HUMBOLDT — A local financial institution is trying to support local businesses while thanking their employees for their work during the pandemic.
Conexus Credit Union gave its employees a $150 bonus, with the caveat that they had to spend it at local businesses.
“Our staff worked exceptionally hard over the past 10 weeks to make sure that we could give access to our members to their money, as an essential service,” said Eric Dillon, the credit union’s CEO.
“Just as a reward and a thank you from our board, they introduced a small gift for the employees as a small token of appreciation for all the extra hard work,” he said. “As a local institution, we thought it was really important that money gets recirculated in the local economy in the places where our employees live, work and play.”
Lana Muggli’s Brickhouse Clothing was one of the local businesses that benefited. She said that a credit union employee told her about the program.
“She said that she really thought about where she wanted to spend hers,” Muggli said, adding the employee told her she really thought about where she wanted to spend it, deciding to go to a small business as opposed to a chain store.
Muggli said it meant a lot to her.
“It was just such a nice gesture and I was really happy she told me about it.”
The credit union also announced a $200,000 Kindness Fund to give financial support to continue acts of kindness people have shown across Saskatchewan during COVID-19. Forty nominees will each receive $5,000. Dillon said the money comes from the administration fees the credit union has earned from the Canada Emergency Business Accounts.
