The Franklin Summer Super Jam is a program sponsored by the Franklin Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Virginia and the Franklin Department of Parks & Recreation to provide area youths with education, excitement, and exercise throughout the summer. At their end of season cookout this year, the Bronco’s Helping Hand crew—led by our CEO Brian Hedgepeth—was on hand to provide hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, soft drinks and a wide selection of cupcakes for dessert for the staff and kids.

Here’s a little something The Tidewater News had to say about the event.

Bronco Federal Credit Union understands that hunger knows no season. Brian Hedgepeth, CEO said “we have been told countless times that food banks are remembered during the holidays for donations but, this time of year can be a struggle for them to stay fully stocked.” This is the number one reason that BFCU holds its annual collection drive for Franklin Cooperative Ministries in the late spring/early summer. This year marks their fourth year of collecting food for FCM.

Their first collection drive in 2014 resulted in 1,700 pounds donated and the amount each year has steadily grown. The 2017 drive collected over 7,000 pounds of food to feed the local residents of Franklin and Southampton. The success of this year’s donations can be attributed to the members and staff of BFCU, the local participating car dealerships, and many local businesses that agreed to have collection bins placed there.

Since 2014, Bronco has now attained the milestone of collecting and donating over 20,000 pounds of food to Franklin Cooperative Ministries. A quick Google search on food banks will tell you that it is estimated that 1.2 pounds of food donated is equivalent to a meal. This means that Bronco has helped contribute over 16,600 meals in our community.

“The food drive was a true community effort and we appreciate that those who donated recognize the importance of keeping their donations local. We absolutely could not have done this on our own and are grateful for the help from our members, staff, and local businesses” said Hedgepeth. The food drive for FCM is also a part of BFCU’s new initiative, Bronco’s Helping Hands. Bronco’s Helping Hands started in January of 2017 and has been performing acts throughout Franklin and Suffolk to show their support and to offer kindness.

Bronco wishes to thank the businesses that participated in this food drive: Roger Fowler Sales & Service, Mike Duman Auto (Suffolk & Franklin), Blake Ford, Barton Ford, Beach Ford, Shear Madness, Island Tan, Tangles, Newsoms Peanuts, Smith Jewelers, The Cat’s Meow, Exodus Outdoors, Richwood Graphics, Nottoway House Furniture, Bobby’s Muffler & Tire, Franklin BP, Fred’s Restaurant, Joe’s Pizza & Pasta, Aesthetics by Naomi, Mackans Office Supply, Moore Designs & Embroidery, Nicholson’s Auto Parts, and Southern Charm Garden Center.

There are a lot of definitions for the word “cool,” and our Helping Hands team has every one of them covered. With the recent hot weather resulting in heat advisories, we hit the streets to find people we could cool off with ice-cold drinks, and cool up with awesome Bronco sunglasses to provide some shade for the eyes. As you can see from the photos, our efforts were greatly appreciated by the hardworking people that are out serving our communities.

U.S. Flag Day is an event celebrated on June 14 to commemorate the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened on June 14, 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. It also happens to be the birthday of the U.S. Army, when Congress adopted “the American continental army” on June 14, 1775.

To celebrate Flag Day this year, members from our Bronco’s Helping Hands team joined forces with associates from the local American Legion to put flags out all over town. We were happy to lend a hand and felt very proud to honor a tradition that is almost as old as our country itself.

Being a police officer can be a pretty thankless job. So our Bronco’s Helping Hands team set out to change that by visiting the Southampton County Sherriff’s Department to drop of some goodies and the personally thank them for all they do. We had a great time getting to know some of our local law enforcement agents and we helped to spread a little extra joy. That’s what Bronco’s Helping Hands is all about.

For our April Bronco’s Helping Hands event, we wanted to give back to the people who give so much to so many. So we put together two teams and provided breakfast and Bronco coffee mugs to the two fire stations closest to our offices in Franklin (Station #1) and Suffolk (Station #6).

The good people at the Women’s Auxiliary of the American Legion chipped in to help us with the Franklin Firehouse breakfast to honor the brave men and women who are always at the ready when their help is needed the most.

Would you, could you read at school? Would you, could you if it was cool?
Our March Bronco’s Helping Hands event took us to S.P. Morton Elementary School on March 2nd—Read Across American Day. Read Across America Day celebrates reading in honor of the legendary author Dr. Seuss, who is well known for such amazing stories as “The Cat in the Hat,” Green Eggs and Ham,” “Oh, the Places You’ll Go,” “The Lorax,” “Horton Hears a Who!” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” to name a few.

Theodor Seuss Geisel, also known as “Dr. Seuss,” was an American writer, cartoonist, animator, book publisher and artist. Sixteen members of our staff volunteered to read from his works in order to stimulate a sense of adventure through reading in young people. We’re not sure who had more fun—our Bronco team members or the students!

In February, our staff put together 200 bud vases with hot pink bows and hot pink roses to deliver to the staff and residents of East Pavilion in Franklin and Lake Prince Woods in Suffolk (nursing homes) on Valentine’s Day.

In January, 37 of our staff members were given $10 gift cards to promote random acts of kindness in the community. Many of them then contributed their own money to the acts as well. Here are a few of the stories they told us:

As parents we pray that our children will be transported safely to and from school, practices, field trips and sporting events. All too often those drivers that make this possible without being recognized. At SHS, Mr. Bernard makes this happen every day!! We appreciate you Mr. Bernard!!! Have dinner on us after the game.

Today I visited East Pavilion, a place myself and many other people in our community are familiar with, as they take care of loved ones very dear to us. My granddad was a resident of EP and one thing that truly helped brighten his day there was the birds. When Bronco asked us to help spread some kindness into the community I instantly thought of EP and helping to keep the adorable birds there for all of the residents to enjoy. Thanks to Katie and Buck at EP for accepting the bird feeder and food! I hope the little birdies, and of course the squirrels that come too, will help make someone’s day there just a little brighter.

In general nurses, doctors and medical office staff have a pretty tough and demanding job. The staff of Virginia Oncology Associates at Obici and Southampton Memorial hospital have proven to do this job with heart and care. They have made an incredible impact within our community by doing this (and so much more) with a smile on their faces. They have touched my life personally and I couldn’t think of any individuals more deserving of this intentional act of kindness. They were so excited to be treated to Panera Breakfast on Bronco FCU.

Today I noticed a man collecting carts at Walmart. While this task does not come as physically easy for him as it would for others, it doesn’t prevent him from doing his job. I wanted to make sure he knew that his hard work has not gone unnoticed. (Added note: the man is working to care for an invalid son and his wife who had to have her leg amputated.)