UNION GROVE – When Helen Schattner lost her husband Gerhardt – joined in marriage for 64 years – a part of her was lost as well.
“After my husband died, I didn’t do anything for four years,” Schattner said. “I stayed inside and went to work.”
Schattner, 91, is a member of Community State Bank’s Harvest Club. It’s a group of nearly 1,000 area seniors (55 and over) who not only receive banking discounts but have an opportunity to embark on popular trips, both near and far.
When the Harvest Club announced it was taking a trip to Shipshewana, Indiana in November 2021 Schattner said it was a sign to join them.
“(Shipshewana) was my husband’s favorite place to travel, so I decided to go,” said Schattner, a lifelong Racine County resident. “After that trip, I was sold.”
Community State Bank’s Jenny Braun has directed the Harvest Club for the past eight years. The Club is approaching nearly 100 trips. They’ve become so popular they’re often booked within hours.
“The trips mean a lot to me, both personally and professionally,” Braun said. “I’m able to bring them joy by taking them to places they’ve often never been.”
The group recently went on a six-day trip to Nashville before visiting Holy Hill in Hubertus to see the fall
colors. They’re off to Schauer Arts Center in Hartford on Friday (Nov. 1) for a performance of “Branson
Country Christmas.”
The trips are both affordable and, by most accounts, unforgettable for most everyone.
“(Braun) picks the best trips and has everything down to the button,” Schattner said. “You won’t find
anyone kinder than her. She’s like a daughter to me.”
Braun said the Harvest Club has become a second family. “I genuinely care about them,” Braun said. “There are some wonderful people in this world. You’ll find a lot of them right here in the Club.”
Jim Lasken is a Chicago native who relocated to Union Grove over 20 years ago. The 72-year-old joined
the Harvest Club in 2015 and has become a regular on its trips.
“I look forward to them all the time,” Lasken said. “The Harvest Club is a great idea. After you join a
bank, you’re often forgotten. Community State Bank is fantastic. They remember all of us.”
Milwaukee’s Lumpree Brown is the group’s longtime bus driver. The 78-year-old Vietnam veteran said
he cherishes every moment he spends with the Harvest Club.
“Every trip is interesting,” Brown said. “(Braun) is so organized. She talks to everyone on the microphone
and tells them everything about the trip. She’s always happy and that rubs off on everybody, including the driver.”
Brown’s last trip is December 13 when he takes the group to the Fireside Dinner Theatre in Janesville.
He plans to retire the next day.
“It’s time,” Brown said. “I retired in 2010 and agreed to drive a bus for one year. I’m still here.” In addition to its memorable trips, the Harvest Club offers a variety of banking discounts.
For more information, visit www.csb.bank/harvest-club.
ABOUT COMMUNITY STATE BANK
Community State Bank has proudly served the communities of Southeast Wisconsin since 1898. They
are a locally owned and operated community bank, headquartered in Union Grove, WI. For more
information please visit CSB online at CSB.bank.
