Ballston Spa National Bank (BSNB) in Ballston Spa, New York, brought creativity, connection and community spirit to the Saratoga County Annual Business Showcase last fall, transforming a traditional networking opportunity into an engaging experience with its “Putt for a Cause” initiative.
Hosted by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, the showcase brought together businesses and organizations from across the county to connect, build visibility and engage with the public. As a longtime chamber member, BSNB was invited to sponsor the event and saw it as an opportunity to deepen its connections with the people and organizations that shape Saratoga County.
Rather than hosting a standard table, the $914 million-asset community bank’s marketing, commercial banking and wealth management teams collaborated on a 10-by-10-foot booth featuring a putting green, branded signage and giveaway items from both BSNB and Captain Community Human Services (Captain Cares), the nonprofit selected as the beneficiary of “Putt for a Cause” for 2025.
The response was overwhelmingly positive. Golf lovers and first-time putters stopped by to take a swing, drawn in by the high-energy atmosphere and the chance to support a local cause. From the event, BSNB raised $1,000 to support Captain Cares’ “Building Brighter Futures” campaign, which expands access to health and human services in the region.
“[We’ve] been a long-standing supporter of Captain [Cares],” said Jillian Cutrone, vice president of marketing at BSNB. “We have employees who actively volunteer with the organization, and we strongly believe in their mission. So, it was a natural fit to partner with Captain for this event.”
Looking ahead, BSNB plans to continue participating in the showcase and other community-focused initiatives. It supported more than 120 organizations with nearly $200,000 lasty year.