A total of $5,500 will be donated to businesses and nonprofits in Guthrie County just for being nice to our neighbors. The community was invited by Guthrie County State Bank to “Celebrate May Day” between May 1 – 22 by performing acts of kindness.
May Day as a term is defined as a communications signal with two meanings. One is used as a distress call in international radio telephone communications. The other is as a signal that spring is coming and it’s time to celebrate the rebirth of the outdoors. The team at Guthrie County State Bank thinks both of these meanings are valid during this time of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guthrie County State Bank customers were invited to submit their acts of kindness via Facebook, Instagram or email with the hashtag #GCSBMayDay. With the submission, the person nominated a local small business or nonprofit to receive $500 to help with COVID-19 related expenses or as a donation. The submissions ranged from visiting a nursing home friend through her window, to Girl Scouts delivering free cookies to painting and assembling flagpoles for Memorial Day.
Originally, Guthrie County State Bank was going to draw 10 winners from all of the submissions. However, the 14 submissions nominated 11 nonprofits/small businesses, so GCSB decided to award $500 to all 11 organizations.
Following are the organizations receiving $500 and the persons who nominated them. Thank you to all that participated!
- American Legion and Sons of the American Legion in Guthrie Center – Nominated by Jerry Hoover
- Art on State – Nominated by Judy Zimmerline
- Crafty’s Coffee & Gifts – Nominated by Heidi Huitt & Dave Beidelman
- Guthrie Center Association of Churches – Nominated by Kim Durst
- Guthrie County Hospitals & Clinics – Nominated by Lora Koch & employees of GCH Clinic in Panora
- Mary J. Barnett Library – Nominated by Phyllis Wakefield
- Panora Food Bank – Nominated by Danielle Johnston
- Panora Public Library – Girl Scout Troop 856
- Royal Neighbors – Nominated by Karen Sparks
- Sons of the American Legion in Panora – Nominated by Debbie Rockwell
- Tori’s Angels – Nominated by Ellen Campbell, Joann Alumbaugh & Mary Jane Sprague