CB&T Supports Community

Editor’s Note: The Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce will be honoring two couples, two businesses and an organization during its annual meeting on Friday, March 3. Among those being honored is Citizens Bank and Trust which, along with Main Stop, has been named the 2017 Business of the Year. Citizens Bank and Trust is featured in today’s Trenton Republican-Times as part of a series of stories about the honorees, which will appear in the next two weeks prior to the meeting.
by Diane Lowrey
R-T Editor
Citizens Bank and Trust prides itself in supporting the communities in which they are located and that pride is no more evident than in Trenton, which reaps many benefits from the business that has been a part of the community for many years.
Known as Trenton Trust Company until 1998, CB&T encourages its employees to take part in the activities of the community in which they live and work, both as a business as well as an individual. “We want our employees to be a part of the place where they work and live,” Vice President/Branch Manager Bonita Price said. “The community supports us, so we need to be supportive of our community.”
It’s not uncommon to see CB&T employees volunteering their time in and around Trenton – from serving as ticket takers at the North Central Missouri Fair to holding offices in various civic and social organizations.
“We are involved in a lot of things in Trenton – the chamber, United Way, TDIA,” Mrs. Price said. “We also have those who are involved in their church groups, organizations like Rotary and lots of children’s activities.”
The bank itself has done many things to help in the community as well, with the schools in the area benefiting the most from their efforts.
“One of the neatest things we’ve done, I think, is our branded debit cards, which benefits our schools,” Mrs. Price said.
The cards are available to CB&T bank customers in the Trenton R-9, Pleasant View R-6, Laredo R-7 and Grundy R-5 school districts. For every swipe of a card, the bank donates 5 cents back to the school to which the card is registered, which is paid back quarterly. The program has been in place since 2009, however, since 2013, the bank has been able to donate $253,000 to those districts. In the last four quarters alone, totals have included $29,000 for Trenton, $1,065 for Pleasant View, $1,500 for Laredo and $2,300 for Grundy R-5.
“That’s been a great program in that we’ve had many schools tell us that money has helped with things that they might not otherwise have been able to do or purchase,” Mrs. Price said.
The bank’s involvement with schools also includes a financial literacy program, which helps students learn about basic banking functions.
“We want people to be financially responsible and starting early is a key,” Mrs. Price said. “We show them about balancing a checkbook, borrowing basics and how credit can affect them.”
They also provide the same service to the local women’s shelter as well as to college students.
Since the beginning of the Missouri Day Festival, CB&T has provided prize money for various events, including the Yard Decorating Contest, and also sponsors several trophies that are presented to winners in the judging competition at the NCM Fair. Last year, the bank became involved in the fair’s Sale of Champions, which helps local youth in taking care of their animals.
“And we love to participate in the Trick or Treat Night,” Mrs. Price said. “Our team likes to go out and see the kids in their costumes and pass out candy.”
The bank also participates in the NCMC Foundation Golf Tournament, which Mrs. Price said has allowed team members to get acquainted with students from the college who come out to help with the event.
There are several in-house activities as well, including special “food days” for customers.
“They (our customers) seem to like that and we enjoy doing it for them,” she said.
CB&T, along with Main Stop, Buddy and Karla Hannaford, Dave and Ruby Woodson and the Families and Friends of the Developmentally Disabled, will be honored by the Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce during its annual meeting on Friday, March 3 at the New Hope building in Trenton. Social hour will be at 5:30 p.m. and the dinner and program will be at 6 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the chamber office for $35 each or $320 for a reserved table of eight persons.