Identity theft is devastating.

Not only can it be financially harmful, but it is also a hassle to close and reopen accounts in which thieves have stolen information.

In an effort to help protect your privacy, Mutual Credit Union has organized its annual Shred Day.

On Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., a large truck will be parked near Mutual Credit Union’s Cherry Street location, 1604 Cherry St., ready to accept and shred unwanted papers or documents that may contain personal and or private information.

“We love to bring this annual event to our community. We think it is very necessary, to provide the community support,” Mutual Credit Union marketing communication specialist Lurline Simmons said. “We also feel very strongly that having paper documents with sensitive information floating around could be detrimental, therefore we want to make sure our community has access to resources to dispose of those materials safely and securely.”

There is no limit to the amount of paper a person can bring in and there will be someone onsite there to help unload it from vehicles.

Last year, during Mutual Credit Union’s Shred Day, more than 10,000 pounds of paper was shredded.

While Shred Day is a service Mutual Credit Union likes to provide the community, Simmons said she would encourage people to consider moving to E-statements.

“Electronic services are always available and if you are tired of storing or shredding, you might want to look into electronic services for your financial statements,” she said.