American Heritage Credit Union has been throwing the same member appreciation event for 22 years, and they’re still pulling crowds. That kind of consistency turns an event into a tradition, and traditions build brand recognition in ways a billboard never will.
The Philadelphia-based credit union ($5 billion in assets, 325,000 members) is hosting its 22nd Annual Member Appreciation Day & Car Show on May 16. Three hundred cars. Forty craft vendors. A petting zoo (yes, really). Inflatables for kids. And a live broadcast from BIG 98.1, because nothing says “we appreciate you” like local radio.
The event is open to the public, drawing in and supporting the entire community. The local radio partnership extends reach beyond those who come for the fun. And they’ve folded in the Kids-N-Hope Foundation, which supports pediatric music therapy at local hospitals, adding a mission-aligned nonprofit component that goes beyond “free food and a bouncy castle.”
“Our Annual Member Appreciation Day & Car Show has been a long-standing tradition in the community,” American Heritage President/CEO Bruce K. Foulke, who’s also chairman of Kids-N-Hope Foundation, said. “We are excited to welcome everyone to our campus this year and look forward to the opportunity to extend our appreciation and thanks to our dedicated and loyal membership.”
For credit unions looking at community engagement strategies, the American Heritage model is pretty straightforward: Find something that resonates locally (car culture is huge in Philadelphia) and bring in nonprofit partners who reinforce your mission.
If you’re in the area, the event runs 10 AM to 3 PM on May 16 at American Heritage’s Northeast Philadelphia campus (2060 Red Lion Road), with a rain date on May 17. More info at AmericanHeritageCU.org/CarShow.