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Media Contact: Kassandra Sebastian
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Email: Kassandra.meholick@penfed.org
PenFed Credit Union Receives Wreaths Across America Award for Teaching Next Generation to Remember and Honor Our Nation’s Heroes
PenFed, the first business to receive this honor, has partnered with Wreaths Across America since 2019 to share the inspiring stories of our nation’s veterans and their families
TYSONS, Va., July 27, 2021 – PenFed Credit Union, the nation's second-largest federal credit union, today proudly announced it earned Wreaths Across America’s TEACH Award, given annually to a group or individual who has made a large contribution to teaching the next generation to remember and honor those who serve in our nation’s military.
"PenFed is honored to receive this award on behalf of our more than 3,000 financial professionals and 2.3 million members," said James Schenck, president/CEO of PenFed Credit Union and CEO of PenFed Foundation. "We are passionate about ensuring the men and women who defended our nation's freedoms are honored and remembered. For the past two years, we’ve participated in the wreaths escort and have been moved by the words of veterans, supporters and participants who shared what Wreaths Across America means to them. It’s an honor to continue teaching the next generation by telling the stories of our nation’s heroes and their families."
PenFed Credit Union President/CEO and PenFed Foundation CEO James Schenck with Wreaths Across America Founder and Worcester Wreath Company Owner Morrill Worcester. The TEACH Award is made from the same stone used to mark the grave sites at Arlington National Cemetery.
PenFed served as the premier sponsor and the exclusive digital content producer for the complete wreaths journey in December 2020. PenFed Digital, led by Andrea McCarren, an award-winning nationally recognized journalist with decades of experience, followed Wreaths Across America's escort stretching from Maine to Virginia.
Schenck and Wreaths Across America Executive Director Karen Worcester teamed up for a satellite media tour reaching millions of Americans leading up to the escort and National Wreaths Across America Day 2020.
"The team at PenFed have been amazing to work with and learn from these last couple of years, and last year in particular they really stepped up to help ensure the stories of our nation's heroes and their families were told and shared across the country," said Karen Worcester, executive director, Wreaths Across America. "The TEACH Award is one of our most important in that it is core to our mission, and I feel strongly that it is our responsibility as Americans to help teach the next generation, which PenFed is doing in their support of our efforts and the sharing of these important stories of service and sacrifice."
Through PenFed Digital's social media coverage, you can learn about Wreath Across America's history, be inspired by how Gold Star mothers honor a daughter and son, witness a patriotic escort stop in Portland, Maine, meet a career broadcaster turned Wreaths Across America Radio host, and more. These stories of resilience, hope, and inspiration can be followed via Wreaths Across America's Facebook and PenFed's Twitter.
Last year, more than 1.7 million wreaths were placed on veterans' headstones at over 2,500 participating locations around the country, including Puerto Rico, in honor of the service and sacrifices made for our freedoms, with the name of each fallen service member said out loud.
To view more of the PenFed Digital Team's content, please visit PenFed's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn accounts.
About PenFed Credit Union
Established in 1935, Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) is America's second-largest federal credit union, serving over 2.3 million members worldwide with $28 billion in assets. PenFed Credit Union offers market-leading certificates, checking, credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and a wide range of other financial services. Our mission is to empower members of our community to achieve their financial well-being. PenFed Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA and is an Equal Housing Lender. To learn more about PenFed Credit Union, visit PenFed.org, like us on Facebook and follow us @PenFed on Twitter. Interested in working for PenFed? Check us out on LinkedIn. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.
About Wreaths Across America
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization's mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at thousands of veterans' cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. For more information or to sponsor a wreath please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
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