FFB&T Newsroom

Amboy Branch to Sponsor K-ID's BMV Program at This Year's Amboy Festival

Every 40 seconds a child goes missing in the United States. Fortunately, you can help reduce your child’s risk, and First Farmers Bank & Trust can help.

Join us Saturday , September 18th  at Community  Park  for the Amboy Fall Festival where K-ID’s BMV will provide parents with free identification cards for children. 

“K-ID’s BMV is dedicated to promoting awareness to better equip parents for a quicker response if their child is abducted or missing,” explained Wendy Runyon-Ricker, founder of K-ID’s BMV and mother of four. “The Child ID Cards include a photo, height, weight and digital fingerprint and are free of charge.”

Here are six abduction safety tips that Runyon-Ricker recommends:

• Give your child a whistle to wear around his or her neck when outdoors.
• Role-play with your child. Perform out different scenarios where your child may encounter a stranger and teach them how to react.
• Teach your child his or her full name, address and phone number.
• Instruct your child not only to scream when something is wrong, but to scream what is wrong, such as, “This is not my mom or dad.”
• Teach your child that, if grabbed by a stranger, he or she should 1. “Grip the stranger” 2. “Dip to the ground” 3. “Spin and hold on.”
• Update your child’s identification annually.

First Farmers Bank & Trust will be assisting the K-ID's BMV Program from 12:00-3:00pm on Saturday.  Bring your children and get them this free ID.  It's a great opportunity to keep your children prepared and safe.  The Amboy Fall Festival will also have vendors, food, games, a car show, and many other activities, so make plans to attend this year's Amboy Fall Festival!

For more information about K-ID’s BMV, visit their Web site at www.kidsbmv.com.

August Events and News

Just like June and July, August was a busy month for the branches at First Farmers.  Here are just a few of the things we were doing!

FFBT Places 4th in Miami County Corporate Challenge!

In August, several employees at First Farmers participated in the YMCA's Corporate Challenge.  In the golf event, Paul Maish, Ken Perkins, Kent Glassburn, and Mark Jones teamed up to earn 3rd place!  In the fishing event, Pam Camden and her family placed 2nd, catching 38 fish!  In the bowling challenge, we had two teams.  Team 1 included Amy Million and her husband Greg, Paul Maish, and Jordan Foland.  Team 2 included Amanda Frey and her husband Zach, and Kris Heirs and her husband Justin.  They scored 3rd and 6th.  Amy Million and Amanda Frey participate in the run and finished 2nd and 3rd with a time of 14:21 and 14:22.  In the cornhole event, Amy Million and Dick Schaffhausen teamed up to earn 5th place.  In the bike ride and the walk, we had 52 employees complete the task, giving the FFBT team a point for each person.  Overall, FFBT earned 200 points, landing them in 4th place.  Here are the official standings:

1) Peru Utilities

2) Orion Safety Products

3) Western Reman

4) FFBT

5) Doane Keyes & Associates

6) American Stationary

Congratulations to all who participated in the challenge!

Greentown Attends Annual Eastern School Corporation Benefits Fair

As in years past, Joyce Flick and Jodi Cecil attended the annual Eastern Benefits Fair.  This fair is held by the school corporation and local businesses are invited to share information with teachers that may be new to the area or looking for great deals.  This year, FFBT decided to hold a drawing.  Throughout the school day, the office drew tickets and the teachers with the winning ticket numbers were able to take home a prize.  FFBT enjoys attending this event each year because they are able to meet with teachers one on one and talk about banking with FFBT or banking in general.  They appreciate the willingness of Eastern's School Corporation to invite them in order to help the teachers in the Greentown community.

Converse Homecoming Days a Success

For the past few weeks, the Converse branch of First Farmers had been planning their float to correspond with this year's "Under the Big Top" parade.  Lori Wilson, Becky Campbell, Carrie Minns, and Patty Garvin stayed up late the night before the parade to finish decorating their float.  Their work paid off as they were awarded best float in the parade!  During the parade, they passed out pencils and candy to the kids on the sides and passed out popcorn after the parade.  For pictures of the event, please see our "Converse Homecoming Days" album on our Facebook Business Page.

Coming Soon!

The Corporate Challenge is currently taking place and employees who are participating have until the weekend to complete their events. First Farmers employees are competing in the following events: Fun Walk, Bowling, Bike Ride, Corn Hole, Golf, 1.6 Mile Run, and a Fishing Derby. We'll keep you posted on the results!

On August 16th, the Greentown branch of First Farmers is attending the annual Eastern Benefits Fair. This event allows Eastern School Corporation employees to receive information about businesses in the community. FFBT will be raffling off some items so if you are an employee at Eastern, visit the First Farmers table for your chance to win!

The Converse Homecoming Day is being held on August 28th and the theme is "Under the Big Top!" First Farmers will be in the parade and we look forward to seeing you there!

On August 21st, the Wabash branch of FFBT will participate in the Wabash Herb Fest. We'll have more details later this month.

The Robert Larrison Memorial Golf Outing will be held on September 11th and is in memory of former FFBT President, CEO, and good friend Robert Larrison, who passed away in early 2008. Many employees are attending this event and we'll let you know how the event went!

The annual Amboy Festival will be held on September 17-19th and the Amboy branch of First Farmers always gets in the spirit. We will be posting more information about this event later this month, but the big event from First Farmers is that on Saturday, we will be providing Kid's ID cards. This is a great event and has been successful recently in other areas. Keep checking for more information.

In case you haven't heard, First Farmers Bank & Trust is celebrating their 125th Anniversary this year. To celebrate, all branches (20!) will be hosting a 125th Celebration Week in October. We'll update you soon on when that event will take place and what you can find at each branch.

Summer Happenings Part 1

The various branches at First Farmers Bank & Trust have been busy this summer! This article and the one following provides some information about the various events that First Farmers employees participated in and/or sponsored. Now that we’ve slowed down a little bit, we wanted to tell you about what we’ve done and what we’re planning for the fall season.

Greentown Walk for Relay

The Greentown branch of First Farmers Bank & Trust kicked off their summer with a Relay for Life Walk. The event was scheduled for May 8th, but after a rain delay, the event took place on May 15th. It was their second annual walk and had over 40 walkers this year, including several FFBT employees. It started and ended at the Howard County fairgrounds and the last leg of the walk was called Memory Lane. Along this road, 25 signs were placed and each was in memory of a cancer patient who lost their journey and In Honor signs were placed for those who are still fighting or who have survived. These signs were available for purchase for the race began. The biggest donation came from Connie Bitzell, a Huck’s employee who took up collections at the store. She brought in $326 and a close second was Jill Symons with $300. Overall, the walk raised $2500 and through their many other endeavors, including a Relay Jean Day in June, cookbook sales, bake and craft sale, and a month long auction, the Greentown branch was able to raise over $5000!

Miami County Relay for Life

The Miami County branches at First Farmers got into the Relay Spirit this year as well, raising money for Miami County. On May 1st, they held a Parking Lot and Baking Sales and many employees helped out by donating items, marking items, and donating time to help out during the day. They were able to raise $740 from this event. Patty Garvin from the Converse branch also volunteered-she sold handmade earrings and donated her proceeds to the Peru branches’ efforts. This group also held a Pampered Chef book party and Pampered Chef agreed to donate 10-15% of the sales to the American Cancer Society. In addition, the Miami County branches also sold paper feet and many local businesses donated money to the cause. The Miami County Relay was held on June 25th-26th from 3:00pm-3:00pm at the River Walk. First Farmers had employees walking during the event at all hours. Overall, First Farmers was able to raise $2000 for the American Cancer Society for their efforts.

Run for Freedom 5K/2 Mile Walk a Success in Marion

The Run for Freedom 5K took place on May 22nd at Matter Park. Several people came out to this event that raises money for the SFC Collin J Bowen Memorial Scholarship. The top 3 male finishers in the 5K were Steve Shulze, Corbin Buckler, and Ryan Velaquez. The top 3 female finishers were Sophie Seward, Tracy Lester, and Maria Brown. Feel free to click on the link to watch a highlight video from the event. Greg Thompson participated in this event and sponsored the event on behalf of First Farmers. http://vimeo.com/12927725

Russiaville Wins Auction at Western Days Festival

During the first weekend in July, First Farmers participated in Russiaville’s annual Western Days festival. Each year, the local business decorate a hat to auction at the event. This year, as First Farmers Bank & Trust, Celeste Smith and the rest of the staff decorated a Western hat with money and other FFBT items. Their hat won the auction at the festival this year, raising $62.00. This money goes to the Spirit of Russiaville to help fund next year’s festival.

Culver Branch Sponsors Swim for Kid’s Sake

This year, First Farmers’ Culver branch sponsored the Swim for Kid’s Sake event at Lake Maxinkuckee on June 12th. The idea for this event came when Mallory Mead and her father raced across Lake Maxinkuckee as part of her English Channel send-off party. The event included an open water skills clinic taught by former World Open Water Champion Erica Rose, and a ½ mile, 1 mile, 5K, and 10K race. All proceeds from the event went toward Mallory’s fundraising initiatives for Riley Hospital for Children and the PLGA Foundation. A dinner was held the night before at the Culver Cove Resort and at the event, Mallory and Erica shared their experiences. Chad Van Herk, branch manager of our Culver branch, swam in the 1 mile race and came in 1st place!! Chad sponsored the race on behalf of First Farmers and also raised an additional $300 through individual contributions from members of the Kiwanis Club, Chamber of Commerce and other area businesses. Great job, Chad!

Employee Outing

On June 27th, First Farmers held an employee outing for employees and their families at the Ft. Wayne Zoo. Several employees brought their friends and family and had a great day swimming, looking at animals, and riding rides. Pictures from their experiences are posted in a separate photo album on our Facebook page.

 

4H Fair Time!

The annual 4-H Fairs are a major event for almost all of our branches. Two major events took place at the Howard County and Cass County Fairs. In addition to our Find a Friend event at the Howard County fair, several employees also helped out at the auction, purchased animals, and volunteered for other local organizations. The Cass County branches of FFBT hosted the 2nd annual performance of Cook & Belle at the Cass County 4H Fair. Cook & Belle, a Christian soul band, performed on July 15th, along with their son Seth. The employees who attended the event were impressed with the turnout for the event and thought the performance was wonderful.

At the Tipton County 4-H Fair, employees participated in several events and donated and distributed watermelon to attendees at the fair after the hog show on July 20th. The Tipton branch has been doing this for several years and enjoy being able to offer refreshments during a usually hot afternoon.

The Huntington branch purchased animals at the fair and were also available at their booth to answer questions about First Farmers and to talk about the recent news! They have also attended the Huntington County Expo and the Senior Expo.
The north branches also do a lot for the local fairs. Chad and Bruce purchased animals and Janet participated in the auction as she has for many years. They also purchased blueberries. These blueberries are donated every year by a local producer and the proceeds go to the fair board. The picture is Bruce and Janet with the two Starke County Fair Achievement Winners.

Greg Thompson bid on animals at the Grant, Blackford, Madison, and Hamilton County fairs and worked in the Pork Tent for the Indiana Pork Association at the Indiana State Fair.

At the Boone County fair, Acacia Scott, a summer intern at our Sheridan branch was named Boone County 4-H Queen.

Pictures from several of these events will be available to view in our albums this week on Facebook!

Amboy Branch to Participate in "Find a Cure" Quilt Challenge! Read this to find out how you can help them win!

The Amboy branch of First Farmers Bank & Trust is in a competition with Norris Insurance in Amboy to see who can collect more tickets for the "Find a Cure" Quilt. Tickets are selling for $1 each or 6 of $5. From August 2-6, the Amboy branch will have the quilt pictured below on display.

In September, one ticket will be drawn from the ones purchased and the person with the winning ticket will win the quilt! The money collected will be given to the Miami County Cancer Society. You can purchase your tickets any time between now and September 19th, but the challenge to see who gets bragging rights between Norris Insurance and First Farmers ends on September 15th at 5:00pm. Please help First Farmers win the challenge AND donate to a great cause.

Many of our branches will also have tickets available, or can arrange to get you entered. Ask your local staff for more information!

And the Winner of the $1000 Cash Prize at the Howard County 4-H Fair is…

DON THIEKE!
 

 Don is a Walton resident and stopped in on Thursday to claim his $1000 prize. Congratulations, Don! If you know Don, please congratulate him as well.

Thank you to everyone who came out and visited us at the fair. We hope you kept cool and had fun. See you again next year!

And the Winning Ticket Number Is...

000896

Again, the winning ticket number is 000896.  Please call (800) 371-3316 and ask for Mary Sutton in order to claim your prize.

Thanks to all who signed up and visited First Farmers Bank & Trust at this year's Howard County 4H Fair!

You Could Win $1000 at the Howard County 4-H Fair This Year!

As many of you might know, for the past two years, First Farmers has hosted Find a Friend at the Howard County 4-H Fair where we give away $1000 to one lucky winner.

This year, we're doing it again! All you need to do is stop by our hospitality tent next to Pioneer Village to register for your chance to win $1000. But you need to hurry! Only 125 tickets will be given away each night. Registration will take place Monday-Friday from 5:00-9:00pm and Saturday from 3:00-8:00pm. FFBT employees will be there to help you register and distribute tickets. On Monday, July 19th, go online to ffbt.com or come back here to see if you are holding the winning ticket (Be sure to hold on to your ticket as you'll need it to show that you are, in fact, a winner!)*

We look forward to seeing you at the fair this year!!

*Immediate family members of FFBT employees not eligible.
No purchase necessary.
Eligibility not dependent on purchase.
Need not be present to win.
Proceeds subject to applicable reporting agencies.
Member FDIC.

FFBT to Sponsor Cook & Belle Performance at the Cass County 4H Fair

On Thursday, July 15th at 8:00pm, Cook & Belle, along with Seth Cook, will perform at the Cass County 4H Fair. FFBT is proud to sponsor this second annual event and admission is free!

Cook & Belle put on a great show, performing 60s, 70s, gospel, country, and many other styles of song. They have been performing for the past 12 years at various events. They have opened for artists such as Rascal Flatts, Lonestar, Sara Evans, Dierks Bentley, Randy Travis, and many more. This year, they plan to release their second album.

Seth Cook is the 16 year old son of the duo and has been performing since he was 6. He plays many instruments and sings and his work has been featured on various children's musical recordings. Last year, he recorded his second album and his single has been featured throughout Indiana.

You don't want to miss this event! Stop by on Thursday, July 15th at 8:00pm to see them perform. We hope to see you at the Cass County 4-H Fair this year!

FFBT to Begin Construction on Branch in Huntington!

Converse- First Farmers Bank & Trust announced that it will soon begin construction on a new full service branch operation in Huntington to be located at the 200 block of Hauenstein Road. Applications for a full service operation have been placed with both the Federal Reserve and the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions. Construction on the facility will begin during the third quarter and is projected to be completed by the first quarter of 2011 by Felderman Design- Build.  Senior Vice President Mark Wolf commented that this new facility is the bank’s next step in the natural progression of growth in Huntington County.  “Doug Wilcox, Shari Spahr, and I are all extremely excited to be taking this next step for the organization. First Farmers has been present in Central Indiana for 125 years and their style of community banking is a great fit for the Huntington area”.  First Farmers has not set a timetable for additional hiring at this point but estimates that at least 2 more full time employees will be at new the facility than are at the current location at 211 Hauenstein Rd.  First Farmers Bank & Trust is a $800 million asset bank based in Converse, IN with 20 locations in Indiana and over 225 employees.