DNCU Partners With LANL’s Gus The Bus Program Collecting Backpacks And School Supplies

Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on August 12, 2015
- 2:15 pm

DNCU’s Baxter Bear with backpacks and back-to-school supplies collected by members and employees. Courtesy/DNCU

Janelle Vigil-Maestas of LANL’s Community Programs Office checks out some of the hundreds of backpacks that Laboratory employees and members of the public donated as part of the Lab’s LANL Laces/school supplies drive. Courtesy/LANL

DNCU News:

Del Norte Credit Union members and employees have been busy collecting backpacks and back-to-school supplies on behalf of LANL’s Gus the Bus program.

DNCU believes that improving the lives of others is an important value – and this is just one way that DNCU gives back to the community. DNCU supports worthy causes that strive to enhance life in Northern New Mexico.

“We are happy to help LANL in its efforts to get school age children ready for the new school year and ease the financial burden for some of our neighbors who are struggling,” CEO/President Chuck Valenti said.

The drive officially ended Monday but the LANL team are still collecting more backpacks and supplies. As of Tuesday, more than 800 backpacks with school supplies have been collected. Of that amount, 220 came from Laboratory employees working at the CMRR project at Technical Area 55.

The backpacks will be distributed to Northern New Mexico area schools starting next week for the start of the 2015-16 school year.

Other partners in the effort include Cray Computer, Dollars 4 Schools Century Bank in Española.

Baxter Bear is Del Norte’s warmhearted mascot for its Baxter Bunch Club Program for kids ages newborn through 12. Club benefits include a .25 percent APY (annual percentage yield) dividend increase, an insulated lunch bag, an annual birthday card, a small gift from the treasure chest each time a child makes a deposit, educational and fun newsletters, and a passbook to keep track of deposits.

To enroll in Baxter’s Bunch, visit any of the six DNCU branches: you will need your child’s social security number as well as the driver’s license and social security number of a parent or legal guardian.