KAREN'S KORNER

Congress has recently enacted legislation which requires banks to adopt a privacy policy and to protect information on our customers that is considered to be "nonpublic customer information". (See enclosed copy of CountryBank USA's Privacy Policy). Publishing our members birthdays, anniversaries and new members in our newsletter falls within the regulation as private customer information. I know a lot of you enjoyed reading this column and contacting fellow CountryNeighbors Club members on their "special day", but unfortunately, we will no longer be able to share this information.

I would like to take this time to send Best Wishes from all of us at CountryBank USA to everyone having a birthday or anniversary in March and April. And, a very warm welcome to all our new CountryNeighbors members.

I want to thank all of you who attended the Valentine's Day Bingo Party. And, a special thank you to Cathy McCurdy for all her help. It was a fun afternoon and I hope you all had a great afternoon. My grandmother always said "coffee & cookies taste so much better when you have a friend to share them with" and I agree with her!

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From the President's Desk
Terry Jorde, President & CEO

Spring is in the air and new and exciting things are happening at CountryBank USA! Just this week we released our new Internet Banking product that we affectionately call eCountry. I say "affectionately" because our professional staff put in literally hundreds of hours to produce a program that we believe you will really have fun using. Not only can you check your balances on CD's, loans and checking accounts, but you can also pay your bills, transfer funds, research up to two years of history on your accounts, order checks, and even read your Country Connection newsletter…all from your computer! If you have an Internet connection at home, check us out at www.countrybankusa.com. And by the way, all of those pretty pictures that you see on our web site are from the Lake Region and were photographed by our very own Karen Riggin. We are so proud of her!

If you don't have an Internet connection, now is the time to consider it! Did you know that the fastest growing segment of Internet users are over the age of 50? The Internet allows you to communicate with your friends, children or grandchildren instantaneously by e-mail from anywhere in the world with no long-distance fees. It allows you to look up information on everything from travel to health. And now it allows you to keep in touch with us…anytime of the day or night! If you've never been on the "Internet" and want to check it out, stop into the bank and we'll give you a tour of the World Wide Web. We also have a free Internet station available to our customers so that you can "surf" the web. It's easier than you think and it won't be long before you're so hooked that you'll want to get your own computer and Internet connection.

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IN CANDO:
Notes from Janice Ford

Janice is in the process of setting up a computer class at the school in Cando.

This class will help you become familiar with the keyboard, and will show you how to sign on to the internet and use search engines. You will also get a chance to travel through our "user-friendly" website.

This class is limited to 20 people and Janice already has quite a few signed up. The date isn't definite yet, but it probably will be the latter part of March. So, if you are interested in taking this class, and learning computer basics, give Janice a call at 968-4421 and make your reservation. She will let you know the date as plans are firmed up.

Janice also mentioned that several people have inquired about a day trip to the Sky Dancer Casino. If any members from Devils Lake are interested in a day trip up there, just give me a call at 665-5000 and Janice and I will try and get it set up.

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Discover the Pacific Northwest
DAKOTA NEIGHBORS NETWORK TRIP
July 16-25, 2001

The Pacific Northwest is a land of extremes. This majestic country has been shaped by opposing forces of fire and ice. Volcanoes drastically altered the landscape in mere moments, while glaciers carved their paths over hundreds of years. The state of Washington welcomes you to explore its many facets of history, geography and geology. Many thousands of years in the making, the paradox of deep canyons with rushing streams, majestic mountains and dense forests contrast with the "other side" of the state, with the sagebrush prairies and rolling farmlands. On your tour you'll see what makes the Pacific Northwest not only a great place to visit, but one of our most beautiful states.

10 Days, 9 Nights Tour Includes
Airport Transfer-Roundtrip Airfare - Deluxe Motor Coach Transportation
Quality Accommodations - Coeur d'Alene Cruise-Snoqualmie Falls
Seattle - Space Needle Observation Deck-Boeing Plant Tour
Fantasy Cruise to San Juan Island including Whale Watching
Deceptive Pass-Friday Harbor, Roche Harbor - Hurricane Ridge-Olympic National Park
Gig Harbor-Mt. Rainer National Park - Spokane-Bing Crosby Collection
Canyon Creek Battlefield

PLUS
18 Meals: 9 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 6 Dinners
Including renown Coeur d'Alene Dinner Cruise and Salmon Dinner Feast
All admissions, transportation, taxes & gratuities
Services of a Bank Club Director

COST PER PERSON Double-$1,675 Triple-$1,625 Quad-$1,595 Single-$1,945

For complete details stop in at CountryBank USA in Cando or Devils Lake or call us and we will mail you a brochure.
Janice: 968-4421 Karen: 665-5000

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EXPERIENCE ALASKA
Inside Passage Northbound Tour
PLUS
The Canadian Rockies
DAKOTA NEIGHBORS NETWORK TRIP
August 2-17, 2001

Air, Ferry & Motorcoach

This trip is absolutely packed with visits to some of the most beautiful country I have ever seen. Following is a day by day list of highlights:

Day 1- Travel to Swift Current, Alberta with a get acquainted meal in the evening.
Day 2-Stops in Calgary and Banff with a gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain for a picturesque view of Bow Valley. Overnight in Banff.
Day 3-Stops at Lake Louise, sno-coach ride on the Athabasca Glacier. A cruise on Lake Maligne and overnight in Jasper.
Day 4-Scenic drive along forests and rivers on the way to Burns Lake, British Columbia for the night.
Day 5-Another scenic drive awaits us as we travel through beautiful British Columbia to Prince Rupert where we will board the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry to Juneau. Cabins are included on the ferry for two nights.
Day 6- Enjoy the journey through the Inside Passage taking us to Ketchikan, Wrangell and Petersburg.
Day 7-The ferry arrives in Juneau, Alaska's capital, reachable only by air or sea. Overnight in Juneau.
Day 8-Optional fishing excursion in the morning. Sightseeing in Juneau and Mendenhall Glacier. Ferry through Lynn Canal and on to Skagway where we will spend the night.
Day 9-Some free time in the morning, then a scenic drive up White Pass and on to Whitehorse. Evening entertainment is the "Frantic Follies" a fun, comedy and musical revue.
Day 10-On to the Klondike Loop to Dawson City to pan for gold at Bonanza Creek. Free time this evening. You may want to visit Diamond Tooth Gerties Saloon!
Day 11- Ferry ride across the Yukon River then travel on the "Top of the World Highway", one of the most magnificent drives in the world. Stops at Chicken and on to Tok (the dog-sledding capital of the world) for a dog-sled demonstration and we will spend the night in Tok.
Day 12-Stops at Delta Junction and Rika's Roadhouse on our way to Fairbanks. Also a stop at Santa Claus House at the North Pole for some early Christmas shopping! Board the Riverboat "Discovery" for a cruise along the Tanana and Chena Rivers. Evening brings us a delicious Salmon Bake at Alaskaland.
Day 13-Journey to Denali National Park with a wildlife tour deep into the wilderness with an included box lunch.
Day 14-Scenic drive to Matanuska Valley and on to Anchorage. Enjoy an included farewell dinner this evening.
Day 15-Travel through the new tunnel to Whittier and enjoy a full day cruise on Prince William Sound. To Anchorage for the evening. Day 16-Depart by airplane this morning from Anchorage with evening arrival in Bismarck.

COST PER PERSON $2,890 Double $2,870 Triple $2,850 Quad $3,285 Single

For complete details stop in at CountryBank USA in Cando or Devils Lake or call us and we will mail you a brochure. Janice: 968-4421 or Karen: 665-5000. $50 discount if paid in full by 5/14/01!!

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St. Patrick

St. Patrick was a gentleman
Who through strategy and stealth
Drove all the snakes from Ireland
Here's toasting to his health.
But not too many toastings
Lest you lose yourself and then
Forget the good St. Patrick
And see all those snakes again!

Leprechauns, castles, good luck and laughter
Lullabies, dreams and love ever after.
Poems and songs with pipes and drums
A thousand welcomes when anyone comes...
That's the Irish for you!

I-rish you a very nice place to live
I-rish God's greatest gifts he'll give
I-rish you health, and wealth, and more
I-rish your smilin' face were at my door!

Have a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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Easter Day
by Anonymous

Thirty days hath September,
Every person can remember;
But to know when Easter'll come
Puzzles even scholars, some.

When March the twenty-first is past
Just watch the silvery moon,
And when you see it full and round,
Know Easter'll be here soon.

After the moon has reached its full,
Then Easter will be here,
On the very Sunday after
In each and every year.

And if it hap on Sunday
The moon should reach its height,
The Sunday following this event
Will be the Easter bright.

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The Easter Lilly
Louise Lewin Matthews

Easter morn with lilies fair
Fills the church with perfumes rare,
As their clouds of incense rise,
Sweetest offerings to the skies.
Stately lilies pure and white
Flooding darkness with their light,
Bloom and sorrow drifts away,
On this holy hallow'd day.
Easter lilies bending low
In the golden afterglow,
Bear a message from the sod
To the heavenly towers of God.