Guests at First Bank of Montana's 2018 Community Appreciation event were treated to a nice picnic lunch on the beautiful first day of August. Chinook Branch President Jessica Aberg said, "The branches of the First Bank of Montana chose this week to hold their annual community appreciation event. Each branch decides on the type of event they will host and picks the day during the week to hold it."

The First Bank of Montana is one of 14 divisions that make up Glacier Bank based in Kalispell. In addition to the Lewistown and Chinook locations in the First Bank lineup, new branches at Fort Benton, Choteau, Vaughn, Fairfield and loan offices in Havre and Chester were added in mid-June.

Locals may recall the most recent community appreciation events. In 2015 the feature was a "soak and wet" with local school officials in the booth. Funds from the soak and wet booth went to the newly created My Student in Need program. In 2016 there was a summer celebration culminating with the "Big Day" when a newly configured banking drive thru was opened and guests enjoyed root beer floats made with homemade root beer.

Local farmers and ranchers brought their brands to the celebration in 2017 and "left their mark" on the bank's interior wall. Hoping for at least 50 brands to be recorded, a bank spokesperson said 100+ local brands were seared on to wall plaques now displayed behind the teller's station.

It was a pleasant summer day, there was a great turnout with good food and an opportunity to visit with friends and neighbors over lunch. Branch President Aberg estimated about 220 guests attended this year's appreciation event.