G.E. Goodwin never thought Hurricane Irene would be as furious as it was.

As financial services officer for the Roanoke Rapids State Employees' Credit Union, he found out just how bad it was.

Inside the bank is dark and without power. The credit union, however, is open and began Monday by allowing customers to make withdrawals of $100. “We're doing the same plus we've added deposits,” Goodwin said today.

Today the credit upped the maximum withdrawal to $500, all the transactions being done by cell phones where Roanoke Rapids employees call the Jackson or Gatesville branches to verify balances.

Business has been steady, Goodwin said, and on Monday employees processed 173 withdrawals, at the end of the day taking the paperwork to Jackson for entry into the system. Today they are taking the paperwork in shifts.

In many ways it is a throwback to the days of banking before sophisticated computers and the customers, who are greeted by employees set up outside the bank, along with a Roanoke Rapids police officer, haven't complained. “They know what we're going through. They're not getting mad.”

There are some CashPoints machines open in the area, employees said. The one at CVS in Roanoke Rapids is open, the one at the Interstate Inn in Weldon is open, the one at the Food Lion on Bolling Road is open and the one at Piggly-Wiggly in Gaston is open. The CashPoints at the Pit Stop on Lake Gaston is open.