AMOCO donates over $80K at junior auction
TEXAS CITY, TX (April 26, 2023) — Boasting over 100,000 members, AMOCO Federal Credit Union gave back in a major way to some of its youngest members at the Galveston County Fair & Rodeo’s Junior Auction held April 19 on the fairgrounds in Hitchcock.
AMOCO’s executive team, led by its President and CEO, Shawn Bailey, and board of directors, including Chairman J.R. “Rusty” Norman, were in attendance to bid on animals and projects to the tune of $82,650 in scholarship donations.
Norman, who also serves as a board member for the Galveston County Fair & Rodeo, is proud that AMOCO always goes over and beyond in providing top notch service to its members and continues to show its place in the community by providing scholarship money at the junior auction each year, he said.
“AMOCO’s involvement in this event helps us to continue to build partnerships and relationships,” Norman said. “Most of the items we bid on are for members of AMOCO and we want to show our support to them so that when they get older, they’ll choose us as their financial institution when they buy their first car or home.
It’s really an effort to show that we’re giving back in areas that we can for the betterment of the community and these kids.”
Kaylah Higgs, a 14-year-old student at Santa Fe Junior High School, who has been a member of AMOCO since she was born, was one of the students who received a winning bid from AMOCO for her second-place turkey in the Reserve Overall category. The donation will go toward her college education, she said.
“It really means a lot that AMOCO not only supports me, but a lot of my peers, too,” Higgs said. “I’ve been preparing for this day since November, and it just feels good to know that I can always count on my credit union to be there.”
Loran Silvertooth, 17, who soon will be going off to Sam Houston State University to major in animal science and minor in secondary education in hopes of becoming an agricultural teacher, is a senior at Texas City High School and is a fourth generation AMOCO member.
Loran’s first-place steer also got a winning donation bid from AMOCO.
“I’m so grateful,” Silvertooth said. “I love that AMOCO supports and cares for its members. It’s awesome!”
Some of the younger members, like Matthew Collins, 14, and Abigail O’Brien, 15, also were recipients of AMOCO’s generosity at the junior auction.
Collins was a newbie and placed third in the broiler category. And although O’Brien has been involved with the program for five years, this was her first time making it to auction, she said.
“With AMOCO’s donation, it’ll help me a lot with my college plans since I want to be an Aggie at Texas A&M University,” she said. “FFA is my life and I love it with my entire heart. I love that AMOCO always supports us because we work so hard each season to get here.”
In addition to supporting the Junior Auction, AMOCO, as a Ruby Sponsor, also showed its support for the fair and rodeo by participating in the parade, Sneak-A-Peek Night, Senior Citizens Day, and Special Kid’s Day where mascots Abe and ACE were also in attendance.
AMOCO is proud to have been a supporter of the Galveston Fair & Rodeo for over 30-plus years and looks forward to continuing its partnership with the organization for years to come.
Abigail O’Brien, second from right, received a winning bid from AMOCO for her goat, which won first-place. O’Brien is pictured with members of her family, and Ann Ramos, member engagement manager at AMOCO, third from left.
Kaylah Higgs, third from left, is pictured with Darby McDermott, second from left, and President and CEO Shawn Bailey, both with AMOCO, at the Galveston County Fair & Rodeo’s Junior Auction, which was held April 19 in Hitchcock.
Loran Silvertooth, third from right, received a winning bid from AMOCO Federal Credit Union for her first-place steer at the Galveston County Fair & Rodeo’s Junior Auction on April 19 in Hitchcock. Silvertooth is a fourth generation AMOCO member.
Pictured from left is Ann Ramos, member engagement manager at AMOCO, Matthew Collins, and Chet Rich, secretary on the board of directors for AMOCO. Collins, 14, placed third in the broiler category.
About AMOCO Federal Credit Union
Headquartered in Texas City, TX., and recognized as one of the top 5 credit unions in the Houston/Galveston market, AMOCO Federal Credit Union is a member-owned cooperative organization with more than 104,000 members and over $1.4 billion in assets. AMOCO’s mission is to serve the financial needs of our members and has done just that for more than 85 years. AMOCO strives to provide the best products and services available to its members by offering low loan rates and little to no fees. For more information, please contact Stacey Malbrough at 281-534-5514 or smalbrough@amocofcu.org.
