1 - TheBANK of Edwardsville

October
November
December
© Cover Photography by Sherrie Hickman,
TheCLUb Quarterly Designer
what’s inside:
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Join us for our
Halloween
Cookout
Beware of
Imposter
Scams
Holiday
Magic
Recipe
Section
PAGE 2
PAGE 13
INSERT
Spotlight2
A Note from
the President
3
Tips & Tidbits
4-5
Bank News
6-7
Around the Community 8
The People You
Know & Trust
9
Around TheBANK
9
Merchant Discount
Program10-11
Merchant Coupons
11
You’re Invited
12
Scams13
Money Matters
14
Cougar Banking
15
Fairways & Greens
16
For Your Health
16
Winning Websites
17
Top Reads
17
Movies17
Kids Korner
18
Holiday Craft
18
Brain Teaser
19
Fun Turkey Facts
19
holiday magic
FA V O R I T E R E C I P E S F R O M O U R
FA M I L E S T O Y O U R S I N S E R T
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Holiday Hours
2010 Oct. 11 – Monday - Columbus Day
In-Store 10 am-8 pm • Cougar Center at SIUE 9 am – 5 pm
All other centers closed
Nov. 11 – Friday - Veterans Day
In-Store 10 am-8 pm • Cougar Center at SIUE 9 am – 5 pm
All other centers closed
Nov. 24 – Thursday - Thanksgiving Day
Cougar Center at SIUE closed for Holiday Break
All centers closed
Dec. 24 – Saturday - Christmas Eve
In-Store 10 am-2 pm • Cougar Center at SIUE closed for Holiday Break
All other centers open 9 am - Noon
Dec. 25 – Monday - Christmas Day
Cougar Center at SIUE closed for Holiday Break
All other centers closed
Dec. 31 – Saturday - New Year’s Eve
In-Store 10 am-6 pm • Cougar Center at SIUE closed for Holiday Break
All other centers open regular hours
2012 Jan. 1 – Sunday - New Year’s Day
Cougar Center at SIUE closed for Holiday Break
All other centers closed
A Note from the President
Dear Customer:
Now that the near-historic hot and humid summer weather is
behind us, it’s time to turn our attention to what is perhaps the most
fun and memorable time of the year – the holiday season. From
Halloween parades to big Thanksgiving dinners to decorating the
Christmas tree to ringing in the New Year, the coming months offer
us a chance to gather with loved ones and celebrate.
But the holidays are also a good time to reflect on the year that was. As we look
back on 2011, it was both a challenging and rewarding year. The stubbornly
sluggish economy has had an impact on most everyone. Yet it’s in difficult times…
when communities and people are in need…that TheBANK can and does make
a big difference.
Need us?…
Need
Us?
Call Us!
Us!
Call
Main Office
618/656-0057
Edwardsville Center/
Troy Road
618/656-1917
In-Store Center Shop’n Save
618/659-0011
Alton Center/M.L. King Drive
618/467-6700
Alton Center/Ridge
618/463-7020
Belleville Center/
West Main Street
618/234-5690
You may have noticed TheBANK’s television commercial that ran in July, August
and September, which highlighted our StartFresh Checking accounts. These new
accounts have proven to be a considerable help to those who may have had financial
difficulties in the past or are currently experiencing hardships.
Belleville Center/
South Green Mount Road
618/257-0499
In addition to the products we offer to help people in need, TheBANK also
continued its long-standing commitment to community service in 2011, earning the
Illinois Bankers Association’s Illinois Bank Community Service Award. You can
read more on that below.
Collinsville Center
618/344-6100
We take helping out in our communities very seriously, and we’re proud of the
community service we have been able to share with you. Moving forward, you can
rest assured that we will continue to be there when and where we’re needed…
all year long. After all, the gift of giving shouldn’t be limited to the holiday season!
As we look forward to the New Year, I want to thank each and every one of you for
your continued business and the trust you have shown in us. We truly appreciate the
opportunity to serve you. And as always…from TheBANK’s family to yours…we
wish you a safe and happy holiday season!
Glen Carbon Center/
Route 159
618/288-4200
Glen Carbon Center/
Route 157
618/288-9950
Granite City
Center/Nameoki
618/877-5111
Granite City
Center/Maryville
618/797-0997
Highland Center
618/654-5414
Season’s Greetings,
O’Fallon Center
618/622-5440
Thomas E. Holloway
Pontoon Beach Center
618/797-5111
TheBANK Honored for Community
Service Recognized for its long-standing tradition of giving back to the
communities in which it serves, TheBANK was honored by the Illinois Bankers
Association as a 2011 Illinois Bank Community Service Award winner. The awards
were presented during the 120th Annual IBA Conference and Trade Show at the
Grand Geneva in Lake Geneva, Wis.
Executive Vice President Bill
Alexander Accepting the award
on TheBANK’s behalf.
Bethalto Center/Rt 140
618/377-6000
Throughout its 143-year history, TheBANK has remained committed to charitable,
civic and educational organizations in its communities. Last year alone, TheBANK’s 400 employees raised more than $60,000 for local causes like the March
of Dimes, the American Cancer Society and the United Way. Meanwhile, as a
corporation it contributed nearly $300,000 to charities and local civic and educational organizations. In addition, employees at TheBANK volunteer for more than
400 organizations by serving on various boards and committees.
SIUE Cougar
Banking Center
618/655-0780
Swansea Center
618/222-1019
Troy Center
618/667-6702
Wood River Center
618/258-0300
Reach Us Online at
www.4thebank.com
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tips & tidbits
HEALTH
ALL ABOUT MONEY
Wash Fruits & Veggies
What could be better for you than fresh
fruits and vegetables? But even the ripest
apple or lettuce can carry dirt and bacteria that need to be washed off before it’s
safe to eat. Follow these tips for making
sure your produce is untainted:
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Start with a clean slate. Wipe
down your kitchen counter, scrub
knives and cutting boards, and wash
your hands before cleaning your food.
Water is best. Don’t use soap or
detergents to wash your produce;
they can seep into the items and make
people sick. Use cool water and wash
for 30 to 60 seconds in most cases.
Some nutritionists say that a mixture
of three parts water and one part white
vinegar or lemon juice is even more effective, as long as you thoroughly rinse
the produce when you’re done.
Wash peeled food, too. Dirt and
microbes can hide in the crevices of
such fruits as orange and bananas,
so even though you don’t eat the
skin, washing it prevents the spread
of material from the peel to the fruit
through contact with your fingers.
Don’t wash and store. Wait until
you’re ready to eat them. If you wash
it and then stick it in the refrigerator,
it will retain moisture and spoil faster.
Use a brush. For firmer fruits
and vegetables such as apples and
potatoes, a stiff vegetable brush can
do a good job of removing dirt and
particles you don’t want to eat.
A History
of the
Banknote
Governments print it, misers hoard it
under their mattresses, rich people light
their cigars with it—but where does the
idea of paper money come from, anyway?
China, actually. The banknote apparently
originated during the Tang Dynasty (7th
century), to replace bulky copper coins
carried by merchants. The coins were
minted with rectangular holes in their
center so they could be strung together on
cords, but wealthy merchants found that
lugging their coins around was difficult.
A system was born in which merchants
left their coins with a trusted agent in
exchange for a note stating exactly how
much money was being held. The merchant could return the note at any time to
redeem his or her coins, and in time paper
money called “jiaozi” evolved.
In Europe, banknotes first came into use
in the 14th century. The term “banknote”
derives from nota di banco. The holder of
a note could redeem it for an amount of
silver or gold held on deposit with a bank.
In the New World, the Massachusetts
Bay Colony was the first of the American
colonies to circulate its own banknotes in
the early 1690s, but all 13 colonies were
issuing their own notes by the early 1700s.
The First Bank of the United States,
chartered by Congress in 1789 shortly
after the signing of the Constitution,
was authorized to issue banknotes, but
the U.S. federal government didn’t start
printing its own paper money until 1862.
HISTORY
Colmbus Day: The True Story
Everyone knows that Columbus commanded three ships when he first voyaged
to the New World: The Niña, the Pinta, and
the Santa María. Right?
Actually, according to a 1987 article in
the Los Angeles Times, those weren’t the
actual names of the ships that the intrepid
explorer sailed on. They were nicknames.
The Santa María’s real name was La Gallicia. The Niña was really the Santa Clara.
The Pinta’s true name is unknown. The
ships were built and supplied by a Spanish town called Palos as a punishment for
offending the crown.
And you probably know that Columbus
didn’t actually “prove” the world was
round. By the 15th century, virtually
all educated Europeans—especially
seagoing navigators—knew the world
wasn’t flat, though some uneducated
folks probably still expected him to fall
off the edge.
tips & tidbits
NUMBERS IN THE NEWS
Are You An Average
Social Networker?
If so, you have about 229 Facebook friends,
according to a recent Pew study, Social
Networking Sites and Our Lives. Just who are
these “friends?” The average list includes:
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High school friends: 22 percent
Extended family:12 percent
Co-workers:10 percent
College friends: 9 percent
Immediate family: 8 percent
Voluntary groups: 7 percent
Neighbors: 2 percent
And chances are you trust these people, and
people in general. The study found that “a
Facebook user who uses the site multiple
times per day is 43 percent more likely than
other Internet users and more than three
times as likely as non-Internet users to feel
that most people can be trusted.”
NUMBERS IN THE NEWS
NUMBERS IN THE NEWS
Our Love
for Smartphones
The Sky’s the Limit
for Solar Power
You love your smartphone, but do you
sleep with it? According to a survey
of 3,700 “mobile workers” conducted
by mobile service provider iPass, 61
percent sleep with their smartphones,
and 38 percent wake up in the middle
of the night to check email.
Thirty-one percent turn to their smartphones immediately upon waking up in
the morning, and 30 percent check their
messages every six to 12 minutes even
when they’re not officially on the clock.
Not surprising, 29 percent in the survey
said mobile technology was causing
friction in their relationships.
As sure as the sun rises every day, solar
power appears to be growing in popularity. A survey by Applied Materials,
a semiconductor manufacturer, found
that 27 percent of Americans say they’d
consider installing solar panels on their
homes. Why? Well, 65 percent say that
government incentives reducing their
initial cost would drive their decision,
and 54 percent felt that solar panels
would increase their home value.
Costs for solar panels have fallen from
around $4 per watt in 2008 to just
$1 per watt today. Still, solar power
accounts for less than 1 percent of U.S.
energy production.
ODDS & ENDS
Amaze Your
Friends with These
Outlandish Words
English is an amazing language, filled
with unusual and obscure words. Here
are a few to drop into the conversation
when you want to show off:
Agastopia (n.) Admiration of a
particular part of someone’s body.
“Andrew considered his habit of gazing
at Lila’s elbow to be a little harmless
agastopia—until his girlfriend elbowed
him in the ribs.”
Erinaceous (adj.) Of, pertaining
to, or resembling a hedgehog. “He told
me I looked stunningly erinaceous, but
I’m not sure it was a compliment.”
Kakorrhaphiophobia (n.)
Abnormal fear of failure. “Bernard
loved pie, but his kakorrhaphiophobia
prevented him from entering the pieeating contest.”
Macrosmatic (adj.) Having
a good sense of smell. “Vernon’s
macrosomatic powers enabled him to
trail the suspect by following the scent
of anchovies on her breath from a pizza
she’d eaten yesterday.”
Xertz (v.) To gulp a beverage
enthusiastically, heartily and quickly.
“Thirsty, Max proceeded to xertz his beer
and then belched the first eight bars of
‘Old McDonald Had a Farm.’ ”
Zoanthropy (n.) A mental
disorder in which one believes oneself
to be an animal. “Bruce had to sleep
upside down because in his extreme
zoanthropy he believed he was a bat,
an affliction which eventually led to his
becoming a caped vigilante.”
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Voted #1 in Granite City Area
TheBANK of Edwardsville’s Granite City and
Pontoon Beach Centers earned the top spot in the
recent Granite City Press-Record Reader’s Choice
Awards as the “Favorite Bank” in the Granite
City area. TheBANK was also named the “Best
Mortgage Service” while The Investor Group at
TheBANK’s Julie Cato earned the “Best Investment
Broker” in the area.
Be “Green Smart” and be a
winner like Craig Demaret
of Fairfield, by Opting-In to
receive TheCLUB Quarterly
magazine online. Just go to
our website, www.4thebank.
com/theclub to view our online
edition as well as to “Opt-In” and
be entered into the contest to be
our next $100 winner!
Special Olympics
Torch Run
The Special Olympics Torch Run made its
annual stop at TheBANK ’s Main Office
recently. TheBANK, a long time supporter
of the Special Olympics, was the last leg
of the O’Fallon, Collinsville, Maryville,
Glen Carbon, Edwardsville run. Staff from
the Main Office came out to cheer on
the Edwardsville Police Department and
Special Olympics representatives as they
completed the run.
Relay for Life
Teams from TheBANK of Edwardsville helped raise
more than $17,000 for the American Cancer Society at
various Relay for Life events in Madison and St. Clair
counties this summer. TheBANK has participated in
Relay for Life for the past 11 years, and this year was a
proud sponsor of seven events in the Metro East – in
Edwardsville/Glen Carbon, Troy, Collinsville, Highland,
O’Fallon, Belleville, and the Riverbend area.
Be a part of helping turn our
tree Green! For everyone that
Opts-In to receive TheCLUB
Quarterly Magazine online
we will add a little life to our
tree. Watch each quarter as we
branch out to help contribute
to a greener environment.
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SIUE Block Party
The Cougar Banking Center helped
welcome students back to Southern Illinois
University Edwardsville on August 26 at
the annual SIUE Block Party in downtown
Edwardsville. The Cougar Center’s table at
the party was one of the most popular as
volunteers from TheBANK offered partygoers chances to play Minute-To-Win-It
games for prizes.
Steve Cooper
VP/Commercial
Banking Group
Cooper selected for Paul
Harris Fellow Award
Backpack to School in
Belleville On August 3, TheBANK of
Steve Cooper, Vice President/Commercial
BankingGroup, was recently selected to
receive the Paul Harris Fellow Award by the
Goshen Rotary. The award is given to an
individual who exemplifies the membership’s
motto, “Service Above Self.” The Goshen
Rotary Club has traditionally awarded a Paul
Harris Fellow annually to one of its outstanding members, based on results of an election
by the membership. Nominations are typically
based on an exemplary service commitment
to the Club and community. Steve has been a
member of the Goshen Rotary since January,
2002. Among his work with the Goshen Rotary
is his effort to help raise funds through the
Club’s annual golf outing and auction. He is
also involved in helping the Club in its efforts
to build a pavilion in Glen Carbon, which is
near completion. Paul Abert, Vice President/
Commercial Banking Group and outgoing
President of the Goshen Rotary, presented
the award to Cooper.
Edwardsville’s Molly Watkins co-chaired the
2nd Annual BackPack to School event for the
Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce’s
Education Committee at Belleville West High
School. Backpacks full of school supplies were
given out to the first 1,000 eligible Belleville
students. It was a Belleville Community event
to kick off the first day of school for students.
Families in attendance received valuable information and participated in activities from local
business leaders, as well as outside activities.
Molly Watkins
AVP/Belleville Center
Manager West Main
Unger named Citizen
of the Year TheBANK’s Charles “Chuck”
Chuck Unger
President Granite City Market
Matt Kotzamanis
Retail Lending Officer/
Bethalto Center
Unger, President of the Granite City Market,
has been named the 2011 Citizen of the Year
by the Chamber of Commerce Southwestern
Madison County. Unger, who has been with
TheBANK since 1998, received his award at The
Chamber’s 71st Annual Meeting on September
28 at the Gateway Conference Center. The Citizen
of the Year award recognizes an individual who
has made significant civic contributions to the
development and quality of life of Southwestern
Madison County.
Kotzamanis honored in
Riverbend area TheBANK’s Matt
Chapman elected to
Swansea COC Board
Kotzamanis was selected as one of the “20
Under 40” outstanding leaders in the Riverbend
area. The Telegraph and RiverBend Growth Association co-sponsored the award and solicited
nominations from the general public. A reception for the winners was held in August.
TheBANK of Edwardsville’s Justin Chapman was
elected to the Swansea Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors. He officially took his seat at
the Chamber’s Annual Dinner and Meeting.
Kotzamanis, 38, has been a Retail Lending Officer at TheBANK’s Bethalto Center for the past
six years. In his spare time, he volunteers his
time with the RiverBend Growth Association,
the Riverbend Rotary and the Bethalto Kiwanis.
Justin Chapman
Bank Services
Consultant/Belleville
Center Green Mount Road
Retirements
MaryAnn Frueh, Trust Officer with The
Investor Group at TheBANK, recently retired
after 20 years of distinguished service. Two
open house celebrations were conducted for
her at the Highland Center as customers came
in to wish her the best. MaryAnn said she
will be spending her free time with family,
gardening, traveling and visiting friends.
Sheri Henke, Teller at the Edwardsville
Center/Troy Road, retired on August 11 after
more than 10 years with TheBANK. Two open
house celebrations were held for Sheri as
customers wished her the best. In her retirement, Sheri said she will be spending her time
with her family, shopping and having lunch
with friends.
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holiday shopping in one day. For more information, call 618-942-8000
Alton
Alton Halloween Parade • Oct. 31 • 7:30 pm •
Begins at Washington Ave. & Broadway. See Alton’s
scariest costumes and comical characters with over
80 participants including floats, bands and parade
flair. For more information, call 462-7527.
Hartford Halloween Parade • Oct. 29 • 1 pm •
The parade begins at Seventh Street Park, travels
down Delmar Avenue to the Senior Citizen’s Building
and ends on Rand Avenue. For more information,
call 251-2680.
Belleville
Chili Cook-off • Oct. 7-8 • For info, call 233-2015
Taste of Germany • Oct. 9 • For info, call 234-2331
Jumpin’ Pumpkin Jamboree • Oct. 22-23 •
Eckert’s Farms • For info, call 233-0513
Trick or Treat • Oct. 28 • Downtown Belleville
For info, call 233-6769
Veteran’s Day Ceremony • Nov. 11 • For info,
call 618-233-6769
“Way of Lights” Christmas Display • Thru Jan. 2
• The Shrine • For info, call 397-6700
Santa Claus Parade • Nov. 25 • Optimist Club of
Belleville • For info, call 910-0419
Gingerbread Walk/Run • Dec. 3 • Eckert’s Farms •
For info, call 618-0513
A Timeless New Year Show • Dec. 31 • Lincoln
Theatre • For info, call 233-0018
Bethalto
Bethalto Spirit Annual Victorian Christmas
Walk • Dec. 4 • Step back into an era of horse and
carriages, gas street lights, sipping wassail and
enjoying festive treats. For more information, call
618-377-0767
Collinsville
Chamber Community Awards Night & Auction • Oct. 14 • For info, call 344-2884
Halloween Walk & Chili Cookout • Oct. 29 •
For info, call 345-5598
Rotary Romp 5K & 10K Runs • Nov. 5 • For info,
call 346-5600
Main Street Business Open House • Nov. 19 •
For info, call 345-5598
Christmas in Collinsville • Dec. 2-3 • For info,
call 345-5598
Holiday House Tour • Dec. 3 • For info,
call 345-5598
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East Alton
Ameristar Trip • Nov. 9 • 8 am-3 pm • $16 ($2
off with proof of residency) Call 618-259-7411 to
register by Oct. 13
Halloween Dinner Dance • Oct. 20 • Keasler
Complex • 5-8 pm • $7 ($2 off with proof of residency) Call 618-259-7411 to register by Oct. 13
Halloween Parade • Oct. 27 • Berkshire Blvd. 7 pm
Thanksgiving Luncheon • Nov. 16 • Keasler
Complex • 11:30 am • $7 ($2 off with proof of
residency) Call 618-259-7411 to register by Nov. 11
Christmas Dinner Dance • Dec. 8 • Keasler Complex • 5-8 pm • $7 ($2 off with proof of residency)
Call 618-259-7411 to register by Dec. 2
Edwardsville
SmashBash • Sept 23 • 6 pm - 10:30 pm •
American Legion • FREE Outdoor Concert with The
Smash Band • For info www.smashbashforhospice.
com. Proceeds benefit Hospice of Southern Illinois
Author at Edwardsville Public Library • Oct. 2 •
2-3 pm • Dave Norman
ARTEAST • Oct. 15-16 • 11 am-5 pm
Leclaire ParkFest • Oct. 16 • noon-5 pm
Edwardsville Halloween Parade • Oct. 31 •
6:30 pm
Veteran’s Day Parade • Nov. 11 • 7 pm
Get Ready for the Holidays • Nov. 19 • 1-3 pm •
Edwardsville Public Library • Holiday Cardmaking
will be the topic of discussion
Granite City
Santa’s Holiday Avenue Parade • Nov. 19 • 1 pm
Santa’s Cabin • Nov. 19 - Dec. 23 • 5-8 pm Thurs.
& Frid. • 1-4 pm & 5-8 pm Sat. & Sun. • Bellemore
Village Shopping Center • Children of all ages, pets
& families • $6 per photo
Hartford
Halloween Parade Oct. 29 • Delmar Ave. • 1 pm
Old Time Christmas Dec. 4 • Library • 5-7:30 pm
Highland
Art in the Park • Oct. 8-9 • Lindendale Park The
vibrant colors of Autumn provide the perfect canvas
to paint a relaxing weekend filled with fine art,
good food and superb entertainment. Nearly 70
professional artists display their work. For more
information, visit www.highlandartscouncil.org
Pumpkin Patch • Oct. 8 • Sponsored by the
Highland Civic Women’s Club • Kids of all ages •
Activities include Pumpkins for carving, pony rides,
hay rides, barrel train rides, children’s games and lots
of food. For more information, contact the Highland
Chamber of Commerce at 618-654-3721
Haunted Hike • Oct. 21-22 • Silver Lake Park
• A haunted hike into the darkness at Silver Lake
Park–see what lurks at night in the Park. The hike on
Oct. 21 is for families with younger children; but on
the hike on Oct. 22, prepare to be scared. Visit www.
highlandil.gov for more info.
Highland Moose Lodge Chili Cook-off • Oct. 23
• Lindendale Park
Trick or Treat Trail • Oct. 28 • 2 - 6 pm • Downtown Square & surrounding shops
Miss Highland Contest • Nov. 5 • Sponsored by
Highland Celebrates – 175th Jubilee Celebration
• For more information, visit www.highlandcelebrates.com
Lighted Christmas Parade • Nov. 25 • 6:30 pm
• Beginning at Upper Elementary • This annual
holiday parade culminates with the official lighting
of the Downtown Square where musicians, madrigal
singers, carriage rides, hot chocolate and Santa
await visitors.
Breakfast with Santa • Dec. 4 • 8 am - 12:30 pm
• Wildi Masonic Temple
O’Fallon
Little Mr. & Miss Snowflake Contest For boys
and girls ages 4-7. Winner will ride on The O’Fallon
Homecoming Association’s float in the Christmas
Parade. Contact Dee Van Etten at 632-8666 for
more information.
Christmas Parade • Nov. 26
South Roxana
Halloween Parade • Oct. 25 • 5:30 pm
Swansea
Swansea Patriots Camelot Auction • Nov. 12 •
CKL of I Hall. For more info, call 234-0044
Holiday Shopping Expo • Nov. 12 • 10:30 am
- 2:30 pm • Spaghetti dinners served from 11
am - 1 pm $5 • Grand Manor • Over 50 unique and
specialty vendors will give you a chance to start and
finish your holiday shopping in one day. For more
information, call 618-942-8000
Swansea Santa House • Nov. 26 • Mel Price Park.
For more info, call 234-0044
Holiday Benefit Bash Wine Tasting Event •
Dec. 2 • Eckert’s Country Store, Belleville. Proceeds
benefit the Village of Swansea’s Family Program
Troy
Santa’s Village • Dec. 10 (Santa arrives) noon
at Tri-Township Park Santa’s Village • Hours Dec.
10-22 5 pm-7:30 pm weekdays and noon-3 pm
weekends
Community Expo • Oct. 20 • 5 pm-7 pm • Triad
High School Event free and open to the public Over
100 vendors Prizes awarded every five minutes!
Wood River
Fire Fighters Fish Fry • Oct. 1 • Fire House
11 am-6 pm
Halloween Party Oct. 24 • Round House • 7 pm
Halloween Parade Oct. 29 • Downtown Wood
River • 10:30 am
Breakfast with Santa Dec. 10 • Round House •
8-10 am
Tom Baird,
Vice President, Retail
Lending, Main Office
With nearly three decades of experience,
Tom Baird has seen and done it all when
it comes to banking. Hired by TheBANK
in 1982, he started out in collections
and gradually worked his way into a
lending position. Along the way he’s seen
TheBANK grow from approximately
80 employees to more than 400 and
from about $85 million in assets to more
than$1.5 billion.
Beth Sperry,
Retail Lending Officer,
Collinsville Center
“It’s been pretty impressive to see how much
TheBANK has grown over the past 30
years,” he said.
Today, as a Vice President in the Retail
Lending Department at the Main
Office, Tom enjoys helping people with
their lending needs and relishes the
opportunity to meet new people and
create long-lasting relationships.
“Working here for almost 30 years, I’ve
had the opportunity to meet so many
good people, both fellow employees and
customers,” he said. “What’s really great is
that so many of those people have become
friends of mine.”
A graduate of Edwardsville High
School and Southern Illinois University
Edwardsville, Tom has been a fixture in
the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon area, and
has helped give back to the community
as the former Chairman of Friends of
Scouting (Boy Scouts) and a former
President, Treasurer and Secretary of the
Edwardsville Jaycees.
Tom lives in Glen Carbon with his wife
Gwen. He has three children: Matthew,
Meredith and Mitchell; and one
grandson, Orrin Thomas. In addition to
spending time with his family, he enjoys
playing golf and attending Cardinals,
Blues and Rams games.
Annual Halloween Cookout and Parade
Main Office parking lot • Oct. 31 • 4 - 6:30 pm.
Free hotdogs, chips, and refreshments.
Veteran’s Day Parade • Edwardsville • Nov. 11
American Red Cross Blood Drive
Main Office • Nov. 15 • 11:30 am - 2 pm
Beth Sperry has been with TheBANK
for the past 3 years as a Retail Lending
Officer at the Collinsville Banking
Center, but her banking experience
goes back more than 25 years. Before
coming to TheBANK, she worked
at Regions Bank as a Mortgage Loan
Officer and Mortgage Operations
Manager, giving her 22 years of valuable
lending experience.
With TheBANK, her list of duties is a
long one. She manages the Retail Loan
Portfolio while meeting with both existing
clients and new prospects for TheBANK,
underwriting loan requests, attending all
loan closings, and participating in local
community events such as Networking
Luncheons and Business After Hours.
“I truly enjoy working for TheBANK,”
she said. “It’s rewarding to help clients in
their lending needs and working with the
community. I also enjoy getting to work
with the great group of employees here
at TheBANK.”
Beth is an active member of the
Collinsville community, serving as a
Committee Member of the Collinsville
Economic Development Commission
and as a member of the Collinsville
Chamber of Commerce and Collinsville
Sunrise Kiwanis.
She lives in Maryville with her husband
Dave and sons Jason and Cory, along with
the family’s Black Lab, Shadow. In addition
to spending time with her family and
watching her sons play hockey, Beth enjoys
boating, walking and playing darts.
Apple Passing in all our Centers (with the exception
of our In-Store Center in the Edwardsville Shop ‘n
Save and the Cougar Banking Center at SIUE) on
Friday, December 23, from 8 am to 6 pm in the drive
thrus and 9 am to 5 pm in the lobby of all locations.
99
Merchant
Discount Program
The following merchant discounts are
available exclusively to our club members.
Club Card must be presented to receive offer.
Apparel
• Bella Boutique (Granite City) 10% discount on any purch.
• BJ’s Printable (Edw) FREE embroidered name with jacket purch.
• Clucky Duck Screen Printing (Edw.) One free printed
shirt with each new order
• Designs ‘n Stitches (Troy) 10% off first purchase up to $50
• Don Rodgers Ltd (B’ville) 10% off regular priced men’s or
women’s apparel and accessories (Not to be used with any other
discounts or coupons)
• Dress Me Up (B’ville) 10% off regular priced apparel including
tuxedo rentals (Not to be used with any other discounts or coupons)
• IMBER’S Men Wear (Edw.) 20% off reg. priced items
• Iris (Alton) 10% off purchase
• Kambe Original Brides (H’land) “Sixpence” with the
purchase of a bridal gown
• Syd’s Shoes (Glen Carbon) 10% off $50 purchase or more
• Tot Spot Children’s Resale (Edw.) 10% off clothing purchase
of $20 or more
Auto Service & Supplies
• Auto Body X-Perts, Inc. (Fairmont) 5% discount
• Burian’s South Side Auto, Inc. (Edw.) 20% off mechanic labor
• Mark Muffler Shop (Edw) FREE brake inspection
• McKay Auto Parts (H’land) 10% off merchandise (except sale
items & paint); FREE instal of wiper blades. ALL STORES
• Meineke Car Care Center (Troy) 10% off parts & labor,
excluding tires & batteries. Can not be combined with other offers
• Speed Lube SLC (Bethalto) $2 off any service
• Ted’s Motorcycle World (Alton) 10% off all merchandise
(except motorcycles & ATV’s)
• The Last Detail (Troy) $10 off detail work
• Ziebart / Speedy Auto Glass/ Rhino Linings (Edw.) 10% off
detailing or window tinting; $50 off Rhino Bed Liner
Books & Movies
• BSR Used Books (Granite City) 10% off every purchase
• Words of Wisdom (Swansea) 10% off any one NON-SALE
item. Excludes CD’s, DVD’s, Church Supplies & Electronics
Electronics
• Communication Concepts (Glen Carbon) 25% off accessories
• Dellamano Electric Repair (C’ville) 20% of first repair
• Empowering Technologies (Edw.) 10% off computer
repair labor
• Intec, Inc (St Louis) 314-454-9899 -$5 off dial-up Internet
access, available in all cities listed in this section
• Laser Cartridge Service, Inc (Troy) 10% off reg. items
• Riverbend Computer Solutions, LLC (Alton)
20% off first repair
• X-treme Nations Computers (Belleville) 5%-15% off sales
over $25-$75
Florists & Gifts
• Bill’s Montclaire Florist (Edw) 10% off Cash & Carry
(excluding wire)
• Carol’s Forget Me Knot Florist (H’land) 10% off Cash & Carry
(Wed. only)
• Flowers by Artiste De Fleurs, Inc (B’ville) 10% off regular
priced items (Card MUST be presented at time of purchase)
• Four Seasons Flowers & Gifts (Troy) 15% off (excluding
wire service)
10
• Kinzel Flower Shop (Alton) 10% off Cash & Carry
(excluding wires)
• Krupp Florist (Belleville) 15% off cash & carry (excluding
wire service)
• White Birch (Alton) FREE reusable Jute Bag with a $200 purch.
Food & Beverage
• A Little Taste of Heaven (Edw.) 10% off any purchase
• Alfonzo’s Restaurant (Maryville) 10% discount
• Bindy’s Bar & Grill (Granite) $2 off order chicken wings
• Blimpie Subs and Salads (Edw.) Buy 1 reg. priced 12” sub &
32 oz. drink & receive 6” sub free
• Buffet City (Edw) Free soft drink with adult lunch buffet only
Mon. – Sat. 10 am – 4pm.
• Caffé Avanti (Edw.) 10% off purchase (excluding delivery)
• Cinco de Mayo (Troy) 10% off total bill - everyday
• ColdStone Creamery (Edw. & Shiloh) 10% off purchase
• Crushed Grapes (Edw.) 10% off any item on Tues. only
(excludes custom made baskets)
• Dippin Dots (Edw.) 15% discount
• Edwardsville Frozen Foods (Edw.) 10% off purchases of $15
or more (Wed. only)
• Farmer’s Restaurant & Bakery (H’land) $5 off Carry-Out
Family Meal and FREE Toasted Ravioli with an Adult Entree
meal purchase in the dining room
• Grantfork Meats (Highland) 5% off processing
• The Hen House (Pon. Beach) Lrg. drink with meal purchase
• Joe’s Pizza & Pasta (Edw.) Free breadsticks with purchase of
regular meal.
• LaFonda’s (Edw.) Free lrg. soft drink with lunch entrée
• McDonald’s (Alton/Broadway, Alton/Homer Adams Prkwy,
Bethalto, Godfrey) 35¢ coffee or soda
• McDonald’s (C’ville,2 Edw. locations, Granite City/Madison AveJohnson Rd, Pontoon Beach) – Buy 1 Big Mac or Egg McMuffin,
get 1 FREE
• McDonald’s (Troy) Buy one sandwich, medium fries and get a
medium drink FREE.
• Novacich Meat Market (C’ville) Buy 9 lbs. ground beef,
get 1 lb. FREE
• Olive Oils and More (Edw.) 10% off any purchase of $50
or more. Not valid with any other offer.
• Outlaw Blues Restaurant & Saloon (O’Fallon) $5 off CarryOut Family Meal and FREE Toasted Ravioli with an Adult Entree
meal purchase in the dining room
• Pizza World (Granite City – Johnson Rd.) 20% off entire
purchase, good any time.
• Quizno’s (Glen Carbon) 10% off everyday & 20% off Wed.
• Ravanelli’s (Granite & C’ville) $5 off Carry-Out Family Meal
and FREE Toasted Ravioli with an Adult Entree meal purchase in
the dining room
• Taco Bell (Troy) 10% off any purchase
• Uncle Linny’s Family Restaurant (Pontoon) Free dessert
with dinner meal purchase or 10% Senior Discount.
Garden, Landscape & Supplies
• Delmore Design (Shiloh) 10% off any landscape drawing
(by appointment only)
• ECO-Scapes Midwest, LLC (Glen Carbon) FREE ornamental
tree and planting after $750 spent in services
• Four Leaf Outdoor Services, LLL (Edw.) 1st mowing FREE
when you sign up for a season of mowing services
• The Garden Kingdom (Glen Carbon) 10% off any purchase
• K.C. Johnson Lawn Care (Edw.) First mowing FREE w/weekly
mowing agreement.
All You’ll Ever Need
• Midwest Cedar Patio & Deck Furniture (Granite City) Look for TheBANK on our website for monthly special
• Riverbend Outdoor Services (Alton) 10% off any tree
trimming, removal & stump grinding. 10% off LABOR only for
Landscaping job.
• Slemmer Landscape & Design, LLC. (Worden) $50 off any job of $500 or more. $150 off any job of $1,000 or more.
Limit 1 discount per household.
• Stone Landscaping (Edw.) $50 discount for every $1,000
in landscaping
• Total Quality Lawncare & Landscaping, LLC (Shiloh) 1. A
10% pre-payment discount on the 11-step fertilizer program
(annually) if balance is paid upfront. 2. First cut at half-price on
all new cut & trim accounts
• Treb’s Lawn & Garden Services (Edw.) 10% off services
over $40.
Golf
• Pro-Tee Golf Center (Wood River) Buy 1 game of miniature
golf, get 1 FREE
• STL Give Away Golf.com (Glen Carbon) Visit our website for
FREE weekly and monthly give-aways!
Health & Beauty
• A Signature Hollywood Salon (O’Fallon) FREE $20 value
take-home product with a “COLOR Experience”
• All About You – Hair on Wheels (Belleville) 1 FREE
consultation, haircut & blow style.
• Back & Neck Pain Center (Glen Carbon) FREE exam
• Beauti Control Consultant by Phyllis Roseboro (O’Fallon)
10% off first purchase
• The Colour Room (Granite City) 10% off all hair products
• CURVES (E. Alton, Edw., Maryville, Troy) 60% off Entry Fee
• Edmiston Acupuncture & Chiropractic (O’Fallon) Free consult. & 20% off acupuncture or avricular therapy
• Fast Fitness Boot Camp (Edw) 20% off Boot Camp sessions
• Hendrickson Hair Design (Edw.) Free Redken Color Extend
or Blonde Glam & conditioner with a hair color service.
• Joseph Mathews Salon (H’land) $3 off haircut
• LA Nails (Glen Carbon) $3 off any service over $20
• Mane Attractions Hair Studio (C’ville) $3 off cut & style
• Our Health Club & Spa (Glen Carbon) 7-day FREE trial; 25% off
first Spa serv. – new clients; 25% off new serv. – current clients
• Sun Catchers Tan / Pick-A-Video (Wood River) 10% off
tanning package; rent 1 movie, get 1 FREE
• The TAN Company (Glen Carbon) 10% off packages
Hobbies
• Alton Stained Glass Works (Alton) 10% off stained glass
supplies (excluding discounted or sale items)
• Belleville Sportscards (Belleville) 10% off all regular priced
items with mention of this ad.
• Hometown Comics (Edw) 10% off or $5 off any purchase over
$30. Includes comic books, graphic novels, posters, card games,
toys & t-shirts.
• The Quilted Garden (Edw) www.quiltedgarden.com 15%
off on Wed. & Thurs. (Excludes class fees, Hinterberg frames &
consignment items.)
Home
• A.C. Products (A.C. Heating Service & repair) (Edw.)
10% off service calls & 5% off new equipment
• Alton Landing Antiques $25 off refurbishing or upholstery
New Merchant
• The Art Loft Gallery, LTD (C’ville) 20% off baskets, candles,
floral & other accessories (NOT valid with other sales, P. Buckley
artwork and merchandise not listed)
• Aztek Cleaning Systems (Granite City) Residential carpet
special – 3 rooms for $99
• B & W Heating & Cooling, Inc, (WR) $50 off duct cleaning or
FREE clean & check on furnace with the purchase of a clean & check
• Bio-Fresh Carpet Cleaning (C’ville) - Call for special rates
• Buhrmester Wallpaper & Paint (Edw.) –
15% off purchase - 30% off wallpaper
• Cherry Hills Properties (Edw.) – FREE credit check
• Daech and Bauer Roofing. (C’ville) – 10% of retail; Free
verbal roofing inspection
• Decorative Concrete by AquaSystems, Inc.
(Granite City) $100 discount per $1,000 spent.
• Decorative Designs Group, Inc ( new location in Edw.)
$50 of purchase of $500 or more
• Decorative Design (Edw.) 10% off (Wednesdays only)
• Drake Co. General Contracting (Metro East) 15% Discount on ALL JOBS OVER $1,000
• Felty Photography (Fairmont City) 25% off session fee and
$75 off portrait package of $200 or more
• Frames By 3 (Edw. & H’lan) 15% off all framing orders
(excluding Flower Press Creations & Gold Canyon Candles)
• The Galleria Hearth & Home (Edw.) 10% off regular priced
merchandise (excluding Vera Bradley)
• The Galleria Hearth & Home (Edw.) – Vera Bradley
Exclusive; FREE gift with purch. from Vera Bradley collection
• HYDRO - T.E.C. (Glen Carbon) Referral Program - If you refer
someone, you get a discount on your next service.
• Home Furniture (C’ville) 35% off reg. priced items
• K. C. Johnson Floor Covering, Inc. (Edw.) 10% off any tile or
hardwood installation
• Lepchenske Construction (WR) 5% off Labor
• Midwest Security and Satellite (Granite City) 10% off all
accessories. Full service DISH Network retailer
• Miss Bailey’s Poppy Patch (Glen Carbon) 10% off purchase
• Patriot Sunrooms (Edw.) Free engineering & design
consultation up to $425
• Precision Painting & Finishing (Granite City) 10% off power washing
• Rammer Clean-Rite (H’land) 10% off washing of vinyl siding
or wood fence or deck being prepared for treatment
• Roger Smith PORTRAIT Gallery (Troy) 10% off portrait or engagement session and prints
• Simplify 101, Inc. (Edw.) 20% off initial consultation
• TO-DO’s (Edw.) 10% off all regular priced merchandise
(excluding costume rentals & balloons)
• Woods Home Improvements, LLC (Sorento) 10% off siding,
soffit, facia and roofing.
Independent Merchants
• Home Interiors & Gifts (Pontoon) 618-406-7068 - Additional
$50 in Free merchandise for hosting a party OR 40% off
Individual orders of $25 or more
• MICHE Bag of St. Louis Metro, LLC. (Belleville) Free MICHE gift
with a $25 MICHE purchase via local representative
618-567-5305 or retail location in Madison & St. Clair counties.
www.peopleinbusiness.ning.com/profile/JoyceCannon
• Pampered Chef/Carol Pigg (Troy) 618-972-9131
Free gift with $60 order
• Premier Design Jewelry/Sue Parkin (Edw.)
618-656-2325 - 20% off regular priced item
• Seeds of Blessing/Beth Buenger (Granite City) 618-960-4540
FREE GIFT for hosting a party or individual order of $75 or more
• Seeds of Blessing/Jan Denby (Edw.)
618-363-5866 - 50% off 1 item for hosting a party
• Watkins Products/Scott & Beth Buenger (Edw)
618-960-4540 - 10% off regularly priced items
Jewelers
• Biegert’s Jewelry (C’ville.) 15% off purch. (Excluding Class
rings, Bingham collection merch. & sale items)
• Elliott Fine Jewelers (Edw.) 15% off jewelry repairs
• L E Smith Jewelers (C’ville) 10% off (excluding certain
sale items)
Medical
• Keith A Bryant, DMD, PC (Glen Carbon) 10% discount
• Errick L. Cameron, DMD, MA, PC (Glen Carbon) 5% discount
• David W. Hyten, DMD (Edw.) $50 off 1-hour whitening
($500 value); $500 off Invisalign (4000 value)
• Integrated Medical Group (Edw.) Headaches, neck or back
pain? FREE Consulation and exam.
• Kristen M. Jacobs MD-PC Family Medicine & Aesthetic
Medicine (Maryville) 20% off of Laser Treatment or $30 off of
next Dermal Filler Treatment! Limit one per person.
• Metro Eye Care P.C. (Edw.) 20% off on all prescription
glasses, selected sunglasses & contact lenses
• James F. Strieter, ODPC (C’ville) 15% off material (NOT
available with other sales)
• Troy Pain Relief Center (Troy) FREE exam & x-rays.
• Unger Eye Care (Troy) FREE eyeglass cleaner kit with exam;
$10 off fames & lenses
Miscellaneous
• AAdvantage Insurance Group (Glen Carbon) FREE annual
reviews and consultation services for home, auto, business,
health & life insurance.
• Airport Rides R Us (Pontoon) $5 off round-trip transportation
• The Art Loft Gallery, LTD.(C’ville) 25% off custom picture
framing order including shadowboxes for objects or jerseys,
prints, canvases, neddlework, photos and more.
• Bilbrey Farms, Inc. (Edw) Weekday (non-holiday) FREE
Spumante or Sparkling Juice &$5 room discount
• Carol Stolze Insurance Agency, Country Financial (Edw.) FREE annual reviews and consultation services for home, auto, business, commercial, life health, mutual funds, IRA & 401K
• Catherine Photography (Edw.) Free proofs with all pkg
• Customer Service and Beyond (Troy) 25% off “Customer
Service and Beyond…it is all about the WOW!” book.
• D&R Signs (Lebanon) 15% off any service call (including all
labor and materials)
• ExacTime Watch & Clock (Glen Carbon) $4 watch batteries
(unlimited) & 15% discount on any in-stock clock
• Highland Pool & Spa (H’land) $50 off new pool table
• Leisure Time Pools, Inc (Belleville) 10% off regular priced
item(s) (Must present card at time of purchase)
• The Mail Box Store (Collinsville) 15% discount off any
purchase (excludes USPS)
• Mid-American Pawn & Jewelry (Maryville) 20% off (labor
only) for jewelry repair.
• Milo’s Tobacco Road (Edw) 15% off reg. box price of cigars
• Mississippi Mud Pottery (Alton) $5 off purch. of $25 or more.
• Pak Mail (C’ville) 10% off shipping (excludes postage)
• Premier Combat League (Alton) $5 off Cageside tickets
• Safe-N-Secure Self-Storage, LLC (Alton & H’land)
5% off monthly rental
• Simply Covers (Bethalto) Free head table chair
covered when you book a wedding.
• Superior Accounting Service (Edw) 20% off your first month accounting services.
• The Sports Academy (Glen Carbon) www.thesportsacademy.
net - 10% off birthday parties.
• Voegele Studio (H’land) 50% off session fee
Pets
• LaBest, Inc & Dog Watch Hidden Fence Systems (Edw.)
$100 off Hidden Fence System. Stay 3 days & 4th is FREE.
• Scoopy Doo’s Pet Waste Management (B’ville) 20% off
2nd month’s services
• Shiloh Veterinary Clinic (Shiloh) 10% off office visits
• Sully’s School of Dog Training (Edw.) $20 off Basic Obedience
New
Merchant
Discounts
Clucky Duck
Screen Printing
One FREE Printed Shirt
with each new order
2922 Staunton Road • Edwardsville
(618) 792-6039
Riverbend Computer
Solutions, LLC
20% OFF
First Repair
4130 Alby St. • Alton
(618)433-1800 • www.rbcsllc.com
Grantfork Meats
5% OFF
Processing
4878 State Route 160 • Highland
(618)-675-2155
Precision Painting
& Finishing
10% OFF
Power Washing
1732 Courtney Blvd. • Granite City
(618) 670-3626
11
Invited
You’re
For group
travel
reservations
or detailed
information,
contact your
local TheCLUB
Representative.
If there is 10 or
more guests
departing
from a Center
we will
schedule a
pick-up at
that Center.
1st Monthly
Tuesday Sewing Class
Classes will be on the 1st Tuesday evening each
month. Projects will vary, and are listed below,
but will be completed in one evening. Jenice
Belling, the owner of The Quilted Garden, will
assist you when you purchase your fabric prior
to each class, as well as provide you with a list
of supplies to bring to class. Classes are limited
to 6-8 students with basic sewing skills and
requires a sewing machine. If you don’t know
how to sew, classes are available at
The Quilted Garden.
Oct. 4, 2011 – Trick or Treat Bag
Nov. 1, 2011 – Snowman Surprise
Dec. 6, 2011 – Gift Project
Date: 1st Tuesday of the Month
Time: 6 pm
Place: The Quilted Garden
1310 N. Main Street,
Edwardsville 656-6538
Price: $10 class fee for TheCLUB members
$20 class fee for non-members
Additional costs vary depending on fabric and pattern per class (purchased at The Quilted Garden).
Nov. 17 Holiday Pampered
Shopping Trip
Another year has come and gone, which means
that it’s time once again for the Pampered Shopping Spree presented by Bluff City Tours, Inc.
During the past several years, TheCLUB “shoppers” have been introduced to quite an assortment of unique shops located on both the Illinois
and Missouri sides of the river. As some favorite
shops have developed through the years, the 2011
shopping event will return to Missouri and will
feature both new shops and perhaps re-visit some
of those favorite locations, so put on your walking
shoes and join us aboard a deluxe motorcoach as
we usher in the 2011 holiday season and enjoy a
potpourri of “pampered” shopping experiences.
As in the past, this unique sort of day will include
a personally guided shopping tour, a gourmet
lunch, beverages and special surprise treats
throughout the day, and above all, the opportunity to discover yet another assortment of
unique stores tucked into the corners of the St.
Louis community.
Surprises galore and lots of good old-fashioned
fun will round out this day of “pampering.” And
don’t forget, shopping Bluff City style always
includes a diversified assortment of store types so
that “little something” for the “special someone”
on your Christmas list shouldn’t really be too hard
to find.
Circle the date on your calendar, and join your
friends from TheCLUB for this popular annual
event. It’s a great day filled to the brim with food,
fun and holiday festivities!
Date: Time: Cost: RSVP: November 17
8:30 am departure from TheBANK’s
Main Office in Edwardsville.
5:30 pm approx. return to Edwardsville.
$65 per person
November 3
Nov. 29 - A Brown
Dec. 1 County Christmas
Join us for a wonderful three-day, two-night holiday adventure to Brown County, Indiana. This new
holiday destination, via coach, that’s sure to put you
in the holiday spirit.
DAY 1 Board our deluxe motor coach and begin
our journey to Nashville. Lunch will be on your own
in route and we should arrive in Nashville about 4
pm. We will check in to our charming rooms at the
Artist’s Colony Inn and have some time to relax our
delicious home-style dinner and the evening Joy
Bell Show.
DAY 2 Our day will begin with a delicious homecooked breakfast at the Artist’s Colony and then we
will be off for a day-long adventure. Our first stop
will be at the “Not Just Popcorn” Popcorn Factory.
Our next stop, will be a visit to Camp Atterbury – an
active Military Training Base. Here we will enjoy
a windshield tour of the facility, have a chance to
Lunch with the Troops in the mess hall, and take in a
Search Dog Demonstration.
Our afternoon will be spent jump-starting your
holiday shopping, visiting the over 300 quaint shops
in the heart of Nashville.
Dinner will be at the locally-famous Nashville
House where we will again be immersed in Hoosier
Hospitality and delicious home-made items.
The evening will conclude with a “show-stopping”
bang as we take in the Palace Theatre Production of
Our Brown County Christmas.
DAY 3 Another delicious breakfast at the Artist’s
Colony Inn will energize us for our return home…
but before leaving beloved Brown County we will
pay a visit to another unique, family-owned business - the For Bare Feet Sock Factory.
Lunch will again be on your own as we
return home.
Dates:
Time:
Cost: RSVP: November 29 – December 1, 2011
10 am departure from TheBANK’s
Main Office in Edwardsville
4 pm approx. return to Edwardsville.
Single per person $510
Double per person $417
October 8
These prices are based on 40 guests. Make your
reservations early, before the coach fills up.
12
BEWARE OF IMPOSTER SCAMS
The holidays are a great time for
families to come together and
celebrate. Unfortunately, it’s also
prime time for scam artists, and in
particular imposter scams, to rear
their ugly head. Imposter scams
like the Grandparent Scam affect
thousands of families and cost
thousands of dollars each year.
Fortunately, there are steps you
can take to protect yourself and
your family.
The Scam
The Grandparent Scam has been one
of the most costly of the imposter
scams over the past several years. It
begins with an urgent phone call to
an unsuspecting senior citizen. The
caller may claim to be the victim’s
grandchild, or claim to be a police
officer. The message, however, is
always the same:
“Your grandchild is hurt, in jail, or otherwise in trouble, and needs hundreds
of dollars immediately. Please don’t tell
mom. Please send the funds through a
money order or other wire service.”
Those who fall victim later learn their
grandchild was never in trouble. Instead, their money has been wired to a
thief and may never be seen again.
The Best Weapon is Awareness
Simple Steps to Protect Yourself
You might think this couldn’t happen to you. But thousands of senior
citizens have fallen for the Grandparent Scam and similar impostor scams
nationwide, and their losses are usually in the thousands of dollars.
There are simple steps you can take to
help protect yourself from the Grandparent Scam:
The Grandparent Scam and other
imposter scams come in many varieties. Common factors include:
• Scammers ask the victim to send
funds through a money order or
wire service. Once the money has
been picked up by a recipient with
a phony ID, it may be impossible
to trace or recover.
• Scammers often use marketing
lists, with names and contact
information, to find victims.
• Some scammers will mention
specific details – like the names of
the grandchild’s actual relatives or
friends – to make their story more
believable. Scammers can find this
information in obituaries, social
networking websites, or other
places on the Internet.
• Some scammers hack into consumers’ email accounts then send
fake emergency emails to the
consumers’ friends.
• Scammers who call on the phone
will try to prevent you from
checking out their story. They will
insist, “Don’t tell mom,” or “You
must act immediately.”
• If you receive an emergency call
asking for money, always check with
a family member to find out whether
your loved one really needs help.
• Take the time now to talk with
your family about this and similar
scams. Consider creating a code
word or phrase – one only the
family knows – in case it becomes
necessary to make an emergency
call for help.
• Make it a personal policy and
family policy never to wire money
without being sure the story you’re
being told is true.
If You’ve Been Scammed
• Once money is sent via money
order or other wire service, it may
not be retrievable.
• If you sent money and believe
you’ve been scammed, contact the
money transfer service immediately
to report the scam. They may be
able to block the transfer if it hasn’t
been picked up.
• If you’ve fallen victim to a scam –
or if you’ve been targeted without
falling victim – contact the Illinois
Attorney General Office’s Senior
Citizen Consumer Fraud Hotline at
1-800-243-5377.
money matters
Holiday Budgeting
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or the general holiday season chances are you’ll be
spending money on things that are outside your regular budget. Here are some tips for spending smart.
Remember the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future in Charles Dickens’ classic story “A
Christmas Carol?” Well those three ghosts have inspired a timeless strategy for holiday spending.
Christmas Past
Look back… Review how much you
spent last year and how you spent
it. Analyze what you spent money
on, over what period of time, and
how you paid for it. If you used credit
cards, look at how long it took you to
pay them off. If you were still carrying
Christmas debt while on summer
vacation, you may want to rethink
how you handle the holidays.
Also consider how the gifts you
gave last year were appreciated. Did
you spend a lot of money on token
gifts that were forgotten before the
holiday was over?
Christmas Present
Make a list… Include not only gifts,
but decorations, cards & postage,
food & drink, travel and any special
stuff you’ll need to buy.
Decide how much you have to
spend… Set a budget and stick to it.
Comparison shop—use online
resources… If you’ve taken time to
make a list of who you’ll be buying
for, it will be easy to think about what
to buy for them. Start shopping at
home—go online for gift ideas and
start comparing prices.
14
Use cash if possible… you’ll be
forced to think about an impulse
purchase. If you do choose to use
credit cards, be sure to exercise
discipline to stay within your budget.
Track Expenses… Track every dollar
you spend–cash, checks and credit
cards. Not only will this keep you on
track, but it will also help with returns
and with planning for next year.
Beware of the spirit of Christmas
Present(s)… Retailers spend a lot
of time and money to help you “get
in the spirit”, thinking the more
spirit you have the more money
you will spend. Hold strong against
developing an overly generous heart
for the wrong reasons. That happy
high at the register will likely be
replaced with a spending hangover
when the credit card bill arrives.
Tradition & Creativity… Put more
emphasis on family tradition than
stuff. Most people remember people
and events from years past, not the
specific gift they got when they were
10. Consider making gifts like baked
goods, a personal scrapbook or even
a thoughtfully written card.
Start a new tradition… As family
members get older and harder to
buy for, encourage traditions that
move away from gift giving. “Adopt”
a family in need, volunteer at a soup
kitchen or visit a nursing home as
a family event. Or drawing names
so everyone buys one gift that is
meaningful or fun, and it’s the the
event that becomes memorable.
Christmas Future
Shop early… Buy next year’s holiday
decorations on clearance as soon as
the holidays are over. Keep your eyes
open for bargains through the year.
Beware: track spending and don’t
lose track of what you’ve bought.
Save all year… Make holiday saving
a year round commitment by setting
up an account at TheBANK just for
holiday savings. Have a set amount
of money direct deposited into this
account from every pay check. Or
when you pay bills every month, send
a check to this account as if you were
paying another bill.
With a little planning and some
discipline, the holidays can truly be a
relaxing time to enjoy family, friends
and responsible gift-giving.
Excellence. Exploration. Empowerment.
SIUE has
made a distinct
difference in our
region’s quality
of life for more
than 50 years.
As an important
cultural and
community
resource, the
University
provides a wealth
of opportunities
for excellence,
exploration and
empowerment.
We hope you will
join us on campus
soon. Enroll in
a class. Attend
a special event.
Learn more about
the power of E.
Arts & Issues
Theater & Dance
Vadalabene Center Gymnasium
All of the performances below will take place in
the theater in Dunham Hall, unless otherwise
noted. Ticket information is available by calling
the SIUE Fine Arts box office: (618) 650-2774.
For more information, visit siue.edu/THEATER.
Meridian Ballroom,
in the SIUE Morris University Center
The Importance of Being Earnest
Three Dog Night
9:30 p.m. • Oct. 8
2011 Homecoming Concert
Sponsored by the SIUE Foundation
Italian Rock-Singer Zucchero
7:30 p.m. • Oct. 20
For performance and ticket information, visit
siue.edu/artsandissues.
by Oscar Wilde
7:30 p.m. Oct. 12-15 & 2 p.m. Oct. 16
Dance in Concert 2011
by faculty, students and guest artists
Artistic Director J. Calvin Jarrell
7:30 p.m. Nov. 9-12 & 2 p.m. Nov. 13
A Mato Mosaic
by Jose Tojo
7:30 p.m. Nov. 30-Dec. 3; Dec. 9 & 10
2 p.m. Dec. 4 & 11
Metcalf Theater
The Cougar Banking Center will be closed for the
following Holiday Breaks:
Nov. 25 – Thanksgiving Day
Dec. 24 – Dec. 25 - Christmas Dec. 31 – Jan. 1 - New Year’s
Visit our Web site: siue.edu for information
about classes, activities and performances that
are open to the public. We look forward to
seeing you on campus.
15
Fairways
& Greens
By Rick Martin
Head Golf
Professional,
Timber Lakes
Golf Course and
Indian Springs
Golf Course
Don’t Let Old Man Winter Ruin Your Game
Sadly, the golf season is rapidly coming to a close and winter’s
chill will soon set in. But that doesn’t mean you have to bury
your clubs in the closet and wait for spring. There’s still plenty
you can work on to improve your game and make sure you’re
ready for your best season ever in 2012.
The following tips can help ensure you’re at the top of your
game when the weather begins to warm back up.
n A great golf swing always starts with a great grip.
Fortunately, perfecting your grip is something you can
work on at any time, even while sitting in front of the TV.
To work on your grip while watching your favorite show,
take a practice club and place your hands on in perfect
position. If you keep doing this regularly throughout the
winter, you will have a proper grip mastered as the new
season rolls around.
n Winter is also a great time for indoor practice on your
short game. All you need is a small net, some plastic balls,
and a chipping mat. None of these items are expensive
and you can practice chipping into your net with a
nine-iron or pitching wedge. And for putting, all that’s
necessary is your putter, a few balls, and carpeting.
Practicing chipping and putting indoors during the
winter can help develop a repeating stroke on both shots.
If you do this fairly often during the cold days, you’ll find
that all you have to adjust is distance control when you
return to the course.
n Another good practice tool is a weighted club you can
swing indoors (if you’re lucky enough to have tall ceilings).
This will help keep the muscles toned that you use to
swing a golf club, and you can work on swing basics.
While it may take a little effort, continuing to work on your
game throughout the winter months will pay off when you
get back out on the course in the spring.
16
For Your Health
Help Keep the
Doctor Away
Cayenne Anti-bacterial, anti-cancer,
anti-oxidant, anti-catarrhal, diaphoretic Cayenne is a powerful circulatory stimulant that increases the
blood supply to all parts of the body,
thus creating a feeling of heat. It is
useful for preventing colds. It irritates
mucous membranes: handle carefully
and avoid in cases of gastritis or ulcer.
Celery Seed Anti-oxidant, detoxifying, digestive tonic, urinary antiseptic
Celery seeds enhance the elimination
of uric acid from the body, making
them useful in arthritic conditions,
particularly gout. They also help in
the treatment of urinary tract infections and kidney stones. Celery seed
should be avoided during pregnancy
Chamomile Anti-allergic, antiinflammatory, antiseptic, sedative
Chamomile flowers relieve restlessness
and tension, and are useful for headache, anxiety and sleeplessness. They
also help relieve digestive upsets and
are particularly suitable for children.
Chickpea Anti-cancer, antioxidant, lowers cholesterol One of
the most nutritious of the pulses,
chickpeas aid the absorption of
nutrients and protect the cells from
free radical damage. They support
the function of nerves, muscles,
enzymes and hormones.
Cranberry Anti-cancer, anti-oxidant
The juice of cranberries prevents
harmful bacteria from sticking to the
bladder wall and has long been used
to relieve urinary-tract infections.
Cranberry juice has powerful antioxidant effects that improve cardiovascular health and help prevent cancer.
It may also reduce kidney stones.
Avoid drinking large amounts of juice
as diarrhea can result.
Winning
Web Sites
The holiday season comes alive on the
Internet as those with a passion for
the sights, sounds, smells and wonder
of Christmas lavish their creativity on
page after page of games, music, stories, crafts, history and just plain talking
about Christmas.
Visit any of the following websites to
get into the holiday cheer.
My Merry Christmas
www.mymerrychristmas.com
One of the best all around Christmas
websites, it’s filled with explanations
of traditions, legends, music, stories,
how-to’s and more. A lot more. Let
The Merry Jukebox fill your home
with Christmas music, send an ecard,
become a Secret Spy for Santa, join
the forums, check out the Christmas
news and so much more. Everything
Christmas is here and it may be the
only site you’ll ever have time to
explore but don’t stop yet!
Super Christmas Gifts
www.SuperChristmasGifts.com
Super Christmas Gifts offers fantastic
gift ideas for everyone on your list.
They provide an easy-to-search list of
gift ideas broken down by hobby and
gift recipients. The site even includes
gift ideas for chocolate lovers and
bankers. This website can make your
Christmas shopping less hectic.
North Pole
www.northpole.com
This one is geared to kids of all ages.
Games, stories to read or listen to,
puzzles, recipes, and coloring pages
fill the site. Parents and educators
get a royal welcome here as the “Elf
Pal Academy” offers such activities as
word searches, math puzzles, coloring, telling time and more - all interactive Christmas fun so the kids won’t
even know they’re learning.
Santa’s Net
www.santas.net
Christmas traditions from around
the world is this site’s most interesting page, along with “How ‘Merry
Christmas’ is said around the world.”
There are the carols and recipes, of
course, along with some jokes and
games. If you’re up to a little shopping, Santa’s Net offers its toy picks.
There’s more to this site than first
meets the eye. Don’ miss the pages of
Christmas facts, personal Christmas
pages and Christmas poetry, among
other things..
Portable North Pole
www.portablenorthpole.tv
With just a few clicks, this technological marvel will let your loved ones receive a personal message from Santa
Claus, sent directly from his village in
the North Pole.
Editors’ Picks
Best Selling Children’s Books
n
Skippyjon Jones, Class Action,
n
Silverlicious, by Victoria Kann (Ages 5-8)
by Judy Schachner (Ages 3-7)
n
A Sick Day for Amos McGee, by Phillip C. Stead
(Ages 2-6)
n
Press Here, by Herve Tullet (Ages 4-8)
n
LEGO Harry Potter, by DK Publishing (Ages 6-14)
n
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, by John Grisham
(Ages 8-12)
n
Along for the Ride, by Sarah Dessen (Ages 12 & up)
n
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak (Ages 14 & up)
n
Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher (Ages 12 & up)
n
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time
Indian, by Sherman Alexie (Ages 12 and up)
Classic Christmas Books
n
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
n
The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg
n
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus,
by L. Frank Baum
n
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,
by Rick Bunsen
n
The Night Before Christmas,
by Clement Clarke Moore
n
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, by Dr. Suess
n
Nutcracker, by Ralph Manheim
n
The Little Match Girl, by Jerry Pinkney
n
A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree, by Colleen Monroe
n
Frosty the Snowman, by Steve Nelson
MOVIES COMING SOON
October
The Ideas of March
Real Steel
WanderLust
The Big Year
Footloose
The Thing
The Three Musketeers 3D
Contagion
Paranormal Activity 3
Anonymous
Now
Safe
November
Tower Heist
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas
Immortals
Happy Feet Two
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1
Arthur Christmas
Hugo Cabret
The Muppets
Piranha 3D
December
New Year’s Eve
The Sitter
The Descendants
Sherlock Holmes 2
The Girls with the Dragon Tattoo
Black Gold
In the Land of Blood and Honey
We Bought a Zoo
War Horse
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked
17
17
Kids Korner
Halloween Word Search
bat
black
bones
broom
caldron
cat
costumes
creepy
dracula
frighten
ghost
goblins
halloween
haunted
monster
moon
mummy
night
owl
pumpkin
scary
skeleton
spider
spirit
spooky
trick or
treat
vampire
werewolf
witch
zombie
c sca r ymmumoo n
j kaf l owe r ewk t
h
c y r
c w k
i
e
t
s n o m l h
n d k
i
h o d s
r
i
t log i r egaowp c
i hoh k a l h l r y i k
w yp t p c e t l bpd o
c dsemu t s o cee r
h btn u l o cwaer t
b oimpanae l r i r
l nrh a un t e dcp e
a
e i b m o z m n
r
j m a
c spa s n i l b oga t
k ws t s o hgwnav g
Paper Bag Reindeer
What you’ll need:
• Brown paper lunch bag
• Medium black pom-pom
• White craft glue
• Construction paper:
black, white and tan/brown
• 4 jingle bells
• Scissors
• Red plastic milk jug lid
• Glue stick
• Gold paint pen
• Pattern 18
How to make it:
1. Use white glue to attach the black
pom-pom to the flap of the bag.
2. Cut out the eyes using the pattern as a guide. You will need
two brown/tan eyelids, two
white eyes, and two black pupils.
Assemble the eyes with a glue
stick. Use the glue stick to attach
the eyes to the front of the bag
above the pom-pom nose.
3. Cut a strip of black paper with
width of the paper bag, about
one inch wide. Cut a small piece
of black paper for the nametag
hanger. Glue the small strip to
the center of the larger strip so
that it is hanging down.
4. Use gold paint pen to write “Comet” on the red plastic lid. Glue the
lid to the bag, overlapping the
small black strip (hanger).
5. Use a generous amount of white
craft glue to attach 4 jingle bells
to the black strip (collar).
6. Trace child’s hands onto brown/
tan paper and cut out. Use glue
stick to attach the hands to the
back of the bag as the antlers.
Tips:
1. To make this puppet into Rudolph, use a red pom-pom and
write “Rudy” on the plastic lid.
2. Instead of hand print antlers, you
can simply cut simple antlers
from brown paper.
3. You can use large wiggle eyes instead of our pattern if you prefer.
Thanksgiving Day Trivia
Test your knowledge of Thanksgiving Day Trivia by answering the multiple choice and True or False quetions below. Please bring or send
the completed puzzle to TheBANK of Edwardsville Main Office, 330 W. Vandalia, Edwardsville, IL 62025 or drop them off at your local
banking center by November 30 for your chance to win a gift card from TheBANK. Good luck!
1. What year was Thanksgiving
first celebrated?
5. Thanksgiving is celebrated only in
the United States.
8. In what year did the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade take place?
__1621
__True
__1864
__1777
__1894
__1904
__1924
9. The Mayflower was not built to be
a transportation ship for people.
What was the original purpose of
the Mayflower?
__ As a merchant ship to carry wine
__As a fishing ship
__ As a ship to get spices from the Far East
__1849
2. The first Thanksgiving lasted for three days. What didn’t the Pilgrims eat?
__ False
6. The first department store to conduct a Thanksgiving parade was:
__ Montgomery Ward
__ Clams
__ J.C. Penney
__ Venison
__ Gimbel’s
__ Pumpkin Pie
__ Macy’s
7. Which President was the first to establish Thanksgiving as a legal national holiday to be held the fourth Thursday in November?
__ Abraham Lincoln
10. The first Thanksgiving football game was started in 1934 by which team?
4. Which U.S. president scoffed at the idea of a national holiday in honor of the first Thanksgiving?
__ Franklin D. Roosevelt
__ Pittsburgh Steelers
__ Thomas Jefferson
__ Kansas City Chiefs
__ George Washington
__ James Madison
__Detroit Lions
__ Thomas Jefferson
__ Abraham Lincoln
3. Were Indians invited to the Pilgrim’s first feast?
__ Yes
__ No
Answers to last issue’s trivia questions
1. False
2. True
3. Football
4. April, 1775
5. Richard Henry Lee of Virginia
6. John Adams
7. August 2, 1776
8. “1812 Overture”
9. 1941
10. July 4, 1826
Fun Turkey Facts
Last Quarter’s winners (listed here) will
receive a Gift Card via mail soon!
Patricia J. Schwaab, Mr. and Mrs. Henry S. Gavin
Jr., Philip E. Goscinski, James L. Phillips, Sarah T.
Turner, Gary E. Johnson, Donna E. Gutierrez
Before devouring your Thanksgiving turkey
this year, consider these fun turkey facts:
n
Male turkeys (toms) gobble; female turkeys (hens) cluck.
n
The fleshy growth under a turkey’s throat is called a wattle. Turkeys also have a long, red,
fleshy area that grows from the forehead over the bill called a snood.
n
Wild turkeys can fly for short distances up to 55 miles per hour. They can run as fast as 20
miles per hour. Commercially raised turkeys cannot fly.
n
More than 45 million turkeys are cooked and 525 million pounds of turkey are eaten during Thanksgiving.
n
90% of American homes eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day. 50% eat turkey on Christmas.
n
North Carolina produces 61 million turkeys annually, more than any other state. Minnesota and Arkansas are number two and three.
n
Benjamin Franklin, the great American statesman, thought the turkey was so American it
should have been chosen as our national symbol rather than the eagle.
19
happy holidays
FR OM YOUR FRI END S AT Th eBA NK
TIME
FOR
A
LOAN?
The Wait is Over!
FSC FPO
Start A Business
Get a Boat or RV
Plan A Wedding
Purchase Your Dream Home
Create A Man Cave
Build A Pool or Spa
www.4thebank.com
holiday magic
FA V O R I T E R E C I P E S F R O M O U R FA M I L E S T O Y O U R S
French Toast Casserole
Shannon Bond, AVP/Treasury Management
Commercial Banking Group
1
8
8
2 1/2
6
1/2 1/2 loaf French or white bread
oz cream cheese
eggs
cup milk
Tbsp butter, melted
cup maple syrup
cup sugar
Cinnamon to taste
In a 13 x 9 inch dish, break 1/2 of the
bread into pieces and spread on the
bottom of the dish. Pinch off small
pieces of cream cheese and drop on
top of the bread. Break up the rest of
the bread and spread it on top of the
cream cheese. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a blender and pour
over the bread. Press mixture down
with a spatula. Let sit in the refrigerator
overnight. Bake at 325° for approximately 30 minutes or until the center
looks cooked. Serve with extra syrup
and cinnamon.
Roasted Red Pepper
Cheese Spread
Brittany Kilmer, Teller
Edwardsville Center/Troy Road
16
2
1/4
1
2/3 7
8
8
2
oz cream cheese
cup mayo
cup finely chopped onion
clove garlic, finely chopped
cup chopped roasted red pepper
oz petite chopped tomatoes, drained
oz shredded mozzarella cheese
oz shredded Italian cheese blend
cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Roast red peppers over an open flame
or in a broiler until the outside is completely burnt, let them cool. Combine
cream cheese, mayo, onion and garlic
in large bowl. Peel the outer burnt layer
of skin off the peppers and rinse them.
Clean the seeds out and chop. Add the
peppers and tomatoes to the mixture.
Mix in all mozzarella, Italian cheese
blend and 1 cup Parmesan. Spread the
mixture evenly in a greased 9 x 13 inch
baking pan. Top with remaining Parmesan. Bake, uncovered at 350° for 25 to
30 minutes, or until edges are golden
brown. Best served warm with crackers.
Patti and Grady’s
Cheese Soup
Grady Ambuel, SVP/Marketing
Marketing Department
1/4 1/4 1/4 2
1/3 2
2
1/2 2
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
cup carrot, finely chopped
cup celery, finely chopped
Tbsp butter
cup cornstarch
cup chicken broth
cup half & half
big loaf Velvetta cheese
cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Tbsp hot sauce
In Dutch oven, sauté vegetables in butter until tender. In bowl, whisk cornstarch into chicken broth until smooth.
Add broth and half and half to vegetables. Cook and stir until thickened and
bubbly. Add cheeses. Season with hot
sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Serve
with homemade croutons. Serves 8 as
an appetizer or 4 as a main dish. (We
usually double the recipe!)
Baked Potato Soup
Becky Yarbrough,
Cougar Banking Center Manager
4
2/3
4
2/3
12
4
1 1/4
2
8
1/2
1
3/4
lrg baking potatoes cup butter
green onions, chopped
cup flour slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
cup half and half cup cheddar cheese
cup milk
oz sour cream
tsp pepper Tbsp chicken base
tsp salt
Wash potatoes and poke holes with fork
several times. Bake in preheated 400°
oven for one hour or until potatoes are
done. Let cool. Cut potatoes into half
inch cubes, leaving some skin on.
(I remove about half of the skin). Melt
butter in saucepan over medium heat.
Add flour stirring until smooth. Cook 1
minute, stirring constantly, gradually
add half/half and milk, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and bubbly. Add potatoes,
salt, pepper, green onions, crumbled
bacon, cheddar cheese, and chicken
base. Cook until thoroughly heated.
Stir in sour cream. Add extra milk if
needed to thin out the soup. Garnish
with bacon, cheese, and onion if desired. Makes 10 cups.
Stuffed Green Peppers
Rachel Barrows, Retail Operations Supervisor
Edwardsville Center/Troy Road
Cioppino
Bill Yarbrough, Communications Representative
Marketing Department
3
1
3
1
1
4 1
2
1
1/2 1/2 3/4
28 8
1
1 1/2
1
1
1 1/2 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
med onion, chopped
shallots, chopped
fennel bulb, chopped
celery rib, sliced
lrg cloves garlic, minced
bunch fresh parsley leaves, chopped
bay leaves
Tbsp dried basil
Tbsp dried thyme
Tbsp dried oregano
Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
cup fish stock*
sm can tomato paste
cup dry red or white wine
lbs clams, in shell
lbs mussels, in shell
lbs raw extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined
lbs firm white fish, cut into bit-sized chunks
Salt & Pepper to taste
In a large soup pot, heat olive oil and
add onions, shallots, garlic, fennel, celery and parsley. Cook slowly, stirring
occasionally until softened.
*Make fish stock by heating shrimp
shells in 3 boxes chicken stock, strain.
Add fish stock, tomatoes, bay leaves,
basil, thyme, oregano, red pepper
flakes, tomato paste and wine and
bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low,
cover and simmer approximately 45
minutes to 1 hour. If sauce becomes
too thick, thin with wine or water.
Scrub clams and mussels with a small,
stiff brush under cold, running water; remove beards from mussels. Discard any
open clams or mussels. Cover with cold,
salted water; let stand for 5 minutes and
then pour off the salted water.
Gently stir in clams, mussels, shrimp
and fish into prepared stock. Cover and
simmer 5 to 7 minutes until clams pop
open and shrimp are opaque when
cut. Do not overcook the seafood - it
will continue to cook after it is removed
from the pan. Remove bay leaves, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from heat and ladle soup into
large bowls, sprinkle with fresh parsley and freshly-squeezed lemon juice
and serve with crusty bread.
Mushroom Relish Appetizer
Nikki Turner, Community Relations Coordinator
Marketing Department
1 lb mushrooms, I use button
1 stick butter
1/2 cup Olive Oil
2 shallots
chopped garlic
fresh Parsley
pepper to taste
Finely chop mushrooms and sauté
in butter and olive oil. Add chopped
shallots and garlic, parsley and black
pepper to taste. Serve hot or warm on
crackers or toast.
Fluffy Orange Salad
Maggie Bohnenstiehl, Loan Assistant
Highland Center
3 lrg green peppers
8 oz sour cream
3 oz orange Jello package
14 oz crushed pineapple
1 sm can Mandarin oranges
8 oz Cool Whip
Drain pineapple and oranges. Mix
sour cream and Jello. Add fruit and
Cool Whip and mix well. Refrigerate
until ready to serve.
3 lrg green peppers
1 pkg crab meat
8 oz cream cheese, softened
Green onions to taste
1/2 Tbsp garlic & herb seasoning
1 pkg shredded cheddar cheese
Cut green peppers in half and de-seed
them. Mix cream cheese, onions,
seasoning, crab meat, and cheese together with an electric blender. Stuff
each pepper with mixture and top
with any remaining cheese. You can
put them on the grill, or bake them in
the oven at 350° for 20 min (or until
peppers soften and mixture is hot!)
Note: You can replace crab meat with
hamburger or sausage, too. Great as a
side dish or main dish! Enjoy!
Crock Pot Corn
Terrie Frankford, Operations Manager
Main Office
2
8
2 or 3
1
32 oz pkg frozen corn
oz cream cheese
sticks butter
tsp garlic salt
Salt & Pepper to taste
Pour all into a crock pot and cook on
low for about 4 hours (or until hot).
Stir well before serving.
Mini Ham and Cheese
Sandwiches
Peggy Vallandingham, AVP/Private
Banking Manager/Belleville Center/West Main
2
I
2
1 1/2
1
1
pkgs Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
lb shaved ham
cup shredded mozzarella
cup butter
tsp Worcestershire
tsp minced onion
Place bottom halves of rolls in a
greased 9 x 13 pan. Layer meat then
cheese, put roll tops on and cut with
knife to separate sandwiches. Mix
together melted butter, Worcestershire and onion. Drizzle over top of
sandwiches. Refrigerate, bake at 350°
for 20 minutes.
Cheesy Cream Corn
Peggy Vallandingham, AVP/Private
Banking Manager/Belleville Center/West Main
16
12
1/4
3
3
2
6
oz frozen corn
oz cream cheese, cubed
cup butter
Tbsp water
Tbsp milk
Tbsp sugar
slices American cheese, cut into small pieces
Put all in crock pot and cook on low
for 4 hours or until heated & creamy.
Easy Ranch and
Mustard Chicken
Andrew Krieger, Financial Consultant
The Investor Group at TheBANK
1/3 2/3 3-4 1-2 cup mustard
cup ranch
Tbsp brown sugar
lbs boneless chicken
Mix your mustard, brown sugar, and
ranch and pour 2/3 rds of this over
the desired amount of chicken and
refrigerate for a couple hours as a
marinade. Save the remainder of the
dressing for desired dipping after
cooking the chicken in the oven for
30 minutes at 350° or until cooked in a
baking dish or bowl.
BBQ Chicken Wings
Connie Mang, Customer Service Agent/
Electronic Banking/Main Office
1
1
40
2/3
2/3
2
1
lrg onion
stalk celery
chicken wings, thawed
cup brown sugar
cup soy sauce
cloves garlic, chopped
cup ketchup
Boil onion, celery and wings for 10
minutes. Combine brown sugar, soy
sauce, lemon juice, garlic and ketchup
in a bowl. Drain wings and place them
in large pan or plastic container. Pour
sauce over wings and marinate for at
least 3 hrs. (I do mine overnight) Bake
wings at 325° for one hour.
BBQ Apple Pork Beans
Carol Porter, Bank Services Consultant
Highland Center
1
8
2
2
2
2
2
4
4
2
2
lb thick sliced bacon, diced
15 oz cans plain pork and beans, drained & rinsed
cup Mauls Original BBQ Sauce
lb Jimmy Dean pork sausage
cup apple pie filling, chop the big chunks, drain if a lot of juice
med onion, finely chopped
cup brown sugar
Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Tbsp Mustard - French’s Yellow
tsp cayenne powder
tsp barbecue rib rub, any standard brand
In large crock pot mix all ingredients
except bacon, onions & pork sausage.
Brown bacon, and sauté onion in bacon
grease after bacon has cooked down.
Add to crock pot. Brown pork sausage
and chop well. Add to crock pot. Mix
well. Stir every 15-20 minutes while
cooking. Cook on high for at least 2
hours, reduce to warm until time to eat.
Note: Careful it WILL burn. Serves 20.
Cake Mix Cookies
Sherrie Hickman,
TheCLUB Quarterly Designer
1
8
1
cake mix, any flavor desired
oz Cool Whip
egg
Powdered Sugar
Mix all ingredients. Form into balls.
Roll in powdered sugar. Bake at 350°
for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool in pan a few
minutes before removing.
You can also skip the powdered sugar
use cake icing on the tops after baked.
Fresh Apple Cake
Peggy Vallandingham, AVP/Private
Banking Manager/Belleville Center/West Main
1
2
3
2
2 1/2
1
2
1
1
1/2
3 1/2
3/4
1
cup oil
cup sugar
eggs, beaten
tsp vanilla
cup flour
tsp baking soda
tsp baking powder
tsp salt
tsp cinnamon
tsp nutmeg
cup apples, peeled & chopped
cup coconut
cup pecans, chopped
Cream together oil, eggs, sugar and
vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together.
Blend together into cream mixture.
Fold in apples, pecans and coconut.
Pour into greased and floured 10 inch
bundt pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
Icing
1
1/2
1/4
1 1/2
cup light brown sugar
cup butter or margarine
cup evaporated milk
tsp vanilla
Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat and stir in
vanilla. Beat with spoon until icing thickens and cools. Pour over cooled cake.
Italian Cream Cake
Becky Yarbrough,
Cougar Banking Center Manager
1 stick butter
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
5 whole eggs, separated
3 tsp vanilla
1 cup coconut
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
Frosting:
2 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 stick butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 2 lb pkg powdered sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and
flour three 9 inch round cake pans. In
a large bowl, cream together butter,
oil and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix
in the egg yolks, vanilla and coconut.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking
soda and baking powder. Alternate
adding buttermilk and dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix until just
combined, then fold in egg whites.
Pour evenly into prepared pans, then
sprinkle the tops of each with at least
1 Tbsp of sugar. Bake in the preheated
oven for 20 - 25 min or until cake
tester inserted into the middle comes
out clean. Remove from the oven and
allow to cool for 15 min, then turn
the cakes out onto cooling racks and
allow to cool completely.
Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine
cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and
powdered sugar. Beat until light and
fluffy. Stir in chopped walnuts, and
sugared coconut. Spread between
layers and serve.
Pineapple-Bacon Upside
Down Cupcakes
Mark Cruse, Marketing Coordinator
Marketing Department
1
8
1
1
Yellow Cake mix, Duncan Hines Butter Rich is the best!
strips of THICK bacon
can cream cheese frosting
can crushed pineapples, draining optional
Prepare cake mix according to instructions on box for cup cakes. Cook
bacon until crispy, drain and crumble
or chop into pieces. Fill cup cake tins
with batter. Add crushed pineapple
on top and press into batter. Bake
according to instructions. After cup
cakes are cooled, remove from tin and
place on cake tray/platter with the
pineapples on the bottom. Cover each
cup cake with the cream cheese frosting. Garnish with bacon pieces.
Note: DO NOT USE FAKE BACON PIECES!
Enjoy! Santa loves these cup cakes! He’s
tired of cookies!
Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
Amy Martin/Retail Administrator
Main Office
4
1
1/2 1/2 1/4 1
1 1/2
1
1
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
tsp baking powder
tsp baking soda
tsp salt
tsp ground nutmeg
cup butter, softened
cup granulated sugar
egg
tsp vanilla extract
cup sour cream
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda,
nutmeg and set aside. In a large bowl
cream butter and sugar until smooth.
Beat in egg, vanilla and sour cream
until blended. Stir in the sifted ingredients. Wrap dough in plastic and chill
overnight. Lightly flour surface, roll
dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with
cookie cutters. Place on ungreased
cookie sheet 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake
at 375° for 8-10 minutes. Allow cookies
to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes
before removing to a wire rack to
cool. Enjoy as is or decorate with icing.
Monster Cookies
Nikki Turner, Community Relations
Coordinator/ Marketing Department
12 eggs
1 lb brown sugar
4 cups white sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 12 oz jars of creamy peanut butter
1 lb of butter, softened
1 lrg bag of M & Ms
1 lrg bag of Chocolate Chips
6 tsp of baking soda
12 cups oatmeal.
In a dishpan size bowl, cream eggs,
two sugars, salt, vanilla, baking soda
and butter first, slowly add peanut
butter. Once all creamed together,
add M & Ms and chocolate chips. Finally, add oatmeal – usually 4 cups at
a time. Use your hand to thoroughly
mix the batter. Once completed, use
an ice cream scoop to measure out –
one scoop per cookie. Flatten with a
sugar-coated flat surface, i.e. a glass.
Bake at 350° for 8 -10 minutes or until
lightly brown. Let sit on cookie sheet
for a short time tso they start to cool –
it will keep them from breaking apart.
This recipe will make approximately 12
dozen cookies, so be prepared!