Small Bank Big Impact

ODON, IND. (WTHI) - This month's winner of the WTHI Frontier Communications "Make a Difference" award is proof that you don't have to be big to do a lot of good.

In a world where we hear about banks that are too big to allow to fail, there is a small bank in a southern Indiana town that's got a big enough attitude to take care of the community.

The WTHI, Frontier Communications "Make a Difference Award" this month goes to the First National Bank of Odon.

"Very honored that this institution as well as for my employees because they're the reason for this, said President of the First National Bank of Odon Kent Parisien. "It's not the institution or me it's the employees that do the work."

That work is evident in the lobby.

The presents are part of a Christmas campaign organized to help more than 100 kids in the area have a gift this year.

It is just one of the projects that employees work on.

Another is one to provide school supplies for students.

All of the leg-work donated by workers in the bank who put in hundreds of hours to make the whole town better.

"The need is there. The community has a need so we stepped up and tried to take care of it," said Debbie Brower who heads up the Christmas gift campaign.

"It's just part of a community effort. We want to be a part of," adds Debbie Bickley, who spearheads the school supply drive.

It's that sense of community that also led to helping decorate the park for the holidays.

All part of simple philosophy that runs from top to teller.

"We're a small town bank," said Parisien. "We're from this community. We live in this community and we support the community and we want to make sure this community continues to grow."

That's the attitude that leads the First National Bank of Odon to make a difference.

The Bank's employees are involved in multiple projects throughout the North Daviess area each year.