2020 was a rough year and 2021 didn't start out any better. We are starting to see signs of hope with local high school sports returning along with the return of Binghamton Bulldog basketball.

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Southern Tier companies are doing what they can to also bring us hope and to make a difference. Recently Visions Federal Credit Union help by donating $60,000 to various COVID-19 relief organizations in our area. They also lent a hand by raising over $11,000 to benefit local food banks with their Denim Days Program.

As part of their Visions Cares program, they gave UHS Hospitals a $15,000 grant that let them expand their COVID-19 testing capacity.

Another thing they did recently really turned out to be a life-saver for a local school. Visions gave $500 worth of children's hats, glove scarves, and boots to the Owego Apalachin School District.

For the past couple of days, we've seen wind chills below 0 and in the Owego area, they were also seeing some significant snow accumulation too. So this Act of Kindness by Visions has really made a difference for those kids.

Here is the latest thing that Visions have done to make a difference in our community. As part of their "Season of Giving" campaign, Visions Federal Credit Union employees raised over $140,000.

This allowed them to give donations to the American Heart Association, The American Red Cross, Children's Miracle Network, and The United Way. It's easy to find the negative that seems to surround us, so it's nice to embrace the grace as we say "thank you."

Perfect vision is 2020 but it's great to know that Visions is still in focus in 2021.

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