Credit union uses acts of kindness to 'spread the love'

It seems the generosity afforded this month to a Detroit man who walked nearly two dozen miles daily to and from his factory job in the suburbs is rubbing off.

Seeing how James Robertson's story led to donations of more than $350,000 to get the man off his feet and into a car, officials at Public Service Credit Union in Romulus decided others should also benefit from a little kindness.

Employees spent about $500 giving back to credit union members and residents in the Romulus area, handing out food, filling up gas tanks and topping off wiper fluid. The campaign, called "Spread the Love," is the credit union's way of doing nice things for others within their reach.

"It's just incredible what a little gesture can do," said Rob Mercier, the credit union's vice president for growth and development.

Team members from the credit union, at 7665 Merriman, went out last week, armed with camera phones to capture the moments as they surprised people. The result was a four-minute video posted on YouTube.

Most of the recipients of the gifts were caught off guard.

"It really made my heart and I know my coworkers' hearts so full ... that small gestures meant so much to people," said Nadine Hohnke, a marketing analyst at Public Service Credit Union. "Some of the things we were doing were free, just shoveling people out of the snow, stuff that just took time."

Hohnke said the motivation for the project came from hearing Robertson's story, and the McDonald's commercial that asks customers to "Pay with Lovin'." Both are at the heart of the credit union's mission, Mercier said.

"Our mission is to treat people like family and with respect," he said. "Through this, we could show what we have written on paper. The reaction has been huge!"

Odette Ferguson of Romulus, the first person surprised in the video, said Friday's gesture from a teller inside the credit union — offering her a $25 gift card simply for being a great member — definitely took her by surprise.

"It just sets you back … and makes you remember there's kind people out there," said Ferguson, 59, who works for industrial supply seller Saw & Specialty.

Ferguson, a member of the credit union for a little more than a year, said when she comes in on Fridays, she makes sure to greet each employee, starting with those in the front of the branch. When she was done with her transaction, another representative asked her to wait until he finished with his customer.

"I thought I was in trouble," she said. "I had no idea what was going on. There was so much going on in my head."

Shawn Ferguson, Odette Ferguson's husband, said he and his wife love the credit union's environment. It's no surprise to them that this initiative is taking place.

"They're always so great to you when you come in," said Ferguson, 47. "You have a good time when you're here."

The reactions of some of those surprised last week were priceless, Hohnke said. The team stopped at a local gas station and decided to fill a few gas tanks. When asked whether someone could pump her gas for her, a woman on the video remarked she only had $4 to put in her car. Next, she was told she wouldn't pay for the fill-up.

"Are you kidding?" the woman asked, running back to her vehicle. "This stuff doesn't happen to me!"

The team from the credit union passed out doughnuts to workers plowing snow, and breakfast foods to credit union customers waiting in line before the branch opened. Some topped off windshield wiper solvent and scraped car windows for motorists. Animals at the Romulus Animal Shelter also got treats.

Someone got their groceries for free.

"It doesn't take much to make someone's day," Shawn Ferguson said.

Contact Marlon A. Walker: 313-223-4531 or mwalker@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @marlonawalker.