Yakima Valley Genealogical Society
1901 S. 12th Avenue
Union Gap, WA 98903
Phone: (509) 248-1328
Email: yvgs@yvgs.net
Yakima Valley Genealogical Society
General Meeting
Date: Saturday, January 3, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Following the General Meeting, Richard Kyle is giving a presentation on the future of Family Search. Come and learn the difference between the record search vs the image search vs the new full text search. Then learn why the full text search may make Ancestry obsolete.
Did a branch of your family suddenly head north to Canada during the Revolutionary War? You just might have just found a United Empire Loyalist ancestor! Join SVGS Saturday, January 10, 2026, at 1pm at the Burlington Public Library for “United Empire Loyalists” the Colonists loyal to the King with Brian McConnell. Brian is a Canadian Author, Genealogist and Historian. Come learn about the Colonists that opposed the American Revolution and resettled north of the border in Canada. Can’t make it to the Burlington Library, request a zoom link by emailing info@skagitvalleygenealogy.org.
Please come Celebrate Us!
Cookies…Coffee…Friends!!!
(due to the increasing cost of venues and catering, this year’s appreciation meeting will be held at The Hive)
Date: January 03, 2026
Time: 01:00 PM to 03:00 (Doors open at 12:30)
Location: THE HIVE E. 2904 Sprague Spokane, WA 99202
Hive door code: 985426#
Zoom Link will be on the EWGSi.org website prior to the meeting
ANNUAL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION
Please join us to recognize our hardworking volunteers!
Meet the new 2026 Board Members
and Recognize the outgoing 2025 Board members
Angela Packer McGhie
CERTIFIED GENEALOGIST
WRITER, LECTURER
Her topic is
Strategies for Resolving Conflicting Evidence
Speaker at the Lower Columbia Genealogical Society’s
January 8th 2026 zoom meeting is Angela Packer McGhie. Her topic is Strategies for Resolving Conflicting Evidence.
Please note time change
Virtual meeting doors will open at 9:30 am
Speaker’s program will begin at 10:00 am
Public is invited to attend
Please consider joining our society for $20/yr.
For a link to join the meeting or to join the society contact lcgsgen@yahoo.com 24hrs prior to the event
Explore the Exceptional Genealogy Classes at HQRL! Join us online via Zoom or in person at HQRL and connect with fellow genealogy enthusiasts who share your curiosity and drive—together, we can explore the fascinating world of family history! Classes Coming Up in January 2026!  Using City (and Other) Directories in Your Research Thursday, January 8, 2026 Janice Sellers Directories were not only for cities. Many counties and rural areas had directories, as did locations in other countries. You can also find professional directories, social directories, and more. Learn what they contain and how they can be used to flesh out your family’s lives and track them through time. Click Here to Sign-up Janice M. Sellers is a professional genealogist and international speaker whose grandparents told her she is related to actor Peter Sellers and to John of Gaunt, son of a king and father of a king. Unfortunately, they were wrong, but that’s why she has been researching her family for 50 years and now helps others finds the right pieces to fit their genealogical puzzles. She specializes in Jewish, Black, dual citizenship, and newspaper research. She has done research and appeared on camera for the television series The Dead Files.  A New Strategy for Brick Walls Thursday, January 22, 2026 Kim Richardson Ever feel like you are engulfed by a pile of research? Do you ever think, “If I could just get organized, I could solve this mystery?” If so, this presentation is for you! This session explains why complex genealogy problems feel overwhelming and how to overcome it through a new way of organizing. Click Here to Sign-up Kim Richardson enjoys serving the genealogy community by coaching and enabling others to do their own research successfully. She assists other genealogists to accomplish their goals and helps clients solve genealogy mysteries. Kim created the Brick Wall Buster Cards to show others her secret to solving tough genealogy problems. She regularly writes for various genealogy society magazines and wrote the “Mississippi Research Guide” for Family Tree Magazine and researches for Finding Your Roots and Who Do You Think You Are? Click Here to See All of Our 2026 Classes! HQRL.com / Classes & Events / Contact |
| Heritage Quest Research Library | 2102 East Main Ave Suite 105 | Puyallup, WA 98372 US |
Hello – this is Michael and Barbara Berry – we are Directors of the Family Search Center located in Longview within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We are actively looking for volunteers to come and help individuals interested in doing Family History work. Although we are located within the church ALL PEOPLE interested in Family History are welcome. In fact we could use additional volunteers from varying backgrounds, cultures and beliefs. We feel diversity is really important as we try to reach out to all peoples.
We simply want to share this valuable resource and have an opportunity to help people who may be struggling in finding resources, reference documents and navigating various softwares. We find that many people would like to do Family History work, but don’t know where to start. Family Search accounts are FREE and consultants offer a wide array of skills associated with gathering and verifying accurate information. Our current volunteers are wonderful, welcoming and friendly. We staff the center on Sundays from 1:30 pm to 3pm, Tuesdays from 10 am to 1pm and 6:30 pm to 9pm. Even just one shift a month would provide considerable help, given we like to have at least 3 volunteers to every shift, both for adequate coverage and safety. Our center offers 9 computers, a printer and scanner and a wealth of seasoned ideas for gathering information across various sites.
We would LOVE TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS and hope you might want to join our team.
Give us a call – Mike 406-596-2008 and we would gladly meet you at the center and discover how you could become a part of our team.
Our best,
Michael and Barbara Berry
EWGS Holiday Customs Around the World
Date: December 6th, 2025
Time: 12:30-3:00
Location: The Hive (Door Code for the Hive: 985426#)
Zoom Link will be available on the website the day of the event. (EWGSi.org)
Our members will present the customs of:
Kwanza, Jewish, Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium
Wear your best Holiday Outfit
Bring an unwrapped toy for the Toy Drive
You can still drop off toys by contacting:
Carol Anderson, Lynn Krogh, Lola McCreary, Jennilyn Weight
Bring a couple dozen cookies to share and bring your recipe too!
Your will head home with some delicious new recipes and treats.
Zip Locks will be provided by Dianne and her team.
Bring Cash for $50/50$ and for raffles
Be sure to bring some new items for the Genealogy Free Table
Y’All Better Be Good Before our Special Guest Arrives!
Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society Monthly Educational Meeting
Tuesday, December 9, 2025, starting at 6:00 pm
This month’s presentation: Translating, Transcribing and Summarizing Documents Using AI By Thomas MacEntee (one of his last live presentations before he retires at the end of this year).
Learn how to harness the power of artificial intelligence to assist in translating, transcribing, and summarizing a variety of genealogy records. A handwritten baptismal record from the 1800s? No problem. A faded newspaper obituary? No problem. We’ll cover the best AI platforms as well as how to craft a solid prompt to get you the results you need.
This meeting will be hybrid and we encourage everyone who is able to attend in person at our new meeting location:
University Place Library
3609 Market PL W.
University Place, WA 98466
and via Zoom for those unable to attend in person.
Attend virtually via Zoom:
Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZIqduGpqjgsHtBNs9zc8CGna6R-KHlcz5so/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGuqToiG9CWth2DRpwAB4j4WevwiHZdgrd_sgy8GSMLQST4N7Rwf5lXHNvK
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86718143644?pwd=S0FjYU5acVVKbDEyamdXWWZVekFjdz09
Meeting ID: 867 1814 3644
Passcode: 630507
One tap mobile
+12532050468,,86718143644#,,,,*630507# US
+12532158782,,86718143644#,,,,*630507# US (Tacoma)
Dial by your location
+1 253 205 0468 US
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 867 1814 3644
Passcode: 630507
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcFbCNTY39
| Want to learn fun facts about genealogy & get inspired doing your family research? CLICK HERE to read our blog!!!!!!! You won’t be disappointed! |
| Taking genealogy classes is a great way to enhance your family research and history. While it’s possible to do research on your own, classes offer formal training and essential methodologies that can make your efforts more successful, accurate, and fulfilling. CLICK HERE to check out our exciting classes in 2026! You can attend via Zoom online or in person at HQRL. |
| Heritage Quest Research Library | 2102 East Main Ave Suite 105 | Puyallup, WA 98372 US |
