2009 Community Involvement

Additional Information: 2008

Be a Hero. Feed a Family.
Make a Deposit to Wolverine Bank’s Food Drive

November 2009: This year, the Santa Parade will offer an opportunity to cheer for Santa and collect candy, and also, a chance to give back. Wolverine Bank took the parade theme of “A Hero’s Holiday” to heart this year and is inviting everyone along the parade route to be a hero for the day. Wolverine’s theme for its Santa Parade float is “Be a Hero. Feed a Family.” and the bank will be collecting food items during the parade as they walk along the route as well as providing collection boxes at each of the eight warming tents in the Center City area and in its branches.

This is the 3rd year that Wolverine Bank’s float will have a theme that supports a local non-profit organization. Last year the bank collected books for The Literacy Council of Midland County and the year prior to that, employees helped create a child-size playhouse that was donated to Shelterhouse. However, this is the first time Wolverine is inviting the community to bring donations directly to the parade. Jill Gushow, Chief Strategic and Deposit Development Officer said that, “The Santa Parade is a kick-off of the holiday season in Midland. We thought it would be fun to provide a way for our community members to start sharing the holiday spirit right there at the parade by bringing a small food donation to help those in need.” To kick off the “Be a Hero. Feed a Family.” food drive, Wolverine Bank and its employees will be donating a total of 500 canned goods to the campaign.

Wolverine Bank employees came up with the idea after sponsoring the Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Backpack Buddies program for their October “Let’s Make a Difference” luncheon fundraiser. Through the monthly potluck, Wolverine employees raise funds which are then matched by the bank and donated to a local non-profit. After hearing about the tremendous need in our community for basic food items, the bank’s employees overwhelmingly decided to sponsor a food drive for the Midland Emergency Food Pantry Network as the theme of their Santa Parade float. In addition to the major collection effort occurring on Saturday, November 21, 2009, the day of the Santa Parade, all bank branches will be accepting food items from now until Friday, December 18, 2009. The items most needed are: canned fruits & vegetables, rice, potatoes, stuffing mixes, Jell-O, and personal care items such as shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Wolverine hopes that when you are packing your bag of blankets and chairs for the parade, you will throw in a can of food as well. Gushow noted that “We hope everyone keeps our employees running that day on the parade route! We are ready to wear ourselves out by collecting as much as we can to make the holidays a bit brighter in our community!”

Frankenmuth Office Renovations Completed

Saginaw County Commissioner,
Dennis Kraft along with Bob Grnak
from Representative Roger Kuhn's
office present Wolverine with a
certificate recognizing their 30th
Anniversary in Frankenmuth.

Rebecca Lake, Frankenmuth Branch
Manager of Wolverine Bank does
the honors of cutting the ribbon for
visitors to tour the newly renovated
building. The Frankenmuth Area
Chamber of Commerce was also
present for the days events.
This group of visitors enjoys a
a complimentary lunch featuring
Frankenmuth's famous brats.
Wolverine Bank employees were
on hand from 11am-4pm to serve
the public a lunch celebrating the
bank's anniversary and renovations.

October 2009: To show their appreciation to the Frankenmuth area, Wolverine Bank recently hosted a 5-Star Renovation Celebration at its Frankenmuth office. The event showcased the completed renovations to the branch, as well as a celebration for its 30th Anniversary in Frankenmuth and 21 years of 5-Star ratings.

“We wanted to say thank you to the Frankenmuth community for their continued support over the past 30 years,” said Rebecca Lake, Branch Manager, “we couldn’t do it without them.”

The afternoon started out with a ribbon cutting where Jamie Furbush, President/CEO of the Frankenmuth Area Chamber of Commerce presented Wolverine with a certificate for their continued involvement in the community for 30 years along with its extended 5-Star rating. Also on hand at the event, Saginaw County Commissioner Denis Kraft and Bob Grnak from representative Roger Kahn’s office who also presented Wolverine with a certificate in recognition of its 30 years.

Customer and visitors from the area were also invited out for a cookout where Wolverine Bank employees served brats, popcorn, and popsicles. Several local businesses also donated a variety of prizes for visitors to enter to win in support of the event.

Wolverine Bank Invites Community to Celebration in Frankenmuth

September 2009: Wolverine Bank is celebrating a great deal these days and is inviting everyone to join in on September 25th. The bank was enthusiastically preparing for its 30th anniversary as part of the Frankenmuth business community. Then, when two other exciting events occurred for Wolverine, the team decided that it wanted to make this into a full-out celebration for the entire community. First, the bank learned that it had earned another 5-Star rating from Bauer Financial, making Wolverine the only bank in Michigan that can claim this honor for 21 consecutive years. Additionally, the Frankenmuth branch just completed major renovations which have completely transformed the look and feel of the entire office.

Dave Dunn, President and CEO of Wolverine said that "We may have a new look, but we want everyone to know that they can rely upon the same great 5-Star service that we are known for. Wolverine is extremely proud to be one of the strongest banks in the country and be right here in Frankenmuth. We hope that the entire community will come out and celebrate with us."

The celebration will begin at 11am with a ribbon cutting by the Frankenmuth Area Chamber of Commerce. Jamie Furbush, President and CEO of the Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau noted that "Frankenmuth is fortunate to have such well established businesses, like Wolverine Bank, that continue to invest in our community. In a time when good news is sometimes hard to come by, we have found 3 good reasons to celebrate; Wolverine Bank's latest achievements of serving our community for 30 years, their continued 5-Star Rating and their recent renovation at our local branch. Wolverine's long history, outstanding service and dedication to the community really make them an asset to our business community."

From 11am-4pm that day, guests will be treated to grilled brats and hot dogs, popcorn, popsicles, and other treats. Additionally, fellow local businesses are partnering with Wolverine by generously donating prizes which will be raffled off at the event. These include great packages from: Bronner's, Zehnder's, Davinci's, Kern's, Birch Run Cinema Hollywood, Prime Outlets of Birch Run, MI Soybean, Bavarian Inn Lodge, Bavarian Inn Restaurant, Independence Village, T-Dubs, Harvest Coffee Shop, and Sullivan's Black Forest Brew Haus & Grill.

For more information, please call the Wolverine Bank Frankenmuth Office at (989) 652-2615.

Local Paleontologist Works with Wolverine Bank to Identify Local Fossil Finds

May 2009: As part of our Discover What's In Your Own Backyard series, Wolverine Bank recently partnered with local paleontologist, Joe Kochdl, better known as PaleoJoe to bring free educational and informational seminars to the Great Lakes Bay Region.

The series kicked off in Midland, at the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library, where PaleoJoe discussed his latest find - a 60 foot camerasaurus he discovered last year in Utah. He also showed samples of dinosaur bones and other fossils he has unearthed over the years. Other PaleoJoe events were held at Barnes and Noble in Saginaw and Midland, the Eastman branch of Wolverine Bank and the Frankenmuth Wickson District Library where local residents were encouraged to bring in their favorite fossil finds for identification by PaleoJoe.

PaleoJoe provides updates from his digs as well as tips on digging fossils in Michigan. Check out Paleo's latest PaleoJoe's Dig Notes today!

Employees of Wolverine Bank Extend a Helping Hand

North Midland Family Center and Wolverine Bank - Employee Fundraiser Luncheon.
Wolverine Employees visit North Midland Family Center

May 2009: With many community organizations feeling the pressure of the economic climate, local employees of Wolverine Bank have continued to support their local non-profit organizations with their "Let’s Make a Difference Program."

"Now, more than ever, these community organizations need our support," Chief Strategic Officer Jill Gushow said. "We realize economic times are uncertain, so Wolverine employees are making the extra effort by pooling their financial donations and volunteering their time to these local groups that play such a critical role in helping those in need. It’s a creative way to give back and promotes a sense of pride within our organization."

Each month, a different department within the bank selects a local charity to sponsor. The department organizes a themed employee luncheon, where money raised is matched, dollar for dollar by Wolverine Bank, enabling the bank to double its contribution to the selected charity. Employees also started the "Denim For Dollars" program where for a donation they are able to wear blue jeans to work on the day of the luncheon. This money is also donated to the selected charity.

Since the programs inception in the fall of 2007, Wolverine Bank employees have donated over $8,000 to local non-profit organizations that include Alzheimer’s Association, American Red Cross of Gladwin/Midland & Saginaw Area, Arnold Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boy Scouts of Lake Huron Council, Disability Network, Midland County Habitat for Humanity, Johnny Burke’s Children’s Foundation, Midland Community Center, North Midland Family Center, Saginaw Rescue Mission, SOS Animal Rescue, Special Days Camp, United Way, Wally Bronner Frankenmuth Beautification Fund, West Midland Family Center and April’s selected charity Safe and Sound Child Advocacy Center.

As a community bank headquartered in the Great Lakes Bay Region for over 75 years, Wolverine is proud of its commitment to this region and its citizens.

Wolverine Bank Presents...

March 2009: Wolverine Bank is pleased to announce its “Discover What’s In Your Own Backyard” event series, featuring local Midland resident, Joe Kchodl, better known as “PaleoJoe.” PaleoJoe is an award winning paleontologist, author and storyteller who is guaranteed to provide an entertaining and informative time for all ages.

The events include:

PaleoJoe and Can You Dig It? Digging Dinosaurs and Other Fossil Facts, on Wednesday, March 25, 2009. This one hour event will take place from 7:00p.m. to 8:00p.m. at the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library in the Auditorium. Look and listen as PaleoJoe shares the story of his discovery of a 60-foot-long camerasaurus in Utah and provides some secrets on digging fossils right here in our own state.
Wolverine Bank will also be hosting PaleoJoe - Fossil Identification and Dinosaur Fossil Cleaning on Saturday, March 28, 2009 from 9a.m. to 12p.m. at the Eastman location (5710 Eastman Avenue, Midland). Join PaleoJoe as he brings actual dinosaur bones and demonstrates how they are cleaned. You will also have a chance to touch real dinosaur bones! Additionally, PaleoJoe will be identifying your fossil treasures on site, so make sure to bring in your favorite find!
PaleoJoe will also be giving a talk about his experiences in the field as a paleontologist along with a book signing at Barnes and Noble in Saginaw, on Saturday, March 21, 2009, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. as well as the Barnes and Noble located in the Midland Mall on Saturday, April 11, 2009 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. A percentage of the proceeds from books sales at the Barnes and Noble in Midland will benefit the Literacy Council of Midland.

Additionally, Wolverine is sponsoring a “Name the Camerasaurus” contest. PaleoJoe needs a local name for his latest find and wants the young paleontologists of the Great Lakes Bay Region to help! If you are under 18 you can enter your favorite name for the camerasaurus and win bragging rights as well as a $50.00 savings bond from Wolverine Bank, a set of signed PaleoJoe’s Dinosaur Detective Series books, and a “Paleo-riffic Pizza Party” for your classroom! Plus a special visit from PaleoJoe during the pizza party!

If you are interested in entering the “Name the Camerasaurus” contest or for details on more of PaleoJoe’s exciting upcoming events, stop by any of the Wolverine Bank locations or visit us on the web at www.wolverinebank.com and click on PaleoJoe’s picture.

These events are all brought to you by Wolverine Bank, which is in the top 1% of banks in the country for financial strength. It is headquartered right here in the Great Lakes Bay Region and has served our communities for over 75 years. We invite you to Discover What’s In Your Own Backyard!

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