SAFE employees Tiffany Porter of Carmichael and Joseph Mayeux of Sacramento County’s Vineyard area fold U.S. flags ready for retirement during VALOR’s (Veterans and Loved Ones Resource) second annual Flag Collection Drive. Photo courtesy of SAFE Credit Union

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - SAFE Credit Union collected more than 500 flags during its second annual employee-led U.S. flag collection drive this summer.

SAFE employee resource group VALOR (Veterans and Loved Ones Resource) invited the community to bring aging and worn flags to its 17 branches in the Greater Sacramento area, its Folsom headquarters and the Aerospace Museum of California.

More than 60 volunteers folded 206 U.S. flags at SAFE’s headquarters on Aug. 6 during their final day of sorting and preparing flags for retirement. The drive ran from Memorial Day weekend through July 30.

“We especially want to thank the community once again for assisting us in ensuring the respectful and proper retirement of worn and old flags,” said SAFE Credit Union Executive Vice-President and VALOR executive sponsor SAFE Executive Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer Mike McCarthy.

“VALOR recognizes that our United States flag is not only an important symbol of our nation and military but has special meaning to many of our employees, members and those in our communities,” said McCarthy, a California Army National Guard veteran who served overseas deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan during 12 years of active service. “We were so happy to find a useful and significant way to honor their own military service, as well as the services of their friends and family.”

VALOR is forwarding the collected flags to Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 6604 in Folsom who is assisting in readying the flags to be then given to the American Legion Post 362 also in Folsom. The legion conducts and arranges retirement ceremonies in adherence to the U.S. Flag Code.

SAFE Credit Union Senior Loan servicing specialist Adam Jarrett of Citrus Heights said he volunteered in recognition of both his grandfathers, one who served during the Vietnam War and the other who was stationed in Germany.

“It felt good to honor these flags and to give them a proper send-off,” Jarrett said.

IT service specialist and volunteer Nate Garcia of Elk Grove said, "It's nice to know that these flags that have been through whatever life they've been through, that we are able to give them a nice final touch before they are officially retired."

Compliance specialist and volunteer Amy Gonzalez of Rancho Cordova said, "It's important to me to respect the flag. I'm a former Girl Scout so I thought I'd put my skills to use. It felt great to do something patriotic in the middle of the day."

SAFE Credit Union employees and volunteers Amy Gonzales of Rancho Cordova and Samantha LaCasse of the Pocket-Greenhaven volunteer during their workday to help VALOR (Veterans and Loved Ones Resource) prepare flags for proper retirement by the American Legion Post 362 in Folsom. Photo courtesy of SAFE Credit Union

SAFE Credit Union Vice-President of Marketing and volunteer Amber DiBernardo of Rancho Cordova said that "it was important to everyone" who was there to help fold the flags. "Seeing the participation is so cool."

 SAFE’s 85-year heritage stretches back to its founding in 1940 to serve Army Air Corps personnel at what is now McClellan Park. While being a credit union member no longer requires military affiliation, SAFE proudly continues to celebrate and support its many employees and members who are active National Guard and reservists, veterans, and families of active and retired military.

SAFE Credit Union branches that participated in the flag drive include the Antelope branch, 7887 Walerga Road; Citrus Heights branches, 7475 Madison Ave. and 7601 Sunrise Blvd.; Elk Grove branches, 9312 Elk Grove Blvd. and 9162 Bruceville Road; East Sacramento branch, 6341 Folsom Blvd.; and the El Camino branch in Arden-Arcade, 3560 El Camino Ave.

Other branches include the Hazel branch on the border of Fair Oaks and Orangevale, 5261 Hazel Ave.; Land Park branch, 4700 Freeport Blvd.; North Natomas branch, 2761 Del Paso Road; the Watt Avenue branch in North Highlands, 4636 Watt Ave.; and the West Sacramento branch, 2105 Town Center Plaza.

In addition to banking services available through online, chat, mobile or phone options, SAFE offers in-person services for members and small businesses at service centers throughout the Greater Sacramento region. SAFE is a not-for-profit, state-chartered credit union with membership open to businesses and individuals living or working in Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado, Sutter, Butte, Nevada, Solano, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, Yuba, Amador and Alameda counties. For more information, visit online www.safecu.org.