Over the years, Citizens Bank has provided support for the Boys and Girls Club of Elizabethton and Carter County, and with another investment of $20,000 the bank has once again been named the Club’s “Champion for Children.”

While the donation is substantial, the Bank’s support of the Club goes well beyond a financial contribution. The Bank’s leadership and employees also support the Club by volunteering with programs and serving on the Club’s Board of Directors.

Citizens Bank opened its doors in Elizabethton in 1934 and has been devoted to giving back to the community it serves since day one.

“Our greatest asset will always be our customers, and right now our customers and our community need more than just financial solutions,” said Chairman and CEO Joe LaPorte III.

Youth who attend the Club come from a variety of backgrounds, but LaPorte said many of them need specifically targeted programs to help them overcome the obstacles they face and reach their full potential as adults, LaPorte said.

“Our partnership with the Club is one way we’re investing in the future of our customers and our community,” he added.

With children out of school for the summer break, many families struggle to find affordable educational programs and activities for their kids. The Club meets that need for many families.

“Citizens Bank is helping our community in the times we need them most,” said Ginny Wright, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club. “Their support ensures every child has access to a quality summer program that can help our youth overcome obstacles and break the cycle for their families.”

One of the ways the Bank’s donation is helping provide those needed targeted programs is through funding a STEM program which focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

On Thursday, some employees of Citizens Bank visited the Club to volunteer and assisted the children with a science experiment.

Shanisha Underwood, who leads the STEM program at the Club, helped the children and volunteers in creating what she called “Elephant Toothpaste.” The children learn about chemical reactions when their adult team leaders mixed different substances together, which resulted in a colorful, thick, foamy soap oozing out of their test bottle.

Response to the STEM program has been amazing among the Club members, Underwood said, adding the program has done a variety of neat “science experiments” in the STEM lab.

“They are going home to find experiments online they want us to do in the Club,” Underwood said. “They are really excited and engaged with the program.”

The excitement of the Club members was obvious on Thursday as they erupted into cheers as their “elephant toothpaste” erupted from their lab bottles.