You know when you call Bank Independent's Customer Service team you're greeted with a kind and friendly, "Welcome home to Bank Independent. How may I direct your call?" That lovely voice you hear is our Switchboard Operator Elizabeth. She's been part of our team for many years (I'm not sure that she'd want me to tell you just HOW MANY years...). Elizabeth is a great supporter of our Toy Share drive.
Near the beginning of the drive, she shared this wonderful story:
"Saturday my husband and I went to an auction that was done by Pumpkin Rhodes Auction Company. The auction was for property and real estate from a previous gift shop. I noticed that they had several really nice stuffed animals that were going to be auctioned. I talked to Pumpkin before the auction and told him about our Toy Share and asked him if he would mention it to the customers when the time came for the toy animals to be sold. When the toy animals came up for bid, Pumpkin told the crowd of customers about our Toy Share and that if anyone wanted to purchase and donate, that I would happily deliver them to Bank Independent. When the bids started and the toys were being sold, customers started dumping the toys in front of me. I thought it was my Christmas! After the bidding stopped and no more toys were being sold, Pumpkin stopped the bidding and purchased the remaining toys himself and gave them to me for the toy drive. I was in tears! This morning I brought over 100 toy animals to put in our toy bin. Many times we only hear the bad news. I just wanted to share the love generosity I saw on Saturday.”
Isn't this is an incredible thing to hear? Thank you to Elizabeth for sharing the story, to Pumpkin Rhodes for his cooperation and generosity, and to all of those folks who responded to his request at the auction.
