Essex Savings Bank President & CEO Gregory R. Shook

Essex, CT, January 17, 2012 – Gregory R. Shook, President & Chief Executive Officer of Essex Savings Bank announced today, “We are extremely proud to report available contributions of $255,700 from our Community Investment Program in our 161^st year.”  The Bank annually commits 10% of its after tax net income to qualifying organizations within the immediate market area consisting of  Chester, Deep River, Essex, Lyme, Madison, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook and Westbrook.  This program provides financial support to over 200 non-profit organizations who offer outstanding services to the ever-increasing needs of our communities.  By year end, a total of $3,416,700 will have been distributed since inception in 1996.  Essex Savings Bank customers determine 30% of the fund allocations each year by voting directly for three of their favorite causes, charities or organizations who have submitted applications to participate.  Ballots will be available at all Essex Savings Bank Offices between February 1 and March 15 to determine an allocation of $76,710.  The Bank’s Directors, Senior Officers and Branch Managers distribute the remaining 70%, or $178,990.

Organizations (94) qualifying to appear on the 2012 ballot include:

Act II Thrift Shop, Inc. ▪ Adams World Foundation for Dyslexic Children ▪ Brazilian and American Youth Cultural Exchange (BRAYCE) ▪ Bushy Hill Nature Center ▪ Call to Care Uganda, Inc. ▪ Camp Hazen YMCA ▪ Center School Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) ▪ Chester Historical Society ▪ Chester Land Trust, Inc. ▪ Child & Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut, Inc. ▪ Community Music School ▪ The Company of Fifers and Drummers ▪ Con Brio Choral Society, Inc. ▪ Connecticut Audubon Society Eco Travel ▪ The Connecticut River Museum at Steamboat Dock ▪ The Country School, Inc. ▪ Deacon John-Grave Foundation, Inc. ▪ Deep River Ambulance Association, Inc. ▪ The Deep River Ancient Muster Scholarship Trust ▪ Deep River Fire Department ▪ Deep River Historical Society, Inc. ▪ Deep River Junior Ancient Fife & Drum Corps, Inc. ▪ Deep River Land Trust, Inc. ▪ Dog Days Adoption Events, Inc. ▪ Essex Ambulance Association, Inc. ▪ Essex Community Fund, Inc. ▪ Essex Elementary School Foundation, Inc. ▪ Essex Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization, Inc. ▪ Essex Fire Engine Company No. 1 ▪ Essex Garden Club, Inc. ▪ Essex Historical Society, Inc. ▪ Essex Land Trust, Inc. ▪ Essex Library Association ▪ Essex Winter Series, Inc. ▪ Estuary Council of Seniors, Inc. – Meals on Wheels ▪ Florence Griswold Museum ▪ Forgotten Felines, Inc. ▪ Friends of Hammonasset, Inc. ▪ Friends In Service Here (F.I.S.H.) ▪ Friends of the Acton Public Library ▪ Graduation Night, Inc. – Old Saybrook ▪ High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc. ▪ Hope Partnership, Inc. ▪ Ivoryton Library Association ▪ Ivoryton Playhouse Foundation, Inc. ▪ The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, Inc. ▪ Literacy Volunteers – Valley Shore, CT, Inc. ▪ Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts ▪ Lyme Ambulance Association, Inc. ▪ Lyme Art Association, Inc. ▪ Lyme Consolidated School Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) ▪ The Lyme Fire Company, Inc. ▪ Lyme Land Conservation Trust, Inc. ▪ Lyme-Old Lyme Education Foundation ▪ Lyme-Old Lyme Safe Graduation Party, Inc. ▪ Lyme Public Hall Association, Inc. ▪ Lyme Public Library, Inc. ▪ Lymes’ Elderly Housing, Inc. (Lymewood) ▪ Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau ▪ Madison Ambulance Association, Inc. ▪ Madison Community Services, Inc. ▪ The Madison Foundation, Inc. ▪ Madison Historical Society, Inc. ▪ Madison Land Conservation, Inc. ▪ Maritime Education Network, Inc. ▪ Musical Masterworks, Inc. ▪ Old Lyme Children’s Learning Center, Inc. ▪ Old Lyme Fire Department, Inc. ▪ Old Lyme Historical Society, Inc. ▪ Old Lyme Land Trust, Inc. ▪ Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library Association ▪ Old Lyme Rowing Association, Inc. ▪ Old Lyme Visiting Nurse Association, Inc. ▪ Old Saybrook Education Foundation ▪ Old Saybrook Fire Company Number One, Inc. ▪ Old Saybrook Historical Society ▪ Old Saybrook Land Trust, Inc. ▪ Old Saybrook Youth & Family Services Foundation, Inc. ▪ The Region 4 Education Foundation, Inc. (R4EF) ▪ Ruth Ann Heller Music Foundation ▪ Ryerson School Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) ▪ Scranton Library, Madison (E.C. Scranton Memorial Library) ▪ The Shoreline Soup Kitchens ▪ Strong Center at the Surf Club, Inc. ▪ Tait’s Every Animal Matters (TEAM) ▪ The Touchdown Club, Inc. (Valley Regional High School/Old Lyme Football) ▪ Tracy Art Center, Inc. ▪ Tri-Town Youth Services Bureau, Inc. ▪ Valley Shore Animal Welfare League ▪ Valley-Shore YMCA ▪ Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley, Inc. (VNLV) ▪ Vista Vocational & Life Skills Center, Inc. ▪ Westbrook Youth and Family Services, Inc. ▪ The Woman’s Exchange of Old Lyme, Inc.

 Essex Savings Bank is a FDIC insured, state chartered, mutual savings bank established in 1851.  The Bank serves the Lower Connecticut River Valley with five offices in Essex (2), Madison, Old Saybrook, Old Lyme.  Financial, estate, insurance and retirement planning are offered throughout the state by the Bank’s Trust Department and subsidiary, Essex Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA, SIPC.  Investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds and annuities are not FDIC insured, may lose value, are not a deposit, have no Bank guarantee and are not insured by any Federal Government Agency.

Dozens showed up to commemorate 30 years of public transit on the shoreline May 13 at the Chester Meeting House, while many more celebrated with a discounted $0.30 fare and free anniversary hats on all of 9 Town Transit’s routes.

The guest list included many regular 9 Town Transit customers, area First Selectman, State Representative Phil Miller, Senator Blumenthal’s representative Paul Mounds, and other local residents and business leaders.

Keynote speaker Ralph Eno, First Selectman of Lyme, explained that the towns of Deep River, Essex, and Chester began operating a public transit service in 1976, well before a transit district was ever created.  The route began as a result of the gasoline crisis of that period. 

It was in 1980 that Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency (CREPRA) director Stan Griemmann began pitching the idea of a transit district to the nine estuary towns.  Between 1980 and 1981 the nine towns joined to create the Estuary Transit District, and in May 1981 the board of directors adopted its first by-laws. 

Although the district was created in 1981, it only offered service two to three days a week until 1996, when they took over the eastern portion of the Dattco S Route.  This route became the Shoreline Shuttle, and would remain the district’s only daily service until 2005.

It was not until 2005 that the district began to take on its current form.  The Riverside Shuttle service from Chester to Old Saybrook began, the district began directly operating service after 24 years of contracting out operations, and two Dial-A-Ride routes were added.  Then in 2009, Old Saybrook to Middletown service was implemented, and in 2010 Old Saybrook to New London service began. 

In 30 years, 9 Town Transit has gone from a two day a week bus service provider to a thirteen bus, six day a week operation providing 64,000 trips annually and providing connections to New Haven, Hartford, Middletown, Norwich and New London.  “9 Town Transit now contributes to economic development in our area,” said state representative Phil Miller.

9 Town Transit provides service to all parts of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook, and all services are open to the general public.  Additional information, route maps and schedules are available online at www.9towntransit.com or by calling 9 Town Transit at 860-510-0429.

Print PDF