Illinois State Bank to Hold Free Community Shredding Day at All Branches on Saturday, May 1

Public invited to bring personal documents for free, secure shredding; will learn how to responsibly “e-Cycle” electronics

Participants can also a enter drawing for Wisconsin Dells getaway, free gas and more

BROOKFIELD, Wis. – Illinois State Bank today announced it will hold its fourth annual bank-wide Community Shredding Day on Saturday, May 1, 2010. People can stop by any of Illinois State Bank’s branches from 9 a.m. to noon to have outdated personal documents securely shredded, as well as get information on how to responsibly “e-Cycle” electronic items like televisions, cell phones and computers. Community Shredding Day is free and open to the public.

This year, anyone bringing in items for shredding will also be able to enter a drawing for a free one-night stay at Chula Vista Resort & Spa in Wisconsin Dells, $100 in free gas cards and a $50 Best Buy gift card, said Chet Ward, president of Illinois State Bank.

“Every household has old, outdated, personal documents stuffed in a desk drawer that are never thrown away or disposed of properly, and this is the perfect time of year to “spring clean” that drawer, among other things,” Ward said. “Community Shredding Day is a great opportunity for people to bring in piles of paperwork and dispose of them in a responsible way. Unfortunately, I’ve seen the consequences of identity theft when people simply toss their important papers out with the trash. Identity theft can take years to repair, so Shredding Day is a good opportunity to avoid that hardship.”

Documents for shredding may include old bank statements and other papers listing bank account information, credit card statements and documents listing credit card numbers, credit applications, pre-approved credit offers, old paycheck stubs and documents listing Social Security numbers.

While materials will be accepted at either Illinois State Bank office, those who have larger quantities of papers for shredding (up to two boxes) are encouraged to visit the Lake of the Hills office at 1301 Pyott Rd., which will have a large mobile shredder and shredding specialists on site. Locate a Illinois State Bank office.

All shredded materials will then be recycled. In addition, the bank will provide information about “e-Cycling” electronics and how to prepare old computers and cell phones for disposal. People will also learn about how to prevent identity theft, what personal documents should be kept and for how long, green spring cleaning tips, and more. Additional information about the Community Shredding Day is available on the bank’s Web site at shredit.illinoisstatebank.com and at any Illinois State Bank office.

Illinois State Bank is a division of North Shore Bank, which was founded in 1923 and has assets of $1.9 billion and 44 offices throughout eastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois.

Posted 4/19/2010