First Reliance Barbeque Honors "Hometown Heroes"

CHARLESTON, South Carolina - First Reliance Bank invites you to join them at a barbeque for Charleston-area "Hometown Heroes" on Friday, February 19, 2010, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at the bank's Mt. Pleasant, branch. The office is located at 800 South Shelmore Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC. In addition to a "thank you lunch," there will also be giveaways and a drawing for a free lunch, one time a month for an entire year, from Firehouse Subs.

Ben Brazell, Charleston Market President, said, " Our barbeque will recognize firefighters, nurses and health care workers, law-enforcement officials, teachers, military personnel, employees of churches and not-for-profit organizations, and many other men and women who dedicate their lives to the well-being of others. In honor of these Hometown Heroes, the bank has developed a special "thank you program of banking benefits for those who make our world safer, smarter, and healthier."

"Our Bank's purpose is to make the lives of our customers better. The Hometown Heroes program is just one of many distinctive programs the bank offers to fulfill that purpose," said Rick Saunders, CEO of First Reliance Bank. "We are indebted to our Hometown Heroes, and we not only want to give them the recognition they deserve through this specially designed program, but also make other customers and the public aware of how they make our communities a better place to live. We look forward to meeting and saying 'thank you' to our Charleston-area Hometown Heroes at our upcoming cookout!" According to Saunders, First Reliance Bank is the only financial institution in South Carolina offering this type of a program and benefits for this group of people.

The Hometown Heroes program includes a high-interest checking account, a high interest rate savings and CD account, mortgage-closing and home equity line of credit discounts, and other benefits. Additionally, $5 for every new checking account opened is donated to a related hometown heroes related professional organization.

For additional information regarding the First Reliance Bank Hometown Heroes cookout, call Raye Albers, Mount Pleasant Branch Manager at (843) 375-3621.

ABOUT FIRST RELIANCE BANK
First Reliance Bank, founded in 1999, has assets of approximately $640 million, and employs over 145 highly talented associates. The bank serves Columbia, Charleston, and Florence markets in South Carolina. The bank has been recognized as One of the Best Places to Work in South Carolina by the SC BIZ for four consecutive years and was named 2009 Lender of the Year by the South Carolina State Housing and Finance Authority. First Reliance Bank offers a unique Hometown Heroes package of benefits to serve those who are serving our communities, Check 'N Save, a community outreach program for the unbanked or under-banked, a Customer Service Guaranty, a 5 Way Mortgage Guaranty, FREE Coin Machines, and a Worldwide NO FEE ATM Network. It also offers 8-8 Extended Hours in all of their Florence, Charleston, West Columbia and Lexington locations and is open on most traditional bank holidays. Its There's More To Banking Than Money™ brand has earned the young bank a customer satisfaction rating of 98% (Lamothe & Associates, Inc., Research Firm) and the number one market share in its headquarters city of Florence, SC. First Reliance Bank is traded as FSRL.OB. Information about the Company is available on the company's website at www.firstreliance.com.