Freedom Credit Union seeks donations for Salvation Army campaign

SPRINGFIELD — Freedom Credit Union is inviting the community to donate money at any of its branches to support the Salvation Army of Massachusetts’ Toy for Joy campaign serving families in need during the holidays.

“It’s deeply gratifying to be able to support such an important program,” Freedom Credit Union President Glenn Welch said in a statement. “The Salvation Army does great work and is especially uplifting for families facing challenges during the holiday season.”

Freedom Credit Union has branches across western Massachusetts, including in Greenfield and Turners Falls.

Every month, Freedom Credit Union collects donations for a different charity. Money collected through Dec. 20 will support this cause.

Throughout the year, the Salvation Army offers services to struggling families. During the holidays, families receive Christmas gifts for children ages 16 and under. Social services teams are also helping families put food on the table, and pay rent and utility bills.

Tripp earns Certified Financial Marketing Professional designation

GREENFIELD — Siobhan Tripp, marketing director at Greenfield Cooperative Bank, has earned a Certified Financial Marketing Professional designation from the American Bankers Association.

The Certified Financial Marketing Professional designation recognizes individuals who have demonstrated a high level of knowledge and expertise in financial marketing. To earn the designation, Tripp successfully completed an exam covering a wide range of topics, including marketing strategy, branding, digital marketing, customer relationship management, product development and financial regulatory requirements.

“We’re excited to congratulate Siobhan on earning the CFMP. This is a significant accomplishment that reflects her dedication to professional growth,” Tony Worden, CEO and president of Greenfield Cooperative Bank, said in a statement. “By encouraging our employees to continue their education and pursue advanced certifications, we’re ensuring that our team is equipped to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

Garden Cinemas wins lobby decorating contest

GREENFIELD — The Garden Cinemas on Main Street was recently named one of a handful of winners of the Amazon MGM Studios Deck Your Lobby Contest.

Promoting “Red One,” Amazon MGM Studios challenged theaters to decorate their lobbies early for the holiday. “Red One,” released Nov. 15, is a PG-13 Christmas action comedy starring Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans and J.K. Simmons. Amazon MGM Studios sent theaters a “Red One” starter kit and encouraged them to make their lobby a winter wonderland.

“We really embraced the contest,” Garden Cinemas co-owner Isaac Mass said in a statement. “Our staff went all out getting people in the spirit of the holidays.”

The theater started decorating on Halloween night and completed the transformation in less than a week. Garden Cinemas Assistant Manager Joanna Browning took the lead in decorating but worked with the entire staff.

The theater got an extra boost in the form of a “Red One” bar kit to kick off its concession conversion from a beer and wine license to an all-alcohol license. All Garden Cinemas staff are all wearing “Red One” bartender vests.

As a reward for winning the contest, the theater will also receive a $500 Amazon gift card, which the owners plan to put toward the theater’s annual January holiday party.

Eversource offers tips on conserving electricity during holidays

SPRINGFIELD — With the holiday season arriving, Eversource is reminding customers about some ways to get in the holiday spirit with festive light displays while also conserving energy, saving money and staying safe.

“Festive decorations and flickering lights really help to usher in the excitement of the holiday season — celebrations, gift-giving and spending time with loved ones,” Eversource Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Penni Conner said in a statement. “Whether you prefer thousands of imported twinkle lights or traditional candles in the window to set a cheerful holiday mood, we don’t want our customers to miss out on energy savings that translates to financial savings that could be better spent on their family than their utility bill.”

Customers can save money and conserve energy by replacing traditional incandescent lights with an energy-efficient light-emitting diode, or LED, holiday decoration. Not only do LEDs use 90% less energy than conventional bulbs and last 25 times longer, they’re also brighter and safer, as they are much cooler than incandescent lights.

Eversource also offers the following tips to help customers stay safe, as well as save money and energy:

■Inspect all lighted decorations, particularly older ones, and discard any with broken or cracked sockets; frayed or bare wires; or loose connections. Replace them with energy-efficient varieties.

■When decorating outdoors, always look up and stay away from all power lines.

■Never raise ladders or extend objects anywhere near the lines.

■Never run extension cords under rugs or coil them tightly, which can cause them to overheat.

■Use a programmable timer for lights to ensure they aren’t accidentally left on.

■Water and electricity do not mix so keep outdoor connections off the ground.

■Check labels to ensure lights are used properly — outside lights are labeled for outdoor use.

■All the parts of the lights need to be dampness and temperature-proof.

■Check extension cords for wear and plug outdoor lights and decorations into GFCI outlets.

■Use advanced power strips for holiday décor to eliminate standby energy loss. This can be particularly helpful for inflatables like large snow globes, which may add as much as $12 per month to your energy bill.

■Turn off room lights when the tree is lit to save energy while creating a festive atmosphere.

Find more holiday decorating and electrical safety tips at eversource.com/content/residential/safety/electric-safety/outdoor-electric-safety/holiday-light-safety.