Community Bank of Raymore Delivers Holiday Cheer to Deployed Service Members
Community Bank of Raymore, including branches in Peculiar and Harrisonville, and its sister bank, Community Bank of Pleasant Hill, recently concluded their 7th annual Operation: Gratitude initiative. The program aims to strengthen community bonds by expressing gratitude, sharing holiday cheer and providing active-duty service members with the comforts of home as they spend the holidays away from their families.
Initiatives like these are rarely possible without the support of the community. Community Bank is immensely grateful to every school group, organization, business, customer and friend who wrote thank-you notes, helped with shipping costs or donated personal hygiene products, snacks and holiday fun!
This year, the bank once again had the pleasure of partnering with Mrs. Huff’s class from Ray-Pec High School to transform plain shipping boxes into festively decorated holiday packages. Local schools and youth groups contributed by providing handwritten letters and ornaments to send to the troops. Thanks to the combined efforts of local daycares, schools and the community, over 1,200 notes of appreciation and 300 ornaments were included in the finished packages.
Fundraising partnerships with local restaurants helped cover the considerable shipping costs, including events at Culver’s in Harrisonville, HTeaO, Johnny’s Tavern, Texas Roadhouse, Pleasant Hill Nutrition, Mojito’s and Sonic locations in Raymore, Harrisonville, Pleasant Hill and Peculiar.
Bank employees helped assemble the packages, adding special touches like handmade keepsake boxes, personalized ornaments, and other tokens from home. They also hosted a bake sale that raised over $1,000 in a single day! Customers also pitched in — one bank customer generously donated 200 hand-sewn stockings filled with goodies.
In the end, the Operation: Gratitude team assembled 316 festive packages full of beef jerky, macaroni and cheese, snack bars, coffee, hydration drink packets, Christmas trinkets, and messages of gratitude and appreciation. Those packages were packed into 47 large boxes and shipped to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and National Guard stationed in Abu Dhabi, Germany, Korea, Iraq, Rota and Spain.
“We started this program to honor and show appreciation for the people who choose to defend our nation, no matter the sacrifice. We understand that they’re away from home and we want to send a piece of that to them,” said Tina Graef, Community Bank vice president and co-chair of the Operation: Gratitude committee.
“This is my fifth year participating in this event, and every year, community involvement has increased. This year, we collected more than 1,200 letters and cards from local schools, churches, and even our Community Bank of Raymore clients. It’s the most we’ve collected in the five years I’ve served on the committee, and it brings me so much joy,” said Darcie Gray, operations associate and Operation: Gratitude committee member.
Collections for the next Operation: Gratitude initiative will take place from Nov. 1-15, 2026. To partner with Community Bank or learn how you can get involved with Operation: Gratitude, contact Shauna Stephenson or Tina Graef at (816) 322-2100.
Branson Bank Raises Over $34,000 for CAM Food Pantries
In January, Branson Bank presented a check for $15,000 to Michele Dean, executive director of Christian Action Ministries (CAM), in support of CAM’s efforts to combat food insecurity in the Ozark Mountain Region. Between online and in-person donations and a $15,000 match from Branson Bank, the bank’s “Heartfelt Deposits” campaign raised a total of $34,614.71.
Branson Bank launched the Heartfelt Deposits fundraiser last November, enlisting the community to help raise money for CAM food pantries. Every dollar donated would be matched by Branson Bank up to $10,000. The campaign was the bank’s response to local food insecurity resulting from the government shutdown and subsequent lack of SNAP benefits.
“When SNAP benefits were interrupted, Branson Bank showed what it truly means to be a community partner,” said Michele Dean. “Their matching funds helped bridge a critical gap, while advocating for our neighbors and helping raise awareness about food insecurity in our community.”
When the $10,000 match limit was met in the first week of December, Branson Bank didn’t hesitate to raise it to $15,000.
“After only a few weeks, our neighbors met our challenge … so we raised the bar,” said Bill Jones, CEO of Branson Bank. “2025 has been a year of celebration for us at the bank. On March 22, we celebrated our 25-year milestone, and through hard work, continued growth and standing firm in our values, we were able to end the year by helping meet the needs of our community with this contribution to CAM. We are so thankful to those who supported the Heartfelt Deposits initiative.”
CAM partners with Ozarks Food Harvest to provide nutritious food through two food pantries in Branson and Forsyth, as well as mobile distribution sites across Taney and Stone Counties. Michele Dean added, “The funds raised through Heartfelt Deposits will help us provide over 100,000 meals to our community by utilizing resources through Ozarks Food Harvest. We are sincerely thankful for Branson Bank’s leadership and generosity.”
