A Story of a Local Paradise
by: Tiffany Ujjin, University of Georgia, American Marketing Association
In the moment, life seems like nothing but an overloaded schedule followed by more stress and craziness; it is often hard to find time and an activity to take your mind off everything. From taking a candle-lit bubble bath, to going on an endless evening run, people try their best to find a way to wind-down from their everyday life. For me, I find my blissful getaways in fun, local events. Growing up in Augusta, Georgia, my slice of heaven was always found in the little things—going to the farmer’s market or the local dairy farm’s fall pumpkin patch. Now that I attend school in Athens, I enjoy trying to find the hidden gems of this city. One of which I found in Oconee State Bank’s Customer Appreciation Day in Watkinsville, a town right outside of Athens.
On this Thursday evening of mid-October, it was like a scene from a film—crisp, chilled air with leaves on the trees turning colors and people gathering closely on Main Street in a small town. OSB employees and volunteers set up every booth with great attention to detail. In my opinion, the mums were the best and prettiest part—a plethora of colorful mums covered every table and filled the photo background.
The hill behind the bank was brimming with families and customers of all ages. The kids joyfully played in the bouncy-house while parents entered to win incredible gifts. Smiles were abundant as everyone relished in each other’s presence and hot dogs and Chick-Fil-A were enjoyed by all. As customer guests, we received a delicate complimentary jar of local raw honey and a gracious amount of chocolate and pecan pie. The atmosphere hummed with live acoustic music by two of OSB’s own team members. The evening radiated with genuine happiness with not a single worry in the world.
With all the fun and food, the best of the event was not anything material, it was the intangible thing of just being present in the moment. The feeling of being in a small town again felt like paradise. Everyone ranging from employees to volunteers to customers lit the evening with warmth and generosity. Conversations I had with everyone made me feel like I had known them for years. It was clear that Oconee State Bank makes every customer feel at home! Customer Appreciation Day fell nothing short of remarkable—Oconee State Bank truly marked lives.
