Four local schools were awarded $5,000 for receiving the most votes in 'Investing In Youth" contest
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Independent Bank concluded their 2016 donation campaign, Investing In Youth, with four local schools each winning $5,000 for athletic and physical education programs. Throughout the year, employees donated $1.50 every Friday to wear jeans, and the Bank matched those donations for a total of $60,000 for 2016. The campaign was designed to help local schools through three different phases—academics, arts, and athletics. The contest began in February, and concluded on October 17. The first phase, in February and March, assisted schools in funding academic programs. Phase two took place in April and May, and focused on arts programs. The third phase began on September 12 and was dedicated to athletic and physical education programs. All three phases of the contest were held on Independent Bank’s website, IndependentBank.com/Investing.
For the third and final phase, the public had the opportunity to nominate a local school September 12-26, that wished to use the funds for athletic programs or needs. Qualification criteria included a school’s location being in a county that Independent Bank serves, or within 10 miles of an office location, as well as it being considered a 501(c) public, private, or non-profit charter school. There were a total of 76 qualified schools nominated, and over 34,000 votes cast during the third phase. The voting period took place October 3-17. Eligible voters had to be 18 years or older, and be a resident of Michigan for the votes to qualify. Voters were able to vote once per day for the entire voting period.
The winning schools in the athletics phase were:
- Bad Axe Middle School
- Herbison Woods Elementary School in DeWitt
- Leslie High School
-
Sycamore Elementary School in Holt
“Giving back to schools this year has been such a rewarding experience,” said Independent Bank Marketing Director, Tricia Raquepaw. “Having the opportunity to support academic, art, and athletic programs in 12 local schools across Michigan was a great experience for our employees, customers, and communities.”
Stay tuned for Independent Bank’s 2017 charitable giving campaign.
Equal Housing Lender