Jonathon Campbell is a personal banker at First Southern National Bank in Central City. He is involved in a leadership program through the bank, and has presented a challenge to everyone he knows this Christmas.
The Emerging Leaders program through First Southern National Bank selects 12 people from applications across the state to participate in training to become leaders in banking and in the community. Campbell is involved in the program this year.
A $100 bill was given to each participant in the program, and they were told to make a difference with that cash. Campbell said they could use it any way they like – they could grow the money, or just simply give it to someone on the street.
On the three-hour drive home from the leadership session, Campbell said he brainstormed on how to make a difference with that money. He decided to follow his passion for helping families during the Christmas holiday season.
“I’ve been on that side, I know how it is to either pay a bill or buy your kid a Christmas present,” Campbell said. “Now that I don’t have to stress about that, I want to help people who are.”
Campbell started about a month ago, at the end of October, on a plan to turn that $100 into a better Christmas for local families. His Christmas Challenge was born, and so far, he’s raised more than $4,000 toward that goal.
“I started with that $100 and then I donated $100. Then we had an employee meeting at the bank, and I stood up and challenged everybody. From there, I made a Facebook post, challenging my friends, past coworkers and businesses in the county, challenging them to donate.”
The campaign has paid off. Campbell said his first goal was to raise $3,000 and with that bar met, he has raised it to $10,000. The end of the challenge period comes at the end of November, so Campbell is looking for others to help him reach that goal.
The funds Campbell is raising will be donated to the Family Resource and Youth Service Centers in the county. These centers are part of a state agency embedded in the county’s schools, and provide assistance of all kinds to families of school-aged children.
Muhlenberg County has eight Family Resource centers, and Campbell hopes to donate at least $1,000 to each. Whatever the outcome of his Christmas Challenge, he will divide the funds evenly between the centers, he said.
To make a donation to the Christmas Challenge, visit First Southern National Bank at their Central City or Greenville locations.
