Rachel Scalish helps a customer get oriented to the video teller machine.

“Oh, my gosh, there were a lot of people here,” says Branch Manager Sharon Hack, describing the Howard branch’s community celebration for its new drive-up video teller machine on Sep 27. “We were giving away a $1,000 gas card, and we registered over 60 people.”

The event was held in conjunction with Pumpkinfest at the Piggly Wiggly, where the branch is located, but North Shore Bank’s new technology was a big draw.

Everyone who used the new machine got 70 cents, in honor of the 70 hours a week it will operate. Every seventh person got $7.70, and the 50th visitor got a $70 prepaid, refillable MasterCard.

Lines were long enough that the grand prize winner didn’t even realize he’d been entered in a contest, as he was in a hurry and the video specialist didn’t have a chance to mention it. “He was really surprised!” Sharon says.

The new “ITM,” which also functions as an ATM.

Besides the new machine and prizes, the branch also had popcorn and “boo mix” (like trail mix) on hand for visitors, games and fake tattoos for kids, and tulip bulbs for the first 100 customers that day.

Rachel, Tavie, Sharon, Jason, and Sarah.

Employees who helped out at the celebration, along with Sharon, were: Teller Sarah Erickson, ABMS Tavie Folk, Teller Rachel Scalish, and Teller Jason Sulzmann.