Portarlington Community Bank to celebrate 20 years in business

PORTARLINGTON Community Bank is inviting the community to help celebrate its 20th birthday next week.
The bank is hosting an event at Parks Hall Portarlington on Friday November 1, with Devonshire tea, Lions BBQ, live music, animal nursery, family entertainment and guest speakers from Bendigo Bank.
On November 1 1999, there was a great sense of pride and achievement within the Portarlington community when the Community Bank was officially launched by the Mayor of the City of Greater Geelong Ken Jarvis.
Twelve months had passed since the notification that the Commonwealth Bank was closing its branch in Portarlington.
A public meeting attended by 600 people was called to give local residents an opportunity to express their concerns about the closure of the branch.
During the following seven weeks the steering committee communicated with the Commonwealth Bank, the National Bank of Australia and Bendigo Bank.
The conclusion reached was that they should all work towards the establishment of a community bank with Bendigo Bank.
Two hundred and 11 shareholders subscribed the $400,000 capital required to establish the community bank.
In the first eight months of trading to June 30 2000, the business was $13,705 million.
On November 1 2019, the bank will celebrate with its community, management, staff and directors who have all contributed to the success of the company, which today has more than $325 million in business and has contributed more than $1.6 million into community groups, clubs and events, while returning a healthy dividend to its shareholders.
The event will run between 3pm and 7pm.