EDMONTON, Alberta–It what may be the biggest giveaway by any credit union in the world, Servus Credit Union has awarded $1 million to one family.
The funds went to the owners of a family farm in Stony Plain, Alberta as the winners of the 2025 Servus Big Share® contest. The Scheideman family, Tom, Maureen and Mark, owners of White Whale Creek Farms Ltd., and longtime members of Servus Credit Union, had $1 million deposited into their account, the credit union said.
This year marked a first for the contest: rather than an individual winner, the winning entry came from a family-run farm operation.
‘Gift From Heaven’
“We never thought for a second we would win this. It truly feels like a gift from heaven,” Maureen Scheideman said in a statement. “This money will let us check a few dreams off our bucket list — like a father-son fishing trip in B.C., a riverboat cruise, finally taking that first-class trip to Austria we’ve always talked about, and maybe even driving in a NASCAR race. Even though we work side by side every day, family is everything to us, and we’re excited to use this opportunity to keep making memories together.”
‘Healthy Habits’
Now in its seventh year, the credit union said the Servus Big Share promotion encourages members to build healthy financial habits by saving money. Between Jan. 1 and April 30, 2025, Servus members received five entries into the $1 million draw for every $500 of growth in their savings and investment balances. Bonus entries were also awarded for setting up automatic payroll deposits or contributing to registered accounts such as RRSPs, TFSAs, and FHSAs.
“The Servus Big Share isn’t just about one winner,” SCU President and CEO Ian Burns said in a statement. “It’s about inspiring every member to believe in their ability to shape a stronger financial future for themselves, with Servus at their side.”
Additional Members Involved
Servus CU noted that this year marked the first time former connectFirst Credit Union members had the opportunity to participate contest, following the merger with Servus that closed May 1, 2024. Together, the collective member base increased their savings by more than $545 million during the four-month contest period, with more than 8,900 new members joining the credit union during that time, the credit union reported.
Big Deposit Increases
In addition to the Servus Big Share contest, Servus CU reported it shared over $88 million in profits with its members in 2024. Since starting the Profit Share program in 2009, Servus said it has returned more than $860 million in cash and dividends back to Albertans.
