Category Archives: Community

VCNB Receives Financial Education Innovation Award

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We simply couldn’t be more excited. Yesterday VCNB was recognized with an incredibly prestigious award and we can’t wait to tell you about it.

VCNB was honored to receive the Innovation in Financial Education Award presented by Nasdaq and EverFi. The award recognizes its significant efforts to improve the financial capability of young Americans. Only twenty-five financial institutions were honored with this distinction at a ceremony hosted Tuesday at Nasdaq’s Marketsite headquarters in New York City.

Honorees were selected based on a set of criteria that included the scale and reach of their financial education initiatives, the duration of their commitment, and unique employee volunteering activities that supplement their programs.

“The institutions we’re recognizing here today have led exceptional efforts to rethink how financial education is taught in our nation’s schools,” said EverFi Founder and CEO Tom Davidson. “Our global competitiveness is dependent on the next generation understanding how the economy works and how to achieve financial security in their lives. We are grateful to the organizations that are helping pave a brighter future for students today.”

As young adults are faced with increasingly complex financial decisions, VCNB is committed to providing students with the skills and knowledge needed in order to succeed. VCNB has partnered with EverFi to bring the financial education program Financial U to local students at no cost to schools or taxpayers, reaching over 1200 students since 2012. The web-based program uses the latest in new media technology – simulations, gaming and adaptive-pathing – to bring complex financial concepts to life for today’s digital generation.

VCNB offers EverFi’s Financial U at Logan, Chillicothe, Southeastern, Circleville, Teays Valley, Canal Winchester, Berne Union, Watkins Memorial, Vinton County and Fairfield Union high schools.

VCNB Vice President of Marketing Audra Johnson called this a proud day for VCNB. “We are honored to accept this award for Financial Education Innovation from Nasdaq and EverFi. This is a very proud day for us and hopefully for the ten schools that participate in our Financial U program,” Johnson said.  “Financial U is intended to help students become more self-aware and smarter about their financial decisions and thus far, it has proven its worth.  It is all about helping our local youth prepare for their future.”

A FINRA-funded study released in February 2015 found that students who received rigorous financial education in high school saw increased credit scores and decreased chance of credit delinquency as young adults, compared to their peers who did not receive financial education.

Administered by teachers in a classroom setting, the web-based course offers over six hours of programming on a variety of financial topics including credit scores, insurance, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, taxes, stocks, savings, 401k’s and other critical concepts that map to national financial literacy standards. The platform uniquely tracks the progress and performance of every student.

VCNB has long been a supporter of financial education in local schools. Staff members frequently visit students in local schools through Teach Children To Save programs, Get Smart About Credit, Bremen Banking Days and several other events.

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Business Spotlight: Improving Health In Fairfield County

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We understand that being a small business owner is tough. That’s why we plan to spotlight a different business each month to help you learn about unique businesses in your own back yard.  

In a world where time and money are at a premium, the YMCA in Lancaster is making it easy and affordable for people of all ages to achieve their physical fitness goals. The Robert K. Fox Family YMCA helps strengthen the community by teaching youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

By offering a wide variety of youth programs – from gymnastics to swimming – the YMCA works with children to help them reach their full potential. By teaching more than the fundamentals of a sport, the YMCA teaches kids fair play, allows everyone to participate and helps kids develop social interaction skills they will use for a lifetime. Best of all, the YMCA scholarship program allows everyone to participate, regardless of their ability to pay.

Last year, a Gallup poll revealed that 27.7 percent of Americans are now obese, the highest obesity rate in American history. The YMCA works to combat this epidemic by teaching overall healthy living in their wellness center. They encourage members, not just to exercise, but to also eat healthy and sleep consistently to keep their minds and bodies in shape. A balance of these three areas will help create a healthy lifestyle needed to live a long and happy life.

With 15,000 square feet of wellness center equipment and more than one hundred fitness programs that members and community members can participate in to gain needed strength, there are abundant opportunities for people of all ages to find the activity that works for them.

The YMCA also teaches social responsibility and strives to pay back the community for all the community does for the YMCA. For example, they have a Live Strong program for cancer survivors. This life changing addition to their schedule involves a free program of exercise and social interaction for people recovering from cancer.

There is even a child care program for families with kids. Child care for kids in school is offered along with a summer program for children who need a place to learn and grow especially for families who are working. They even have a preschool program for young children to start them on the road to a “healthy” education in Lancaster.

Their 36,000 square foot RecPlex facility provides ample space for tennis, volleyball, baseball, boxing and gymnastics. Purchased in 2008 and renovated in 2009, the RecPlex has allowed the Y to act on the vision of expanding services to the community, expanding the nationally recognized gymnastic program, and offering children a place to call their own. By investing in local kids, neighbors and the health of all, the YMCA ensures that everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has the opportunity to thrive.

The Robert K Fox Family YMCA is located at 465 W. Sixth Ave. on the west side of Lancaster. The RecPlex is located at 1180 Locust St., on the east side of Lancaster. To learn more about the Robert K Fox Family Y, go to the website, http://www.ymcalancaster.org or call 740-654-0616.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clean Your Computer Today

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When was the last time you cleaned out your computer? You may not know it but the second Monday of February each year is National Clean Out Your Computer Day.

Messy Paper Stack free images

Having unorganized files on your computer or mobile device is the equivalent of having a messy stack of papers on your desk. Can you easily find what you need?

It may seem like a silly thing to mark with a holiday and an even sillier holiday for your bank to observe but we think it’s very timely. In this age of technology where so much of what we do for work, play and life in general relies on our devices, it’s a good idea to maintain that equipment just like you would change the oil in your car or clean your house.

Think about, not just your computer, but your tablet and phone as well. How much content do you have stored on those devices and how much is unnecessary or difficult to find?

Take a look at the files, programs and apps on your device. Do you still play that Angry Birds game on your phone? Have you ever used the calorie counting app you downloaded on the first day of your diet? No? Delete them. Unused and useless apps and programs eat up a lot of space and clutter up your screen.

Take a closer look at your files. Are you holding on to files that you will never use again? Do you have duplicate files? Do you have junk files or empty folders? This is a good time to get rid of all that stuff. The more content you have, the harder it is to find what you need.

While you’re at it, consider the organization system you have for all that stuff. Can you find what you need? Is it organized into folders or just thrown into one big folder? Take a few minutes to sort all that stuff into a system that makes sense.

A word of caution: Remember to safeguard the things you love and need. Invest in a back-up system of some kind to store treasured family photos or important documents. A back-up device or even storing content in the cloud will save you a lot of heartache if your device crashes or if it is lost for some reason.

When you’re done, clean the exterior of your phone, tablet or computer and you’ll feel like you have a completely new device!

We know you’re busy but take a moment today to do a little cleaning. You’ll be glad you did!

 

 

 

VCNB Celebrates Christmas

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Have you been good all year? As children young and old alike can tell you, Santa knows! And he’s keeping a list of all the naughty and nice boys and girls across the world. Every December 4 is celebrated as “Santa’s List Day” and in honor, we decided to compile a list of some fun holiday activities we are involved with this year.

Kingston and Kileigh, the children of VCNB employee Austin Rohr enjoyed meeting Santa at the bank last December. Bring your kids to meet Santa at our Friendly Bremen locations this month!

Kingston and Kileigh, the children of VCNB employee Austin Rohr enjoyed meeting Santa at the bank last December. Bring your kids to meet Santa at our Friendly Bremen locations this month!

Santa Visit
Lancaster 3 – 5 p.m. Friday, December 5
Santa Claus is coming to town!  Santa will be visiting with the good little boys and girls at our W. Fair Ave., Friendly Bremen Banking Center from 3pm-5pm.  Come say hello to the jolly old elf himself!

Santa Parade
Logan 2 p.m. Saturday December 6
Help us welcome Santa to the Hocking Hills with this huge annual event! Our employees at the Hocking Hills Banking Center are always excited to take part in this parade which starts at the Hocking County Fairgrounds and ends at the Tractor Supply parking lot. Santa arrives at the end of the parade and the downtown lights are lit at that time.

Christmas in Downtown
McArthur 3 – 6 p.m.  Saturday December 6
We are thrilled to participate in the tenth annual Christmas in Downtown! This event, sponsored by the Vinton County Chamber of Commerce, features door prizes, crafts for the kids, horse drawn wagon rides, inflatables, music, food specials, vendors, a parade and more! There will also be a number of fundraisers for local non-profits including Shepherd’s House, churches and the fire departments. VCNB will host activities in our Customer Service Center which ordinarily is not open to the public. We will have a craft for the kids, a tropical snack, lots of fun tropical decorations and a door prize! Also, be sure to look for Santa who always arrives in town during the parade!

Santa Visit
Lancaster 3- 5 p.m. Friday, December 12
Santa Claus will return to Lancaster today to visit our Friendly Bremen Banking Center at 521 E. Main St. Come say hello to old St. Nick!

Santa Visit
Bremen, 3- 5 p.m. Friday, December 19
Santa must love the Friendly Bremen Banking Center because he is spending another Friday afternoon with us – this time in Bremen! Stop by and tell him your Christmas wishes!

Santa Visit
Pataskala, 10 a.m. to Noon Saturday, December 20
There is one last chance to visit with Kris Kringle at the Friendly Bremen Banking Center this year. Today he will be at 700 Corylus Dr., Pataskala. Stop by to meet Santa and tell him your most important Christmas wishes!

 

Thanksgiving Reflections

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Thursday is Thanksgiving and here at VCNB we are preparing to be closed for the holiday. All of our seventeen locations, including Customer Service, will be closed so our employees may celebrate the holiday with their families.

 As we contemplate the holiday and its meaning, we wanted to share with you a few quotes about Thanksgiving and gratitude. Plus there’s one at the end from the great Johnny Carson to make you laugh!

From all of us at VCNB, we wish you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving. After being closed for the Thanksgiving holiday Thursday, we will resume regular business hours Friday.

Enjoy!

New England Fall Color“Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it.”  — Ralph Marston

 

“If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get.” — Frank W. Clark

 

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” — Willie Nelson

 

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” — Oprah Winfrey

 

“Gratitude can transform common days into Thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” — William Arthur Ward

 

Autumn Leaves“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” —  John Fitzgerald Kennedy

 

“An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day.” — Irv Kupcinet

 

“Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.” —  Native American Saying

 

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” — W.T. Purkiser

 

“Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often.” —Johnny Carson

 

 

Embracing Holiday Charities

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One of the things VCNB employees love most about the holidays is the charitable work that we do during this season of giving. Each of our offices embraces a local charity, something important to their community, every year at about this time.

Several of our branches are currently accepting monetary donations for local food pantries. In addition to accepting donations from customers and the public, the bank is also contributing. These monetary donations to our local food pantries not only stay in the community but feed a large number of our neighbors as well.

Customers can donate toys to Hocking County Children's Services by bringing an unwrapped toy to the Hocking Hills Banking Center.

Customers can make a child’s Christmas bright by bringing an unwrapped toy to our Hocking Hills Banking Center.

Some of our branches are focused on projects that relate to kids in the communities. For example, our branches in Wilkesville and Laurelville are accepting donations for their local Project Backpack programs.

Project Backpack sends non-perishable foods home with kids for the weekend. Things like apple sauce, microwavable soups, granola bars and pudding cups are popular donation items. You can either donate non-perishable food items or cash for this great cause. Our employees in these branches have been avid supporters of Project Backpack for many years and we are proud of the work they have done to support this much needed program.

Our Logan office is helping make Christmas brighter for kids in Hocking County by collecting toys for Hocking County Children’s Services. If you stop by that office, you will see a Christmas tree decked out in toys. Those toys along with others will be donated for the Children’s Services holiday program. While the bank is donating, and several of our employees have donated toys, the public is also invited to bring in unwrapped toys.

Our McArthur office embraces the holiday by raising money throughout the year to buy gifts for kids in need. That office adopts families through the Helping Hands project at Jobs and Family Services (JFS) in Vinton County. Employees participate in year round fundraisers and look forward to adopting families.

When JFS announced this year that it can no longer offer Helping Hands, a new group called Operation Christmas Presence formed to take its place. The staff in McArthur has signed on to help this new organization bring Christmas to approximately 200 local children. Monetary donations can be made to the Operation Christmas Presence account at VCNB.

By adopting families and helping to raise additional funds through various avenues, the McArthur office is excited to be part of this new community venture.

Want to get involved? Stop by your local branch to find out how you can become involved in VCNB holiday giving this year.