It was a nice surprise for Recreation Opportunities for Kids (ROK) Central earlier this week after Stride Credit Union gave the group a donation for $3,000.

Executive Director Lynne Parker says getting the cheque made her day.

"Yeah, I kind of have goosebumps right now because it's going to go so far in helping us with our programs," says Parker. "We'll be able to buy some more equipment for the after-school program, maybe some things for summer camp, it'll go toward some registrations if need be."

She says donations like this allow them to do some good, where sometimes a specific grant or fund would not be available.

"Maybe it's something as simple as a child comes, and they don't have any rubber boots or don't have any running shoes, or the ones they have are the ones that talk, you know, where the soles are flapping and stuff?" says Parker. "We would purchase them a pair of sneakers if need be."

Ryan Hildebrandt is the Vice-President of Member Experience and Strategy with Stride Credit Union and says the decision to support ROK was not a difficult one.

"(ROK) is very important to us at Stride Credit Union, because we're all about supporting the health of our communities, and what better way to do that, than through supporting our children?" says Hildebrandt. "They're the future of our communities, and I think that's a very valuable and important thing for us to be a part of, and to partner with them."

In addition to this donation, in the fall Stride donated furniture and shelving to ROK.