By Tom Cleary
Many of you know that we are taking the whole year of 2018 to celebrate our 100-year anniversary. As part of this celebration, we have planned some ways that we can involve our local communities and say “Thank you” to our customers who live and work here. But rather than just looking backward to our history as a local bank, we are also looking forward to our next 100 years of serving the residents of our communities. As we enter our second century, we want to make an investment that residents can enjoy for many, many years to come by planting trees.
The Need for Trees
The past few years have not been good for the trees in central Illinois. Ash trees have been hit hard by the emerald ash borer, which when left untreated, can decimate a population of ash trees. Many of our local communities have lost large ash trees that fell victim to this devastating parasite. In addition, trees are always vulnerable to damage from weather-related hazards such as snow, ice, wind, and lightning. When a tree that has been growing for many years dies, falls, or requires removal, its absence makes an impact. It cannot be immediately replaced. However, planting new trees that will one day be tall and beautiful is the best action to take.
An Investment that Lasts
At Federated Bank, we know a little bit about investing for the future. That’s a big part of what we help customers do every day. In finances, a small investment made today can pay big dividends. Similarly, planting small trees today will yield large, mature trees that can be enjoyed for many years in the future. Our hope is that the trees we plant in 2018 will someday provide shade and beauty to the residents of our communities.
Be on the look-out for these new trees courtesy of Federated Bank. We think this is a great way to start off our next 100 years.
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