In 2008, ASI went green! A Green Team Committee was formed with representatives from all different areas of the Credit Union to help ASI transition into a new Green Era. So far a lights-out campaign to save electricity, a recycling program at the Corporate Office and environmentally friendly printing on all of all printed materials are well underway. This year, we will be hosting our first annual America Recycles Day events. Join ASI as we do our part in saving the planet! ASI has several events planned that will get people in the Green Sprit.

• We’re hosting a magazine drive at all of our branches. In the month of November, employees and members are encouraged to bring in their old magazines instead of throwing them away so they can be used in the waiting rooms of various charitable clinics and hospitals.
• For the month of November, ASI’s employee recycling program will be extended to all branches in the New Orleans area instead of just the Corporate Office.
• A contest will be held for all employees to think of new and different ideas of how citizens of the United States can reduce, reuse and recycle in their daily lives. The employees with the most creative ideas will get published for all members to see in the next Quarterly Newsletter. And one grand prize winner will receive a gift basket of recycled and sustainable products.

For more information, visit: Join ASI in celebrating America Recycles Day on November 15th by hosting your own Green Event. For more information and to get event ideas visit
http://www.americarecyclesday.org/americarecycles.aspx

1. November 11 is Veterans Day. A veteran is a soldier who has served his/her country.
2. Thirty-five countries fought in World War I. They fought for five years, from 1914 to 1918. The United States fought in the war from 1917 to 1918.
3. Finally the countries stopped fighting. The leaders signed an armistice. They signed the armistice on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. The armistice meant that the war was over.
4. Americans were very happy to hear about the armistice. No more soldiers would die in the war. The soldiers could come home.
5. People went out into the streets and laughed and danced. They blew horns and whistles and rang bells. They sang songs. They thought that there would never be another war.
6. President Wilson made November 11 a holiday to remember the end of the war. The holiday was called Armistice Day.
7. At eleven o'clock in the morning, everyone stopped doing whatever they were doing. People were completely silent for one minute. This minute was to remember all the soldiers who have died in wars.
8. The body of an unknown soldier was brought to America from the cemetery in France. His body was buried in a tomb at Arlington National Cemetery. It was called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
9. The US was in three more wars: World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The name of the holiday was changed to Veterans Day.
10. The bodies of three more unknown soldiers were brought to the cemetery. On Veterans Day, there are special services at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
11. Americans remember and honor all the veterans.

Excerpted from ESL Teacher's Holiday Activities Kit, by Elizabeth Claire.

For Thanksgiving, ASI holds a food drive with all of its employees and makes Thanksgiving baskets to donate to St. Vincent de Paul’s families in need. Last year we collected enough to make 4 beautifully decorated baskets.

To make a donation, contact Tonnette Rising at 504-733-1733 ext.79211. Thank you!