By Kirk Kramer
Phoenix Staff Writer
—
Three area banks are joining forces to help their neighbor Arrowhead Mall in the wake of a deadly shooting in April.
“Our purpose is to promote the mall and bring people back,” said Stephanie Folsom, customer service officer at BancFirst, one of the sponsoring banks for a special event. “Muskogee is a safe place to be. Those kind of things don’t happen every day in Muskogee. That could have been anywhere.”
BancFirst — which has a branch inside the mall — Citizens Security Bank, and First National Bank are co-sponsoring a “Bankers Back-to-School Block Party,” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The event is a show of support for the shopping center, the scene of an April 10 shooting that left one person dead and five wounded.
Folsom credited David White, president of Citizens Security Bank, with the idea for the celebration.
“David got with our president (at BancFirst) and the president of First National, and said, ‘Hey, what do you think of this?’ We decided to take it and run with it,” Folsom said.
White said he and the other bankers wanted to show support for a good neighbor, who has suffered since the shootings.
“We saw a need for the community to help our neighbor at the mall,” White said. “We thought it would be a good thing to show unity among (business) competitors by attracting customers back to the mall.”
White’s bank, like First National Bank, is located in the same block as the shopping center.
“The mall is a great asset to Muskogee,” said First National’s Ginger Batson, vice president for community relations. “We should continue to patronize it so that it remains in the heart of the community. We want to encourage everybody to shop locally and support our local merchants.”
Music, dancing, arts and crafts for youngsters, a video-game competition, a fashion show, and a balloon show will mark the day. Miss Oklahoma Emoly West will make an appearance.
Folsom said that each bank will set up a table at the block party. Every customer who spends $100 at mall businesses that day will receive a free gift from each bank, while supplies last.
Muskogee Community Hospital and Muskogee Regional Medical Center will offer free health screenings.
Batson will put her talents to work for the event.
“I have a little artistic bent,” she said. “I will offer face painting.”
The party will be begin with a helicopter fly-in. Radio station KYAL “The Sports Animal” will be on hand in the morning for a live remote broadcast. The Okie Country Morning Crew, Cliff and Katey, from station KTFX will offer a live remote in the afternoon.
Folsom said the Muskogee Police Department will offer fingerprinting as part of the Kids ID program.
As part of the day’s “back to school” theme, the Muskogee Public School “Fill the Bus” campaign will be on hand to accept school supplies for needy children.
Local band Sonday, a jazz combo, and a bluegrass group are scheduled to perform through the evening.
“Some things will go on after 3 o’clock,” Folsom said.
If you go
WHAT: Bankers Back-to-School Block Party.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
WHERE: Arrowhead Mall.
