Bank-sponsored clubs offer travel options to members

Older people who want to travel aren't without resources in the Springfield area. At least three local banks go out of their way to provide seniors with information and travel services as an enhancement to normal banking services. Travel clubs offer group discounts on trips and informational seminars on topics of interest to seniors.

Travel

Great Southern's Summit Club has been in existence for 16 years. Summit Club Director Denise Baker estimated that there are 6,500 accounts enrolled in the program, which adds up to around 10,000 total members in southwest and central Missouri.

Baker coordinates with Diana Crouch, vacation manager, to plan major trips. Members have gone to Alaska on a cruise-combo, as well as to Europe.

"We do a survey from time to time and do whatever the group is most interested in," Crouch said.

This fall club members will fly to Cal-gary, Canada, which will serve as their base for a tour of the Canadian Rockies.

"The trip was originally scheduled for September 14th last year but had to be rescheduled because of the (Sept. 11) disaster," Baker said.

Commerce Bank's Senior Partners Club, formed in 1982, represents 80,000 households in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas, according to Brenda Snider, co-ordinator for the Springfield area. In the local region, Snider estimated about 8,000 households have membership in the organization.

Senior Partners offers a variety of mo-torcoach and air travel trips, Snider said. A trip to the American Southeast Coast is planned for this spring. The tour will include Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Savan-nah, Ga. In the fall, several members will travel to Cape Cod, Maine.

"Cape Cod is a popular destination," Snider said. "This is the first time I've offered it, and we've already had a huge response."

At Empire Bank, Jeanne Sleeth is the bank officer for the 8,000-plus member Classic Club. The club offers all kinds of travel options, from day trips to international tours.

Seniors Partners also has plans for its members to visit Cape Cod that groups' plans are for a nine-day trip in September.

Senior Partners' first short trip this year was an overnight trip to Branson on Valentine's Day. In January, a one-week journey to Puerto Vallarta was enjoyed by 63 club members, Sleeth said. A June trip is planned this year to the California coastline. The air travel and bus combo will include a drive down Highway One from San Francisco to Los Angeles and a trip to the wineries in Napa Valley.

Terms and benefits

Sleeth said that to be eligible for Em-pire's Classic Club, people must be at least 55 years old and have some type of checking account with the bank. But, she added, that age limit will be lowered to 50 sometime this year.

Among the banking benefits Classic Club members receive are discounts on safe-deposit boxes, free checks or discounts on scenic checks.

At Great Southern, Summit Club members must be 50 years or older and carry at least a $100 balance in a Great Southern checking account for regular membership. Members can upgrade to Summit Gold for added benefits of un-limited free checks, free traveler's checks and money orders, and discounted safe-deposit boxes.

Commerce Bank's Senior Partners offers a similar two-tier program with the same types of discounts on bank services. To become a member, the customer must be 60 years old or retired, so they can actually be age 50 and still qualify, Snider said.

Activities and seminars

"Our motto is ask, listen and solve," Snider said.

Senior Partners offers a variety of seminars and meetings on estate planning. Snider works closely with Commerce Bank's trust and investment management departments to keep members informed on ways to save and invest.

On the lighter side, regular annual events include a barbecue in Willard and a spring fashion show held in Spring-field.

Sleeth said Empire regularly offers supper club meetings, which are purely social events. In the daytime the Classic Club offers a combination social and information event called "Let's Do Lunch."

The club also offers seminars on bank products in trust and estate planning, and insurance needs.

Summit Club offers seminars and classes on a variety of subjects. Some of these may have a small fee, but most are free, Baker said.

By popular demand, this spring members can again take advantage of classes in Internet use and online banking. The single session courses will be taught by Great Southern employees at Ozarks Technical Community College.

"We've done several health seminars through the Cox Senior Advantage program," Baker said.

Each club puts out a newsletter to keep members informed of upcoming trips and programs.