«XFIRST», we re making some changes. «XFIRST», we re making some changes.

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1 September/October 2012 Calendar of Events: September 3: Labor Day All Bank Facilities Closed September 8: Hello Dolly Fireside Dinner Theatre, Ft. Atkinson, WI September 19: A Bluebirding Experience Merchants Bank Downtown Winona September 25: Re tire ment: Planning a Whole New Adventure Merchants Bank Downtown Winona September 28: Cranberry Festival Warrens, WI October 10: Bye Bye Birdie Chanhassen Dinner Theatre October 13: Billy Elliot Ordway, St. Paul October 26 to November 7: Canada & Colonial America Cruise November 16: Perfect Marriage - Old Log Theater, Excelsior, MN From October 26 to November 7, you will be unable to reach me. During this time, Winona customers interested in signing up for future activities or pay for an upcoming event can contact Jane Knothe at (507) or Lisa Rae Skalicky at (507) or (800) We re making your retirement a Whole New Adventure Pleasant, Positive and Rewarding Retirement planning has become a Whole New Adventure. «XFIRST», we re making some changes. Our goal at Merchants Bank is to help make sure your adventure is pleasant, positive and profitable. That s why we re inviting you to attend a free seminar, «XFIRST», Re tire ment: we re Planning making a Whole some New Adventure, changes. held at Merchants Bank in downtown Winona from 5-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 25. «XFIRST», we re making some changes. We will hold break-out sessions, presented by experts in their fields): Income for Life Make sure you don t outlive your money. Social Security and Medicare Basics When to start taking it and how to apply. Bridging the Healthcare Gap Options for bridging the gap between when you retire and when you start collecting Medicare. Medicare Part D Learn about what plan will be best for you. Long-term Care Is long-term care right for you? Learn about the options. Identity Theft Are you concerned about identity theft? We ll share some important pointers so that it doesn t happen to you. Tech Toys ipad, iphone, Droid, cameras, video recorders, etc. We ll help you understand how to use them, so those items that seem scary will turn into something easy. Bring up to two of your electronic devices that you wish to use more effectively. Planning Ahead Are you ready for the inevitable and beyond? We ll look at funeral planning. Plus, do you wonder if you need a trust account? We can help you make that determination. We ll have many other important resources and experts available at booths, so you can explore your options. We ll provide light refreshments as well. We hope that you can make it. It promises to be pleasant, positive and rewarding. We look forward to seeing you at Merchants Bank - downtown Winona on September 25.

2 Premier Club Member News Page 2 of 6 Upcoming Premier Club Functions Saturday, September 8: Hello Dolly Fireside Dinner Theatre, Ft. Atkinson, WI On Saturday, September 8, we will travel to The Fireside, in Ft. Atkinson, WI for Hello Dolly. America s favorite matchmaker is at it again. Meddling, tampering, wheedling and maneuvering; bringing laughter and music with her wherever she goes. Call on Dolly and the first lady of musical comedy will come complete with a carpetbag full of good intentions, clever schemes, hilarious mishaps and Wednesday, September 19: A Bluebirding Experience Winona Eau Claire, WI Before you Snowbirds head south in the fall think about your Bluebirds heading north in the Spring! Join us on Wednesday, September 19, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Merchants Bank,102 E. Third Street in Winona. Mike Jeresek from Rushford, MN will present his expertise on Bluebirding. Mike started Bluebirding in 2006 with a mixed Put on a Happy Face with the Tony Award-Winning Musical Classic of the 60 s, Bye Bye Birdie. Join us on Wednesday, October 10, as we travel to the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre for Bye Bye Birdie. When Elvislike rock & roll star Conrad Birdie is about to be inducted into the Army, the teen nation is united by some of Broadway s best-loved songs such as Before the Parade Passes By, Ribbons Down My Back, It Only Takes A Moment and of course the unforgettable Hello Dolly. Winner of 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Hello Dolly features gorgeous period costumes, highstepping dances, and delightful twists and turns. Once you meet trail. In 2006 Mike joined the Bluebird Recovery Program (BBRP) and since then, his trail has fledged over 1700 Bluebirds. Mike currently serves as a Coordinator for Fillmore, Houston and Winona Counties. Mike s presentation will help us become better Bluebirders. You won t want to miss this informative free presentation. This presentation Friday, September 28: Cranberry Festival Warrens, WI Another very popular event is our trip to the 40 th Annual Cranberry Festival, scheduled for Friday, September 28. For those of you who have never been to the festival in Warrens, Wisconsin, there will be more than 1300 booths of arts/crafts, antiques, a farmers market, food booths and flea market to enjoy. Visit the school gym to see various contests. Enjoy the music on the grounds while you shop or relax at the Old Towne Hall for Family Variety Time. As a group, we will not be taking the Cranberry Tour. Cost for Premier Club members is $22; a national publicity contest where Birdie will bid a typical American teenage girl goodbye with an all- American kiss live on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Kim MacAfee of Sweet Apple, Ohio wins the honor and all the telephones in her town are ringing off the hook. When Birdie arrives in Sweet Apple, people of all ages begin is open to Premier Club members and their guests. Call Diana Thorson at (507) to reserve a spot. Sunday, June 10 Minnesota Twins at Target Field Minneapolis, MN Wednesday, October 10: Bye Bye Birdie Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, Chanhassen Sunday, June 10 Minnesota Twins at Target Field Minneapolis, MN the irrepressible Dolly you ll hope along with all of us that Dolly ll never go away again. Cost for Premier Club members is $101; non-members is $111. Cost includes transportation, a tip for the driver, refreshments on the coach, lunch (tax & gratuity), and the performance. The deadline to sign up and pay for this trip is August 3. non-members is $32. We will also be stopping at the Bank in La Crescent to pick up additional people, if we have enough interest. Cost includes transportation, refreshments on the coach, and a tip for the driver. Deadline to sign up and pay for this trip is September 7. to swoon and the entire town is reeling. This imaginative musical score includes such hits as: "Going Steady," "Put On A Happy Face," "Telephone Hour," "A Lot of Livin' To Do" and "Kids." Cost for Premier Club members is $77; ( Chanhassen continued on page 3)

3 Page 3 of 6 Upcoming Premier Club Functions (cont d) Wednesday, October 10: Bye Bye Birdie Chanhassen Dinner Theatre (Cont d from page 2) non-members is $87. Cost the driver, refreshments on the Saturday, October 13: Billy Elliot Ordway, St. Paul We re off to the Ordway on Saturday, October 13, for one of the most celebrated, award-winning musicals on stage today, Billy Elliot. Billy Elliot has been dazzling London s West End since 2005, and has gone on to captivate audiences around the world. Set in a northern mining town, against the background of the 1984/ 85 miners strike, Billy Elliot is the inspirational story of a young boy s struggle against the odds to make his dream come true. Follow Billy s journey as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class, where he discovers a passion for dance that A group of Premier Club members will enjoy the idyllic landscapes and stroll history-filled streets on a magnificent voyage from Quebec, Canada to New England and ending up in Fort Lauderdale. Princess Cruise Line brings the best of this dazzling region, from the natural beauty of Maine s Acadia National Park and the breathtaking St. Lawrence River to cities like vibrant Boston and charming Newport. We will be making stops in Sydney, coach, lunch (tax & gratuity), and the performance. The deadline to sign up and pay for this trip is September 10. inspires his family and whole community and changes his life forever. With unforgettable music by Elton John, sensational dance and a powerful storyline, this astonishing theatrical experience will stay with you forever. We will enjoy lunch at Embassy Suites (included). Cost for Premier members is $111; non-members is $121. Cost includes transportation, a tip for the driver, refreshments on the coach, lunch (tax & gratuity), and the performance. The deadline to sign up and pay for this trip is September 4. Friday, October 26 to Wednesday, November 7: Cruise Canada & Colonial America Cape Breton Islands, Halifax, Bar Harbor, Boston, Newport, Manhattan, Charleston and the final stop in Fort Lauderdale. We will travel from October 26 to November 7 on this fantastic fall excursion. Deadlines are drawing near, so if you have interest in this cruise, please call as soon as possible. For more details, please contact Diana Thorson at (507) or dkthorson@merchantsbank.com Friday, November 16: A Perfect Marriage Old Log Theater, Excelsior, MN Join us on Friday, November 16, as we head up to the Old Log Theater for a Perfect Marriage. A man wakes up in the bridal suite on his Wedding morning to find an attractive girl in bed beside him. ( A Perfect Marriage continued on page 5) Premier Club Member News LABOR DAY Labor Day is traditionally celebrated in the United States and Canada on the first Monday in September. The first Labor Day was celebrated on September 5, 1882 with a parade in New York City. President Grover Cleveland signed the bill into law making Labor Day a holiday in Oregon was the first state to grant individuals access to the holiday. Labor Day was first established to air out grievances about labor. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the eight hour work day in The first Labor Strike in United States history was believed to have occurred in 1636 it was believed a group of Maine fishermen refused to work after the owner of their boats failed to pay them. dress for the wedding and in the ensuing panic that girl is locked

4 Premier Club Member News Page 4 of 6 Merchants Investment Services Budgeting For Retirement It only makes sense yet many retirees live without one. You won t be able to withdraw an unlimited amount of money in retirement. So a retirement budget is a necessity. Some retirees forego one, only to regret it later. Run the numbers before you retire. Often people need about 70-80% of their end salaries in retirement, but this can vary. So years before you leave work, sit down for an hour or so (perhaps with the financial professional you know and trust) and take a look at your probable monthly expenses. Online calculators can help. 1 The closer you get to your retirement date, the more exact you will need to be about your income needs. You first want to look for changing expenses: housing costs that might decrease or increase, health care costs, certain taxes, travel expenses and so on. Next, look at your probable income sources: Social Security (the longer you wait, the more income you can potentially receive), your assorted IRAs and 401(k)s, your portfolio, possibly a reverse mortgage or even a pension or buyout package. While selling your home might leave you with more money for retirement, there are less dramatic ways to increase your retirement funds. You could realize a little more money through tax savings and taxefficient withdrawals from retirement savings accounts, through reducing your investment fees, and getting your phone, internet and TV services from one provider. If you have just retired or are about to, you will enter 2012 with some financial breaks. Social Security benefits will increase by 3.6% next year, Medicare Part B premiums will only rise $3.50 instead of the $10 that Medicare projected, and the Part B deductible will be $22 cheaper in 2012 ($140). 2 Budget-wreckers to avoid. There are a few factors that can cause you to stray from a retirement budget. You can t do much about some of them (sudden health crises, for example), but you can try to mitigate others. Supporting your kids, grandkids or relatives with gifts or loans. Withdrawing more than your portfolio can easily return. Dragging big debts into retirement that will nibble at your savings. Budget well & live wisely. These are times of low interest rates and modest Wall Street gains. Given those factors, creating a retirement budget makes a lot of sense. A budget and the discipline to stick with it may make a financial difference. This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. Marketing Library.Net Inc. is not affiliated with any broker or brokerage firm that may be providing this information to you. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is not a solicitation or a recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Citations [5/12/11] 2 - online.wsj.com/article/sb html [11/6/11]

5 Page 5 of 6 Premier Club Member News Upcoming Premier Club Functions (cont d) Friday, November 16: A Perfect Marriage Old Log Theater, Excelsior, MN (Cont d from page 3) Then his bride-to-be arrives to dress for the wedding and in the ensuing panic that girl is locked in the bathroom. The crisis accelerates to nuclear levels by the time the mother of the bride and others arrive. This rare combination of riotous farce We re heading back to the Fireside Dinner Theatre for the Christmas show Scrooge The Musical on Saturday, December 1. For two decades The Fireside Theatre has been the number one choice for Christmas entertainment for hundreds of thousands of happy theatre-goers. So who but The Fireside could present this merry, sparkling, tuneful, boisterous, big and touching love story has provoked waves of laughter across Europe and America. Cost for Premier members is $57; non-members is $67. Cost includes transportation, a tip for the driver, refreshments on the coach, lunch (tax & Broadway musical version of the world s most beloved Christmas story Dickens A CHRISTMAS CAROL? Based on the popular musical movie starring Albert Finney, SCROOGE THE MUSICAL tells this time honored tale of redemption and love with a beautiful and rousing gorgeous costumes, uproarious comedy, and heart-warming drama. Cost for Premier Club members is $101; non-members is $111. Cost includes transportation, a tip for the driver, refreshments on the coach, lunch (tax & gratuity), and the performance. The deadline to Friday, October 26 to Wednesday, musical November score (including 7 Cruise the well-canadknown Thank You Very November 1. sign & up Colonial and pay for America this trip is Much ), breath-taking dancing, Tuesday, Friday, October December 26 to 4: Wednesday, Bachman s November Christmas/Burnsville 7 Cruise Canada Center & Colonial America We have a super day planned for our Christmas Get-A-Way. We re heading up to Minneapolis Friday, on Tuesday, October December to Our Wednesday, Christmas November shopping. 7 You Cruise are on Canada & Colonial America first stop will be at Bachman s Flower & Gift Shop for a little Christmas shopping and then we re off to the Burnsville Center for an afternoon of more your own for lunch. Cost for Premier Club members is $23; non-members is $33. Cost the driver and refreshments on the coach. The deadline to sign up and pay for this trip is November 12. Sunday, December 9: Minnesota Vikings vs Chicago Bears Friday, traveling October Minneapolis 26 on to Wednesday, Premier November Club members 7 Cruise $87; Canada and & pay Colonial for this trip America is Friday, October 26 to Wednesday, November Cruise Canada Colonial America Thursday, December 13: Christmas On The Ranch Plymouth Playhouse Miss Monica and her band, The Bunkhouse Boys invite you to spend Christmas On The Ranch. Sing along to your favorite Christmas Classics like: Two Step Round the Christmas Tree, The Cowboy s Christmas Ball and Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy. You ll delight in the wit and wisdom gratuity), and the performance. The deadline to sign up and pay for this trip is October 15. The audience roared with delight The Green Bay Gazette Saturday, Dec. 1: Scrooge The Musical Fireside Dinner Theatre, Ft. Atkinson, WI We re off to the Mall of America Field to help cheer the Minnesota Vikings on to a victory. We will be Sunday, December 9, to watch the Minnesota Vikings play the Chicago Bears (12:00 noon). Our seats are in section 225 rows 9 through 11. Cost for non-members is $97. Cost of colorful characters like Big Finn, Sheriff Andy, Long Tall Joey and Little Jenna. They ll share some of the driver and refreshments on the coach and reserved seating tickets. The deadline to sign up November 9. Friday, October 26 to Wednesday, their November favorite cowboy jokes Cruise and Canada Colonial America stories and you might even get involved in the action. On Thursday, December 13, we head up to the Plymouth Playhouse for an afternoon performance of Christmas On The Ranch. Cost for Premier members is $63; non-members is $73. Cost the driver, refreshments on the coach, lunch (tax & gratuity), and the performance. The deadline to sign up and pay for this trip is November 15.

6 Upcoming Premier Club Functions (cont d) February 6 13, 2013: Barcelo Maya Tropical and Colonial Resort All Inclusive Barcelo Maya Tropical and Colonial Resort is surrounded on three sides by a tropical rainforest and more than 1.12 miles of private white sand beach on the fourth side and a blue Caribbean surf. Barcelo Maya offers you the opportunity to truly get away from it all. Barcelo Maya offers a master complex which has 8 restaurants, 6 lounges, professional theater, beach front free form pool complex, shopping mall, 24 hour all-inclusive services and also included is a Tour of Chichen-Itza (one of the greatest archaeological sites in the Yucatan peninsula) and a visit to Xcaret (nature s sacred paradise). For more details, please contact Diana Thorson at (507) or dkthorson@merchantsbank.com Mexican Corn Salad 4 Cups cooked corn (cooled) 1 Cup red pepper, diced 1 Cup green pepper, diced 1 Cup red onion, diced 1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 Cup Mayo (I use Olive Oil Mayo) 1 bag chili cheese fritos (crush up in bag) Mix all ingredients together except for the fritos. Right before serving toss in fritos and save a few for the top. Delicious!