Hello District 20 friends, S.D. banks play a vital role in our communities. There are 11,548 employees in S.D. banks. The total annual compensation and benefits are $1.1 billion per year. There are a total of $797 billion in deposits. There are 82 bank charters, with 433 branches and offices in our state. Lending in our state (1) New home loans in 2023 $1.9 billion (2) 6,716 new home loans in 2023 (3) Small business loans $2.9 billion (4) 54 thousand small business loans (5) Small farm loans $172 million (6) 1,684 small farm loans. We are very fortunate for the many ways the South Dakota Bankers Association (SDBA) contributes to our communities and the operation and future of our state. On a far more serious note, some people are more at risk for suicide than others. Health factors, environmental factors, and historic factors all contribute to suicide ideation. Risk factors are characteristics or conditions, that when combined, increase the chance that a person may try to end their life. Watch for potential suicide warning signs. Most people who end their lives exhibit one or more warning signs, either through what they say or what they do. Assume you’re the only one who will reach out. If you’re concerned about someone talk in private. If a person says they are thinking about suicide, take the person seriously. Be sure to follow up with them after the crisis to see how they are doing. If you’re struggling, please don’t wait for someone to reach out! The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK (8255). There have been two house bills related to this issue this year. HB 1201 was opposed by school counselors in our state this year. It would put them in a very difficult spot between protecting children and their ethics. On the other hand HB1162 was supported for it’s effort to prevent suicide amongst our military. In 2023, we lost 523 Service members to suicide nationally (includes Active component, Reserves, and National Guard.) Together we can make South Dakota an even better place to live and raise a family! Let’s focus on what we have in common, take care of each other, and keep smiling.