48 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020 Community Cornerstones Offering light in the darkness FEATURE September traditionally acts as “back to school” month, when we settle back into our normal routines after the slower-paced dog days of summer. The same held true this year, though the image of what constitutes normal in 2020 looks incredibly different than it has previously. As we entered into this new season, I held out hope – and continue to do so – for what is to come. Bolstered by the unfailing dedication of community banks, our communities will continue to weather the storm. In response to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, community bankers unfailingly support and lift up our nation’s communities. Our role is to ensure their connectedness and long-term success. That’s precisely because the core of the community bank business model revolves around serving our communities. An ecosystem exists where, for the community bank to be successful, the community it serves must be, as well. So there’s a beautiful, symbiotic relationship that plays out where the work that community banks do enriches the community, and the community’s achievements enhance the bank’s impact. That’s why the Independent Community Bankers of America’s National Community Bank Service Awards each year highlight the work of all community banks to lift up their communities during this time. These awards feature the many good deeds that exemplify the spirit of the community banker and the true power Rebeca Romero Rainey President and CEO Independent Community Bankers of America @romerorainey we have to make positive change in the communities we serve. Working together, hand in hand with our communities, community bankers make a difference. So as we closed out the third quarter of the year, we delve into the fourth quarter and begin a more intense focus on 2021 planning, I encourage each of you to explore where we go from here. How do we take this commitment to service and extend it in our communities? How can we address rebuilding from the effects of COVID-19? How can we be a positive force in diversity and inclusion, both in having the conversation and in everyday actions? How do we support our communities in new ways? These are heavy questions, but ones we will work through together to achieve a better outcome. Because as the cornerstones of the community, community bankers offer a light in the darkness of hard times. We are the community leaders who can foster a commitment to service in others around us. We can help chart the future by increasing resiliency and strength within our communities and building a stronger, more connected world – one community at a time. I see community banks leading recovery efforts and forging a path where we grow, learn and evolve together, becoming stronger as communities every step of the way. I think that’s a picture of a new normal that we can look forward to painting. HB
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