AUSTIN, Texas –Small-town bankers gave away $40,000 worth of fuel at gas station 'takeovers' yesterday during a cross-country "Take Back Your Banking" protest, according to a Marketwire report. Select gas stations in ten cities participated, including locations in New York, Baltimore, Memphis, Portland and elsewhere.

Community bank and credit union representatives joined forces under the banner of Kasasa.com, a national brand of free checking and savings accounts, to pump $20 worth of fuel for the first 200 customers at each gas station.

The giveaway was meant to highlight the efforts of small-town bankers to give back to their communities as gas prices rise inconveniently high for consumers, as well as raise awareness of mistreatment by megabanks and remind consumers there is another way to bank, according to the report. The Kasasa way of banking is about supporting local economies and rewarding account holders for their hard-earned deposits, according to the company.

A second set of "Take Back Your Banking" event was scheduled for yesterday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. in Atlanta; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Jersey City, N.J.; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas; Minneapolis; Kansas City, Mo.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; and Lafayette, La.

By the end of the week, community banks and credit unions expect to have given away $80,000 worth of gasoline.