3030 Kaleidoscope
Area banks offer wide variety of travel opportunities
By Kelly McGee-Allen
SPECIAL TO KALEIDOSCOPE
Enjoyment. Entertainment. Plea-
sure. Sauk Valley seniors can experi-
ence them all when they take advan-
tage of bank travel clubs.
Five banks in the Sauk Valley area
are among many banks and credit
unions that offer day and overnight
trips for patrons and nonpatrons
alike.
There are day trips to concert ven-
ues, theaters, casinos, shopping cen-
ters and sports events, and extended
adventures: You can take an ocean
cruise, spend "Christmas in Dixie" or
see a show in Branson, Mo.
The banks and their offerings:
� Amcore Bank has its Ambassador
Club, for people 55 and older. To be
a member, you must maintain a de-
posit of $10,000 or more.
"You should come participate in
one of our travel excursions for the
sheer joy of getting out of town for a
day and having fun with other people
your age," said Cindy Kelchner, direc-
tor of travel at Amcore.
�SterlingFederalhasapointrewards
system that you can use to help pay
for its trips. If you maintain a $10,000
balance, you get 2 travel points. Write
15 or more checks a month and you
get 20 points. For every 1,000 points,
you get $25 off.
"Our trips are coordinated with
American Classic Tours, and our pric-
es include all of the tips for the bus
drivers and price of the meals, unless
otherwise noted," said Pam Stange,
one of the bank's travel coordinators.
"We also have bingo games at
our Dixon South branch during the
months of October and Novem-
ber, and in January, we include card
games as well as bingo at our Sterling
location," Stange said.
� First National Bank in Amboy gives
its customers the first chance to sign
up for trips. If vacancies remain, the
bank opens it up to noncustomers.
"There are also monthly meetings
forFirstNationalBankAmboy'ssenior
depositors at the Loveland Building,
where they gather to play bingo and
have dessert, and they are allowed to
bring guests," said Deloris Pitzer, First
National's travel coordinator.
� U.S. Bank's Silver Elite club is for
people 55 and older; it offers mem-
bers a special checking account and
travel opportunities, as well as an an-
nual "hoedown" in Centennial Park
in Rock Falls that includes live music
and a catered lunch. This year's pic-
nic is Aug. 27.
Pam Erby is travel coordinator for
U.S. Bank in Sterling and Rock Falls.
"I can give you an exclusive preview
of a trip we are planning March 27 to
April 6, and that is a trip to the Neth-
erlands. We try and have at least two
longer trips a year, and this year our
first trip is to the Netherlands," Erby
said.
� Community State Bank has a trav-
el club; most folks who participate
are older than 50 but anyone can take
advantage of the trips.
Photo courtesy Metro

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