THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 31, 1996 TAG: 9607310426
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 76 lines
Ask Alexander Caesar to tally the pennies, quarters and dollar bills he's saved through his church credit union, and he quickly runs out of fingers trying to add up lives.
For the 87-year-old Norfolk patriarch, dollar signs and decimal points compute to the success stories of - ``Hmmm, let's see,'' he says with a throaty chuckle - 13 children, 14 grandchildren, an indeterminate number of great-grandchildren and, yes, even a few great-great grandchildren.
That's how many the retired Norfolk Naval Base supply supervisor has put through college.
Fifty years ago this month, Caesar helped found the First Calvary Baptist Church Federal Credit Union. It was the first black church credit union in Virginia and the template for others that followed in Hampton Roads and elsewhere.
Started with less than $50 from its 110 charter members, the institution has grown steadily over half a century and now has 490 members.
Earnest Green, chairman of the credit union, said the church's financial institution continues to serve the congregation by loaning money for college and teaching children to save, among other things.
It was the trust they had in their church that parishioners banked on, and it was the opportunity to save that fostered financial responsibility and hope for the future.
The low interest rates - a penny on the dollar in the beginning - allowed church members and their relatives to buy the things that formed the framework of families: homes and cars, for example. This, in turn, helped build nurturing neighborhoods.
Caesar, 37 when he helped form the credit union, began putting away about $5 every two weeks when he got paid. Without the opportunity to save through his church, Caesar says, he might never have banked anything.
James Poole is one of Caesar's success stories.
The 46-year-old intervention specialist and counselor at Norfolk's Barry Robinson Center was educated at Norfolk State University, thanks to his grandfather.
``He was there, Johnny-on-the-spot,'' said a grateful Poole. ``He's always had a vision of hope for his kids and grandkids. It's like he's lived for them.''
Poole remembers well the day his granddad started him out on the right foot with money managing. ``I was 9 years old, and he had me put 25 cents a week'' into an account at the church credit union.
Poole has two daughters in college now, thanks in part to Caesar.
``He's helped them with their needs, and they don't even have to ask,'' Poole said. ``He feels like it's his duty. His mom was a powerful woman. Her mindset was, `If I can help somebody, I'll sacrifice.' ''
Then there's the Rev. Thomasine Reid, another of Caesar's grandchildren.
``What would I have done without my grandfather?'' asks Reid, an assistant pastor at Bank Street Memorial Baptist Church and a Norfolk public school teacher. ``He is simply remarkable, has that kind of heart where he just gives. I call him the mayor of Norfolk because he's taken so many people under his wing. He wanted us to have the opportunity for a better life, and he knew that education was the key.''
Reid said that blacks saved through their church when they likely would not have done so at white banking institutions.
``They might not have thought our few pennies were enough, and we knew our money was safe,'' Reid said. ``It taught us financial responsibility, ownership, pride.''
Caesar offers a quick response to those who are awed by the number of folks he has helped to educate.
``Somebody's got to do it,'' he says. ``After all, it's just money, and what are you going to do with it but spend it?''
``One time, I had five grandchildren at NSU at once,'' Caesar said. ``I just sent a great-grandchild there. You just thank God that you can be a living testimony of his goodness.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN, The
Virginian-Pilot
Alexander Caesar made grandson James Poole, left, put 25 cents a
week in the church credit union to save ffor college. Granddaughter
Rev. Thomasine Reid, right, also benefited from the credit union. by CNB