Karen Weible – Jerseyville, IL

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be.” –author Douglas Adams wrote. Nothing is more peaceful to Karen Weible than taking off for a drive, not sure exactly where she’s headed, and wandering throughout the Midwest, finding the magnificent beauty of a covered bridge. Each one is unique, each one has survived a long, tough history, and each one fascinates Karen. “I like the architecture,” she said. “I love the mass of them and how they built them by hand. The engineering that went into it without having all the degrees of engineering. They were built in the 1800s and we’re still driving across them today.”

It’s been said that every path in life has a bridge, and the journey is in crossing it. Karen serves as the bridge for the needs of her clients’ journey. “Let me protect what you have,” Karen said. “That’s what insurance is. You are protecting something, whether it be a property or a life.” Karen knows what makes her neighbors tick. The area is a proud one. “We all can relate to the struggles that can happen in a farm life and rural community life,” Karen said. “They are very strong in their community involvement,” she said. “It’s why all the churches have such a successful church picnic. It’s because all the people in the entire area backs that community.”

Whether Karen is in Jerseyville, Calhoun, Brussels or Carrollton, she knows her clients want to be educated and will do what’s best for their families. “Sometimes they get online and then they’ll call me and say ‘I just read this. Can you explain that to me in normal words?” In this area we still like the personal touch. It still means something to shake somebody’s hand and look them in the eye that you’re not going to get by clicking on a keyboard. They enjoy talking over the fence to the neighbor. If there’s a problem you know your neighbor’s got your back. Everybody kind of looks after one another, whether you’re family or not family. In this area there’s a ton of family.”

Karen is all about family. For many years, she and her mother would make Christmas candy to share with her aunts, uncles and cousins. Now, her own daughters are part of the tradition. She can’t wait for them all to be laughing in the kitchen, filled with Christmas spirit, making turtles and chocolate peanut clusters. This year, her first grandson is on the scene, and he’ll soon be part of the candy production team.

Karen follows her own advice. Take care of the family. For just $250 she bought her grandson $20,000 of term insurance with the Guardian Angel plan with Western Catholic Union. “I get parents wanting it and grandparents wanting it. The last thing you would ever want to have to do is write a check to the funeral home for something like that. I hope this is a waste of $250,” she said. “But in case it’s not, it’ll be the best money ever spent.” Investing in the future. Being a good neighbor. Looking out for each other. The area understands what is important in life. “I think it’s the small, rural community mindset. Because if we don’t shop local, and hometown, and we don’t protect it, it’ll be gone.”

Much like the Indiana bridges Karen just returned from seeing. They were covered to protect them from wear and tear. They were covered to extend their strength. That’s what Karen does, and many families are traveling across her financial bridges to see their dreams come true.