Independent Banker - September 2020 - 56

 National Community Bank
Service Awards
bank's event raised $106,000 for a
local mission.
Employees of $225 million-asset
First National Bank in Amboy in
Amboy, Ill., wrote nearly 600 cards to
nursing home residents and delivered
them with cookies from local bakeries.
" We received a call a few weeks later
from an elderly gentleman whose
wife was at one of these facilities, "
says Colleen Henkel, executive vice
president and cashier. " She had
celebrated her 87th birthday on April
22 and passed away on April 23.
He lives at home and of course was
unable to be with her. He went to pick
up her personal belongings and found
our card. Even though he had just lost
his wife, he took the time to call and
thank us. We were beyond touched. "
Also helping nursing homes and
other healthcare facilities is Dawn
Skipper, an agriculture specialist at
$890 million-asset United Bank in
Atmore, Ala. In addition to her bank
work, Skipper is an avid seamstress.
" I began making masks March 23,
and I have not stopped, " she says. " I
spend an average of three hours each
weeknight making masks and average
six to eight hours each Saturday
and each Sunday. My current count
of masks is 1,039, and I am still
Dawn Skipper of United
Bank has put her sewing
skills to good use making
face masks.
My current count of
masks is 1,039, and
I am still going, with
more orders to fill. I
will continue making
the masks until they
are no longer needed. "
-Dawn Skipper, United Bank
Stepping up when bigger banks wouldn't
In Des Plaines, Ill., as the lockdowns began, flower
shop owner Cathy Baske was struggling to obtain
PPP funding. Her bank had told her that the size of
her loan was " too small. " Randy Blackburn, chief
operating officer of $192 million-asset Millennium
Bank, came across her story in a local newspaper
and reached out.
" After a very frustrating time trying to land a PPP
loan during this pandemic, Millennium Bank came to
my rescue, " Baske says. " The team secured me a PPP
loan and hand delivered me the check in just seven
days. Thanks to their help, I feel confident that I will
make it through these tough times. "
Similarly, Rudy Malmquist, who owns a web
development company, was ignored for three weeks
by his big bank. He reached out to $1.4 billionasset
ChoiceOne Bank in Sparta, Mich., and had an
approval for his PPP loan within hours. He is now
switching all of his business and personal accounts
to ChoiceOne Bank.
going, with more orders to fill. I will
continue making the masks until they
are no longer needed. "
The masks Skipper and her
colleagues created have been
distributed to several facilities, as well
as to fellow bank colleagues, a food
bank, local businesses, mail carriers
and police departments. " I enjoy doing
this, " she says, " and it just makes
my heart happy to be able to provide
individuals with these masks, knowing
that I am helping protect them. "
Roshan McArthur is a writer in California.
46 Q ICBA Independent Banker Q September 2020
Independent Banker - September 2020

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