Pub 9 2021 Issue 1

11 The Community Banker capital remains local, providing resources for the better of everyone. And community banks are the heartbeat of these efforts. We’ve always placed an extraordinary focus on our local activism, but in today’s environment, it means more than ever before. Think of the hundreds of thousands of small business owners who turned to their community banks this past year to keep their doors open. Or the millions of Americans who have had peace of mind because their community bank was in their corner through the economic impacts of COVID-19. Or the thousands of local philanthropic organizations that have relied upon community bank support to respond to our communities’ needs. Because when we say “go local,” we’re all in. Unlike our credit union counterparts, we pay taxes, and those tax dollars are spent at home to ensure our communities grow. We support local nonprof- its, food banks and other charitable efforts to aid community development. So, as we look to all that has shifted in the past year, let’s take a moment to celebrate what has remained the same: our com- mitment to our communities. Because community investment is the basis of a healthy economy and is the purest form of economic development, and community banks are here for it. What you need to know: The 2021 ICBA Capital Summit is going virtual at the end of the month. We hope you’ll join us as we reinforce banking locally and our advocacy initiatives with members of Con- gress. Icba.org/capitalsummit. Connect with Rebeca @romerorainey Trusted in Montana for Over 60 Years CWG Architecture Architecture Engineering Interior Design (406) 443-2340 650 Power St. Helena, MT cwg-architects.com