BANK GIVES OUT FREE SAMPLES ... OF MONEY

More than 300 area residents took First National Bank up on its offer of free samples Monday and discovered that the "samples" were crisp, new $2 bills, enclosed in folders detailing the bank's services.

The new bank opened at 2027 Broadway two weeks ago, but Monday (Columbus Day) a normal banking holiday marked its grand opening.

The bank passed out a total of 319 bills during the day, with some of the visitors making their appearances during the afternoon as word-of-mouth spread about the money give-away.

"We expected that," said Larry Miller, president of the bank.

The bank had advertised free samples in its newspaper advertising, but did not specify that it would be money.

"We thought passing out $2 bills would be unique," said Miller. "We placed a special order for the bills."

The $2 bills were 1976 issue, with Thomas Jefferson on the front, and a reproduction of the noted painting featuring signers of the Declaration of Independence on the back.

"All people had to do to receive the samples Monday was to fill out a form with name and address," said Miller.

The Cape Girardeau facility is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. The drive-up windows will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

First National Bank, a new operation in Cape Girardeau, purchased the former Colonial Savings and Loan building from the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC), and filed application for a full-service banking operation in April. Earlier, the RTC had approved the sale of Colonial Savings deposits and assets from the Chaffee and Caruthersville branches of Colonial to First National in November.

Visitors to the bank Monday were given a tour of the building.

"We have completed some extensive renovations and remodeling, inside and out," said Miller. "We have completely redone most of the ground-level portion of the building and have added customer parking in front of the building."

In early November last year, the RTC approved the sale of Colonial deposits and assets. Mercantile Bank of Cape Girardeau acquired deposits of about $81.6 million from the Cape Girardeau operation, and First National Bank acquired deposits of approximately $36.7 million from branches at Chaffee and Caruthersville.

First National currently has four banking locations Cape Girardeau, Chaffee, Caruthersville and Sikeston.