ChoiceOne Bank turned their traditional October Day of Training into a generous day of learning and caring when the entire ChoiceOne team gathered to collect items needed in the communities the Bank serves.
“As the local community bank, our focus is always to help make our communities a better place to live for all of us,” said President and CEO Kelly Potes. “Our entire ChoiceOne team traditionally gathers for one day in October to learn and celebrate our progress. This year, our employees wanted to add something new to our gathering by adding a friendly community donation competition. The outcome was amazing with over $6,000 worth of items donated including school supplies, gift cards and warm winter coats.”
Originally the employees of ChoiceOne were asked to bring a “gently used” coat they no longer needed to the Day of Training to donate to the Kent City Baptist Church, and Mamrelund Lutheran Church Clothing Bank where they will be given to members of the community to meet their needs at ZERO cost. The Bank collected and donated 110 coats.
In addition, ChoiceOne Bank Business Development Officer Bonnie Koehn inspired the idea for the Bank to come together in groups to adopt a classroom and gather supplies for these classrooms. During the Day of Training, all teams had a chance to play a fun Price-Is-Right styled game to help win more money for their classroom.
“I had an amazing committee of team leaders who helped to gather teams, choose classrooms, coordinate with teachers for supplies needed, order all the items, package everything and deliver to our chosen schools,” said Koehn. “I have worked for ChoiceOne for 15 years and I am always amazed at how generous our Bank and our employees are at donating their time and resources. Non-profits have a special place in my heart because they do so much for our communities, so I am fortunate to be able to focus on them in and out of my office.”
These are the schools that received the supplies from Day of Training…turned Day of Caring.
- Godfrey Lee – Grand Rapids
- Martin Luther King – Grand Rapids
- Coopersville Elementary – Special Education Class – Coopersville
- Coopersville – 3rd Grade – Coopersville
- Daily Shepherd School – Jenison
- Grant Christian School – Grant
- Grant Elementary – Immersion Class – Grant
- Algoma Christian Schools – Kent City
- Kent City Elementary
“All of us at ChoiceOne Bank are grateful to live and work in such great communities, with so many individuals willing to support our non-profit organizations,” Potes said. “When our entire team gathered for our Day of Training this year, something special happened. I am so proud of our employees who give tirelessly of their time…they make us all proud to be community bankers.”
