Associated Bank recently acknowledged the efforts of its top 20 volunteers for 2013, including Joanne Charon from Kenosha who volunteers with the Pleasant Prairie Predators Baseball Club. Charon was awarded with a $1,000 grant for the non-profit organization.

“Volunteering allows me to make a difference and I often feel like the children do more for me than I do for them,” said Charon. “Youth sports inspire confidence, social skills, and good sportsmanship - three key characteristics to a strong person. I’m humbled that I can be an adult figure that is active in their lives.”

In 2013, Associated employees across the three state footprint volunteered more than 47,000 hours. The top 20 volunteers donated more than 10,000 hours (at least 290 each), and another 253 employees each logged more than 50 volunteer hours.

“Colleague volunteer hours in 2013 topped 47,524, exceeding 2012 by 10,000 hours,” said Cliff Bowers, director of public relations, Associated Bank. “Associated is committed to giving back to its communities, and hundreds of colleagues do just that — by serving as donors, organizers, leaders, inspirers and doers.”

Associated’s philanthropy reflects the people, the culture and the spirit of the company. Colleagues are actively engaged in the charitable process to help identify nonprofit organizations and causes that best address the unique needs of communities across Associated’s footprint. Associated encourages and supports colleague volunteerism efforts by providing the internal resources that help connect colleagues with the nonprofit organizations that meet their personal passion for community involvement.

Photo caption: Joanne Charon of Associated Bank volunteers with the Pleasant Prairie Predators Baseball Club (pictured) and was awarded with a $1,000 grant for the club from Associated for her efforts.