By David F. Rooney
The Royal Bank of Canada’s Revelstoke branch celebrated 50 years of serving people in our community with cake, coffee, tea and juice for customers and staff Friday.
Times have changed over those five decades but the bank remains loyal to the men, women, groups and companies that hold its 5,000 local accounts, RBC Manager Lynne Welock said in an interview.
“I think we’ve enhanced our services over the years,” she said. “We not only offer traditional banking services but new ones such as financial advice.”
Manager for the last 12 years, Lynne said she and her staff take “a lot of pride in what we do.”
Besides offering first-rate banking services, the local RBC branch has been very supportive of community aspirations, offering RBC Foundation grants to a wide range of community projects that have included seniors-oriented outdoor exercise equipment for Kovachs Park and the Olympic Torch Relay.
Along the way it has acquired some colourful stories. One of the best came from the woman who has been a branch client for the longest period of time — 45 years.
Ruby Cameron recalled one visit to the branch many years ago. She stopped to fill out a withdrawal slip. Unbeknownst to her someone had scrawled a message on the other side of the slip.
When Ruby got to a teller she handed it over and was a little surprised when the young woman asked: “Do you really mean this, Ruby?”
“Of course!” she said.
The teller was flustered and again she asked her if really wanted to do that.
“Of course, I do,” Ruby said. “I want the money.”
The teller passed the note back to her and turned it over.
“It was a holdup note!” Ruby laughed. “I almost fainted!”
Great story… and here are a few photos from the celebration:
