F&M program benefits Long Beach Symphony Orchestra  The motto of
Long Beach's Farmers & Merchants Bank -- "Strong, Conservative,
Friendly" -- played out on a stage in the Long Beach Arena on
Saturday night -- to the benefit of the Long Beach Symphony
Orchestra.  At the pops concert, the bank's CEO W. Henry Walker
announced a new fundraising program that's definitely friendly
to the symphony. When symphony supporters open new qualified
accounts at his bank, the bank will donate $200 to the symphony.
The bank's goal for the program it's calling Symphony Checking
is 1,000 new accounts, generating $200,000 for next season.  In
a phone interview, Walker said the new program is in addition to
the bank's ongoing major funding as Long Beach Symphony Pops!
Series Sponsor, plus the $100,000 it contributed to the recent
$800,000 sustainability fund that allowed the symphony to
complete the current season, retire old debt and start the
2010-2011 season with a clean slate.  What makes the program
feasible for the bank is