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Doni Miller, CEO of NHA,
and Suzette Cowell, CEO of TUFCU, have both built new
structures for their operations in the past few years. This
month, the two community organizations blended their goals –
to improve the health, the physical and financial health, of
the central city community.
On hand to celebrate the
historic achievement were a host of elected officials,
community activists and a number of contributors to the
effort to improve and expand the services of the 50-year-old
health organization and the 22-year-old financial
institution.
Pastor Tim Pettaway, a
TUFCU board member, opened the ceremony with prayer and NHA
Board member Micheal Alexander explained the goal and
mission of NHA.
Toledo Mayor Wade
Kapszukiewicz brought greetings from the City and District 4
Toledo City Councilwoman Yvonne Harper, in whose district
the Nexus building sits, offered her congratulations to both
organizations.
Founding members Bishop
Duane Tisdale of Friendship Baptist Church, Edwin Mabry and
Sheila Terry-Cook (representing her husband Bishop Edward
Cook) shared their remembrances of the early days of the
credit union – the struggles, the uncertainty, the
inspirational moments, the faith that kept them going.
Richard LaValley, board
president of the Toledo Urban Foundation, Inc, and the
person primarily responsible for raising the funds for the
new TUFCU building that opened more than a year ago, spoke
of how grateful he was to have been part of the TUFCU
renaissance.
Closing remarks were
offered by Miller, who spoke of the benefit of having the
credit union within the confines of the health organization
building. The goal of the credit union in easing the
financial stresses of residents of the central city
community, said Miller, is what inspired her to seek the
presence of TUFCU in the Nexus Building in order “to help
address the health concerns caused by several financial
stress.”
Cowell spoke of the
history of TUFCU, the early days of struggle, and the
current expansion that is reaching ever-increasing number of
residents.
The speeches were followed
by the official ribbon cutting ceremony.
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