittany Wissick of Financial Pathways of the Piedmont, one of last year’s Giving Tuesday recipients. “The Foundation addresses that need in the community, and hopefully, through the work Financial Pathways of the Piedmont is doing, we’re going to close the gap between income disparities.”

 So, when you donate $10 or more, you not only receive a meaningful ornament but also know that you’ve helped those in need this holiday season.

“These donations will strengthen the community, and it’ll also strengthen individuals' lives and transform them so they can pull themselves out of poverty,” Brittany said. “The trickling effects of the funding and the PACU Foundation’s focus on financial wellness are significant because the needs are very great in Forsyth County.”

If you feel inspired to donate to a local organization this holiday season, please visit your nearest PACU branch. There, you can give to the PACU Foundation and take home a commemorative ornament that will not only enhance your Christmas tree but also serve as a reminder of your contribution to the wellness of your community.