COMMUNITY ORIENTED BANK

First National Bank, since its founding in 1874, has demonstrated its commitment to the communities it serves through an abundant history of giving and support. That commitment has extended to all area of community involvement, including education, athletics and the arts. Listed below are just a few examples of the many areas of community involvement that First National Bank has sponsored.

Each November, First National Bank's Santa House is reassembled on the Cleveland County court square lawn in preparation for the arrival of Santa and his helpers from the North Pole. Children and their parents are invited to visit in the Victorian style house with the real Santa and Mrs. Claus and to share the children's Christmas wish list. Each child receives a gift from the Clauses that is provided by First National.

The Bank's Marketing Department creates Santa's Toyland each year in a vacant building in uptown Shelby. This winter wonderland of life size, animated animals and Christmas scenes is set in a fantasy world of tens of thousands of twinkling lights decorating numerous trees, wreaths, and garlands. Children are invited to enjoy the magical Toyland and to participate in various fun activities that bring the spirit of Christmas alive for them. And most especially, they can view a life size replication of the Nativity in a scene of awe and reverence.

A special feature of Toyland is the Angel Tree. The tree is adorned with beautiful embroidered angels, each representing a needy child of the foster program of the Cleveland County Department of Social Services. When an individual selects a child's name from the tree, the person receives the child's Christmas wish list. The person in return receives the Angel Tree ornament to hang on his or her tree as a reminder of the joy that was given to a precious child that holiday season. The gifts are returned to First National's Marketing Department and are then transported to Social Services to be distributed to each child.

Since First National Bank is a family oriented bank, much of our attention is focused on children by offering a Kid's Club that places strong emphasis on "Start Saving Early" for education. Periodically, fun and educational events are planned for the Club members. Also, regularly local children are featured in the bank's advertising efforts. Our younger customers are treated with suckers when they visit the Bank. (By the way, our doggie friends receive tasty dog biscuits when they visit our drive through windows.)

The Bank is a partner in education by providing books in the various elementary grades. The Bank is also a sponsor of "Newspapers in Education", a program whose purpose is to reinforce good character traits along with other teaching matters. Further, Bank employees participate in the middle and high schools by teaching courses on Banking Is. Employees also teach Get Smart about Credit, a program which informs the students about how a credit score is determined and the importance of being a good steward of their credit. First National Bank is one of only a few banks in North Carolina that is involved with this program. First National is committed to providing the youth with special instruction in an effort to help them build a more secure financial future.

One of the true pleasures of a long banking history is the opportunity to recognize our customers who have been banking with Your Hometown Bank for fifty years or longer. These customers are invited to join our Heritage Club. Currently, we are proud to have over four hundred and twenty-five loyal customers who have joined. Each year an exciting event is planned for these special customers; i.e. a trip to Myrtle Beach or Pigeon Forge or a memorable performance of Messiah by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and the Oratorio Singers. Each Christmas, the Heritage Club members are also recognized with a special gift.

The Marketing Department each year recognizes citizens of our communities by sending them an average of 2000 laminated articles and pictures of the special events in their lives. These are accompanied with a note expressing the Bank's congratulations and best wishes.

Families are remembered during times of bereavement resultant from the loss of a loved one. The obituary is laminated with a note of condolence. Many of these families receive inspirational books sponsored by the Bank that may help them through particularly difficult times.

The activities listed above are but a small representation of the many community projects and events that First National Bank sponsors or participates in. That participation was recognized when First National Bank received the Governor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service. That award said, in part, that "...the caring volunteers of First National Bank are hereby awarded the highest designation of appreciation for volunteer service to the People of the State of North Carolina."