For the Miami Valley Today

PIQUA — Wright-Patt Credit Union (WPCU) continued its partnership with the Piqua community through a donation of canned goods and financial support to the Bethany Center, a non-profit organization that has served residents since 1998. The donation to the Bethany Center will help volunteers provide food assistance, non-perishable food items, and freshly prepared meals to those who need it most throughout the year.

On average, Bethany Center serves between 50-100 people per day.

“I love the people who come here, dearly,” said Wilma Earls, director of the Bethany Center. “Each and every one of them has good in them.” She credits the support of Piqua’s business community and residents for making it possible to carry out their mission. Since its inception as a soup kitchen in the basement of a local church, the Bethany Center has depended on donations from area organizations.

WPCU partner-employees make it a priority to donate hours of time, energy, and talents to enrich the communities they serve and make them better places to live, work, and raise a family.

“Our giving efforts positively affect people and reflect our values,” said Tracy Szarzi-Fors, vice president of Marketing and Business Development for WPCU. “We want to be part of the fabric of the communities we serve.”

The Bethany Center was identified as an organization to support during WPCU’s Piqua Member Center grand-opening celebration. During a week of activities focused on Piqua and surrounding communities, the new 4,150 square-foot member center was a collection center for non-perishable food items destined for Bethany Center.

Kathy Sherman, president of the Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce, joined WPCU partner-employees from the recently opened Piqua Member Center to celebrate the occasion, which included a formal check presentation.

To learn more about how WPCU supports vital community organizations throughout Southwest and Central Ohio, visit its website at www.wpcu.coop/about-us/wpcu-in-the-community.