March's cover photo, and Calendar Contest winner, is of a delightful House Finch captured with a Canon T1i by Tiffany Knupp at her home in McGaheysville.
 
Click here to view the full list of 2014 contest winners!  

 

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Learn how you can save money and earn rewards with your F&M Bank debit card by visiting the 
F&M Bonus Rewards website.

Get current news and shareholder information from our Investor Relations website.
    
 
Take a look at our current inventory of Bank-Owned Real Estate For Sale.   

Online Statements: You asked, we listened


You now have access to view six 
months of e-statements in your Online Banking account. Be on the lookout for 12-14 months of e-statement history available soon! 


Upcoming Shred Days at F&M Branches
 

Protect yourself from identify theft by letting us safely dispose of your old tax documents or anything else containing sensitive information.
While you're there, learn more about identity theft protection and enjoy customer appreciation days at the following dates and times:


Port Road 

April 12, 

9:30am-12 
Food Bank donations accepted all day 

 

Luray 

April 26, 9am-12
+ Customer Appreciation Day    

 

Edinburg 

May 10, 9am-12

 

Bridgewater 

May 16, 3pm-5pm

 

Timberville 

June 6, 3pm-5pm

 

Crossroads 

June 20, 3pm-5pm 

 

Woodstock 

Sept. 27, 9am-12  

 

Mark your calendars to take advantage of these FREE community events!  

 


  VALLEY BUSINESS Q & A
 


This month we spoke to Broadway resident Nick Ropp, co-founder of the unique hooded jumpsuit company, Comfort Zone Apparel LLC.

 

Comfort Zone Apparel was recently named Grand Prize Winner in the American Express #Passion Project Contest and called the "Best Onesie Ever" in a product review by Tester Magazine.

 


Q: Describe your business in five words or less.     


A:
Slightly Ridiculous, Extremely Comfortable.


Q: How and why did you start Comfort Zone?     


A:
My wife and I were living in Europe where I was serving as Marketing Director with a public company.  While traveling, we discovered adult onesies made of sweatshirt material.  It was basically a jump suit with a hood (no feet), made out of the exact same thing one of your favorite sweatshirts would be made from.  Like 90% of Americans, one of the first things we do at the end of the day is change into something more comfortable, and a hooded jump suit made of sweatshirt material seemed like the perfect thing!  There were, however, some obvious issues with the functionality of those garments, which we found out once we got them home.  I spoke with a couple of the companies that were making the garments to gauge interest in opening up the US market.  I had some ideas for the product both from a marketing and functionality perspective, and in the end decided this product could probably be made exactly like I wanted it, Made in the USA, and I probably wouldn't even go above the retail prices of the European companies ($159-$289).  I spent about 2.5 years trying to figure out how to make the product 100% in the USA, from the cotton seed to the final stitch, and also add the missing functionality my wife and I thought was desperately needed (the back flap!).

In Spring 2013, we launched the CoZone Hooded Jump Suit at a fashion trade show in Las Vegas.  While sales weren't great, we did get a lot of interest, and it was at that point I decided we either needed to go for it, or wonder what if.  I quit my day job in June 2013 and we're off!       


Q: What is on the horizon for 2014? 
   
  


A:
We're expanding our line for Fall 2014 to include prints and more colors and have officially licensed a JMU edition in both purple and gray. We can add custom logos to our apparel and also going to debut our "Cozy Feet" logo on garments which we hope will increase interest and aid in brand building for possible expansion into other lines.

Q: Do you face any unique challenges as a local business?    


A:
With the internet and cell phones, where you are doesn't seem to matter a whole lot.  I have consulted with people all over the globe as I try to ensure the success of the business.  I can't deny it might be a little easier to run clothing company if you were located in a fashion district in a large city, but then I'd have to be in a fashion district in a large city...       


Q: What is your favorite thing about the Shenandoah Valley? 
     


A: The people and the pace.  Other than that three minutes every day when school lets out, there are no traffic issues to speak of, and if you want to hike, ski, or visit the nation's capital, it's not difficult.  We have it pretty good here, don't tell anyone!    



For more information about CoZone, and to purchase your own extremely comfortable jumpsuit, visit their website at www.cozone.us.

 

 
If you own or operate a local business and would like to be featured in an upcoming newsletter, please email marketing@fmbankva.com.

 

  

 

Employee Spotlight: Meet Teresa

 



Teresa Helmick, Vice President & Elkton Branch Manager has been with Farmers & Merchants Banks for 16 years and in the banking industry for 31 years. Teresa is originally from the Elkton area and graduated from Spotswood High School. When she is not busy overseeing her staff and branch operations in Elkton, Teresa enjoys camping and spending time with her friends, family, husband John, and two daughters who both currently attend James Madison University.

 

 



IS YOUR BATHROOM OUTDATED AND IN NEED OF SERIOUS ATTENTION? 
 
Then send us your pictures to prove it and you could win a $1,000 gift card to Randy's
Do It Best Hardware!

 

It's easy!

1) Just download an 
entry formread the Official Rules and submit the form, along with your ugly bathroom photos, to marketing@fmbankva.com, or at any of our nine F&M Bank branch locations, the F&M Loan Production office in Fishersville, or VBS Mortgage in Harrisonburg.

Stop by the F&M/VBS booth at the Home and Garden Show April 12th and 13th to see if you're the winner. 

We can't wait. Good luck!

 

 

 

We Hope to See You at These Community Events

Tuesday, April  1 Shenandoah Valley Prayer Breakfast
Visit www.valleyprayerbreakfast.org for more information.

Tuesday, April 1 Shenandoah County Chamber Quarterly Networking Lunch with speaker, Congressman Goodlatte. Visit www.shenandoahcountychamber.com or call (540) 459-2542.

Friday, April 4 American Marketing Association (Central VA/Shenandoah Valley Chapter). Local business and professional meet and greet and networking event. Visit http://www.centralvaama.org/index.php/events for more information.

Saturday - Sunday, April 12 and 13 Shenandoah Valley Builders Association Home and Garden Show. Visit www.valleybuilders.org for more information. 

Saturday, April 5
Plains District Museum Dinner and Dance. For more information about the Museum's annual fundraiser offering a country dinner, musician E.L. Smith, an auction and door prizes, call (540) 896-7900.

Thursday, May 15 Farmers & Merchants Bank Business After Hours at Crossroads. Visit http://www.hrchamber.org/calendar.php for more information.



To have your community or non-profit event listed in our monthly newsletter, email marketing@fmbankva.com. 



We believe community banking is the most responsive to the needs of our customers and the community we serve. We celebrate our Shenandoah Valley roots and local decision making since 1908. 

 

Visit www.fmbankva.com or stop by one of our nine convenient branch locations for information on how we can best serve you and your banking needs.

 

Sincerely,