HAWTHORNE CREDIT UNION RALLIES COMMUNITY SUPPORT OF US TROOPS ABROAD WITH HOLIDAY GIFTS AND DONATION DRIVE   
 

Naperville, IL November 10, 2008)  With the recent donation of 162 pounds of personal health & hygiene items, snacks and holiday keepsakes to Operation Support Our Troops of Illinois (OSOTIL), Hawthorne Credit Union’s employees and members completed their mission of reminding U.S. soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan they are missed and appreciated by the folks back home.
 
In addition to gathering many “comfort items” that have been request by men and women serving overseas, Hawthorne CU raised $140 to be used to ship packages to troops from an employee Jeans Day.  A Naperville Brownie Troop also wrote letters of encouragement to the troops.
 
“Thanks to the generous support of our members and friends in the community, troops abroad can read a hand-written letter from a Brownie while snacking on a brownie or other packaged treat,” remarked Carla Day, director of sales and service at Hawthorne CU.   “The timing couldn’t be any better because holidays are a difficult time to be away from home.”   
 
According to Hawthorne CU’s Vice President of Marketing Sandy Brillowski, the credit union, which has branches at 1519 N. Naper Boulevard in Naperville and 267 S. Weber Road in Bolingbrook, is always looking for ways to support troops home and abroad.
 
Since 2003, Operation Support Our Troops Illinois has sent over 14,000 care packages to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, and also raised enough money to fund the purchase of two specially equipped vans for wounded soldiers.  For more information visit eHawthorne.org or www.osotil.org.

About Operation Support Our Troops-Illinois, Inc.
Operation Support Our Troops-Illinois, Inc. (OSOTIL) was founded to support the needs of U.S. armed forces deployed in harm's way by sending packages of items that are not readily available to our troops in their deployed locations, along with personal letters, cards and notes of support from the community at large.

 
About Hawthorne Credit Union
Hawthorne Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative that has been serving members since 1935 with financial services ranging from checking and savings accounts to mortgages, auto loans, Visa credit cards, financial planning and small business services. Currently, the credit union serves more than 14,000 members at its two locations at 267 S. Weber Rd. in Bolingbrook and at 1519 N. Naper Blvd. in Naperville and via the campus branch at Alcatel Lucent. For more information visit www.eHawthorne.org or call (630-369-4070.
 
Hawthorne was the recipient of the 2007 Best Bolingbrook Business award in the Finance category; winner of three 2008 CUES Golden Mirror Awards and the 2006 Dora Maxwell Community Service Award for Illinois.