Chief Executive Officer Robert P. Lamprey offers Framingham Co-operative Bank customers his full assurance that every deposit at the Bank is protected, dollar-for-dollar, without restriction. Despite today’s uncertain economic environment, there’s no need to worry about the money you have in the Bank, or about the Bank itself.

Framingham Co-operative Bank is a safe, sound and secure financial institution with an outstanding capital ratio — the benchmark of a bank’s strength as determined by regulatory agencies.

Plus, Framingham Co-operative Bank provides a unique combination of coverage that automatically protects your deposits in full:

• The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), an independent agency of the U.S. government, insures deposits in “self-directed” retirement accounts (such as IRAs and Keogh accounts) up to $250,000 per owner. Deposits in other ownership categories are insured separately up to $100,000 per owner. The most common other ownership categories are single accounts, joint accounts and trust accounts. (For details regarding the FDIC’s account ownership definitions and coverage, please visit www.fdic.gov/deposit, or speak to your branch manager.)
• The Share Insurance Fund (SIF) of The Co-operative Central Bank, exclusively owned by the Massachusetts co-operative bank industry, provides protection of all deposit amounts in excess of FDIC coverage, without limit.

This dual insurance coverage includes deposits and accumulated interest in all your accounts at Framingham Co-operative Bank including your checking, savings, money market accounts, IRAs and certificates of deposit.

You can count on Framingham Co-operative Bank for total peace of mind. No other bank offers you greater deposit protection.

Robert P. Lamprey, CEO of Framingham Co-operative Bank, has announced the promotions of Lawrence E. Erickson, Steven M. Sousa, Joseph M. Vincent, and Michael J. Bilinsky, Jr.












Lawrence Erickson, formerly senior vice president, is now executive vice president. A Framingham resident, he has been with the Bank since January 1990. He is responsible for the strategic expansion and management of the Bank’s commercial and residential loan portfolios.

Steven Sousa has been promoted from vice president to senior vice president. He joined the Bank in 2005 as vice president of retail banking with more than 25 years of community banking experience. His responsibilities include the oversight of retail banking, electronic banking, business development and marketing, and human resources. He is a Dedham resident.

Joseph Vincent, formerly vice president and controller, was promoted to senior vice president. A Dracut resident, he came to the Bank in 1992 with experience gained from positions with COMFED Savings Bank, KPMG Peat Marwick and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). In addition to his role as controller, he oversees the Bank’s technology and security.

Michael Bilinsky was promoted from assistant treasurer to assistant vice president. Bilinsky  serves as the Bank’s business development officer, building strategic relationships and partnerships with local enterprises. He also serves as manager of the Bank’s main office, he is responsible for overall branch performance and for maintaining the Bank’s high standards for customer satisfaction. A Framingham native, he is now a Marlborough resident.

A family tradition continues

On June 14th of this year, Vice President Nancy Devine – our longest-term employee — celebrated her 37th anniversary with Framingham Co-operative Bank!

In 1971, to help work her way through college as a liberal arts and sociology major at the University of Southern Maine, Nancy took over a part-time teller’s position at the Bank (at $2.22 an hour) that had been vacated by her sister Linda following Linda’s college graduation. “I saved the Bank money,” Nancy says. “They already had a nameplate saying ‘Miss Devine’ and it wasn’t being used!”

Legacy
The family legacy at the Bank actually goes further back than the Devine sisters. Their great-grandfather James Turner, a Framingham dairy owner, was a member of the Board of Directors from the 1930’s up to the time of his death in 1970.

Her own experience as a Framingham Co-operative Bank employee— coupled with Mr. Turner’s oft-expressed fondness and high regard for the Bank — made quite an impression. Nancy returned home after graduation and took a full-time teller position with the Bank.

“Mr. Atwell, the president at the time, interviewed me for the job,” she recalls. He asked me three questions: Are you honest? Are you good in math? When can you start?”

Of all the bank activities Nancy has been involved in over the years, she says that her time “on the window,” where direct interaction with customers was key, provided perhaps the greatest memories.

Community ties
The significance of that early teller experience may also be rooted in old family values of “treating the customer right.” Nancy’s mother Doris owned Devine’s Card and Gift Shop on Union Avenue in downtown Framingham for nearly 25 years, and worked with customers at the old Gilchrist’s store downtown for several years before that. Dad Harry was a customer service manager for Stop and Shop operations in Norwood, Needham and Marlborough for nearly 46 years. “When I first started at the Bank, he and I used to have discussions about which was the harder job: teller or cashier!”

Memories
Scores of Bank customers have provided Nancy with memories she cherishes.

“I met so many people — many of whom are personal friends now,” she says. “And I watched customers’ families grow through the years, and was excited to have them share their stories with me.

“Many years ago, I was the first new face one particular customer saw when he left Framingham Union Hospital following the birth of his first child: a son named Jeffrey.

“The man shared his pride and excitement with me that morning, and from then on — up to this day — he looks for me when he is in the Bank, to catch me up on Jeffrey’s milestones and accomplishments. ‘Can you believe Jeffrey is a year old today…Jeffrey started school…Jeffrey celebrated his bar mitzvah…Jeffrey is off to college…Jeffrey graduated….Jeffrey got his first job!’

“Jeffrey and his dad became like family to me,” says Nancy. “Where else are you going to find something like that? It was the same way with many of our customers — they become like family to us, and the Bank is also like a family to them.”

Nancy’s own family also gets a fair share of her attention, too, including her mother who still live in the nearby Framingham home near Learned Pond where Nancy grew up, four sisters, three nieces and a nephew.

Go Sox!
 If there’s time left over from family, you’ll find Nancy rooting for the Home Team (whether it’s the Sox, Pats or Celtics), tending the vegetable garden at her   home in Ashland, golfing or skiing, cooking, or on her weather-permitting three-mile daily walk.

Then there are vacations at the family cottage at Old Orchard Beach in Maine, or time spent  at Sunday River or Killington. But the vacation highlight of her life, she says, was the trip to Maui she won at a Jimmy Fund golf tournament ten years ago. And, wouldn’t you know, it was a Bank customer who had invited her to play in the Tournament in the first place!

Today, Nancy’s focus at the Bank includes helping customers open and/or manage their IRAs (individual retirement accounts) and, of course, keeping up with the customer relationships she has established over the years.

No Way!
Would she ever consider leaving her position at Framingham Co-operative Bank?

“Only if I could take all the customers with me,” she says. “We have the best customers.

“They are amazing.”

Nancy Devine — one of the people you can count on at Framingham Co-operative Bank!

The Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation recently awarded more than $46,000 to a variety of local organizations for programs and services to benefit the community. Announcement of the awards was made today by Robert P. Lamprey, chairman of the Charitable Foundation.

The Foundation’s award of $10,000 to the MetroWest Jewish Day School will help that organization develop a community social justice program for students, families and seniors in need.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of MetroWest was awarded $10,000 to continue the expansion and enhancement of program offerings at the new Framingham Clubhouse at 154 Pearl Street.

A $10,000 gift from the Charitable Foundation to the MetroWest YMCA will contribute to the expansion and renovation of facilities to better support the health, education and recreational needs of children, families and adults living and working in the MetroWest community.

The sum of $10,000 was granted for the Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly’s Shillman House Campaign in Framingham. The project will provide 150 low, moderate and market-level apartments for seniors of all backgrounds. The property is under development on Edmunds Road in Framingham.

The Ashland Education Foundation will receive $3,072 from the Foundation for four classroom computers for students and teachers at the David Mindess School.

A Suitable Image received a $2,500 grant in support of its Clothing Distribution program for low-income men and women, helping them make a successful transition into the workforce.  

A $1,000 donation was made to the Association of Small Foundations, an organization that guides small foundations in optimizing their contributions and making a difference with their grant-making activities.

Director Paul R. Romeo of Ashland retired from the Board recently after 37 years of service and countless contributions as a member of several committees during his tenure.

For over 30 years, Paul was the owner and proprietor of Romeo’s Supermarket on Union Street in Ashland, a family business started by his parents. The market closed in 1986.

An Ashland native and Ashland High School graduate, he was a member of the Ashland Finance Committee for 16 years, serving as chairman for six years. He was also Ashland’s treasurer and tax collector for nine years. Devoted to his community, Paul was proud to sponsor local Boy Scout Troop #2 and Little League, Babe Ruth and youth hockey teams in the town.

Paul is a lifetime member of The 100 Club of Massachusetts, an organization founded in 1959 to assist families of law enforcement officers and firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty.

He and his wife, Marie, have seven children, 13 grandchildren and one greatgrandchild. His father-in-law, Nicholas Montal of Framingham, is one of the Bank’s longest-term customers

“The day in 1971 when Mr. O’Brien (Philip R. O’Brien, then chairman of the Board) and Mr. Hickson (Charles W. Hickson, executive vice president at the time, later president and CEO) took me out to lunch and asked me to serve on the Board of Directors was one of the happiest days in my life,” Paul recalls today. “You could have knocked me over with a feather!”

He will become an Honorary Director, along with Charles W. Hickson, Richard D. Karb and Joseph F. Shay.

Current Board members are Robert P. Lamprey, chairman; Susan E. Acton, Paul V. Galvani; Mark R. Haranas; Robert J. Harrington; Clement T. Lambert; James P. Shay; and William R. Swanson.

The Framingham School Committee has commended Framingham Co-operative Bank for its second annual sponsorship of a student essay contest in three Framingham elementary schools.

A total of 212 students in 11 fifth-grade classrooms at the McCarthy, Hemenway and Potter Road schools competed for first-place honors for essays reflecting their personal thoughts on: “What Does Patriotism Mean to Me?”

The competition was sponsored by Framingham Co-operative Bank in conjunction with Partners in Education. The contest is incorporated into the classroom curriculum as practice for MCAS testing.

At a recent Framingham School Committee meeting, board members recognized and applauded the students and participating teachers. The board also thanked Partners in Education and the Bank, and specifically Kimberly Sambucci, retail banking analyst, for providing Framingham students with the opportunity to participate.

One winning essay was selected from each participating classroom. Essay winners were awarded $75 Series I Savings Bonds from Framingham Co-operative Bank. All of the contest participants received certificates of appreciation from the Bank, as well.

Robert P. Lamprey, chairman of the Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation, announced today the awarding of college scholarships totaling $19,000 to seven 2008 graduates of Framingham’s three high schools.

Three of the scholarships, in the amount of $5,000 each, were established in 2005 to honor the memory of Roland J. Bunnell II, a past trustee of the Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation. Mr. Bunnell was also a member of the Framingham Co-operative Bank board of directors and senior vice president at the time of his death in 2004. He had served the Bank for more than 15 years.

The Bunnell Memorial Scholarship recipients were Rajni Salhotra, Framingham High School; Neil Rodrigues, Marian High School; and Francine Garnier, Joseph P. Keefe Technical School.

The Charitable Foundation also funded four $1,000 awards made through the Edwin Alexis Marin Memorial Scholarship program at Framingham High School. The Scholarships are named for a student who died in a car accident following his sophomore year at Framingham High. The program encourages Latino students at the High School to continue on to college, by providing one means of financial support.

Recipients of the Edwin Alexis Marin scholarships were Luis Antonio Alvarez, Jennifer Gonzalez, Jocelyn Morales, and Lucas Nader.

“By investing in the education of today’s youth, we are hopeful that they will be among those who give back in ways that will further strengthen the fabric of our community in years to come,” said Lamprey.

Robert P. Lamprey, CEO of Framingham Co-operative Bank, announced today that Michael Semizoglou has joined the Bank’s commercial lending team as an assistant vice president.

Semizoglou joins the bank from Metro Credit Union, where he was an assistant vice president and commercial services officer. Previously, he served as business development and sales manager and assistant vice president with TD Banknorth, where he was a President’s Award nominee.

A Brighton resident, he is currently continuing his education at Boston’s Emmanuel College and will earn the bachelor of science degree upon completion of his studies in December.  

Semizoglou is a member of the Board of Directors and treasurer of Washington Gateway, a Boston Main Street Program dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of a 1.4 mile district in Boston’s South End/Lower Roxbury neighborhood. The Washington Gateway program — a partnership of volunteers, neighborhood organizations, real estate developers, government and businesses, has brought new businesses, storefront improvements, residential and commercial developments, preservation projects and rejuvenated open space to the community since its work began in 1997.

The people have spoken! Readers of the Community Newspapers have voted us the “#1 Community Bank” in Framingham and in the Framingham region which includes Framingham, Natick, Sudbury, Wayland and Weston.
Congratulations to our customers and staff for this honor!

It was a great afternoon!

Framingham Co-operative Bank was privileged to be involved in the Town’s first Celebrate Framingham event on June 1st as a Platinum sponsor. Rachel Stewart, assistant vice president, played a major role in planning the day’s Downtown activities as the co-chairperson of the event.

As part of the day’s schedule, we teamed with the Bicycle Patrol Unit of the Framingham Police Department to offer our second annual Bicycle Rodeo, offering local youngsters bicycle safety skills – and free bicycle helmets!

Celebrate Framingham attracted people of all ages, and resulted in a true sense of community for local residents and visitors alike as they shared in a variety of free activities and performances including the arts, music, sports and more.

The Board of Directors of Framingham Co-operative Bank has elected Mark R. Haranas of Hopkinton as president and chief operating officer, according to an announcement made today by Robert P. Lamprey, chairman of the Board.

Haranas will assume the position on July 1. Lamprey will continue in his role as chief executive officer and Board chairman. As president and chief operating officer, Haranas will work closely with Lamprey in the overall administration of the Bank.

Haranas is a partner in the Framingham law firm of Haranas, Mayer, Jachowicz & Galvani, LLP, and has served as general counsel to the Bank for nearly two decades. The firm, which specializes in areas including real estate financing, zoning issues, workers’ compensation and family law, will continue to represent the Bank. Haranas will relinquish his role with the firm.

A Framingham native, Haranas attended Framingham public schools and Framingham High School and is a 1976 graduate of Framingham State College. He received a juris doctor degree from the New England School of Law in 1983, and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar that same year. He is a member of the Real Estate Bar Association of Massachusetts.

Elected to the Framingham Co-operative Bank Board of Directors in 2000, Haranas will remain on that Board. He also serves as a trustee of the Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Project Just Because, of Hopkinton.

Haranas and his wife, Susan, are the parents of three sons.

July 31, 2008

Join us as we spend the day in Boston! You will enjoy a delicious lunch and see historic sites during a relaxing cruise on the Charles River.

Our trip will include:

• Roundtrip motorcoach transportation
• Cruise of the Charles River
• Luncheon at the Top of the Hub with a choice of either Salmon Fillet or Grilled Chicken Breast

$69 per member, $79 per non-member

To register: Use our online registration form or call Rachel Stewart at 508.532.8326.

August 12, 2008

Come along with us to the Hu Ke Lau in Chicopee, MA. We will enjoy a delicious dinner of lobster or steak and a fantastic dance show featuring the Dance of Samoa, Fuji war Dance and the Hawaiian Hula.

Our trip will include:

• Roundtrip motorcoach transportation
• Dance Show
  
• Dinner with a choice of either Two 1 1/4 lb boiled lobsters or 8oz. filet mignon

$79.95 per person

To register: Use our online registration form or call Rachel Stewart at 508.532.8326.

FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, May 7, 2008 … The Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation recently awarded over $45,000 in support of programs and initiatives sponsored by 11 local organizations. Announcement of the awards was made today by Robert P. Lamprey, chairman of the Charitable Foundation.

A grant of $10,000 was awarded to MetroWest Outreach Connection to support that organization’s mission to prevent homelessness and to assist those who are homeless in their pursuit of permanent housing.

The Charitable Foundation’s donation of $5,000 to the MetroWest ESL Fund will support English as a Second Language classes at Framingham Adult ESL. A $5,000 award to the McAuliffe Regional Charter School will help augment field experience and project-based learning for the school’s 275 students.

A $5,000 grant to South Middlesex Legal Services (SMLS) will assist that organization in providing legal advice and representation to hundreds of residents in the greater MetroWest area who have serious civil legal problems and nowhere else to turn. The funding will also support a new SMLS initiative, The KidsCare Connection Project, designed to identify and create a comprehensive plan for children whose medical, dental and/or mental health needs are not being met.

Marian High School was awarded $5,000 by the Charitable Foundation to help replace student desks that have been in use since the school opened in 1956. Nearly 300 of the original desks have been replaced over the past two years; approximately 200 are still in need of replacement, according to Sr. Catherine Clifford, principal of Marian High.

The sum of $5,000 was contributed to the 14th Annual Big Top Bash, an event underwritten each year by Ken’s Foods of Marlborough in support of Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a nonprofit residential summer camp and year-round center serving children and families coping with cancer and other serious illnesses.

Bethany Hill School in Framingham received a $2,500 grant from the Charitable Foundation to support newsletters produced for residents and for donors. Advocates, Inc. received $2,500 to help send two individuals with developmental disabilities to a national conference on self-empowerment.

The sum of $2,000 was awarded to GreenUp, Inc. of Framingham toward the cost of GreenUp Day activities in the Town on May 3. The Framingham Co-operative Bank parking lot on Route 30 was one of five registration and drop-off locations for the event, designed to eliminate trash from local streets, parks and neighborhoods.

The Charitable Foundation’s donation of $2,000 will help fund the “Happy Birthday Baby” program at Framingham’s First Baptist Church, which distributes baby care packages to local low-income and teen mothers of newborns. Eighth graders at Framingham’s Fuller Middle School were treated to a special performance of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” thanks to a $1,060 grant from the Charitable Foundation.

August 18-20, 2008

Join us on a trip to Balitmore, Maryland for two summer days of baseball. We will visit Camden Yards for a tour of the stadium and two Red Sox vs. Orioles games.

Our trip will include:

• Roundtrip motorcoach transportation
• Hotel accommodations
• Reserved seating for two Red Sox vs. Orioles games
• Admission to Camden Yards for a stadium tour
• Narrated sightseeing tour of Baltimore
• Harbor cruise

$389 per person based on double occupancy.

To register: Use our online registration form or call Rachel Stewart at 508.532.8326.

September 18-21, 2008

Come and experience beautiful Niagara Falls Canada and watch the Boston Red Sox play at Rogers Center in Toronto!

Our trip will include:

• Roundtrip motorcoach transportation
• Hotel accommodations
• Reserved seating for the Red Sox vs. Blue Jays game
• Three breakfasts
• Two dinners
• Admission to the Maid of the Mist boat ride

$499 per person based on double occupancy.

To register: Use our online registration form or call Rachel Stewart at 508.532.8326.

September 25–30, 2008
6 days • 5 nights

Branson, Missouri is the Midwest’s entertainment capital. Join us for six days of non-stop fun as we enjoy Branson’s spectacularly exciting shows. Our trip will include: 

• Roundtrip airfare from Logan Airport
• Hotel accommodations and transfers
• Air taxes and fees
• Five breakfasts
• Three dinners
• Eight entertaining shows

$1,475 per person based on double occupancy. Club Advantage members receive $75 off.

To register: Use our online registration form or call Rachel Stewart at 508.532.8326.

Featuring Mesa Verde, Colorado and Albuquerque, New Mexico
October 18–25, 2008
8 days • 7 nights

Enjoy America’s old west on this cultural and scenic trip featuring both northern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado. Our trip will include:

• Roundtrip airfare from Logan Airport
• Hotel accommodations and transfers
• Air taxes and fees
• Seven breakfasts
• Four dinners 

$2,149 per person based on double occupancy. Club Advantage members receive $100 off.

To register: Use our online registration form or call Rachel Stewart at 508.532.8326.

Featuring Innsbruck, Golden Roof, Munich, Oberammergau, and Salzburg
November 30 – December 7, 2008
7 days • 6 nights

Join us on a trip throughout the Alpine region for beautiful sightseeing, exploring the traditional European Christmas markets and shopping for famous woodcarvings!

Our trip will include:

• Roundtrip airfare from Logan Airport
• Hotel accommodations and transfers
• Air taxes and fees

$1,949 per person based on double occupancy.

To register: Use our online registration form or call Rachel Stewart at 508.532.8326.

November 30 - December 1, 2008

Get away and enjoy the spirit of the holiday season at The Summit Lodge in Killington, Vermont. This trip offers a chance to view beautiful holiday decorations, unique culinary experiences, and more!

Our trip will include:

• Roundtrip motorcoach transportation
• Hotel accommodations
• Three meals
• Entertainment

$259 per person based on double occupancy.

To register: Use our online registration form or call Rachel Stewart at 508.532.8326.

A great Hometown team!
Framingham Co-operative Bank is proud to sponsor the Boston Renegades, a W-League, world-class women’s soccer team and two-time National Champions.

The 2008 Renegades roster includes premier athletes from all over the world, and home matches are played right here in Framingham at Bowditch Stadium.

We hope you’ll join us at Bowditch as the Renegades put your hometown – and ours – on the map! Plus, we’ll be giving away two tickets to the August 30th New England Revolution game against David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy. Click here for a schedule of upcoming games.

FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, January 7, 2008 … Robert P. Lamprey, president of Framingham Co-operative Bank, announced today that the Bank’s Charitable Foundation has awarded $20,000 to the Framingham Fire Department for the purchase of six portable Masimo Rad-57 detection devices that can accurately measure an individual’s carbon monoxide level in a matter of seconds.

Framingham will be one of the first communities in the state to carry the non-invasive carbon monoxide meters on fire apparatus. The handheld detectors will allow firefighters to triage on site when carbon monoxide gas is present or suspected, said Assistant Fire Chief John Magri.

“Carbon monoxide poisoning can be deadly, and it can also have long-term effects if it goes undetected,” said Magri. “The Rad-57 devices will allow us to diagnose the level of exposure right at the scene and provide early intervention and early treatment.

“Traditionally, testing carbon monoxide levels in humans is a long and painful emergency room process, involving the removal of blood from an artery and waiting for lab results,” explained Magri. “The Rad-57 detectors measure carbon monoxide levels quickly and painlessly, using a finger sensor.”

The new Rad-57 detectors will also be used to routinely measure the carbon monoxide levels of firefighters, who are frequently exposed to toxic fumes in the line of duty.

“Not only are massive levels of carbon monoxide present at fire scenes, but also during the overhaul or clean up phase of a fire,” said Magri. “The Rad-57 will allow us to monitor levels in on duty personnel which will prevent the long-term health affects associated with prolonged exposure.”

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that has no color, taste or odor. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, it is the number one cause of poisoning deaths in the United States. Early symptoms include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue. These flu-like symptoms often prevent victims from seeking immediate medical care.

“Thanks to the Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation, we now have the potential of preventing carbon monoxide-related deaths or illnesses here in our community,” said Magri.

Close to 150 Framingham Fire Department members will receive in-service training in the use of the new equipment next week. Personnel from the Hopkinton Fire Department, which recently purchased Masimo Rad-57 units for its three ambulances, will also participate in the training at Framingham Fire Headquarters.

Robert P. Lamprey, president of Framingham Co-operative Bank, announced today that Brian E. Ledwith has joined the Bank as a vice president and member of the commercial lending team.

Ledwith has more than 17 years of experience in commercial and real estate investment lending. Most recently, he was vice president/senior retail lending officer and commercial lending officer at Benjamin Franklin Bank. Previously, he served as vice president/senior loan officer with Medway Cooperative Bank. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and graduated with honors from the National School of Banking.

A Franklin resident, Ledwith is active in Franklin youth sports, including hockey, baseball and soccer. He will be located at the Bank’s Loan Center at 160 Cochituate Road in Framingham.

FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, December  10, 2007 … Senior citizens and staff members alike at Framingham’s Callahan Senior Center are being entertained with musical selections provided by the Yamaha electronic player piano and music discs donated recently to the Center by Framingham Co-operative Bank.

Guests at the Friends of Callahan Holiday Party on December 10th had the opportunity to see and hear the manual/automatic piano in action, according to the Center’s Cheryl Lobdell. The piano will ultimately be a prominent feature of the Jack and Shelley Blais Function Room at the Senior Center, plans for which are now underway.

“Framingham Co-operative Bank has been very good to us,” Lobdell said, also citing the Bank’s donation of a portable defibrillator to the Center last year.

Framingham Co-operative Bank, a state-chartered institution established in 1889, has full-service offices at 828 Concord Street and One Lincoln Street in Framingham. The Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and a member of the Share Insurance Fund (SIF).

FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, October 22, 2007 … The Framingham Police Department and Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation  co-sponsored a free safety skills Bicycle Rodeo on Saturday, October 20th.

Designed for youngsters aged 6 to 10, the Bicycle Rodeo took place at Framingham‘s Tercentennial Park. Young riders received bicycle safety instruction, then practiced their new skills on the Rodeo course.

“Knowing how to ride their bicycles right is an important lesson for our children,” said Robert P. Lamprey, chairman of the Framingham Co-operative Bank  Charitable Foundation. “We were pleased to work with the Framingham Police Department to promote safety skills in a friendly, fun environment like the Bicycle Rodeo.”

Rodeo Activities
Police officers guided children on their bicycles through a number of interactive safety experiences including Demon Driveway, Who’s There and Dodge ‘em Drive.

Kids also had a chance to win a brand new bicycle donated by Ski Market in Framingham, and a Ski Market representative was on hand to identify potential maintenance problems and show youngsters how to check and care for their bikes. Members of the Framingham Police Auxiliary provided child fingerprinting.

There were also demonstrations and tours of the Fire Safety House that was donated by the Charitable Foundation to the Framingham Fire Department last year.

Free Bicycle Helmets
Free bicycle helmets and safety kits were available to youngsters in attendance at the Rodeo.

“A properly fitted bicycle helmet can significantly reduce the risk of serious head and brain injury,” said Framingham Police Chief Steven Carl. “Massachusetts law requires any child 16 or younger to wear an approved helmet on a public way, bike path or on any other public right-of-way.

“But it makes good sense that a child on a bicycle should always wear a helmet, even in his or her own driveway.”

Police Sergeant Robert Downing, head of the department’s Bicycle Patrol Unit, and officers Chris Langmeyer and Robert Sibilio arranged the Bicycle Rodeo events, under the direction of Chief Carl. The officers are certified instructors for the International Police Mountain Bike Association, and train police officers and public safety cyclists from across the country and around the world.

New Mountain Bikes
Four brand new Volcanic mountain bikes donated to the Bicycle Patrol Unit last month by the Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation were on display at the Rodeo. The sturdy patrol bikes are manufactured exclusively for security, military, emergency medical response and law enforcement use.

The Bicycle Patrol Unit maintains a six-bicycle fleet and operates day and night year-round, weather permitting, providing on- and off-road coverage that bridges the gap between police vehicles and foot patrol. The utilization of mountain bicycles is one of the fastest growing trends in law enforcement and emergency medical response.

“Police bicycles are an urban police tool, designed for industrial use,” said  Chief  Carl. “The officers in the Unit provide effective, visible and accessible full-service policing in the community. Their mobility can be key in life-or-death situations.”

The Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation’s $10,000 grant to the Bicycle Patrol Unit provided for the purchase of the four mountain bikes complete with light/siren equipment, bike bags, and first-aid kits; special police bike jackets; and a bike maintenance tool kit. It also covered the purchase of  youth bike helmets and additional bike safety materials for youngsters.

A second annual Bicycle Rodeo is scheduled for late spring or early summer 2008.

The Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation was established by the Bank in 1998 to support charitable, educational and civic purposes within the greater Framingham area.

Framingham Co-operative Bank, a state-chartered institution established in 1889, has full-service offices at 828 Concord Street and One Lincoln Street in Framingham. The Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and a member of the Share Insurance Fund (SIF).

FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, July 11, 2007 … Robert P. Lamprey, chairman of the Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation, announced today that the Foundation has awarded more than $46,000 to support charitable groups and programs that benefit the community.

A grant of $10,000 was awarded to the Salvation Army’s Daily Bread Program. “Although the bread, pastries, and sometimes produce come to us at no cost through the generosity of several retail establishments, the processing of these goods comes at considerable expense,” said Salvation Army Major Mark A. Himes in his application. The Foundation’s donation, he added, will enable the organization to get the product from the retailers to the hands of those in need.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of MetroWest also received a $10,000 award from the Charitable Foundation. The funds will help the Clubs continue the expansion of programs to include children as young as six years old, and enhance the summer and fall after-school programming at the Framingham Clubhouse. The Club serves young people from the communities of Framingham, Marlborough and Hudson, providing youth development, education, prevention, social athletic and recreation programs to almost 3,200 at-risk children and teens. The Foundation awarded the Boys & Girls Clubs a similar $10,000 grant in 2006.

Preserving History
An $8,000 award in support of the “Campaign for the Common” initiative of the Framingham Historical Society and Museum will help galvanize the community around the importance of preserving the Town’s history. The Society’s effort to increase membership and donations will provide the infrastructure for a planned capital campaign. The Charitable Foundation’s gift will fund web site enhancements, including the addition of an online museum shop, and the introduction of a new series of Arts and Culture events, beginning in the fall.

The Danforth Museum of Art will use its grant of $7,500 from the Foundation to help fund a multi-cultural program offering free museum admission on Saturday mornings, with related family tours and art activities provided by a bilingual teacher.

The Future Skills Institute of the Metro South West Regional Employment Board received $5,000 from the Charitable Foundation, to fund a five-week work-readiness and skills-development summer program for 23 low-income Framingham high school students. The program is based on the state Department of Education’s Work-Based Learning Plan, designed to drive learning and employment productivity.

Help for Seniors
Local seniors will benefit from the Foundation’s gift to BayPath Elder Services in the amount of $2,500. The funds will be used to support a BayPath program offering  low-income seniors assistance in managing their day-to-day finances.

A $2,628 donation to the Ashland Education Foundation will allow that organization to acquire two laptop computers for its mobile computer lab for students at the Ashland Middle School.

The Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation was established by the Bank in 1998 to support charitable, educational and civic purposes within the greater Framingham area.

Framingham Co-operative Bank, a state-chartered institution established in 1889, has full-service offices at 828 Concord Street and One Lincoln Street in Framingham. The Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and a member of the Share Insurance Fund (SIF).

FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, June 15, 2007 … The Framingham School Committee has commended Framingham Co-operative Bank for its sponsorship of a student essay contest in three Framingham elementary schools.
Fifth-grade students in a total of nine McCarthy, Stapleton and Potter Road classrooms competed for first-place honors for their essays reflecting their personal thoughts on: “What Does Patriotism Mean to Me?”
Framingham Co-operative Bank Student Contest
Wins School Board Accolades


Essay Winners – From left to right: Anthony Nakayama, Courtney Dorsey, Jessica Taylor, Timothy Driscoll, Matt Benjamin, Matthew Crone, Margaret Derosiers, Julia Goldstein, and MacKenzie Chevalier.

At a recent meeting, members of the School Committee recognized and applauded the students and teachers for their participation. The board thanked the Bank, and specifically Kimberly Sambucci, retail banking specialist, for providing Framingham students with the opportunity to participate.

One winning essay was selected from each participating classroom. Essay winners were awarded $75 Series I Savings Bonds from Framingham Co-operative Bank. All of the contest participants received certificates of appreciation from the Bank, as well.

The following students were commended for their winning essays:

McCarthy  School - Jessica Taylor, MacKenzie Chevalier, Matt Benjamin, Matthew Crone, and Margaret Desrosiers.
Potter Road School - Anthony Nakayama and Julia Goldstein.
Stapleton School - Courtney Dorsey and Timothy Driscoll.

Framingham Co-operative Bank is a state-chartered institution established in 1889. The Bank has full-service offices in Framingham at 828 Concord Street and One Lincoln Street and a Loan Center at 160 Cochituate Road, and offers online banking services at framinghambank.com. The Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and a member of the Share Insurance Fund (SIF).

FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, June, 2007 … Robert P. Lamprey, president and CEO of Framingham Co-operative Bank, has announced the promotion of Rachel Stewart of Milford to assistant vice president.

Stewart will continue with her current responsibilities, which include marketing, public relations and business development, as well as managing the Bank’s  active customer relationship program, Club Advantage. She is also administrative director of the Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation.

Stewart joined Framingham Co-operative Bank in 1999, with more than two decades of banking experience. Her financial services background includes managing retirement accounts and SBLI Insurance sales, and she holds both Insurance and Long Term Care licenses. During her 13-year association with MetroWest Bank (now TD Banknorth), she managed the Bank’s retirement, insurance, and safe deposit departments and also its relationship banking program.

She is a summa cum laude graduate of Bridgewater State College and high honors graduate of the Banking School of Finance. Early in her career, she was a teacher in the Milford Public School system.

Stewart was a member of the Bankers’ Educational Forum, and has served twice as president of the Worcester Central Chapter and also as president of the state chapter. She has served four terms as president of the Massachusetts Retirement Consortium, and is a three-time president of the New England Safe Deposit Association (NESDA). She has also a member of the Board of ABA Bank Marketing - New England Chapter and currently serves as co-chair of membership.

Framingham Co-operative Bank is a state-chartered institution established in 1889. The Bank has full-service offices in Framingham at 828 Concord Street and One Lincoln Street and a Loan Center at 160 Cochituate Road, and offers online banking services at framinghambank.com. The Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and a member of the Share Insurance Fund (SIF).

FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, May 29, 2007 … In 1976, a local high school graduate accepted a job as a teller at the Howard Street branch of Framingham Co-operative Bank, in downtown Framingham. That branch is no longer there, but Gail Bennett is still a Framingham Co-operative Bank employee, some 30 years later.
Bennett, a lifelong Framingham resident, was honored by the Bank for her three decades of service at its recent Employee Awards Night.

Early in her banking career, Bennett was promoted from teller to Consumer Loan Assistant, and moved to the Bank’s Concord Street office. Over the years, she added training new employees and processing and closing residential mortgages to her resume. Today, she remains with the Loan Department, where she recently took over responsibility for collections.

“Gail is an inspiration for all of our employees,” said Robert P. Lamprey, president and CEO. “I commend and appreciate her dedication and commitment to the Bank, and look forward to working with her in the years to come.”

Framingham Co-operative Bank is a state-chartered institution established in 1889. The Bank has full-service offices in Framingham at 828 Concord Street and One Lincoln Street and a Loan Center at 160 Cochituate Road, and offers online banking services at framinghambank.com. The Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and a member of the Share Insurance Fund (SIF).

FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, May 29, 2007 Lisa Rohmer of Ashland has been appointed as a member of the Framingham Fair Housing Committee. The appointment by the Framingham Board of Selectmen is effective through June 30, 2007, at which time Rohmer can request reappointment for a three-year term. She was sworn in by Framingham Town Clerk Valerie Mulvey.
Rohmer is vice president of residential lending at Framingham Co-operative Bank. She has more than 23 years of residential and retail lending experience.

The Fair Housing Committee is a town-appointed group of individuals who reside and/or work in Framingham. Its mission is to promote fair and open access to housing opportunities for all segments of the community. The Committee sponsors Framingham’s annual First Time Homebuyer Fair, which Rohmer has helped organize and facilitate for the past three years She also serves as a course instructor for First Time Homebuyer seminars.

A graduate of Trinity College in Washington DC and the Massachusetts Bankers Association management course, Rohmer has also completed a number of banking programs and participated in a variety of financial services workshops and educational sessions.

She has been with Framingham Co-operative Bank since 1994.

Framingham Co-operative Bank is a state-chartered institution established in 1889. The Bank has full-service offices in Framingham at 828 Concord Street and One Lincoln Street and a Loan Center at 160 Cochituate Road, and offers online banking services at framinghambank.com. The Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and a member of the Share Insurance Fund (SIF).




Framingham Town Clerk Valerie Mulvey (left)
and Lisa Rohmer of Framingham Co-operative Bank.

FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, April 25, 2007 … Robert P. Lamprey, chairman of the Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation, announced today that the Foundation recently awarded over $31,000 to a variety of community initiatives and benevolent causes.
An award of $5,000 was made to assist in the fundraising efforts of the MetroWest ESL program, including sponsorship of Crossroads Community Foundation’s “Coming to America” annual dinner. The Foundation’s donation will also support English as a Second Language classes at Framingham Adult ESL.

St. Tarcisius School in Framingham received a contribution of $5,000 to help fund a new student/staff Technology Center slated to open in the 2007/2008 school year.

A $7,500 grant to South Middlesex Legal Services will help that organization continue to provide legal advice and representation to hundreds of residents in the greater MetroWest area who have serious civil legal problems and nowhere else to turn.

Casa Myrna Vazquez received $5,000 from the Charitable Foundation to provide needed funding for its SafeLink hotline, a statewide service that is accessed by more than 21,000 domestic violence victims each year, including many from MetroWest.

The Foundation’s award of $2,500 will aid A Suitable Image in providing appropriate work-related wardrobes, at no cost, to low-income disadvantaged women who are re-entering the job market, helping them transition into the workforce and attain economic self-sufficiency.

The Performing Arts Center of MetroWest was awarded $3,220 to help underwrite “Free Lessons Day.” The program offers local children free introductory access to many of the organization’s educational programs, and provides financial assistance in cases of demonstrated need. A $980 grant to the Joseph P. Keefe Technical School will bring a live performance of Romeo and Juliet by the Shakespeare Now! Theater Company to the school stage, to complement grade nine studies in the English Language Arts curriculum.

The Charitable Foundation’s donation of $2,000 will help fund the “Happy Birthday Baby” program at Framingham’s First Baptist Church, which distributes baby care packages to local low-income and teen mothers of newborns.

The Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation was established by the Bank in 1998 to support charitable, educational and civic purposes within the greater Framingham area.

Framingham Co-operative Bank is a state-chartered institution established in 1889. The Bank has full-service offices in Framingham at 828 Concord Street and One Lincoln Street and a Loan Center at 160 Cochituate Road, and offers online banking services at framinghambank.com. The Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and a member of the Share Insurance Fund (SIF).