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Financial institutions are cropping up everywhere, but no one ever expected for the Longhorn Motel in Tyron, Neb., to become the town's new financial center. For some time, room one was the place to do business for this small ranching county of about 120 people and the first banking institution in more than 60 years. This room has become the home of the McPherson County Federal Credit Union. It will probably be the only credit union located in a motel room and the only one to use schoolchildren as part of its operation.

According to an article in Omaha's Evening World-Herald, it will be Tyron's fifth full-time business. It will give people another reason to stop in the town, but also will keep money in the county and provide local students with a valuable learning experience through the Nebraska's School at the Center program.

Chad Fisher and Jeremy Neal were high school students at the time and have since graduated. They were the planners of the credit union and are now among the 10 investors. McPherson County High School art students will provide promotional brochures and a logo through a school wide contest. Business students will handle mail solicitations and bookkeeping responsibilities.

For the time being, the credit union will be restricted to loans of less than $2,500 and no checking accounts.

Organizers of the institution say they are determined to convince area residents that the credit union is here to stay. Rectifying the "digital divide" is making news on the financial front. As Dart of this effort, FleetBoston Financial is preparing to give away 3,000 new computers with Internet access to low-to-moderate income families and small businesses, citing access and educational disparity as the major motivation.

FleetBoston Financial Foundation and the University of Massachusetts Poll conducted a survey in Boston, Harlem, Brooklyn, Newark, N.J., and Hartford, Conn.

The results indicated that fewer than half of the families surveyed in the Northeast with less than $40,000 of household income per year have computers in their homes and only about one-third have Internet access.

The report noted that among those who earn less than $40,000 a year and have less than high school education, 70% were without a computer, versus 40% for those with a college degree.

To be eligible, individuals and small businesses must have been Fleet customers for at least six months before applying and must not have a computer

The bank will also offer training and follow up with the recipients. With National Teach Children to Save Day on April 24, 2001, just around the corner, it's appropriate that a new software program, Kid Savers, has been developed by Integration Group Services, Inc., (TIGS) to help children make sense out of dollars and cents and encourage saving.

The mission of Kid Savers is to help children learn about money and the financial world in a fun and interactive way.

TIGS in Rochester, Mich., has established a Kid Savers Network of banks, credit unions, independent representatives and philanthropic organizations that will in turn offer Kid Savers to grade school students in their respective communities.

Kid Savers is a hands-on deposit program that is bundled with an interactive money game called, Money Town, from Simon & Schuster. Kid Savers also includes an integrated translator program that converts the program into Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Four Michigan cities, Wyoming, Grand Rapids, Royal Oak and Auburn Hills, were the first to implement Kid Savers.

The cost of the program is free to all schools. The sponsor incurs costs ranging from $199 per school to $499 per school based on school size. A financial institution can also implement Kid Savers using Kid Savers Zone, an all-in-one PC, soft-- ware and learning game that offers children the ability to enter their own deposits at the bank or credit union. To continue the tradition banks have of helping their communities, St. Johns Bank and Trust Co. in St. Louis was busy making the 2000 holiday season happier for families through adoption and profits from the sale of state quarters.

Employees at each of the seven branch locations of the bank participated in a giving program to bring cheer to four local families. Two of the families were adopted through Community Helping Ministry, a cooperative community-wide effort assisting low-income persons in need. Employees took up an internal collection, which resulted in a total of nearly $1,500. Gifts were purchased for each member of the four families and wrapped by the employees. Nineteen people benefited from the bank's generosity.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater St. Louis and Castlio Elementary School also received a special holiday gift from the sale of packaged state.

Profits from the sell provided winter coats to eight students at the school, as well as a check for $250 to assist with future family emergencies the students may face in the future. Big Brothers Big Sisters was presented a $500 check by the bank.

All St. Johns Bank locations will continue to sell the specially packaged state quarters for $3.50 each. Profits will continue to be donated to local charities.