Post your favorite zoo animal, and the bank will donate

What’s your favorite zoo animal? In honor of Endangered Species Day tomorrow, we’re asking people to post photos of their number-one wild critters on social media and tag North Shore Bank. For every pic that gets posted and tags us on Friday and Saturday, the bank is donating $2 to our partner organizations for the Bank on Kindness “For Love of Animals” campaign, up to $1,000 total.

And of course, donations to these Wisconsin zoos and humane societies can be made by texting “KINDNESS” to 77948 or clicking here. The bank is matching donations throughout May, up to $500 per organization. •••

Animal balloons a big hit at Greendale’s Pet Palooza

North Shore Bank sponsored the animal balloons given away at Pet Palooza in downtown Greendale on May 8. “We got quite a line at our table, and handed out bags and swag and treats,” area branch manager Carolyn Lancour reported.

The animal balloon artist also turned out to be a North Shore Bank customer, she added. Forest Home teller Samantha Bradford and Franklin assistant branch manager Samantha Dammann helped out at the event too. •••

Westgate renovations announced

Last week, the bank announced plans to renovate our Westgate branch, in Racine. As with our other recent branch renovations and construction projects, this will involve updating the office’s design and improving the space so that both in-person staff and video tellers can better take care of customers.

Work begins this summer, and branch service will continue uninterrupted throughout construction. •••

Kenosha South branch inches closer to July opening

Construction continues on our new Kenosha South branch, scheduled to open in July.

The new office will replace the branch inside Festival Foods, offering North Shore Bank customers a bit more space to take advantage of our state-of-the-art banking services. Marketing and the branch team are planning activities and events to get the word out. •••

Metro South employees score well in internal survey
In April, the Metro South District* invited our internal customers to take the SOAR Together internal survey and rate their satisfaction with the level of service they received from our branches. We received 297 responses to the question “How easy was it to do business with the branch?” Ratings were on a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 meant “Not easy to work with” and 7 meant “Very easy to work with.”

I am proud to announce that Metro South scored 6.69 overall. The highest scores in our group were for the Muskego branch (6.88) and three branches that scored 6.82: Franklin, New Berlin, and Southridge.

The survey also asked if the respondent wanted to recognize a particular person in the Metro South District, and we received 134 employee recognitions. The branch that received the most recognitions was Brookfield Square, with 40.

Additionally, we received 236 comments relating to the ease of doing business with the branches. All comments are being reviewed and action plans put in place to address the feedback shared.

These outcomes demonstrate, without a doubt, how well all of our locations take care of our internal customers. Thank you very much to those who completed the Metro South survey — your feedback is greatly appreciated and will be shared with the entire district. —Lauri Lunde, District Manager •••

Reflect on the memories that make you smile

What are the moments that make you smile? Cooking, walking, eating, or celebrating with family and friends? Can you tap in to those memories when you need to feel peace?

Try this meditation for one minute every day, or longer if you want to:

WHAT SIGHTS, SOUNDS, AND SMELLS are part of your happy memories? Make them vivid in your mind. Stay with the mood and notice its components.

This meditation was adapted from A Mindful Day: 365 Ways to Live Life With Peace, Clarity, and an Open Heart, by David Dillard-Wright. How did it go for you? Share your thoughts and feelings in Shorelines and you’ll be entered to win a copy of the book!

If you’d like a daily email reminder to do one minute of mindfulness, email us with the subject “Mindfulness reminder.” —Pat Ingelse, AVP and PMP •••

HELOC promo offers extra value

With home values rising right now, many people — including you, possibly — have more equity in their homes, meaning they could qualify for a generous home equity line of credit under North Shore Bank’s spring promotion.

A HELOC is a great option if you need funds to make a large purchase, to pay for home improvements, to pay off debt, or just as a safety net. Our new promotion offers qualifying customers a fixed 1.49 percent APR through July 2022, and a 4 percent APR after the promotion ends. Let customers, family, and friends know too! Apply for our HELOC promotion here. •••

New Hires for May 20
It’s always exciting to add new members to our team. Here are some of the fresh faces at North Shore Bank.

Senior loan funding rep Jeridith Arroyo is from Milwaukee and previously worked at Landmark Credit Union. She rides a Kawasaki Ninja 250, which she’s had for four years. “She’s lime green and black,” Jeridith says. “Every time it’s even a bit close to decent weather, you’ll find me bringing her out for a spin!” •••

Putting off a cancer screening? Make an appointment!
While limiting visits to the doctor’s office has been essential during the COVID-19 pandemic, UMR reminds us that it’s not a good idea to put off recommended screenings for cancer. Even delaying a screening for just a few months can be risky, since these tests can identify cancer before symptoms set in and when effective treatment is often more likely.

If you have put off a mammogram, colorectal screening, PAP test, prostate exam, or similar screening, contact your primary care provider now to determine when you can safely get the test done. Some of these screenings can even be done virtually or with an at-home test. This is especially important for anyone with a family history or other elevated risk of cancer. •••