COUNTRY representative Brian Carnes donates $2,000 to Jefferson Elementary School in Ottawa

COUNTRY Financial representative Brian Carnes supported Jefferson Elementary School in Ottawa with a donation of $2,000.

The funds will be used to purchase holiday gifts of appreciation for teachers and administrators. Carnes delivered the gifts to more than 50 teachers and staff at the school.

“This school serves 274 students with 63% of them being economically disadvantaged students in our community,” Carnes said in a news release. “They go above and beyond to serve young people here. The least we can do is to express appreciation for all their efforts at this special time of year.”

COUNTRY Financial has donated more than $5 million since 2020 to organizations and programs that support first responders, active-duty service members and veterans, supporting the company’s vision to “enrich lives in the communities we serve.” The Operation Helping Heroes program was created in 2015 to support non-profit events and programs that benefit active-duty service members, veterans and their families. Later, the program expanded to include first responders and teachers.