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F&M Newsletter - September 2003
We have a monthly publication, which we send to our customers. If you'd like to receive our newsletter by regular mail, let us know. Otherwise, we'll keep the latest version here. These are the articles from September 2003.
There’s no need to enter your PIN number— just sign as you would for any credit card purchase. Your purchases are automatically deducted from your checking account. Your monthly checking account statement provides you with a record of all your transactions in the “Electronic Debit” section and makes your recordkeeping simple. Your Visa check card can also be used as an ATM card at thousands of ATMs in the United States and overseas. For those times that you still need cash, your Visa check card and ATM card is the answer.
To learn more about the convenience of a Visa check card, stop by Farmers and Merchants State Bank, Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., and see Susan McCleery, Becky White, Debbie Pestle, Melissia Reimonds, or Kathy Danner.
Celebrating big wedding anniversaries this month are Bob and Sara Hudson (parents of our own Debbie Powell), of Avon, who have enjoyed 55 years together, while former rural Macomb residents Daryl and Ella Louise Reid celebrated their 41st anniversary. We send each of you our heartiest congratulations!
Did you know you can now do your banking on Sunday afternoon? To sign up for internet banking, visit our website at: www.bushnellbank.com, complete an application, print it off, and mail or bring it to our bookkeeping department. Ask Susan, Debbie, Becky, Missy or Kathy to set up your account immediately. You can then transfer money from your savings to your checking account, order checks, apply for a loan, make a loan payment, and many more options too numerous to mention. You can even sign up for bill paying services while you are here, and have your bill payments automatically debited from your account. It’s easy. It’s quick. You’ll be glad you did it!
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency loaned Bushnell $1.2 million for 20 years at 2.5%, and Bushnell received a $400,000 grant from Community Development Assistance Program. The loan and grant will allow Bushnell to improve its water supply system through the RO unit that will be housed in the existing building, and to add a new larger water tower. Construction is scheduled to begin immediately with completion to take approximately one year. “To drink, or not to drink” will no longer be the question!
Originally from Luray MO, John graduated from Kahoka High School, and moved to Bushnell in 1965. He is in charge of building maintenance, janitorial services and mowing. (John literally doesn’t let any grass grow under his feet!) He and his wife, Rosemary, are the parents of one daughter, Paula (and Matt) Carpenter who lives in Marquette Heights. When not at work, John can be found fishing or hunting, and is an active member of the VFW, serving as a VFW Honor Guard, McDonough County Veteran’s Assistance Committee member, and American Legion No. 6 member. John is also an avid Cardinal baseball fan, and thinks there’s a chance the Cards will finish ahead of the Cubs this year! Some of John’s (or Rosemary’s!) favorite recipes include: NO FAIL NOODLES
Add water and salt to beaten egg. Add enough flour to make moderately firm dough, and knead lightly. Cover dough and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Roll dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into narrow strips, dusting with flour as you work. Cover cut noodles and let dry. Use in your favorite recipe.
RELISH SALAD
Heat vinegar, sugar and oil together until sugar melts. Cool. Drain all vegetables and pimentos, and add onions, celery, peppers and seasonings. Add vinegar mixture and stir thoroughly. Let salad marinate in refrigerator several hours before serving. Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves, or by itself. EASY BARBECUE CUPS
Brown hamburger, onions, green peppers, and drain. Add barbecue sauce, sugar, mustard and salt. Simmer for five minutes. Place biscuits in ungreased muffin tins, pressing dough up sides to form a cup. Place meat mixture in each cup and sprinkle each with grated cheese. Bake at 375º for 10-15 minutes, until biscuits are browned. Let rest for five minutes before serving. Serves 5.
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION*. . .by Shirley Rapp 
In 1939, with a third grade education, J. L. Turner and his son Cal, in Scottsville KY, began working as wholesalers of basic dry foods, investing a mere $5,000. By 1955 they had switched to retail stores, totaling 35, with annual sales exceeding $2 million. They experimented with a ‘dollar’ concept in 1955, and within 10 years the Dollar General Store had grown to 255 stores with annual sales of $25.8 million.
In 1968 the name was changed to Dollar General Corp. (ticker DG) and the company went public. Today, DG has more than 6,300 stores, including the one that just opened in Bushnell, Illinois! Dollar General generated more than $6.1 billion in annual sales in 2002 and is a Fortune 500 company. Dollar General is a discount retailer of quality general merchandise whose goal is to deliver convenience and value to its customers. The assortment of name brands and private label products include health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies and basic apparel to name a few. DG recently traded at $19.39 with a 52-week trading range of $9.50 to $19.75. The P/E (price-to-earnings ratio) is 23.1, and the company pays an annual dividend of $0.14 per share. Dollar General has had eight 5-for-4 share splits since 1995, with earnings-per-share increasing from $0.26 to $0.75 for the same period. For further information on Dollar General Corp. or any investment, please contact Shirley Rapp or any of the professionals of Trust-Mart® to help you implement your investment decisions.
*This column is informational only, with no investment advice given or intended. Investments in securities are not insured by the FDIC, and involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. All material presented is compiled from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Before buying any security, its prospectus should be carefully read. Trust-Mart© is a full-service trust department of the Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Bushnell, Illinois.
SAFETY FIRST! Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. Mechanical, chemical and environmental hazards may increase the risk of accidents for farmers, but most farm related accidents are preventable. Many injuries occur when tractors roll over, when loose clothing becomes entangled in the power take-off, when sleep-deprived farmers are hurrying to complete a task before the ‘rain sets in’, or when farm machinery is moving on the rural highways. Thousands of highway accidents involving farm machinery occur every year because of difficulty anticipating the operator’s intentions.
If you are the farmer, clearly mark your machinery with slow moving vehicle signs, get plenty of rest, and do not take unnecessary risks around your machinery. If you are in a vehicle following a farmer on a highway, keep a safe distance, and remember he’s trying to make a living, too.
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Are you looking for a fast, convenient and safe way to pay for purchases at grocery stores, gas stations, department stores, restaurants, hotels, pharmacies or the internet? Using your Visa® check card is quicker than a trip to the ATM, faster than writing a check and safer than carrying cash. In addition, it’s accepted at more than 28 million locations worldwide!
Holiday shopping is just around the corner. Your life will be simplified when you use your Visa check card for all those gifts you need to buy, without fumbling for your checkbook. You’ll save time (about a minute per paper check) and be on your way to your next shopping stop before you know it. You’ll also save time by not having a credit card bill to pay, no interest to pay, and no envelope or postage expense.
Really big birthday wishes go out to several who recently celebrated birthdays. They include Ruth Pollitt (100) of Avon, Blanche Kane (96) of Bushnell, Mildred Inman (86) of Bushnell, Charles Jackson (80) of Bushnell, Leland Wolf (84) of Good Hope and Frank Havens (70) of Prairie City. We wish each of you a happy healthy birthday!
Yes, by September of 2004, Bushnell residents will enjoy the taste (or lack of taste!) of water that’s been purified through RO (reverse osmosis). The new water system will guarantee residents the delivery of safe drinking water, and addresses new radium standards.
John Frank joined the F & M Bank family in March of this year when PPI of Macomb announced it would be moving its plant out of this area.
