Spare change: Ohioans Stranded - in Columbus; Pa. Bankers Play

The Ohio Bankers Association had some trouble last week getting its annual convention off the ground.

For the first time the event was held outside of Ohio, in Phoenix, and mechanical problems on America West Airlines planes stranded many of the bankers and scheduled speakers for hours in rainy Columbus.

On landing in Arizona they took on a sunnier disposition and made America West the butt of their jokes.

Michael M. Van Buskirk, executive vice president of the trade group, said his flight was delayed for three hours-until a mechanic fixed a part with duct tape. "I was kind of disappointed," Mr. Van Buskirk said. "My story wasn't even close to the worst."

This community service project runs the danger of being confused with a foreclosure.

On Saturday employees of $1 billion-asset $1 billion-asset York (Pa.) Bank and Trust Co. will swing sledgehammers in a deserted house in town.

Tammie K. Sheaffer, an assistant vice president, said the house will be gutted and rebuilt under a program sponsored by the York Redevelopment Authority and sold to a family with low or moderate income. The bank will offer financing.

Here's one way a bank moving in to a new market area can endear itself to a community.

When it bought three Wells Fargo branches in Kalama, Castle Rock, and Longview, Wash., Cowlitz Bank of Longview also acquired a large billboard on the Kalama branch property.

Instead of using the sign to plug itself, Cowlitz gave it to the city and commissioned a local artist to paint the words "Welcome to Kalama."

"We wanted to start out right by making a contribution to the community," said Julie Rinard, a Cowlitz spokeswoman. Besides, she said, "we had to change the sign anyway."

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