THE PEOPLES PRESSTEACH CHILDREN TO SAVE DAY

The ABA Education Foundation

challenged the banking industry to teach savings

education tochildren during

the 15th anniversary of

Teach Children to Save Day.

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN (DOWNTOWN & RIVERSIDE SQUARE)BAGLEY • BLOOMINGTON • BOSCOBEL• EASTMAN

GLEN HAVEN • MT. HOPE • PATCH GROVESENECA • SOLDIERS GROVE • WAUZEKA

(800) 280-1074 • (608) 326-3500www.peoplesfinancial.com

JUNE 2011

Thank You!

Christina Volden from the Soldiers Grove Office enjoyed her time reading to the Second grade at

North Crawford School.Michael Higgins from the Main Office read to the

Kindergarten Class at St. Gabriel’s Catholic School in Prairie du Chien.

Linda Wellumson from the Riverside Office read to St. Gabriel’s First and Second Grades

and St. John’s Fifth Grade.

JUNE IS DAIRY MONTHWATCH FOR TREATS

THROUGH-OUT THE MONTH

How can I tell if a web site I'm shopping at is safe and secure?

Secure online shopping is possible! Look for a secure shopping cart – To tell if a web site’s shopping cart is secure:1. When you look at the url of the site, you should see https:// instead of http://. The “s” means that the site is secure. (Note: Some sites only move you over to a secure server on pages where you are giving them sensitiveinformation – so you might not see https:// until you actually get to the page where you make your online purchase). 2. Look for a closed padlock at the bottom of the screen. If the lock is open, the site isn’t secure. If the lock is closed, the site is secure. 3. If you see a key at the bottom of your screen, that also indicates a secure site. The key needs to be complete (with no breaks in it).4. Some sites may have logos that show you which SSL (secure-socket layer) provider the site uses. These logos often contain today’s date (to let you know that the ssl is current) and when you click the logo, a screen should appear giving you more information about the ssl provider. One example of this is Verisign. 5. There are also newer tools to help you identify sites that take your privacy andsecurity seriously. If you see a current Hackersafe logo on a site, it means thatHackersafe thinks that the site you are on is doing a good job of protecting your information.

Crime Can Happen Anywhere Don’t Be an Easy Target

Recently, criminals in Madison stole valuables and personal information from a number of unlocked cars parked at a local health club, and used that information to withdraw a total of $20,000 from multiple accounts at several branches of local financial institutions.The victims of these crimes did the right thing by keeping their savings in an account at their local financialinstitution. But they also made the all too commonmistake of leaving other valuables unattended and unsecured, leaving themselves vulnerable to what’s known as “victim-assisted crime.”It may seem like common sense to lock the doors to your house and car when you’re not around, but people everywhere are victimized each day through sheernegligence. In fact, according to recent FBI statistics, a car is stolen every 40 seconds – that’s nearly 800,000 cars stolen in a year. Most of those cars are left unlocked, and many still have the keys in the ignition.These crimes eat up police resources and cause insurance rates to rise, so preventing them is in everyone’s best interest.Most crimes are “crimes of opportunity.” A criminal often targets the easiest home to enter, the easiest car to break into, or the easiest purse to snatch. You can reduce your risk of becoming a crime victim by reducing the opportunity.

Here are some ideas:Keep car doors locked, even when left unattended for short periods of time. When fueling, lock your car doors and close the windows – especially if you leave to pay. Before leaving home or going to sleep, lock all doors and windows. Even the best locks provide no protection if left unlocked. Securely lock your home even if you plan to be away for only minutes. Don’t leave belongings in plain view – in your car or home. This is an open invitation to thieves. Close and lock garage doors. An open garage door is a clear invitation to a burglar, especially if the garage is used to store such items as bicycles, power mowers, golf clubs and other easily stolen property. Don’t leave personal items like bicycles, strollers, toys and other belongings outside or in places like porches and patio areas. Don't leave garage door openers in unlocked vehicles parked at your home.Fewer than 13 percent of burglaries are solved, according to the FBI. Nobody wants to see burglaries in theirneighborhood or community. But they do happen. Bytaking simple precautions, you can decrease the chances that your home or car will be burglarized – and protect yourself and your possessions in the process.

Peoples State Bank would like to announce the addition of Thomas Vondrum as

Branch Manager & Loan Officer.Tom grew up on a farm in the Glen Haven area, graduated from Bloomington High School in 1983 and UW LaCrosse in 1987 with a degree in Business Administration. Tom has been in thebanking industry for 23 years.Tom and his wife Gina reside in Cassville. They are very proud to be the parents of two children and have one granddaughter.

Please welcome Tom to Peoples State Bank - Woodhouse & Bartley Office, Bloomington, WI.

E-STATEMENTSEnroll now for E-Statements if you want to save time, save a tree or just be organized!What are E-Statements? An electronic version of paper statements. It contains exactly the same information as the paper statement. Using your current e-mail address, you will receive e-mail no-tification that your statement is ready to view, save or print.How much does it cost to use E-Statements? E-Statements are absolutely free of charge.Do I need Internet Banking to view myE-Statements? Yes and Personal Internet Banking is FREE at Peoples State Bank.How do I enroll to receive E-Statements?To enroll simply:1. Log into your Internet Banking account at www.peoplesfinancial.com2. Under the User Services tab, click on theE-Statements Only link3. Read and accept the E-Disclosure Policy4. You may opt in for one account or all accounts