The postal service gets credit for the credo: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

Fourteen INB employees applied the same to their recent participation in the 3rd Annual Komen Springfield Race for the Cure. Torrential rains and chemotherapy didn’t stop them from taking part in the event.

INB was part of team “Bankers for the Cure” Together; the group raised $8,700 and had 100 walkers/runners on the team. INB’s Sue McGill, a breast cancer survivor, spearheaded our participation. While Sue has been cancer-free for five years, teammate and colleague Diane Kindred, is battling breast cancer today. Diane says she was thrilled to be in attendance with members of her family by her side. Smiling and glowing the entire time, she was the INB team’s honorary team captain. She spent some of the evening volunteering her time at the Bankers for the Cure team tent.

Donna Smith, our North Branch manager, participated with her sister, a breast cancer survivor. Donna say, “My sister had a mastectomy January 2014 – and treatment for several months. We have attended several supportive group meetings to help all of us through this time.”

The annual Race for the Cure isn’t new to INB. Tony Gavin, commercial lender, served as a volunteer chair for two years, organizing and scheduling volunteers throughout the year. The Springfield race has raised over $40,000 in its first three years.

One thing the planners couldn’t control was the weather. While the forecast was discouraging May 13, our walkers and runners were ready to go . . . even as ominous clouds seemed to be coming right at them at the starting point. While we got drenched, at least the weather held out for much of the pre-race street party, dancing, survivor stories, and tributes.

And like the U.S. postal workers, we plan to be “couriers (in) this swift competition” again next year.