S&T Bank Partners with 'Cell Phones for Soldiers' to Provide U.S. Troops with Free Calls Home

INDIANA, Pa., Nov. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- S&T Bank (NASDAQ: STBA), a full-service financial institution with branch locations in 10 Pennsylvania counties, has partnered with Cell Phones for Soldiers to serve as a collection site for customers to donate cell phones that benefit U.S. soldiers deployed overseas. As part of the S&T Mobile Banking "S&T Bank Says Thanks to Our Troops Sweepstakes," customers will have an opportunity to donate gently-used cell phones for a chance to attend the Jerome Bettis Show as a guest, including lunch. Ten customers will be randomly selected to attend. The bank is also accepting nominations of current and former U.S. military personnel and will randomly select three of them to attend the show as well.

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"Cell Phones for Soldiers creates a vital link to home for our troops by enabling them to speak with family and friends at a time when the support of loved ones is needed most," said Todd D. Brice, president and chief executive officer of S&T Bank. "S&T is proud to partner with Cell Phones for Soldiers and provide our customers with an opportunity to support those who serve and sacrifice themselves to fight for our freedom."  

With ongoing deployments to combat areas and elsewhere, as many as 290,000 troops are serving in the U.S. military overseas. By donating gently-used cellular phones to Cell Phones for Soldiers, S&T customers can provide troops with that precious connection to loved ones. 

Cell Phones for Soldiers has provided more than 168 million minutes of free talk time to service men and women stationed around the world.  Funds raised from the recycling of cellular phones are used to purchase prepaid international calling cards.  On average, Cell Phones for Soldiers distributes 12,000 calling cards each week to bases around the world, care package programs, deployment ceremonies and VA hospitals.

"Each year we have been humbled by the amount of people and organizations like S&T Bank that take the initiative to support our troops," said Brittany Bergquist, co-founder of Cell Phones for Soldiers. "We want to continue to mend the communication gap between our armed forces and their loved ones as troops continue to serve our country."

Stop by any S&T branch to donate a gently-used cellular device to Cell Phones for Soldiers as part of the "S&T Bank Says Thanks to Our Troops Sweepstakes."  For official rules, please visit www.stbank.com or call 800.325.2265.

About S&T Bancorp, Inc.

Headquartered in Indiana, PA, S&T Bancorp, Inc. operates offices within Allegheny, Armstrong, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Clarion, Clearfield, Indiana, Jefferson and Westmoreland counties.  With assets of $4.4 billion, S&T Bancorp, Inc. stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol STBA.  For more information, visit http://www.stbancorp.com.

About Cell Phones for Soldiers, Inc.

Cell Phones for Soldiers, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing cost-free communication services to active-duty military members and veterans.  Based in Norwell, Mass., Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded in 2004 by Robbie and Brittany Bergquist, then 12 and 13 years old.  The organization has provided more than 168 million minutes of free talk time to deployed military members.  Beginning in 2012, "Helping Heroes Home" will provide emergency funds for returning veterans to alleviate communication challenges as well as physical, emotional and assimilation hardships.  For more information, visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com,  www.helpingheroeshome.org, or www.facebook.com/JoinCellPhonesforSoldiers.  

SOURCE S&T Bank