The Colony Bank branch on Ogeechee Road in Savannah, along with the community, showed support for the Matthew Freeman Project: Pens and Paper for Peace on Friday with a donation drive and cookout.

Local residents dropped off pens, paper, book bags and other school supplies, sometimes by the bagful, or gave monetary gifts.
Colony Bank presented Lisa Freeman, Capt. Matthew Freeman’s mother and founder of the Project, with a check to benefit the cause.

“We just really want to get involved in the community and the Matthew Freeman Project is just such an awesome foundation,” said Colony Bank branch manager Kari Brown.

The bank donated all of the food items for the cookout, including hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, cookies and beverages.

The exact amount raised for the drive hadn’t been tallied by mid afternoon Friday, but Lisa Freeman was touched by the outpouring of support from the bank and the community.

“It’s just one more example of how community outreach touches all the way over in Afghanistan,” she said. “It changes hearts and leads to a greater awareness … there are wars going on and the victims include children.”

She added that sending supplies to the children of Afghanistan helps victims in the war-torn nation to trust us and trust our soldiers.

Rodney and Sharon Rauhane, customers of Colony Bank, heard about the Matthew Freeman Project through fliers posted at the bank promoting the donation drive. They stopped by the event to donate money.

“It just seemed like the right thing to do,” said Rodney. “Matthew Freeman did what he had to do and this is all he’s asking.”

For more, pick up a copy of the April 30 edition of the News.