For over 50 years, the First State Community Bank (FSCB) Horizons Club has allowed its members to foster social connections between members and enjoy peace of mind on unique and exciting trips. We spoke with Horizons Club member Debbie Shoemaker, a retired Fredericktown R-1 School District teacher who enjoys scrapbooking, traveling, and spending time with her family. Debbie has participated in numerous Horizons Club events.
Debbie Shoemaker, a Horizons traveler and scrapbooker.
I have had multiple wonderful experiences with the Horizons Club. Every year, the Fredericktown Club has a Christmas dinner for its members. The meal is great, and prizes are drawn. It’s so much fun spending time with the other members.
...scrapbooking creates something tangible—a physical object to hold and revisit.
Debbie has taken several memorable trips with the Horizons Club...a day trip to horse races in Illinois, a live show in St. Louis, and a train ride to a festival in Washington, MO, which included a winery visit. Her most exciting adventure was a European River Cruise earlier this year, exploring Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Melk, Salzburg, and Passau. Debbie is excited about her next trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland in March 2025, where she will explore Dublin, kiss the Blarney Stone, and visit the Cliffs of Moher, to name a few.
Horizons Club members explore the world, meet new people, and create lasting memories.
I believe the opportunity First State Community Bank gives people is simply incredible! The Horizons directors do all of the work, and we get an amazing experience. All of the directors are interested in us having the best experience we can have—the time of our lives.
Without further ado, meet Jill Fletcher, the Horizons Club's community relations coordinator, who plans and leads all extended travel.
Jill Fletcher, Horizons Club point of contact and liaison.
Planning and leading the extended travel for Horizons Club is my favorite job responsibility! Traveling with the Horizons Club is a fun way to meet new people and build a community. Our repeat travelers often ask who from previous trips will be going along on an upcoming trip because the groups become friends. They look forward to reuniting with those new friends. There is always someone to join for a meal, shopping, or sightseeing on our tours.
The club, available to FSCB customers with a Horizons checking account, is much more than just a checking account for the 55-and-better crowd. The account has many special features and offerings, including at least four locally planned events each year, like bingo, lunch-and-learns, crafting events, picnics, and parties. Perhaps the most unique aspect of the Horizons Club is the opportunity to travel with the group on both single-day and extended trips. Several FSCB branches in our footprint plan and host day trips for their members.
This year alone, the Horizons Club has traveled to Fairmont Park Racetrack, Stages Theater, the Botanical Gardens, the Muny, the Fox Theatre, Lyceum Theater, a Cardinal’s game, the Riverbend Casino, Showboat Branson Belle, and more. These trips include transportation, meals, and admissions, all planned and guided by Horizons Club Directors. Extended travel took off this year, with completed trips to the Ark and Creation Museum in Kentucky, a Danube River cruise, and a trip to the Pacific Northwest.
In December, 37 travelers will hit the Big Apple for a New York City Christmas tour! In 2025, the Horizons Club will travel to Ireland/Northern Ireland, Iowa Amish Country, Pella Tulip Festival, Alaska, Branson, New England/Cape Cod, and a Christmas Markets River Cruise on the Rhine. Numerous single-day trips and activities are also planned throughout the year. The Horizons Club provides a fantastic way for members to explore the world, meet new people, and create lasting memories.
Stop by one of First State Community Bank’s many locations to get started on your next adventure! FSCB.com/horizonsclubtravel
Well, there you have it—another excuse to get out of that sunken sofa. Do something. Do anything. Take a trip. Make a scrapbook. Join a club. Your sofa won’t miss you. GET OUT THERE!
words by First State Community Bank*
pics & video by the Supreme Leader of 573 Magazine
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