Bank raises funds for prostate health
Company sets aggressive ‘No Shave November’ goal
MILLERSBURG » Mid Penn Bank has set a very aggressive goal for its fifth annual No Shave November fundraising initiative — a national campaign designed to raise awareness about prostate health/cancer. The annual initiative raises money for Penn State Cancer Institute’s Urology division, led by Dr. Jay Ramen.
For Mid Penn Bank President and CEO Rory Ritrievi, the effort is very important. He said that one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
“I seriously doubt most of don’t know someone who has been dia g no se d . I have had several friends that had it,” Ritrievi said during a recent interview.
“Based on the work Dr. Ramen and other urologists are doing, prostate cancer is curable if you diagnose it early enough, pay attention to the warning signs and get treatment. The money we raise is really meaningful for Dr. Ramen and his associates.”
Ritrievi has set a goal for the bank of raising $100,000 during this year’s effort, including a personal fundraising goal of $10,000. In its first four years, the Mid Penn Bank has raised a total of $144,000 for prostate cancer research and treatments.
Ritrievi has already surpassed his personal goal, “by going to my friends, family and business associates, and pleading with them to chip in what they can — anything they can give counts,” he said, adding he is a little bit over the $10,000, and plans to “far exceed it.”
He said the bank is about halfway to its $100,000 goal, and added that if the company hits its goal, he will contribute another $1,000 of his own money.
“We have a lot of work to do. We have to keep pushing and trying. Every day the sun comes up, we have to do more, and I think we will get there. We don’t like to set goals we don’t make. We will make it because of the generosity of our friends and family,” he said.
Initially, the fundraising goal for this year was $70,000, which was $10,000 more than the 2019 goal, according to Ritrievi.
Now in its fifth year as a signature Mid Penn Bank fundraising initiative, No Shave November has grown from employees making donations and growing beards, according to Ritrievi, to those efforts plus fundraisers, special events and community partnerships. Some of last year’s initiatives in
cluded a dress down day, an axe throwing event and a trivia night.
This year, the bank has developed community partners — groups or businesses that are doing various things to help raise money for the campaign and push the bank closer to its goal.
For Ritrievi, his favorite part of the effort isn’t the actual beard growing.
“If this helps someone understand the disease and go get an
exam I am all for it,” he said.
His favorite part of the initiative is the teamwork and watching everyone come together for a cause.
“Our employees are so enthusiastic about this program they participate in a heartwarming manner,” he said.
Throughout the month of November, Mid Penn Bank is featuring what it calls its “Beardos” on its social media channels — Mid Penn Bank employees sharing
photos of the beards they’re growing and why the cause is important to them.
One of its Beardos of the month is Kellen Johnson, loan documentation manager.
“I’m a father, husband, son, brother, uncle and friend. I need to be in good health for all of the people that I love and care about,” Johnson said in a post on the bank’s Facebook page.
Ritrievi made himself available for an interview with MediaNews Group while on a tour to visit each Mid Penn Bank branch and every employee over a two week period. He was visiting with each employee to deliver a gift to help with their Thanksgiving dinner.
“This is the first time since the pandemic I have been able to get out to see the employees — to be able to go out and say ‘hello.’ It’s not as easy today to get out and it’s the most fun part of what I do,” Ritrievi said of the effort.
To contribute to the Mid Penn Bank campaign, visit https:// pennstatehealth.donordrive.com and click on “No Shave November 2020.”
Mid Penn has about 450 employees and operates 39 branches in 12 Pennsylvania counties, including: Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Fayette, Lancaster, Luzerne, Montgomery, Northumberland, Schuylkill, and Westmoreland.
In August 2018, Mid Penn Bank acquired Malvern-based First Priority Bank and its seven locations in Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties.