JAN - FEB

Scale Back Alabama:

2011 Time To Get Healthy
International Life Expectancies
MEN WOMEN
Japan 79.2 yrs 86.0 yrs
France 77.4 yrs 84.4 yrs
United States 75.6 yrs 80.8 yrs

Tired of being at the bot-

tom of the pile? So are Healthiest States, 2010
The BankNote

many other Alabamians

who have decided to take STATE
their New Year’s Resolu-
tions literally to heart, and 50th Mississippi
FIRSTSTATE BANK NEWSLETTER

participate in the statewide

fitness challenge known 49th Alabama
as “Scale Back Alabama”.
In a rude awakening, the 48th Tennessee
latest national research
reveals that the United States spends more dollars on healthcare than any other na-
tion, yet still has a worse average life expectancy. And when compared to Europe
and Japan, the statistics compound the irony even further, as public smoking remains
commonplace abroad while largely snuffed out here at home. Obesity has indeed
become the final battle in the war against poor health, and stems from a variety of
poor eating habits combined with a lack of physical activity. Alabama is in particularly
bad shape in this research, coming in just above Mississippi as most unfit in the na-
tion. One stark contributor to the fight is that Alabama residents consume 77 gallons
of soft drinks per capita, per year. Having more sugar per ounce than any other food
or beverage, soft drinks alone are a major skirmish in the battle of the bulge. This
year, the state of Alabama launched a counterattack of its own with “Scale Back Ala-
bama”, and even has a following right here at Clay County’s Health & Wellness Cen-
ter. This program encourages local residents to form accountability teams of four,
who work together with the common goal of losing 10 pounds in 10 weeks. Steven
Young & Ramona Giddens confirm that 288 of our area’s residents have weighed-in
for the Scale Back initiative, and will finish their challenge in early April. Regardless
of the outcome, the hope is that participants will build better health habits, from physi-
cal workouts, to more nutritional diets. To learn more about the program, or how to
build better health habits, visit the site at: ScaleBackAlabama.com/healthtips2011.
ICBA Tips For Good Credit...

“A great resource to help you get started on the road to establishing good credit is to
develop a relationship with your local community bank. We work with our customers
every day and throughout their lifetimes to provide financial services and help them
understand how to manage their finances.” ……..ICBA Chairman Jim MacPhee

Another topic on the list of New Year’s

resolutions is that of building better credit,
and to that end, ICBA has provided steps
to make the task more manageable. As
an ICBA member (Independent Commu-
nity Bankers of America), FSB is proud to
participate in spreading the news on how
to improve one’s credit standing. Without
good credit habits, it becomes easy to
lose track of finances where there is no
structure to keep it organized. In the Age
of Information, your credit report is your
financial lifeline; therefore, FSB concurs
with ICBA’s Good Credit Tips, recently
released to help customers maintain a
better grasp on their credit standing.

TIPS TO GOOD CREDIT….straight from ICBA

Open a Savings Account and contribute to it regularly.

Develop & Follow a budget. Make sure to account for fixed, variable, and non-monthly expenses
such as insurance & taxes.

Pay all bills on time, even utilities, gym fees, and parking tickets.

Use debit and credit cards for convenience and safety, but not to overspend. Monitor the ac-
tivity on your account and review statements carefully. Be sure you understand the terms and any
fees that may apply.

Avoid offers to open several different credit cards, and never use one credit card to make pay-
ments on another.

Order a free copy of your credit report. Under federal law, you can get a free credit report from
each of the three national credit reporting companies every 12 months at AnnualCreditReport.com
or by calling (877)322-8228. Read your report carefully and correct any errors.

Build an emergency fund equal to at least 6 months of regular living expenses. If the unexpected
happens, you will still be able to pay budgeted expenses instead of falling behind.

Page 2 THE BANKNOTE

Read The BankNote On Email...
Our BankNote newsletter is also available on email! Now you can be instantly
connected to each issue’s release, full of the news & tidbits that FirstState
Bank brings to our community. The BankNote is released every two months
and is available wherever you have email access. If you would like to receive
FirstState Bank’s newsletter by way of email, please send a brief email stating
so to: Vaughn.Samuels@FirstStateDirect.com. We will then put your email
address on our distribution list and start getting The BankNote into your inbox!

New Toys from Internet Banking...

In an ever-growing climate of ATMs, Direct
Deposits, Debit Cards, and Online Pur-
chases, today’s banking customers appre-
ciate all the help they can find to keep bet-
ter tabs on the flow of their finances.
Much like Santa with a bag full of presents,
FirstState’s Internet Banking has a bundle
of toys that are sure to keep our customers
delighted. Notifications are IB’s way of
assisting customers as they strive to keep
track of important deadlines and dollar
amounts, by sending these reminders
directly to the user at regular intervals.

“NOTIFY ME” ALERTS

FirstState’s Internet Banking can email you when:

Your account has become overdrawn.

A set check number clears your account.
Your balance falls below a set dollar amount.
Your balance rises above a set dollar amount.
A deposit is made that is greater than a set dollar amount.
A transaction occurs that is greater than a set dollar amount.

Since no one knows your needs better

than you do, the amounts in question are
set entirely by you, the customer, thereby
making IB your own personal assistant!
And for the most familiar inquiry of all, IB’s
notifications can also be set to email your
current account balance to you on a daily,
weekly, or monthly basis; whichever option
you prefer to select. Instead of having to
take time out of your day to contact the
bank for the updates you need, now the
bank can come directly to your inbox.
Get started today at FirstStateDirect.com!

JAN - FEB 2011 Page 3

In The Spotlight: Michaeline Giffone

Although society is dependent upon technology, computers

"When you give the maximum you can
rest assured that you did your best."
...words to live by from Michaeline Giffone
eventually depend upon a person in order to function, and at
FSB that person is Michaeline Giffone. When she made the
move from Nevada to Alabama in 2002, Michaeline (better
known as Mickey) had no idea she would soon become FSB’s
Systems Admin, and eventually gain national recognition from
ICBA (Independent Community Bankers of America). Mickey
started as a Teller at our Lineville Branch in 2003, and just one
year later became our new Systems Admin. In this role, Mickey
keeps all of the bank’s many programs running at peak perform-
ance, so that service to our customers remains continuous. As
a first responder to computer issues, Michaeline has estab-
lished a solid reputation with FSB employees as more than just
a “fixer”, but as someone with exceptional integrity who genu-
inely strives to find permanent solutions. Combined with her
technical savvy, Mickey’s accommodating demeanor cuts
through the chaos when problems arise, and has recently
caught the eye of ICBA’s national magazine, Independent
Banker. In its current issue, Michaeline joins a select few com-
munity bankers being highlighted as Rising Stars, with details
of how their efforts enhance their respective communities.
FirstState Bank is elated to see a Behind-The-Scenes champ
like Michaeline receive national attention, as well as educate
the public on how her role helps customers right here at home.

Community Life: Always Be Prepared

As this winter has been fraught with record-setting snowfall across the country, our community has been forced to react with
contingency plans that far exceed the norm. While a winter wonderland makes for beautiful scenery (and a memorable White
Christmas), it also sheds a sobering light on how important it remains to blend horsepower with horse sense. As the electricity
went out and the cold set in, the age old wisdom of “always be prepared” sparked slowly back to mind as Plans B and C
lit chimneys & space heaters throughout the area. Perhaps the most settling lesson of this icy season has been that a firm grip
on both the old and the new is the best way to face the unpredictability of the future (which will forever include the weather).

If you have a digital picture of life in our community that you would like to share in a future issue of The BankNote, please email it to:
Vaughn.Samuels@FirstStateDirect.com. Submissions are not guaranteed to be published and stories may require editing.

Lineville Office Ashland Office Wedowee Office

P.O. Box 547 P.O. Box 518 P.O. Box 264
Lineville, AL 36266 Ashland, AL 36251 Wedowee, AL 36278
(256)396-2187 (256)354-2145 (256)357-0440

www.FirstStateDirect.com