By KATELYNN BALL, Staff Reporter
Community Bank has been offering a service to students for years called the Ranger Account.
This checking account is free to students with just a minimum of a $10 balance to get it started.
When students go to Community Bank they get to talk one-on-one with a person who will answer all of their questions about opening their first checking account. Students will also get a free debit card, a book of checks and a free Community Bank T-shirt.
The person students would talk to is Deidra Fraire, customer service representative.
“The only money they would put down is the $10, which is kept in their personal account for them,” Fraire said. “A regular checking account would usually run about $100 to open, and of course a debit card, which would usually be $3 and a book of checks sometimes can get a little pricey depending on what that person would want.”
In addition to this, they offer free online banking and help every student with setting it up, and they can help answer any questions students may have.
“Of course coming into college some students don’t know what a checking account is, so this benefits them as far as knowing what a checking account is, the different types of checking accounts, managing their money and any questions they may have,” Fraire said.
Community Bank has been a part of the Alva community since September of 1985. There is no other branch of this bank in the state.
“This is our only branch, there are other Community Banks, but ours is a state compliance bank” said Peggy O’Neil, customer service/relations.
The bank began at its original location, in the building now known as Champs restaurant, with a few bank tellers and loan offers. The current president of the bank, Terry Ross, was even one of the founding fathers of the bank.
“Basically, the bank was brought up by men from the community because they wanted more of a personalization between the bank employees and the community,” Fraire said.
For more information on student banking, students can contact Deidra Fraire at (580) 327-5500.