We are excited to continue to sponsor events like the Maple Sugar Festival and experience our community, you, as an extension of our family. Now, for all the details on the Maple Sugar Festival visit: http://blog.firstcountybank.com/2012/02/first-county-bank-sponsors-maple-sugar-festival-weekend/. We look forward to seeing you there!

Existing home banking users who wish to activate Mobile Banking need to log into Personal e-Banking or Business e-Manager, select the Account Services tab, click “Mobile Banking” and follow the instructions to activate the mobile banking service.

Bayview Towers Community Center and Jewish Family Service, both located in Stamford, are hosting a series of financial literacy seminars for their constituents during the next six weeks. These seminars are being taught by First County Bank employee volunteers.

“This is a terrific program that First County’s Willard Miley and Michael Victor have put together with these nonprofit agencies and our volunteer instructors,” Rey Giallongo, chairman and CEO of First County Bank, recently said. “I’m really proud of these First County Bank employees who will be taking time away from their work day to help individuals confidently read, analyze and manage their personal finances in order to lead more secure and satisfying lives.”

The areas to be covered include banking (managing checking and savings accounts), budgeting, and setting and implementing financial goals (short term to retirement). To set and achieve these goals, one must have a working knowledge of financial instruments, borrowing and insurance. Maintaining good credit will save an individual a significant sum of money in interest costs, insurance premiums and may even affect one’s ability to secure employment.

“Bayview Towers Community Center is very excited to work with First County Bank and provide our community with the education, skills and resources for them to become more self-sufficient,” said Kim Paoletto, resident services coordinator for Bayview. “Our goal is for participants to establish a budget, work within their means, increase their savings, and raise their credit score so they can strive for long-term success and enrich their own quality of life. These First County Bank seminars are a perfect match to Operation Pathways Financial Literacy program.”

“The bank knows the importance of helping people work through the financial maze of savings and credit products, and the importance of creating and protecting financial stability for JFS clients,” said Ilene K. Locker, Jewish Family Service’s director of employment and training. “We look forward to working with First County Bank.”

Based on the FDIC’s Money Smart for Adults instructional curriculum, First County Bank volunteers will instruct from four different modules that cover basic financial topics, including spending plans, the importance of saving, how to obtain and use credit effectively, and the basics of building or repairing credit. Bayview Towers Community Center’s financial literacy seminars are scheduled for Feb. 15, 22, 29 and March 7. Jewish Family Service’s financial literacy seminars are open to clients of its employment and training programs and are scheduled for Feb. 14, 21, and March 6 and 13.

Bill Jensen, owner of Darien Toy Box. Photography by Megan Dey Photography

When you walk into Darien Toy Box on the Post Road in Darien, Connecticut, you might feel as if you’ve been magically transported into the fantastical world of Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium filled to the brim with unique toys from around the world, collectables and an animated jungle with Winston, a life size Orangutan that moves and tells jokes to children. Ever since he was a child, Darien Toy Box owner Bill Jensen otherwise affectionately known as Mr. Bill, Bill or Chief Toy Man, wanted to make toys and dreamed of having his own toy store. Loving all kinds of toys as a kid, he had a special affinity for LEGO’s® and the WBritain® brand name of toy and collectable soldiers.

After 27 years in the oil business, Bill Jensen retired and shortly after in 2008, realized his childhood dream.

“I was driving through Darien one afternoon and saw this location and immediately knew it was the perfect spot for a toy store,” Jensen recalled. “It all fell into place perfectly after that.”

At first Jensen borrowed money from family and friends, leased the space in Darien and filled his store with a modest inventory of specialty toys, not found in major toy stores or even online. Uniquely handcrafted Sirch® wooden toys made in Germany, Playforever® racing cars made in the United Kingdom, WBritain® American Civil War toy soldiers and collectables and of course LEGO’s® are just some of the toys that line the walls of what looks like a life size toy box. And on May 12, 2008, Jensen opened Darien Toy Box.

As business started to grow, Jensen’s landlord, a longtime customer of First County Bank, introduced him to Rey Giallongo, then President of First County Bank, today Chairman and CEO and Mark Rosenbloom, one of First County Bank’s business development officers who at the time was working out of the Bank’s Darien branch.

This was the start of his relationship with First County Bank. By September of that year, with Christmas around the corner and interest in specialty toys on the rise, Jensen met with Giallongo and Rosenbloom to discuss applying for an inventory loan.

“They really went out of their way to help me with what I needed to help grow my business,” said Jensen. He secured an inventory loan that he would pay back in 2-3 months, which he did, and was approved for a business credit card.

Darien Toy Box has showed phenomenal growth since 2008 and continues to grow with the majority of his customers coming from Darien, Rowayton, and others from New Canaan, Stamford along with out-of-state and overseas customers who need a gift delivered to relatives in Darien. His regulars, of course, are children who sometimes refer to him as the ‘babysitter.’ Recently Jensen received a letter from a 7th grader who visited Darien Toy Box for a school project – she needed to find a science fiction book for Science Fiction Day. She says in her letter, ‘…I chose your store because it’s kid friendly and also educational. Your store reminds me of Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, a place kids come to learn and have fun.’ He chuckles, “…that’s what it’s all about for me.”

(l. to r.) Rey Giallongo, chairman and CEO First County Bank, Karen Kelly, senior vice president and chief marketing officer First County Bank, Melissa H. Mulrooney, executive director Stamford Museum & Nature Center, and David A. Swerdloff, president of the Stamford Museum & Nature Center's board of directors.

The Stamford Museum & Nature Center has extended its Maple Sugar Festival to a weekend event starting March 3. This year marks the 12th anniversary First County Bank has sponsored this family festival highlighting the New England tradition of maple sugaring.

At this festival, visitors will learn about the different methods used to turn sap into syrup through a variety of demonstrations. They will see firsthand how to tap a tree to harvest its sap; how colonists made maple syrup; the Native American hot rock method; and how the SM&NC uses the modern evaporation method to produce the maple syrup sold in its gift shop.

In addition, First County Bank will host its Chef’s Challenge event at the museum on Saturday, March 3, starting at 11:30 a.m. with a winner declared at 2 p.m. During the challenge, local caterers and restaurant chefs will compete to create the best tasting recipe, as judged by the public, using maple syrup as an ingredient.

“First County Bank and the Stamford Museum & Nature Center have enjoyed a very supportive partnership over the years,” said Karen Kelly, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at First County Bank. In addition to sponsoring the Maple Sugar Festival, First County Bank is helping to underwrite educational programming at the museum. “This is one of the area’s cultural institutions that continually needs the financial support of companies and individuals. On behalf of the trustees, board of directors and employees of First County Bank, we are happy to make this donation to a very important part of our community.”

The First County Bank Maple Sugar Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, March 3-4, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. rain or shine. The maple sugar season usually peaks around the first week in March. At this family festival, visitors will see maple sugar and tree tapping demonstrations, taste sweet maple syrup treats, make a maple-themed craft, go on a scavenger hunt and enjoy the popular Sunday pancake brunch.

Other activities include face painting, storytelling, music and much more. A daily admission fee of $5 will be charged to museum members while non-members will have to pay $10. All children 3 and under, Family Plus and above members are allowed in free.

I like to call it ‘dog wisdom’ or things we can learn from a dog. If you know anything about me, you know that I’m a dog lover, not only because of their everlasting loyalty and unconditional love, but also because they live their day to day with a wisdom I often envy. I sometimes view population as such; dogs and the rest of us.

While the ‘rest of us’ approach every New Year with a newfound sense of rebirth or unparalleled energy to make a change, achieve or attain a goal or two, dogs approach every New Year like the last and the one before that. It’s simple. Master it than live it, every year. While I’m certainly not comparing the complexities the rest of us share with that of dogs, I do think there’s quite a bit of dog wisdom we can incorporate into our daily life for a better more fulfilling New Year and life.

Inspired by my own furry friend, here’s a rather distinctive, unconventional list of New Year’s resolutions to consider for your enjoyment and inspiration.

• Never pass up the opportunity for a joy ride.
• Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• When it’s in your best interest, practice obedience.
• Let others know when they’ve invaded your territory.
• Take naps and stretch before rising.
• Run, romp and play daily.
• Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
• Be loyal.
• Never pretend to be something you are not.
• If you want what lies buried, dig until you find it.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
• Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.
• When you are happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
• No matter how often you are scolded, do not get into the guilt thing and pout… run back and make friends.
• Bond with your pack.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Ammar and Nehla Murad had to move out of their home in Rye Brook, N.Y. on June 27 and couldn’t secure a commitment letter from Wells Fargo. “We had a deadline to meet and the bank’s red tape was too time intensive. The bank kept extending the deadline until finally we decided to look at other banks for the loan,” said Nehla Murad. Their realtor recommended First County Bank.

The Murads met with First County Bank mortgage experts Alice Robinson and David Zamary on Monday, June 20, and were able to close on their condo on June 30. “We walked out of that first meeting knowing these two people would deliver for us,” said Ms. Murad.

“We felt very confident in their ability. At Wells, we had no access to the underwriters and neither did the originator. With First County, we had access to everyone. We have never closed a mortgage as quickly as we did with First County,” said Mr. Murad. Over the years, the Murads have experienced three mortgage closings and two refinancings.

This customer experience gave First County Bank a marketing idea that it hoped would help spur on the residential home market, especially for first-time homebuyers, and attract new borrowers to the bank. And for those borrowers looking to buy or refinance a home and want to close within 30 days, First County Bank offers a new mortgage closing guarantee.

The First County Bank Mortgage Guarantee applies to both purchase and refinance mortgage loans on one- to four-family, owner-occupied residential properties in Connecticut.

“We’ll close your mortgage within 30 days or we’ll pay you $1,000, provided all required documentation is received by First County Bank within 48 hours of your submission of a completed application,” said Kathy Harris, president and COO of First County Bank. “Today’s borrowers demand assurances that their loan will close quickly. For the Murads, our assurance they would receive a commitment letter when promised avoided the possible loss of the 10 percent deposit on the new property,” explained Harris.

With today’s technology and online access, First County Bank originators are able to fill out all appropriate applications, determine credit scores, approximate market value of a home and what a monthly payment will be, in order to give the borrower a pretty good idea if he or she will qualify for a loan and what it will cost: All before the customer leaves the branch.

“We’ve streamlined the entire mortgage processing system at First County Bank,” added Harris. “In fact, we’re putting our money on it.”

Every customer looking to take out a mortgage at First County Bank is assigned a loan originator, processor and underwriter. The loan originator becomes that borrower’s key contact throughout the process. Any time the borrower has a question, he can call his originator who will quickly answer that question. Originators counsel the borrower in order to determine the best product for his or her needs. And it all starts the minute the borrower sits down with a bank representative.

“Everybody wants to save money. It is our job to make sure our customers’ needs are matched with the correct product in order to achieve his or her financial goals,” Harris concluded.

“We didn’t go with the larger banks because we didn’t feel a connection to the people. They were too lax in their approach,” explained Mr. Murad. “We’ve always had low expectations from banks we’ve dealt with in the past. First County is different. The people at First County care about you and want to make sure you know where you stand every step of the process.”

“Compared to other banks’ personnel, Alice and Dave were amazing. Alice was able to react, answer questions and communicate with us as the information became available,” added Ms. Murad. Since closing on their loan, the Murads have opened up savings and checking accounts with First County Bank. “Whenever I thanked Alice, she would always credit her support team and back office personnel. ‘It’s an amazing team I work with here,’ she’d say, and would never take credit herself,” concluded Ms. Murad.

For more information about the First County Bank Mortgage Closing Guarantee, borrowers should visit www.FirstCountyBank.com/guarantee.

Last year the First County Bank Foundation awarded more than $591,000 to 108 nonprofit organizations throughout lower Fairfield County. Since its inception in 2001, the foundation has awarded a total of 544 individual grants, worth more than $4.6 million.

To be eligible, all applicants must have nonprofit tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and serve the communities of Stamford, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk or Westport. Grant application forms are available on the Web site: http://www.firstcountybank.com/application-process-0.

“We always look forward to announcing the availability of foundation grant applications,” First County Bank Foundation Vice President Katherine Harris said. “One of the most rewarding parts of my position here at First County Bank is evaluating applicants and awarding appropriate grants that we know will be put to good use by our nonprofit partners.”

“In response to economic times and significant need for financial help, the First County Bank Foundation is on a mission to find new nonprofits to benefit from our grant program,” Rey Giallongo, president of First County Bank Foundation, said. “Through the dedication and charitable nature of First County Bank’s directors, corporators, officers and employees, the bank strives to make a difference in the communities it serves. This is accomplished by helping to ensure that local charitable needs continue to be met.”

Established in 2001 in honor of the bank’s 150th anniversary, the First County Bank Foundation was created to distribute funds annually to nonprofit organizations that support community and economic development for children and families. As a mutual bank with no shareholders, First County Bank considers contributions made by the foundation a means of paying dividends back to the local communities it serves.