Category Archives: Outstanding Volunteers

Outstanding Volunteer Award FAQs

by Roxanne Lowe

Have you got questions about the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Awards? We’re here to help. Here are a few frequently asked questions (and answers) about the program. If you’ve got other questions, visit the Recognition page or email Roxanne Lowe, Interim Chair of the Recognition Committee.

  1. Who can nominate an Outstanding Volunteer or Team? Any local genealogical society or organization in Washington State can participate in the Outstanding Volunteer or Team program.
  2. Does my society have to be a member of WSGS to nominate someone? No, you don’t have to be a member, nor does your nominee. If, however, you’d like to join us, we’d love to have you. To join (as an organization, individual or family), click here.
  3. Does WSGS choose the Outstanding Volunteer or Team from all the nominees? No. This program is not a competition among the nominees or societies.  WSGS honors every individual and team who is identified by their local genealogical organization for exceptional efforts. This is a means for local society and groups to give widespread recognition to their top volunteers.
  4. How many nominees can my society submit? We ask that you limit your nominations to two individuals and/or one team.
  5. What does my nominee or team get for being an Outstanding Volunteer or Team? Each nominee will receive a personalized certificate outlining why they were nominated by their local society. He/she/they will also be featured on the WSGS Blog. It is also our hope that the nominating society will honor their volunteer at an upcoming meeting or event.
  6. Can we nominate someone who has been an Outstanding Volunteer before? Absolutely! More than 50 people have been honored more than once since the program’s inception in 2003.
  7. How can I see who my society has nominated in the past? Click here to see a cumulative index of all 500+ names since 2003, listed by society and by individual name.
  8. Can we nominate someone posthumously? Yes. What a wonderful way show his/her family that you valued their late family member’s achievements.
  9. What if we want the nomination to be a surprise? We love surprises (and keeping secrets!) Just check the box on the nomination form to let us know you want to keep this under wraps until the “big announcement” at the WSGS Annual Meeting and Recognition Event on May 26 in Vancouver.
  10. How do we nominate someone? We’ve made it pretty easy. The first deadline is Feb. 15 when the name (yes, just the name) of your individual or team needs to be sent to Roxanne Lowe, Interim Chair of the WSGS Recognition Committee. She’ll respond by sending you an easy-to-complete form that needs to be returned (along with a photo of your nominee) by March 15. After that, you’ll get a chance to review and approve the certificate before it’s announced on May 26.
  11. When will the announcements be made? The presentation will be part of the WSGS Annual Meeting and Recognition Event, held in conjunction with the Clark County Genealogical Society’s Spring Seminar on Saturday, May 26 in Vancouver.

 

Lisa Chan Awarded 2017 Outstanding Volunteer Honor

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 500 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 2017 award recipients and learn why they received the 2017 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Lisa K. Chan

Today we’re introducing Lisa K. Chan of Seattle, Washington, who was nominated by the Seattle Genealogical Society (SGS). She was recognized for her willingness to share her technical skills and abilities, moving the society to a higher level in a technical world.

Although Ms. Chan has been a member of SGS for less than two years, she has had a transformational impact on their society. With a background in computers, technology and training, Ms. Chan introduced society members to Google Apps for Non-Profits, a free suite of applications and cloud-based storage and coached them through its implementation. Ms. Chan was also instrumental in the creation of SGS’s digital scanning lab, enabling them to digitize decades of SGS records. The society is now digitizing many of their printed assets, enabling them to be searched. Ms. Chan also helped create sound policies and procedures regarding SGS’s growing digital assets. In addition, Ms. Chan provides biweekly drop-in sessions called “Tech Tuesdays” at the SGS Library, on technology, genealogical software, genetic research and more.

Ms. Chan has been instrumental in SGS’s efforts to move ahead in today’s technological world, and richly deserved being a recipient of a 2017 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Roxanne Lowe, Interim Recognition Chair, at Roxanne@thekeeffes.com.

Jody Alfiere Awarded 2017 Outstanding Volunteer Honor

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 500 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 2017 award recipients and learn why they received the 2017 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Jody Alfiere

Today we’re introducing Jody Alfiere of Olympia, Washington, who was nominated by the Mason County Genealogical Society (MCGS). She was recognized for her exceptional efforts to preserve and document the headstones in a local cemetery in the Mason County area.

Single-handedly, Ms. Alfiere took on the task of documenting more than 11,000 headstones in Shelton Memorial Park. Some years ago, MCGS took on the task of correcting the errors and omissions of their cemetery’s records and to photograph the headstones. The project floundered for some time, however, until Ms. Alfiere took it upon herself to get the job done. She mapped out the project, section by section, and recruited volunteers to help. On many mornings for the past three years, Ms. Alfiere was seen documenting and photographing headstones, and even identifying unearthed sunken grave markers by herself.  On other mornings, she enlisted some helpers, but her commitment to documenting and photographing the headstones never wavered.

Now, thanks to Ms. Alfiere’s untiring work, the MCGS is closer to completing this project.  Her dedication to this task, and to the MCGS, is remarkable. It is for these reasons, Ms. Alfiere richly deserved being a recipient of a 2017 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Roxanne Lowe, Interim Recognition Chair, at Roxanne@thekeeffes.com.

It’s Time to Recognize Your Outstanding Volunteers and Teams

by Roxanne Lowe

Now is the time for genealogical societies and organizations to select their local outstanding volunteers and teams so they can be honored at the WSGS Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony on May 26, 2018 in Vancouver. The annual meeting will be held in conjunction with the Clark County Genealogical Society’s Spring Seminar.

Each year, the State Society recognizes local volunteers and teams nominated by their society or organization at the annual conference. In 2016, more than 20 local volunteers and four teams from 20 organizations were recognized for their support and dedication to their society and the researching public.

The process for this year’s Outstanding Volunteer Award program is much like last year’s – no significant changes. In addition to the traditional Outstanding Volunteer Award program, there are three other recognition awards: Outstanding Project, Outstanding Communication, and the President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement. Information about those awards will be forthcoming, but should not impact organizations’ Outstanding Volunteer Award nominations.

Letters to local societies and organizations, with additional details, have been emailed to society contacts. If you have not received that information, please contact Roxanne Lowe, WSGS Recognition Chair. The milestones for this year’s nomination process are:

  • No later than February 15, 2018: Submit the name(s) of your honorees to the Recognition Committee.
  • By March 15, 2018: Submit a narrative (approximately 150 words) explaining the accomplishments of your nominee and why you are honoring him/her. Include a good quality digital photograph (at least 300 dpi).
  • May 26, 2018: Formal announcement and presentation of certificates at the Annual Meeting and Recognition Ceremony in Vancouver.

Additional details and deadlines, plus indexes and narratives of accomplishments of past honorees, since 2003, may be found at the WSGS website here.

Please contact Roxanne Lowe at roxanne@thekeeffes.com if you have questions or suggestions.

WSGS Awards Announced at Annual Meeting in Yakima

by Roxanne Lowe

Many thanks are extended to the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society for hosting the WSGS Annual Meeting and Awards Event on Saturday, 22 April 2017. The annual meeting was held in conjunction with YVGS’s Spring Seminar featuring Jay Fonkert, a Minnesota-based genealogy researcher, educator, and writer who focuses on nineteenth-century Midwest research. Nearly 90 people attended the seminar and annual meeting.

WSGS Vice President Donna Phillips presenting Outstanding Volunteer Award to Patricia McCann Manning from the Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society.

Region 6 Representative Janet McKinnon presenting an Outstanding Team member award to husband Mikal McKinnon for his work on the Tri-City Genealogical Society’s Library Recataloging and Renumbering Team.

During the annual meeting and awards lunch, nearly 40 local society members were recognized with Outstanding Volunteer and Team awards. These volunteers were praised for their commitment and energies to promote genealogy and family history in their local communities.

Some of the 2017 local society award winners

Other awards presented included:

  • Outstanding Communication – Whitman County Genealogical Society for its newsletter filled with personal stories, photos and “snippets from the olden days.” Their newsletter started on in 1984 with just a few pages focusing on Whitman County. Today the newsletter is 10 pages with a continued focus on the county, but has expanded to include a wide variety of genealogy-related articles, designed to educate and entertain the society’s members and other readers. Special acknowledgement was extended to newsletter editor Judy Standar McMurray, with assistance from Monica Bartlett Peters.
  • Outstanding Project — Grays Harbor Genealogical Society for the preservation of thousands of records from a 100-year-old funeral home that closed suddenly. The records were in danger of being lost or discarded until the society stepped in. Twelve boxes of paper were organized, scanned, cataloged and indexed into 19 binders. While this was an effort tackled by almost half of this small society, special recognition was extended to Cathy Cook, Gary Parfitt, Marlene Payne and Bonnie Johannes.

Five local societies were awarded Innovative Grant Awards. See separate blog feature.

The President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement was presented to Joanne Egbert Calhoun of the Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society. See separate blog feature.

For more photos of the seminar and annual meeting, visit our Facebook page.

Outstanding Volunteers and Teams Honored

by Roxanne Lowe

Almost 40 local genealogical society members were honored for their outstanding volunteerism at the WSGS Annual Meeting and Recognition Event in Yakima, Washington, on 22 Apr 2017. Nominated by their local societies, these individuals and teams spent countless hours supporting their local organizations, researching, cataloging, inventorying, teaching, and inspiring others. We are proud to announce the 2017 Outstanding Volunteer Awards:

Shirley Acheson, Leadership Team, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society
Jody Alfiere, Mason County Genealogical Society
Veronica Anquiano, Library Recataloging and Renumbering Team, Tri-City Genealogical Society
Phyllis Barnett, Leadership Team, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society
Margie Beldin, Library Recataloging and Renumbering Team, Tri-City Genealogical Society
Lisa K. Chan, Seattle Genealogical Society
Barbara Congdon, Leadership Team, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society
Catherine Crabtree Cook, Grays Harbor Genealogical Society
Sandra Floberg, Library Recataloging and Renumbering Team, Tri-City Genealogical Society
Oweta Floyd, Eastern Washington Genealogical Society
Patricia Hert, Yakima Valley Genealogical Society
Barbara Freese Jolly, Eastern Washington Genealogical Society
John Hayes, Skagit Valley Genealogical Society
Darryl Jones, Yakima Valley Genealogical Society
Art Kelly, Tri-City Genealogical Society
Mary Kathryn Kozy, Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State
Janis Littlefield, Tri-City Genealogical Society
Hank LuBean, Leadership Team, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society
Sandra McBride, Leadership Team, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society
Mikal McKinnon, Library Recataloging and Renumbering Team, Tri-City Genealogical Society
Patricia McCann Manning, Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society
Noel McRae, Lower Columbia Genealogical Society
Dan Metzger, Library Recataloging and Renumbering Team, Tri-City Genealogical Society
Patty Ostendorff, Leadership Team, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society
Barb Peterson, Jefferson County Genealogical Society
Lynda Pheasant, Leadership Team, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society
Susan Jensen Pointer, Lower Columbia Genealogical Society
Susan Rumble, Leadership Team, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society
Beatrice “Bea” Ritter, Clark Cou Genealogical Society
Claire Smith, Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society
Linda Stephens, Library Recataloging and Renumbering Team, Tri-City Genealogical Society
Natalie Stien, Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State
Pam Stinson, Jefferson County Genealogical Society
Mary Swartz, Leadership Team, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society
John Jay Winsor (posthumous), Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society
Catherine Wooden, South King County Genealogical Society
Gilbert Wooden, South King County Genealogical Society
Norma Yost, Northeast Washington Genealogical Society

To read each individual’s accomplishments and why they were nominated, visit the Outstanding Volunteer Awards Program page.

For more information about the Outstanding Volunteer Awards Program, contact Roxanne Lowe at Roxanne@thekeeffes.com.

Yakima Valley Gen Soc and WSGS Partner for Recognition Awards

by Roxanne Lowe

Featured speaker Jay Fonkert

The WSGS Annual Meeting, which includes the announcement of the Outstanding Volunteers and Teams, Outstanding Communication and Project awards, WSGS President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement and Innovative Grant winners, will be Saturday, April 22, 2017 during the lunch period of Yakima Valley Genealogical Society’s Spring Seminar. The seminar and awards event will be held at the Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Yakima. The seminar’s featured speaker will be professional genealogist Jay Fonkert, a renowned authority on 19th Century Midwest research. His presentations will be:

  • Genealogy Detective Skills: Following Clues from the Census
  • Finding Your Pre-1850 American Ancestors
  • Why Were They There?
  • Who’s on First: Merging and Separating Identities in Family History Research

The YVGS Spring Seminar flyer, including a registration form, can be downloaded here: YVGS Spring Seminar flyer or visit the YVGS website.

Lola Swearingen Weber Awarded 2016 Outstanding Volunteer Honor

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized almost 500 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 last of the 2016 series, you will be introduced to each of the award recipients and learn why they received the 2016 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Lola Swearingen Weber

Today we’re introducing Lola Swearingen Weber of Longview, Washington, who was nominated by the Lower Columbia Genealogical Society (LCGS). She was recognized for her unwavering dedication and enthusiasm to the LCGS.

As a long-time member of LCGS, Ms. Weber has served as president, vice-president, trustee and program chairman. She presently serves on the program committee.

Ms. Weber has fostered genealogical education by organizing research trips, presenting informative programs and visiting senior living facilities to encourage writing their life stories. She has submitted articles for the society’s newsletter, The Key, donated time in the genealogy section of the Longview Public Library and volunteered for the rest stop fundraiser.

Ms. Weber has been an asset, as well as an inspirational and motivating presence in the ranks of the society’s membership, and demonstrates that she richly deserved being a recipient of a 2016 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Roxanne Lowe, Recognition Chair, at Roxanne@thekeeffes.com.

Sandra Wade Awarded 2016 Outstanding Volunteer Honor

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized almost 500 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 next few weeks, you will be introduced to each of the 2016 award recipients and learn why they received the 2016 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Sandra Wade

Today we’re introducing Sandra Wade of Graham, Washington, who was nominated by the Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society (TPCGS). She was recognized for her diligence and attention-to-detail in transcribing data from local records.

Upon her retirement as a school bus driver for 32 years, Ms. Wade joined TPCGS and began researching her family history in earnest.  In 2013, when TPCGS began a special project to transcribe records from the Tacoma City Light Register, Book 2 (1904 – 1940), society members, including Ms. Wade, volunteered. Ms. Wade tackled the task, completing the majority of the work. After the data entry, Ms. Wade undertook the majority of the proofreading work, then single-handedly made the corrections to all 282 pages.

All agree that this compilation of data will be invaluable to researchers as the time period 1904 to 1940 is sometimes difficult to locate records placing people in a certain area during a certain time. Ms. Wade’s dedication to the project illustrate proves she richly deserves being a recipient of a 2016 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Roxanne Lowe, Recognition Chair, at Roxanne@thekeeffes.com.

Louellen Verellen Awarded 2016 Outstanding Volunteer Honor

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized almost 500 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 next few weeks, you will be introduced to each of last year’s award recipients and learn why they received the 2016 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Louellen Verellen

Today we’re introducing Louellen Verellen of Chelan, Washington, who was nominated by the Chelan Valley Genealogical Society (CVGS). She was recognized for her enthusiastic promotion of genealogy and the CVGS.

Lou, a descendant of an early Chelan family, has a passion for family history. Before the CVGS was formed, she was the librarian at the Chelan Community Library. She collected source books, instructed patrons how to order film from the American Genealogical Lending Library, and how to use the film readers. When a box of films arrived, Lou would call the person who placed the order, then present it like a precious gift.

When CVGS was formed in 1990, Lou became our stalwart advocate. Chelan City officials moved the library to a school district building where Lou designated a room for the newly formed group. When the move to the Bradley Street building was made, Lou insisted that CVGS books and materials be included, saving the society much effort, time and money.

Lou has been an inspiration, instructor and friend to the CVGS. Her dedication proves she richly deserves being a recipient of a 2016 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Roxanne Lowe, Recognition Chair, at Roxanne@thekeeffes.com.