America Saves is a national campaign that encourages individuals to assess their financial position and to develop a plan to save, and Jewett City Savings Bank is proud to participate and raise awareness of this important initiative.  The rate at which Americans save has dropped from 5% – 7% in the 1980′s to only 1% – 3% in recent years.  The America Saves campaign is managed by the Consumer Federation of America, an association of more than 300 non-profit pro-consumer groups, like AARP.  Partners of the America Saves campaign include the FDIC, Federal Reserve, Social Security Administration and more than 1,000 non-profit, government, and corporate groups.

Our objective is to communicate with our customers about the importance of saving and ways we can help.  Our savings account has a minimum opening balance amount of only $5.  For new savings accounts opened during America Saves Week, the monthly service fee of $2 that is imposed if the daily balance is below $200 will be temporarily waived for six months.  This gives new savers a chance to work up to the minimum balance, by saving just $10 a week, without being charged the monthly fee.

Individuals can participate in the national movement by joining America Saves at americasaves.org/join.  As a saver, participants will receive a free subscription to the American Saver newsletter, can sign up for monthly email newsletters for tips and advice from national experts, and will have access to a number of interactive tools and resources.

Join America Saves at AmericaSaves.org.

Track your progress with My Savings Tracker at saverstool.americasaves.org.

Assess your savings plan at AmericaSavesWeek.org/assess-your-savings-progress.

Kevin C. Merchant, president and CEO of Jewett City Savings Bank, has announced the promotion of three employees to the title of assistant vice president. They are Katherine Quackenbush and Dianne Chiavarini, both of Plainfield, and Jenny Driscoll of Moosup.

Katherine Quackenbush is the Bank’s human resources officer. She joined the Bank in 2007 as a teller, and served in roles of increasing responsibility including customer service representative and human resources assistant before being named as human resources officer. She is a graduate of Grove City College in Pennsylvania.

Dianne Chiavarini is the manager of Jewett City Savings Bank’s Central Village branch. Hired in 1992, Dianne recently celebrated 20 years of service with the bank. She has also served in teller, customer service representative, and assistant branch manager positions. She is a member of the board of the Plainfield Business Association.

Jenny Driscoll joined the Bank in 2001 as a teller, and subsequently served as escrow clerk and loan servicing assistant before being named to her current role as loan originations manager. She attended Eastern Connecticut State University.

Kevin C. Merchant, president of the Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation, announced today that grants totaling $16,650 were awarded recently to community organizations dedicated to health and wellness in the communities served by the Bank.

Included in the most recent grants was a $5,000 award to the Day Kimball Hospital’s Care in a Heartbeat campaign to raise funds for a new emergency department, presented as the first installment of a five-year $25,000 pledge by the Foundation. The hospital also received $1,000 from the Foundation for its annual appeal.

Grants of $1,000 were awarded in support of annual appeals by Backus Hospital, Natchaug Hospital, and Windham Hospital. The Windham Hospital Foundation received an additional $1,000 grant to conduct a community health needs assessment. And, the Foundation gave $1,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Northeastern CT to purchase cabinets for a new home under construction in Brooklyn.

As a silver sponsor, the Foundation awarded $2,500 to the American Cancer Society’s 2011 Relay For Life. Another $1,000 grant will support a parent education program on children’s nutritional needs by Northeast Opportunities for Wellness, and Hospice Southeastern CT received $500 in response to their annual appeal.

The Quinebaug Valley Senior Citizens Center will use its $650 grant from the Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation to enhance outreach, referral and hands-on help through online access to benefits programs, with a special emphasis on assistance to veterans.  With its $650 award, The Arc of Quinebaug Valley will purchase anatomical training models to enhance their health education classes.

United Community and Family Services, in partnership with Slater Library in Jewett City, will direct its $350 award to provide a monthly story hour and art therapy experience for young children.

The grants awarded by the Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation in 2011 totaled $52,300, supporting a variety of community initiatives in the Bank’s marketplace.

During February and March we’ll automatically enroll you into a contest to win a $5,000 vacation each time you pay a bill using our FREE online bill pay service!

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No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. For complete rules and additional important information, visit https://secure.orcc.com/promo/Q12012/rules or ask for additional details.

Kevin C. Merchant, president of the Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation, announced that grants totaling $6,250 were awarded recently to community organizations including four area libraries.

Jewett City’s Slater Library received $2,000 from the Foundation to purchase 13 computers to meet the increased usage and needs of library patrons. The Library also received $1,000 in annual support from the Foundation.

Sterling Public Library was the recipient of a $500 grant to provide computer classes for adults and to provide educational programs for children and families.

The Preston Public Library received $1,000 to upgrade library technology, including the purchase of an iPad and laptop for use by patrons, and to introduce educational software and technology to the children’s area. In Moosup, Aldrich Free Public Library received $500 from the Foundation to install a handicap ramp, allowing patrons with disabilities access to the library and its resources.

The Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation also awarded $250 to the Preston Historical Society in support of events to commemorate the Town’s 325th anniversary celebration in 2012.  And, a $1,000 grant to Performing Arts of Northeast Connecticut’s annual appeal helps to bring opera and symphony programs to students in elementary and middle schools in the northeastern corner of the state.

Online Banking is experiencing technical difficulties, and is unavailable at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience.

A phishing email message claiming to be a Security Alert from PayPal is in circulation.    PayPal is frequently the target of phishing scams.  Do not click on the link to “Please restore access to your account” and delete the email message from your computer.  Here is one version of the message:

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PayPal

Hello
As part of our security measures, we regularly monitor the ongoing activities in the PayPal system. We have recently contacted following a problem with your PayPal account.
Information you have been requested for the following reason:
Our system detected unusual flows on a credit card associated with your PayPal account.
File #: PP-4523-935-178
This is a final reminder invite you to log in to PayPal as soon as possible.

Please restore access to your account. (link to fraudulent web site)

Please do not reply to this mail. The mails sent to this address can not be answered.

Copyright 1999-2012 PayPal. All rights reserved.

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Cybercriminals use phishing email messages to direct you to fraudulent web sites or to install malicious software on your computer in an attempt to steal your personal information.  For tips on how to protect yourself from phishing scams, visit the Federal Trade Commission web site at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt127.shtm.

A phishing email message claiming to be from Elavon is in circulation.    Do not click on the attachment and delete the email message from your computer.  Here is one version of the message:

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Dear Customer,

Our Technical Service department has recently updated our online services, due to this upgrade we sincerely call your attention to download the file attached to this e-mail and reconfirm your login details.

Failure to confirm your Virtual Merchant account details will permanently suspend you from accesing your account online.

*** Please note – Only Retail accounts are locked.***

*** If you own another account type please ignore this message***

© Copyright 2012 Elavon , Inc. All rights reserved.

$Elavon_VT: 147CZFTJJDL0AB4SUWXL8NHY5MTH54SRM0KGENLAXBRQ40DTHZRSS5BNUMNQ2VCUC25RQ

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Cybercriminals use phishing email messages to direct you to fraudulent web sites or to install malicious software on your computer in an attempt to steal your personal information.  For tips on how to protect yourself from phishing scams, visit the Federal Trade Commission web site at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt127.shtm.

We are excited to welcome our customers and visitors to the newly designed JCSBank.com. Beyond the new design and updated colors is a site with improved navigation and expanded tools to help our customers.

Check out the video below for highlights of our new site:

At this time we are not currently seeking new employees. But, we would encourage you to submit your resume for our records.

Send your resume and your Application for Employment to:
Human Resources Department
Jewett City Savings Bank
PO Box 335
Jewett City, CT 06351
E-mail: jobs@jcsbank.com (please note: E-mail is not secure)