Public Invited to View Artworks of Stone Belt Artists in Monroe Bank Art Gallery

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.— Monroe Bank is proud to present the distinctive work of Stone Belt artists. The mixed-media mosaic artworks of 15 Stone Belt artists will be exhibited in the Monroe Bank Art Gallery at the Kirkwood Banking Center at 210 E. Kirkwood Avenue in Bloomington through Saturday, May 17, 2008. An opening reception to view the art and meet the artists will be held on Thursday, January 31, 2008 at 5:30 pm in the Monroe Bank Art Gallery. Those wishing to attend the reception should RSVP by calling (812) 335-5983 or emailing artreception@monroebank.com.

Stone Belt strives to be the provider of choice for individuals with developmental disabilities in south central Indiana. Says Stone Belt’s CEO, Leslie Green: “We first produced the art as part of a therapeutic classroom activity, but it generated so much interest from the community we felt it had marketing potential – rightly so as the response from the public has been outstanding. Every person who looks at the art has a different favorite that speaks to them in some way. In addition to the wages and commissions that the artists make, the proceeds from the sales help to further develop the studio as well as to support other programs operated by Stone Belt.”

Stone Belt is a not-for-profit organization offering a full range of programs and services for over 1,000 consumers in Monroe, Lawrence, Owen, Bartholomew and surrounding counties. The organization was founded in 1958 by a small group of parents seeking services for their children. Stone Belt’s mission is, in partnership with the community, to prepare, empower and support persons with developmental disabilities and their families to participate fully in the life of the community.

Stone Belt’s Vital Statistics:

· 2000+ total clients served
· 500+ employees
· 200 individuals served in residential programs
· 11 group homes, 8 in Monroe County and 3 in Lawrence County
· 575 individuals served in day program services
· 170 individuals receiving community employment support
· 1.1 million dollars in revenue in Stone Belt workshops
· 20+ million dollar operating budget

More information about Stone Belt can be obtained at http://www.stonebelt.org.
Members of the public are invited to stop by the Kirkwood banking center weekdays and view the artworks between 9 am and 5 pm and on Saturdays between 9 am and 12 noon to view the Stone Belt artworks. Artworks are displayed around the banking center, in offices and behind the teller line. Unless specified, all artworks can also be purchased.

Since 2000, Monroe Bank has used its Kirkwood banking center lobby as gallery space for dozens of local artists, including painters, photographers and fabric artists. The downtown Bloomington office, located on bustling Kirkwood Avenue, is an ideal space for artists—especially since it is Monroe Bank’s practice not to charge a gallery fee or any commissions to the artist. For each exhibition, which typically runs for four months, Monroe Bank hosts a reception for the artist or artists being showcased in the Gallery.

Monroe Bancorp, headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, is an Indiana bank holding company with Monroe Bank as its wholly owned subsidiary. Monroe Bank was established in Bloomington in 1892 and offers a full range of financial, trust and investment services through its 17 offices in Central and South Central Indiana. The Company's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Stock Market under the symbol MROE.