Wednesday, June 5, 2019 15346

View all Fort Lewis College news

Alpine Bank has partnered with Fort Lewis College to offer a new Loyalty Debit Card, the FLC Forever debit card. With each swipe, Alpine Bank will donate 10 cents to FLC. FLC launched the debit card on June 4 at Alpine Bank in downtown Durango.

“We are very excited to introduce the FLC Forever Loyalty Debit Card to the community,” says Eric Eicher, President at Alpine Bank. “We chose Fort Lewis College as the beneficiary of our newest Loyalty Debit Card because we believe they are an important contributor to Southwest Colorado. Not only are they a large employer, but they are also a large economic driver for the area.”

The debit card is the debut for the Foundation’s campaign, FLC Forever. FLC leans on support from alumni, donors, and individuals who believe in investing in the future. The campaign calls for donations today, to sustain tomorrow and create an FLC forever. Today’s scholarships, today’s campus infrastructure, today’s academic programs, and today’s research opportunities, are all made possible through individual investments. These contributions, even 10 cents at a time, ensure FLC will be here for generations of learners.

"We are inspired to be working with the Alpine Bank team, so many of whom are FLC alumni and benefactors, to really make an impact on campus in the months and years ahead,” says Mark Jastorff, Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the FLC Foundation.

Eicher said Alpine Bank debit cards are swiped on average 26 times a month per person. In addition to the 10-cent donations generated with each swipe of the FLC Forever debit card, Alpine Bank committed $100,000 to the fund. Eicher made available $50,000 on Tuesday and awarded the first grants of the program to The Grub Hub and Glenna Sexton Student Development Fund for $5,000 each. 

The Grub Hub is a food security program that ensures students don’t have to choose between food and academics, providing free pantry items as well as a hot meal once a week. The Glenna Sexton Student Development Fund provides grants to help cover conference or training fees for eligible students seeking leadership and professional development opportunities. Jastorff says a campus committee will review grant applications and work with Alpine Bank and FLC leadership to determine how to award more grants across campus.

“Last year, Alpine Bank donated $1.2 million on behalf of customers using their Loyalty Debit Cards,” says Senior Vice President of Alpine Bank Beth Drum. “We are excited about the new relationship we have with FLC and look forward to helping them succeed.”  

The Visa Loyalty Debit Cards are available with no annual fee to individuals with an Alpine Bank checking account.

Open an FLC Forever debit card account at Alpine Bank