Community Banking, Community Caring, Community Giving: A Way Of Life At VCNB

When we say we’re a community bank, you may wonder what that means for you. As we look forward to this new year, we think it’s a great time to talk about how we served you and our communities in 2023 and how we’ve been doing that since our humble beginnings in 1867.

Community banks are a different kind of animal. We don’t send our boards to far flung places for retreats and give them flashy cars to drive. Instead, we invest our earnings back into the communities we call home. We write checks for community improvement projects, donate to local events and sponsor school activities. In fact, we believe that investing in a child is one of the best ways to improve the future of our world. Sometimes you’ll see our bankers in your child’s high school talking about budgeting or helping third graders understand why saving money is important. We will sit down next to a youngster struggling with their math worksheet and we’ll take dinner for the band kids on football Friday night.

We believe it’s important for kids to see the adults in their communities showing up for them.

Whether you are young or old, you need to know the bank down the street is here to help in more ways than a car loan or a checking account. Every bank offers these products but not every bank cares about the person behind the account number the way we do. If given the chance, we like to get to know our customers so we’re ready to assist with whatever life throws your way.

Many of our bankers love to volunteer for the causes important to them. Some are logging hundreds of volunteer hours on their own time every year.  If you follow VCNB on Facebook, you’ve likely seen some of the pictures of our bankers out helping in whatever way is needed at county fairs, churches, schools, food pantries, animal shelters, blood drives, Chambers, Rotary Clubs and more.

We do encourage our employees to get involved by rewarding them four hours off for every eight volunteered. They can get up to sixteen hours of paid time off for their kindness. But after that, any volunteering they do is simply for the reward of knowing they helped. It’s gratifying to know how many of our employees understand that the best way to help themselves is to serve others.

Sometimes the best way to be of service is actually to just write a check and stay out of the way. That’s what we did for the Alley Park Sensory Trail near Lancaster in 2023. This trail features nature stations, a tree house, swing set and outdoor musical instruments for children to enjoy. All of it, including the tree house, is accessible by wheelchair and walker. It’s hands on and visually stimulating so we are thrilled for area youngsters to have such an exciting place to play.

All told, VCNB gave about $300,000 through local causes and financial literacy in 2023. When asked why charitable giving is so important to a community bank, Vice President of Marketing Amanda Crabtree said it all goes bank to the bank’s core values. “Giving of ourselves is important. Whether it is sending bankers to talk financial literacy during our workday, writing a check for new basketball uniforms or sponsoring local events, charitable giving supports everything we believe in. It’s about doing the right thing, building relationships, supporting progress and being good neighbors in the communities we serve. That’s what community banking is all about and that’s what VCNB is all about,” Crabtree explained.

We also employ local high school graduates as seasonal tellers and are excited to find local individuals of any age who are looking for a career in banking. Between the investments we make in people, the taxes we pay and the investments we make in loans for people and businesses, we know our presence matters. We hope you also see value in our contributions.

At the end of the day, isn’t that what it’s really all about? Making a difference in every way we can to help the communities we call home – that’s what we do.