After over 20 years, Julie Goebel’s passion remains
Some people just end up in banking. Westgate branch manager AVP Julie Goebel, on the other hand, got her first taste of the industry all the way back in high school. That led to her taking a part-time job as a personal banker at Bank of Kenosha in September 2002. In 2013, North Shore Bank acquired Bank of Kenosha, and Julie joined our team.

“Julie is a dedicated professional with a wide range of experience in the financial industry,” says her boss, district manager Brian Bozek. “She leads by example, provides exceptional customer service, and has played a key role in the growth of our Westgate location.”

With 20 years at the company under her belt, Julie reflects on her career in a short conversation with Shorelines. Read more now!

What do you love about autumn?
What’s your favorite thing about fall? Autumn is now officially here, bringing with it colorful leaves crackling underfoot, Halloween, hayrides, hot apple cider — and of course, football. Whether it’s something you love to do or simply a smell in the crisp autumn air, tell us what you love about the season.

You can use the submissions form or email us at shorelines@northshorebank.com — and share a photo if you’ve got one! (You can also text us at 608-318-3348.) Make sure to include your name. We’ll publish your submissions in a future issue of Shorelines. •••

Make someone’s day with a Bucketlist message
Reminder: Check out the bank’s new Bucketlist recognition and rewards site! Log in to send other employees congratulations, thank-you notes, and other fun messages — and add GIFs, photos, and other images to liven up your messages. (Yep, the GIFs are working again.)

Bucketlist messages have a 20-character minimum, and you must either attach an award badge from the drop-down menu or select one of the bank’s value statements, which the recipient has exemplified through their actions. Managers can use Bucketlist to award points to any employee — any manager can even award additional points to someone who’s been recognized. Milestone service anniversaries (1 year, 5 years, 10, 15, 20, etc.) will be automatically recognized by the system on the anniversary date, with points awarded accordingly.

Log in at northshorebank.bucketlist.org. If you have questions, contact HR rep Morgan Stark. •••

Zoo Boo volunteers needed!
Can you help? The annual North Shore Bank Zoo Boo returns next month at Green Bay’s NEW Zoo & Adventure Park, and we need volunteers to cover the second weekend of the event. We’ll need two to four people for each shift:

Friday, October 14
Shift 1: 2:15 – 5 p.m.
Shift 2: 5 – 7:15 p.m.

Saturday, October 15
Shift 1: 2:15 – 5 p.m.
Shift 2: 5 – 7:15 p.m.

Volunteers will greet and interact with guests, play games, help guests with the free new Photo Fun Safari app, and encourage them to enter our zoo package giveaway.

To sign up to volunteer, log in at the bank’s new Bucketlist site! If you have questions about Zoo Boo volunteering, get in touch with community engagement manager AVP Katie Longsine. •••

Wagfest gives pups chance to chill and play

Elmbrook Humane Society’s annual Wagfest event returned on September 10, at Mitchell Park in Brookfield. North Shore Bank was a sponsor, and employees and their family members came out to help fill the day with fun for furry friends and their humans. “Paws” for a moment and check out photos from the event.

Northside helps zoo celebrate giraffes’ birthdays

As the main sponsor of their exhibit, the bank helped the Racine Zoo celebrate the birthdays of Masai giraffes Mac and Jabari with a party on September 18.

“This was our first time doing this event, and it was a huge success,” Northside branch manager Lisa Brooks said. “The day was gorgeous, and the crowd even sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to the giraffes. So many people were so happy to see North Shore out celebrating these amazing animals, and it was so great to interact with both humans and animals on such a fun occasion.”

Along with gift bags that included giraffe cookies made by a local bakery, we handed out feeding tickets to families, so they could experience the animals up close, and gave kids the chance to craft giraffe ears at our station, which they could wear around the zoo. Visitors also signed a birthday banner for Mac and Jabari, which will hang at the zoo for the rest of their birthday month.

Employees who helped out with Lisa were teller supervisor Kelly Elliott, teller Lexie Lawler, and personal banker Ashley Singstock — whose daughter Sophia also pitched in. Lisa’s fiancé Jason and son Wyatt were there for the fun too. •••

Muskego bankers hit the links

Muskego community engagement manager AVP Stephanie Ruiz and universal banker Sara Speich attended the annual Muskego Area Chamber of Commerce golf outing on September 15. North Shore Bank sponsored hole 18 and also donated a gift basket as a raffle prize. A total of 78 golfers came out for the event, said Stephanie, who attended for her third year. •••

Northland helps raise money for suicide prevention

As part of our Bank on Kindness initiative, the Northland branch donated a gift bag to this year’s annual fundraiser for local nonprofit Prevent Suicide Fox Cities. The basket contains donations from local businesses including wine, a charcuterie board, and gift cards to Eco Candle, Jacobs Meat Market, and craft studio the Fire.

“We chose this organization because of the need for resources and access to mental health services in the Fox Cities,” teller Char Schaible said. “Hopefully, we can make a difference in someone’s life.”

The fundraiser will be this Saturday, September 24, at Appleton’s Grand Meridian banquet hall. Get more details about the Roaring Twenties–themed event here. •••

Southside Dining Week continues through Saturday

We kicked off the second annual Southside Dining Week with brunch last Saturday, September 17, at Milwaukee’s Zócalo Food Park. Along with a selection of food trucks, guests enjoyed live music, yard games, and a photo booth.

Organized and presented by North Shore Bank, Southside Dining Week continues through this Saturday, September 24. Participating restaurants are each offering a signature dish for under $15, and our customers receive a $5 statement credit when they spend at least $15 at a participating restaurant with their North Shore Bank debit Mastercard. See the list of restaurants at southsidediningweek.com. Customers can also enter our giveaway for a chance to win $100 in gift cards. •••

Treating ourselves kindly is more helpful

As night approaches, you may find yourself rehashing the events of the day. Maybe you feel frustrated about not getting your entire to-do list done. Or maybe you wish you’d taken that break, so you’d feel more refreshed for a meeting. Pay attention to the tone of your self-talk. Are you being as kind to yourself as you’d be to someone else?

Try this meditation for one minute today, or longer if you wish:

WHAT’S DONE IS DONE, and I can’t change that. Let me see the positive in what I’ve achieved. Tomorrow I get to start again.

Learning to let go should be learned before learning to get. Life should be touched, not strangled. You’ve got to relax, let it happen at times, and at others move forward with it.
—Ray Bradbury

How did this meditation go for you? Share your experience with your fellow North Shore Bank employees at shorelines@northshorebank.com and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Mindfulness in Plain English, by Bhante Gunaratana.

If you’d like a daily email reminder to practice one minute of mindfulness, email us with the subject “Mindfulness reminder.” •••

1,000 days after their first date, Staeven proposes

Residential loan specialist Brett Staeven got engaged in July at Wisconsin’s Hayman Falls County Park. “One thousand days earlier, we went on our first date there,” he said. “It was a bit stressful, worrying about whether she would make other plans for that day, but it all worked out.” Brett and fiancée Shanna plan to get married next September. •••

Rescheduled fireworks light up Sussex tonight
What’s going on with you? If you or someone in your family has a special event — a concert, show, sporting or charity event, or another important moment — send the details to shorelines@northshorebank.com. We’ll include information about select events to let your colleagues know about all the cool stuff happening with the North Shore Bank team.

Catch fireworks at Pints in the Park starting at dusk tonight, Thursday, September 22, at Sussex Village Park, sponsored by North Shore Bank. After being rained out on the Fourth of July, the fireworks have been rescheduled for this evening. The event will also include craft beer from Brewfinity Brewing, food, live music, and an informal chat with village officials. More info here.

The fourth Latino Economic Unsummit is tomorrow, Friday, September 23, at the Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport. Attendees are welcome in person or via Zoom, and can participate in listening sessions addressing key factors that impair the growth of Latino-owned enterprises and discussion circles with policy makers, procurement officers, and providers. North Shore Bank’s Margaret Capper will contribute to the conversation about accessing capital. More info here.

Community loan originator Diana Castillo and her family are walking in the 26th Annual Statewide Down Syndrome Awareness Walk this Sunday, September 25, at the Milwaukee County Zoo. Diana’s youngest son, Elias, has Down syndrome. If you’re interested, you can join their team or donate to Elias’ Tribe here.

Looking for more to do? Click here for suggestions from the bank’s event calendar.