CALHOUN – Bowater Employees Credit Union (BECU) member Flo Golden and her favorite charity, the food pantry of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in Etowah, have won $1,000 from BECU through the Pay It Forward program.

BECU has asked its members to nominate their favorite nonprofit helping people in the counties eligible for BECU membership: Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe and Polk. The Wesley Memorial UMC of Etowah Food Pantry is the first winner of 2012.

“Without such a ministry there would be boys, girls, moms and dads who might go to bed hungry at night,” writes Golden. “It serves people who are included in the Etowah Utilities District ... a total of 1,002 visits to the Food Pantry were recorded in 2011.”

To find out more, or to make your own donation to the Food Pantry, contact Brenda Tullock at 423-263-2087. Donations can be mailed to Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church of Etowah Food Pantry, P.O. Box 306, Etowah, TN 37331.

Any member of BECU can nominate their favorite nonprofit for a $1,000 Pay It Forward prize. Four more prizes will be given out in 2012. The deadline to be considered for the second prize is May 31.

BECU began the Pay It Forward program in 2010 as a way to give back to the community it serves. Since the program’s inception, BECU has given $9,000 to various charities making a difference in our community. For more information, visit www.bowaterecu.org and look under the “News & Info” tab.

BECU is a federally insured credit union offering savings, checking, loans, and financial education to those who live, work, or go to school in the counties of Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, and Polk. BECU has three branches, over 13,000 members, and $135 million in assets. To learn more about BECU and its services, call 423-336-7268 or visit www.bowaterecu.org.