In its 10th year, Sunflower Bank’s ABC: Be True to our Schools program resulted in the greatest donation total in program history, including $4,489 to Great Bend area schools and students.
During the first quarter of each year, Sunflower Bank’s ABC program - how a fond tradition in most of the $1.7 billion bank’s cities - encourages customers to earmark Sunflower Bank donations for their favorite school.
The 2011 amount of $86,293, spread throughout 20 cities and more than 250 schools, ranks as the highest in 10 years of the ABC program. Since 2011, Sunflower Bank’s overall ABC contributions now total more than $510,000.
“There’s no doubt this is our favorite time of year,” said Brett Middleton, President - Great Bend. “We’re privileged to invest in our schools, and we’re thankful for the partnership with schools and with our customers. Each year, our customers rise to the challenge, and we’re pleased to offer our support.
Donation amounts result primarily from customer debit-card usage, with the bank paying $.10 per signed transaction to the customer’s favorite school. New Sunflower Bank customers during the first-quarter could also specify a select payment to the participating school of their choice. In Great Bend, Sunflower Bank donated $4,099 as a result of community-minded customers.
The bank also presents students with donations -  more than 150 students throughout the Sunflower Bank region earned a total of $10,070 for good grades at the close of the Pay-For-A’s contest, with a corresponding donation presented to the student’s school. In Great Bend, students earned $390 for good grades at the close of the “Pay-for-A’s” contest.
Sunflower Bank’s ABC: Be True to our Schools has become a welcome tradition in the bank’s communities and surrounding areas. Committed to its mission of “Bringing out the best in the lives we touch...Creating Possibility,” Sunflower Bank focuses on the improvement of its communities and local quality of life-often dedicating resources to the development of local schools and future leaders.
Sunflower Bank also offers a leadership program - Community Ambassadors -  for area high school seniors. In each Sunflower Bank city, Community Ambassadors meet monthly for panel discussions with community and business leaders, learning what makes their local businesses and community tick. In addition, the bank contributes to many more community causes and organizations throughout its Kansas, Colorado and Missouri markets.
“Each and every one of us at Sunflower Bank is devoted to making a difference within our communities, however we can,” said Middleton. “Schools face rising costs and tighter budgets than ever before. As a community bank, it’s our privilege and our duty to give back.”
Sunflower Bank is a family-owned, full-service community bank with headquarters in Salina. Sunflower Bank has more than $1.7 billion in assets and branch offices in Colby, Dodge City, Ellinwood, Great Bend, Hays, Junction City, Lawrence, Liberal, Manhattan, McPherson, Osborne, Russell, Salina, Topeka, Victoria and Wichita, Leeton Mo., and Canon City, Colo., Monte Vista, Colo. and South Fork, Colo.