Each October, International Credit Union Day offers an opportunity to celebrate what makes credit unions different. At Sebasticook Valley Federal Credit Union, much of that difference comes down to something simple: people helping people. 

For our tellers, that can mean much more than cashing a check or making a deposit. It means getting to know the people who walk through our doors, understanding what is happening in their lives and being there to help through both everyday moments and major milestones. 

One of our tellers, Sierra, knows that firsthand. After earning a degree in business administration, she was looking for a career that would allow her to work with people while remaining connected to the community where she grew up. 

“I was looking for something where I could still work with people and stay with the community that I grew up in to give back to the people who had given it to me,” Sierra said. 

She initially thought being a teller would mostly involve financial transactions. Instead, she quickly discovered that the job is built around relationships. 

“I see accounts open to close and everything in between,” she said. “I build relationships with our members and help them through the good and the bad of life.”  

Sometimes that relationship is as simple as remembering a member’s weekend trip or asking how their child’s game went. Even four-legged visitors are part of the experience, with staff greeting familiar dogs by name and sending them home with a treat. Those small interactions can transform a routine trip to the credit union into something more personal.  

But “people helping people” can also take on greater significance. Our team may help a family navigate financial matters after the loss of a loved one, assist a high school student opening their first account, help an older member learn to use online banking or work with someone who is trying to determine whether charges on their account are fraudulent. Sometimes, helping simply means listening.  

That spirit extends beyond our branches, too. Throughout the year, Sebasticook Valley FCU employees can be found supporting community events, raising money for the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger and participating in Financial Fitness Fairs that help local students build financial skills.  

Currently, Sebasticook Valley FCU is participating in the 100,000 End Hunger Challenge, where Maine’s credit unions are coming together with one bold goal: raise $100,000 in just one month to provide 200,000 healthy meals for hungry Mainers. 

But community involvement doesn’t begin when we leave the branch to volunteer. It starts with how we serve the person standing in front of us. 

As Sierra put it, “Every day I come to work and make at least one person’s hard day a little bit easier. Helping the community starts inside the branch.”  

This International Credit Union Day, we’re proud to celebrate the employees, members and communities who make Sebasticook Valley FCU what it is. Whether it’s helping someone take an important financial step, lending an ear on a difficult day or coming together to support a local cause, we believe even small acts of service can make a difference. At the end of the day, a credit union is about more than where you keep your money. It’s about the people and community behind it. 

Celebrate with us the week of October 15, 2026: Treats, swag, gift card drawings and more at both branches!