haslers double d ranch receiving rev winnings check

First National Bank and Trust awards $10,000 to three local businesses

November 2, 2018

Clinton, Ill., Nov. 2, 2018 – First National Bank & Trust Company, in partnership with the DeWitt County Development Committee, is proud to announce $10,000 was awarded to three local businesses on Friday, Oct. 19 as the result of their REV event.

First National Bank & Trust Company hosted REV - a small business pitch competition - as a way to reinvest in local businesses and entrepreneurs. With $10,000 at stake, applicants were given 10 minutes to pitch their business ideas with five minutes for questions from a panel of four judges. Judges included; Josh Shofner, President of First National Bank & Trust Co., Rachel Costello, VP of Personal Banking at First National Bank, Marian Brisard, Director of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce and DeWitt County Development Committee (DCDC) Secretary, and Gabe Goldsmith, Site Coordinator for Exelon and DCDC board member.

Three businesses received funds from the event. Those businesses include: Hasler’s Double D Ranch, The Vault Community Center and My Littler World Children’s Boutique & More. Additionally, the Clinton Chamber of Commerce gave each of the five finalists a free one-year membership to the Chamber.

haslers double d ranch receiving rev winnings check
Pictured above are: Josh Shofner, Verna Hasler, Angel, and Deanna Hasler.

Hasler's Double D Ranch was awarded $5,000. At their ranch, they provide horse riding lessons, training, and boarding. Their goal is to provide more clinics for horse owners, but they do not have an adequate place for horse owners to park their trailers when they come to the farm. They intend to use their winnings to properly excavate and begin drainage work to allow for a parking area to encourage more horse owners to come to the farm for their clinics. Additionally, a portion will also go towards a generator that is absolutely necessary to keep fresh water to the horses being boarded when a power outage occurs in the winter.

rev 2018 winner the vault receiving checki

Pictured above are: Josh Shofner, Michelle Witzke, and student presenters Hannah Cunningham, Jacob Sterr, Olivia Earl, and Jackson Queen. Not pictured is presenter Alaijah Ornelas.

The Vault Community Center received $3,000 which will assist them in becoming self-funded by creating additional revenue opportunities. A market has developed for the rental of the facility; however, the center lacked the tables, chairs and other items a renter would expect. These funds will allow them to rent the facility to the public providing ongoing revenue to support The Vault.

rev 2018 winner my little world receiving checki

Pictured above are: Josh Shofner and Casie McClellan.

My Little World Children's Boutique & More was gifted $2,000. Owner, Casie McClellan maintains a store front in Maroa in addition to appearing at many outdoor vendor events around the area. She has been limited in what she can display at those events due to needing tent coverage and more display options. With the winnings, Casie will work with a company to customize a tent with the company name and logo for maximum visibility to make her business stand out more at each event and allow her to bring more of her inventory for people to shop.

First National Bank and Trust Company believes that a community’s success is based on the strength of its small businesses which led to the launch of REV in 2017. This annual event is hosted as a portion of First National Bank’s commitment to its community, which involves reinvesting 10 percent of its net income, locally.

Applications for the 2019 First National Bank REV will open next year. To learn more about REV, visit firstnbtc.com/rev.

About First National Bank and Trust Co: First National Bank & Trust Company is a community bank located in Clinton, Illinois. Dedicated to community prosperity, the bank was chartered in 1872 under the name DeWitt County National Bank. The name was changed First National Bank and Trust Company in 1974, and was recently acquired by TS Banking Group in 2017. With $125 million in assets, First National Bank is dedicated to community reinvestment and gives 10% of its net income back to the community. For more information visit firstnbtc.com.