US Bank receives Golden Wheat Award

MT. PLEASANT - Mt. Pleasant's US Bank was awarded the Golden Wheat Award by the Old Threshers Foundation on Oct. 30 for their contributions to the foundation and to the annual Midwest Old Threshers Reunion.

At a small ceremony held at the bank, members from the Old Threshers Foundation presented a plaque to bank staff which applauded the bank for its 'support of Midwest Old Threshers and its mission to preserve [they're] agricultural heritage.” Alan Huisinga, the executive director of the foundation explained that the award was started two years ago to recognize longtime supporters of the Reunion. The previous year, the Dane Family from Iowa City was given the award 'for their financial contributions to the foundation.” US Bank is the first corporate recipient of the award. Huisinga explained that the partnership between the bank and the foundation goes back to the inception of the foundation in 1986.

'US Bank started donating and giving their time and ... many, many hours of volunteerism,” Huisinga said.

'They manage our endowment ... so it's a combination of volunteerism and supporting us financially. It's just been a big team effort,” Huisinga added.

Other ways in which the bank and its staff have contributed to the success of Old Threshers include helping the foundation secure loans and obtain grants for upgrades and construction, as well as overseeing deposits during the annual reunion and personally volunteering during the event itself.

Som Sylavong, who accepted the award from Todd Maebus, the foundation's president, said that even though the bank is one of the largest corporate financial institutions in the area, it remains 'community minded” and wants to show that they are invested in Mt. Pleasant.

'We never thought we'd get something like this. We've had a partnership with [the foundation] for years and years and we continue to keep that partnership and help and support as much as we can ... We're such a big bank and to be able to support our local community, it really means a lot. We work here, we live here so why not help around here,” Sylavong commented on what it means for his branch to have received the award.

Maebus, speaking to why the foundation began the award and why it is important to recognize supporters of Old Threshers said, 'US Bank and all the subsidiaries before them have donated a lot of time and money to our foundation and its important to keep the support of Old Threshers going and they've been a big supporter, not only financially but volunteer-wise too. Their people have been very helpful.”