Voting is on in Sterling Federal Bank's charity challenge

STERLING – There’s still time to make your votes count in Sterling Federal Bank’s second annual Employee Charity Challenge.

Community-owned SFB, which has branches in seven cities and towns, including Clinton, Iowa, is giving $35,000 to three of 10 local charities, chosen by its employees and the public.

Here’s how it works:

For the past several years, bank workers chose local charities to get donations from the bank, but last year, the bank decided to ask for the public’s input, too.

Employees chose 10 charities, the bank posted them online, and folks can vote once a day through March 31 on the Sterling Federal Bank's Facebook page for their favorites.

The top three vote-getters will get $20,000, $10,000 and $5,000, respectively.

The charities are:

• Lee County Council on Aging, which provides recreational, educational and wellness activities for those 50 and older.

• Pads Homeless Shelter, which serves men, women and families in Dixon.

• Twin City PADS, a homeless shelter in Sterling.

• Habitat for Humanity in Dixon, which builds houses for low-income families.

• Pegasus Special Riders in Oregon, a therapeutic horseback riding facility for people with special needs.

• American Red Cross of Northwest Illinois, which serves Bureau, Carroll, Lee, Ogle, and Whiteside and several other counties.

• L’Arche, which provides support for people with developmental disabilities.

• Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Clinton County, Iowa, which serves the Sauk Valley.

• Rock River Hospice & Home in Sterling, which serves Whiteside, Lee, Carroll, Ogle and Bureau counties.

• Serenity Hospice and Home in Oregon.

Find Sterling Federal Bank's Facebook page and click on the charity challenge to vote.

Call 815-626-0614 for more information.