Merchants Bank CEO Steve Glasscock, from left, speaks with Cullman Caring for Kids Assistant Director Nancy Bryant and Executive Director Javon Daniel after the bank presented them with a $7,000 donation from the proceeds of the 25th annual Charity Classic golf tournament.

Three of the area’s charitable organizations got a boost Tuesday afternoon after Merchants Bank donated a total of $21,000 to Hospice of Cullman County, the Good Samaritan Health Clinic and Cullman Caring for Kids.

Each organization received $7,000 from proceeds raised by Merchants Bank’s 25th annual Charity Classic golf tournament, with an additional donation going to the Boys and Girls Ranches of Alabama.

The bank donates to those organizations every year to try to give back to the community and show some support for its people, said Merchants Bank Chief Financial Officer Clark Rainwater.

“All the charities are local charities, they’re all nonprofits,” he said. “We’re a local bank, so we have the opportunity to give back to those who help us.”

Rainwater also thanked all of the people who played in the tournament or helped put it together.

He said the tournament started 25 years ago with just eight teams, and this year’s had 36, with a wait list for even more people who wanted to participate.

The large group of players who were in the tournament are only part of the equation, as there were many sponsors and volunteers who helped make the tournament possible and have continued to do so over the years, Merchants Bank Vice President Ross West said.

“It’s a good testament to the community,” he said. 

Cullman Caring for Kids Executive Director Javon Daniel thanked the bank for all of the support from this year’s tournament and from previous years.

“Merchants Bank has been so fantastic through all of these years,” he said. “We more than appreciate it, we just love it to death.”

The $7,000 received from the bank will go a long way towards helping the people of Cullman County who would otherwise go hungry, Daniel said.

“This will feed a lot of kids that now won’t go to bed hungry. It’ll feed a lot of elderly people who don’t eat an evening meal because they don’t have any food,” he said. “Now they will.”