Press Releases / News

Unified Bank Sponsors Belmont County Annual Staying Clean Car Show

Friday, November 4, 2022

Photo Caption: Left to Right: Belmont County Juvenile & Probate Judge Albert E. Davies; Vince West, Martins Ferry Police Officer; Stacy Carpino, Unified Bank Retail Banking Executive & Area Sales Manager; and John McFarland, Martins Ferry Police Chief and BCSSC Board Member.

Middle and High School years are perhaps the most important years in the development of life skills, habits, and practices. Teach a child good habits at this age, and they are likely going to continue with these for the rest of their lives. The same can be said of bad habits. This is why the Belmont County Juvenile Court and Belmont County Schools Staying Clean (BCSSC) Program is so important for everyone in our community.

Research has determined that students involved in substance abuse will do more poorly in school than students who stay clean. Students who stay clean (drug and alcohol-free) are more likely to have better grades, a lower rate of absences from school, participate more in school-related activities, and are more likely destined for graduation.

The Belmont County Schools Staying Clean organizers, realizing the many risk factors for high-risk substance use, strive to provide activities and programming designed to keep kids healthy and drug-free. Among other things, this includes drug screens for youth participants, public speaking presentations from highly respected motivational speakers in schools throughout Belmont County, awards and incentives for youth participants, and ongoing work to educate and encourage more youth to participate.

According to Belmont County Juvenile & Probate Judge Albert E. Davies, “This important work comes with a price tag, and it is through generous sponsorship and donations from dedicated local leaders like Unified Bank that we can afford to provide these life-saving services,” Davies added.

Every year the organization hosts an annual Car Show, used both as a fundraiser and as a beacon for community awareness. “Support of our Annual Car Show has no doubt saved many children from taking that first step to use drugs by providing a positive alternative and the ability to verbalize their participation in the Staying Clean Program,” said Martins Ferry Police Chief and BCSSC Board Member John McFarland.

The organization is looking forward to suggestions and conversations as they continue in program operations and in planning their 2023 Car Show. They are also accepting sponsorships and donations. Unified Bank President & Chairman Scott Everson said, “Unified is very happy to help kick off the fundraising leg of this year’s Annual Staying Clean Car Show with a $500 donation.” 

Anyone wishing to learn more about Belmont County Schools Staying Clean Program or in donating to the Annual Car Show can contact Chief McFarland by calling 740-296-0685.

Unified Bank is a full-service FDIC-insured, state-chartered commercial bank headquartered in Martins Ferry, OH and has eighteen locations that serve the Ohio counties of Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Fairfield, Harrison, Hocking, Jefferson and Tuscarawas and Marshall County in West Virginia. Unified Bank is the sole operating subsidiary of United Bancorp, Inc. (UBCP), a publicly-traded bank holding company, and has been serving the financial needs of the Ohio Valley since 1902 from its headquarters in Martins Ferry, Ohio.