The nomination period for the Washington State Genealogical Society President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement is open. Nominations are due by 01 Aug 2023. The announcement will be made 01 Sep 2023.
The President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement is designed to single out that rare individual, society or organization who has demonstrated exemplary service above and beyond expectations.
The ideal recipient of the President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement has:
• Exhibited long-term, consistent service in the field of genealogy, family or local history, the genealogical community, records preservation or made an important single contribution in those areas that will endure into the future. • Demonstrated a high degree of energy, commitment, flexibility, and professional conduct. • Provided significant support and impact to the local genealogical community time and time again. • Exhibited personal influence and example to society members and/or the general public with their unselfish service. • Supported or advanced local or statewide genealogical research.
Nominations may be submitted by any individual, local society or organization, regardless of WSGS membership. Nominees do not have to have been officers in their local societies.
Previous recipients of this prestigious award include:
2015 – Fred Pflugrath, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society
2016 – Margie Wilson, Skagit Valley Genealogical Society
2017 – Joanne Egbert Calhoun, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society
2018 – Ann Olson, Olympia Genealogical Society
2021 – Helen McGreer Lewis, South King County Genealogical Society (posthumous)
2022 – Jill Morelli. Seattle Genealogical Society
Additional information, including the nomination form, is available here. Questions should be directed to Info@wasgs.org. Please type “President’s Award” in the Subject Line.
Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming weeks, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.
Lee joined GHGS 25 years ago and has been involved ever since. He is a past president, has served on research committees, and is currently cemetery chair. Lee and two other members spent countless hours indexing graves in seven nearby cemeteries and he assisted another member in locating numerous unrecorded graves in Hoquiam’s Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery after a landslide covered them years ago.
For many years, Lee was the van driver for various genealogical expeditions, transporting up to 15 members per trip to Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia and he initiated the planning of a research trip to Salt Lake City for 10 members.
At the society’s monthly meetings, Lee readily shares his latest, often unusual, ancestral finds or living cousin story. Many are interested in his lineage to the Civil and Revolutionary Wars – he has held members’ interest often with his family stories and artifacts.
For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.
It’s that time of year! Time for your society to honor your outstanding volunteers or teams with an Outstanding Volunteer or Team Award.
No later than July 1, 2023: Submit the form and photograph of your honoree(s) to Info@wasgs.org. The narrative (approximately 150 words) should explain the accomplishments of your nominee/team and why you are honoring him/her/them. The photo should be a good quality digital photograph (at least 300 dpi).
September 1, 2023: Formal announcement of the recipients will be announced.
A few special notes:
Local societies can submit up to two individuals or one teams/projects for special recognition by WSGS.
The Outstanding Volunteer/Team Award program is not a competition – it is locally driven. All nominees from local societies will be honored with an Outstanding Volunteer/Team certificate, but we want these awards to be special, so please don’t nominate your whole society (even though they are outstanding!).
Posthumous awards may be considered.
If your nominee is camera shy & doesn’t want to have a picture submitted, that’s fine. Also, if you’re unable to snap a picture of your whole team, we’re okay with individual member photos.
Nominees may have received an Outstanding Volunteer award previously. Click here for a cumulative list of awardees (alpha by name and by society).
Please honor the July 1 timeline for nominations. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work, including reviews, to be done before the announcement on September 1.
The nomination form is attached. Please complete one form per person or team.
Additional details and deadlines may be found at the WSGS website here.
Please contact Roxanne Lowe at Info@wasgs.org if you have questions or suggestions.
Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming months, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.
Today we’re introducing the SVGS Zoom Team that was nominated by the Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society (SVGS). The team was comprised of Karen Looney, Susanne Brown, Dana Carney, Flynn Kennedy and Pam Shoberg.
Susanne Brown, Pam Shoberg, Karen Looney, Flynn Kennedy, Dana Carney
The Zoom Team began in 2020 after COVID brought a halt to SVGS’s “in person” meetings at their library. Pam Shoberg set up the Zoom account and created and hosted their initial weekly Thursday morning special interest group meetings.
Shortly thereafter, the society began providing presentations and resumed their “new normal” Zoom monthly general and board meetings. To date, these monthly meetings are hybrid meetings provided on Zoom with an option to attend in person and are hosted by education chair Dana Carney.
In 2020, Karen Looney and Flynn Kennedy began co-hosting the Thursday meetings. Later, Susanne Brown stepped in to co-host with Karen.
For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award.”
WSGS is sponsoring a roundtable presentation to inform genealogists and genealogical societies about the Washington Pioneer Pursuit Contest. The contest is designed to document family histories for every man, woman and child who lived in Washington Territory on or before Statehood was declared on November 11, 1889.
If you’re interested in learning more about the contest, including what resources are available, how to complete the forms and the review process, join us. There’ll also be plenty of time to get your questions answered. There is no pre-registration. Attendance is limited to 100 participants. The roundtable will be recorded and available on the WSGS website.
Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming weeks, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.
Today we’re introducing Janet Stroebel of Indianapolis, Indiana, who was nominated by the Eastside Genealogical Society.
Janet Stroebel
Janet joined EGS in 2013 and has quietly but strongly supported the society from day one. Being an organized, detail-oriented person (which makes her a great researcher in the genealogical field), Janet has stepped up to help the organization grow and diversify. She has served on the EGS board both as the secretary and the treasurer, thus making her part of the idea sharing, planning, and expanding reach of EGS.
Often behind the scenes, Janet sees needs and acts on them. When the leader of the Family Tree Maker SIG moved from the area, Janet accepted leadership of the group. As the society’s help desk efforts often included questions on using Ancestry, Janet volunteered to host a Q&A Ancestry help session monthly at the public library. As COVID restricted activities, Janet went online with her Ancestry help desk activities.
Bringing EGS forward into the social media world, Janet established their Facebook group and acted as its administrator. Again, without fanfare, she moderated the Facebook page, posted announcements, and shared information. In so many ways, from supporting the computer SIG, to being the NGS representative for EGS, to amending the bylaws to conform to recent changes in the state law governing non-profit organizations, Janet has helped EGS grow and embrace change. She has been an outstanding example to all.
For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.
Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming weeks, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.
Karen has been a critical glue to hold together pieces of the society during absences and pandemic operation.
Karen was the secretary when the COVID pandemic began. She adeptly documented the society’s challenges, opportunities and solutions in minutes and special write-ups for posterity. With the incoming secretary and treasurer living outside of the local city post office area, Karen volunteered to continue getting the mail, distributing it, scanning checks for the treasurer, etc. Then when the membership chair was unable to continue, Karen again stepped in to fill that position until a replacement could be found. She provided a thorough transition to the new secretary and membership records position. She also assists in genealogy work by fulfilling research queries.
For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.
Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming months, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.
Today we’re introducing Christine Schomaker of Kenmore, Washington, who was nominated by the Seattle Genealogical Society.
Christine is the Swiss army knife of the Seattle Genealogical Society. Over the past 20 years, Christine has been treasurer, library director, operations director (three times!), and is starting her sixth year as membership director.
She is always willing to help out with just about anything SGS needs done, and has been the de facto SGS registrar for anything that involved registrations, including seminars, SGS’s online courses and managing the over 600 alumni of the Certification Discussion Group.
At the in-person seminars, Christine and her husband Eric were regulars in moving the sales items over to the seminar venue (and back!). She assumed the responsibility of sitting at the sales desk and handled all the monetary transactions.
Having served so much time on the SGS board, Christine is a key part of the society’s corporate memory, which is an important thing to have in these days of transition.
For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.
Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming months, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.
Stephanie joined GSSWI in 2007, and soon volunteered to serve as director of publicity on the board of directors. She then worked fervently to expand and advertise the society’s educational programs in all modes possible.
Stephanie next stepped forward and assumed our program director position and since then has been applying her amazing talents to securing speakers for GSSWI’s monthly programs. Additionally, Stephanie oversees the December social which is one of the society’s highlights each year.
But one of the more important reflections about Stephanie lies in the kind way she approaches members. Her interest is always in matching members’ genealogical needs with excellent speakers, and she reaches out through surveys and personal invitations to members to express their topical interests to her. She then begins the arduous task of finding speakers to address member requests. GSSWI is extremely grateful and appreciative of Stephanie’s continuing dedication, leadership, and many contributions to their society.
For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.
Do you know who’s running the show at the Washington State Genealogical Society? Who are these people? In the coming months, we’ll introduce them to you, so you can say “hi” the next time you see them. (Note: a variation of Charles’s story was published in October 2017.)
Blog Master Charles Hansen
In today’s “Meet the Board” series, we’re introducing you to Charles Hansen from Spokane. Charles is WSGS’s Blog Master, as well as chair of the Resource Guide Project. He is a longtime member of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society where he serves as their Registered Agent, email chair, chief researcher (since 1998), head of library volunteers and one of their bloggers.
We know him as Charles, but he was born Charles Michael Hansen and called “Mike” by his family for as long as he can remember – probably to avoid confusion with his maternal grandfather Charles Rupert Kelly after whom he was named. His middle name honored his paternal grandfather Anton Mikkel Hansen.
Born in Spokane, Charles graduated from Washington State University in Pullman in 1971. For many years, he’s been an “Enrolled Agent,” someone considered by the IRS to be the equivalent of a CPA – able to do examinations, collections and appeals. In case you were wondering, the name Enrolled Agent came about soon after the Civil War when Enrolled Agents were authorized by the government to fill out paperwork for the veterans and families of the veterans for benefits provided by the government.
Charles and his grandfather Charles Kelly, Aunt Mayme McMichael and his grandmother Cleo Kelly
Charles became interested in genealogy back in 1990 after he and his sister Jacque decided to hold a family reunion. They started looking for their Hansen relatives – not an easy task considering that Charles and Jacque have more than 100 second cousins! After corresponding with their Dad’s first cousin Lorraine Erickson, a Family History Center volunteer in Arizona, Lorraine sent them a group sheet — something Charles and Jacque had never seen before! Lorraine suggested they send blank group sheets with the reunion packets. Imagine their surprise when they got 350 family group sheets back! They dutifully typed the information into a program called the “Enhanced Family Tree” and printed a book for everyone that came to the reunion.
That started the ball rolling. Wanting to find out more about their family, they took a beginning genealogical course through the local community college taught by Donna Potter-Phillips, past president of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society — and WSGS Vice President. She encouraged Charles and Jacque to join EWGS and the rest is, well…history.
A tip from Charles: I didn’t record who sent me each group sheet, so for the first 500 names in my genealogical file today most have no sources, but I do have the hard copy group sheets. Also the Enhanced Family Tree program did not have the ability to save data as a GEDCOM so when I switched to a better program, I had to retype all the data I had.
Charles and Jacque recently returned from a road trip to visit family and the Montana State Genealogical Society conference in Missoula to hear Judy Russell and Amy Crow. Charles has also visited Minnesota where the five original Hansen brothers settled. He’s also got ancestors from Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, New England, Denmark, England, Scotland and Germany.
When Charles isn’t blogging on the WSGS Blog (or his own blog http://charles-mikkelshus.blogspot.com/), researching at the county courthouse, volunteering at EWGS or doing his own genealogy, he’s out in his garden puttering here and there.
More trivia about Charles:
His favorite color is blue.
His favorite dessert is ice cream.
His most used genealogy website is the Washington State Digital Archives – where he’s transcribed over 568,000 records — 568,650 to be exact!
He says the single word that best describes him is “introvert.”
Now you know a little more about one of the WSGS Board members. The next time you see Charles, say hello and thank him for his service to the WSGS.
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