Bank It raises thousands for various local organizations

 

January 13, 2019

Cherokee Strip Museum - (From left) Kelsey Martin, Halah Simon, Elaine Graybill, Don Lynch, Kendra Schnebel, Magen Lehr.

The Alva Robotics Team, the Cherokee Strip Museum, and the Alva Wesleyan Food Bank were selected as Bank It's second, third and fourth quarter visions for 2018.

From April through June 2018, Bank It, the community of Alva and local participating banks raised $4,603.42 to go towards the Alva robotics team "Technic Gold." The team used the funds to prepare for and to compete in the Heartland BEST Current Event competition. The BEST competition is a six-week event that begins in September of each year and concludes at the end of October. The team receives a kit of equipment and materials from Northwestern Oklahoma State University at the beginning of the season, but to compete successfully requires the team to raise funds from the community. For the 2018 season, the team of fifteen middle school and five high school students used the funds supplied by Bank It prepare for the Heartland BEST competition that took place in October. The team must design a t-shirt, create a booth filled with highlights of their building process, design marketing materials and report on their fundraising strategy. They also had to design and build a robot that could complete a set number of tasks on the playing field and their team had to create a mascot and cheer section for the day of competition. The funds from Bank It helped the team purchase all of the items needed, including lumber and supplies to build a portion of the game field to test the robot on before game day, paint and painting supplies for the marketing booth, posters for the interior of the booth, team spirit posters and items, tools to use to build prototypes and the robot. The team was successful at the competition, making it all the way to the semi-finals.

From July through September, Bank It, the community of Alva and local participating banks raised $5,627.44 for The Cherokee Strip Museum. The funds donated to the museum went towards restoring and remodeling of the Cedar Grove Church. This project was the focus of their fundraising and grants for the last year and a half. The Bank It contributions have help them reach their goals. The new ceiling and flooring have been installed so the old pews are back in place, a piano has been donated, the old podium has been restored and the new sound system is ready. The Cedar Grove Church addition was able to celebrate the first wedding in their restored building on Nov. 30, 2018.

Alva Robotics - (Back row, from left) Joe Parsons, Torin Brooks, Elizabeth Ridgway; (third row) Laura Anton, Hudson Feely, Ko Brooks; (second row) Kelsey Martin, Magen Lehr, Toby Anton, Isaac Anton; (front row) Kendra Schnebel, Kirk Trekell, Cade Lambert, April Ridgway.

From October through December, Bank It, the community of Alva and local participating banks raised $5,655 for the Alva Wesleyan Food Bank. The food bank currently serves 200 households (600 individuals) each month. Throughout this year they have served over 900 individuals, making up about 20% of Woods County population. They provide family ministry, working to improve budget skills, with a goal of moving them off of the food bank list and on to providing for themselves in the future. They use funds donated by Bank It to make purchases throughout the year.

In 2018 The Bank It Organization, along with community contributors and participating local banks were able to raise a total of $31,032 for their four chosen visions. They were also able to help financially with two positive community events by issuing mini grants. These events include: The Goldbug Gulp and Gallop and Wings Over the Prairie. Additionally, Bank It granted $3,505 from their rainy day fund for hospital bills and travel expenses for two community members battling cancer in 2018.

The Bank It program makes it easy to stay involved and make a difference in your community. This year's CommUNITY visions were recently decided by the Bank It board and will be announced soon. For more information visit, http://www.ahabitofhelping.com.

 

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