Registration now open for Olympia Genealogical Society’s Spring Seminar on Saturday, April 7. “Find Your Immigrant & Miscreant Ancestors” will be presented by Lisa Alzo at the Capital Event Center in Tumwater. Details are found at our NEW website www.OlyGenSoc.org.
Joyce Ogden, Publicity
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.
By an overwhelming majority, Sue Ericksen was elected WSGS Treasurer for a second term. Sue’s involvement with WSGS has been longstanding, having served as WSGS’s President from 2009 – 2012, membership chair, web manager and Region 5 representative. To learn more about Sue, read her Meet the Board feature.
Also on the ballot, the following Regional Representatives were elected to two-year terms:
If you want to know which region you’re in, click here.
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.
Dorothy Petry is “THE” mover and shaker behind the Borderlands Museum, aka the Okanogan County Historical Society, almost to the Canada border in Oroville. I asked her for a sketch of “her” museum:
“Museums come large or small, formal or informal, specialized or general. Having visited and enjoyed many museums in the U.S., Canada and England, I find that the 1907 Old Great Northern Railroad Depot Museum here in Oroville is a good mix for visiting and working.”
“All Aboard” and enjoy a quick tour of the depot. The Ladies Waiting Room has become the Visitors Information Center. Next is the telegraph room now the Railroad Room with many of the original items still in place and also houses a small but growing research area. Down a short hallway, with restrooms on one side and office/kitchen area on the other, is the room that once served as the men’s sleeping quarters. Lastly, we step into the freight/baggage area that today is the main museum display area. Here is where yesteryear’s tools become today’s artifacts where education and memories await the visitor.”
“Behind the museum is a small army of volunteers; this group has a serious and fun time planning, researching, collecting, building, assembling and overcoming the challenges of creating a viable historic museum. Do come visit!!”
Do come visit especially if you have ancestry in the northern part of the Okanogan Valley.
Haven’t yet gotten around to crafting some Genealogy New Year’s Resolutions? Or, like Maxine, have you broken them all already?
A full year ago, my friend Thomas MacEntee wrote a blog post wherein he came up with a list of seven “Cs” for Genealogy New Year’s Resolutions:
Whatever YOU come up with for YOUR Genealogy New Year’s Resolutions, I hope you stick to them and by next December can be proud of your progress.
TIP OF THE WEEK –
SVAR, the National Archives of Sweden
Don’t have an ancestry account, but want to access original Swedish records? Beginning this year, SVAR, the National Archives of Sweden, are offering their previous subscription records for free. These records are the same film you see if you log into Ancestry. It is still an open question of how many of the other records they possess will be made available under this program. Thanks to the Swedish government who funded this initiative in an effort to make all Swedish records freely available to all. Did you catch the word “free”?
CERTIFICATION DISCUSSION GROUP
SIGN UP FOR SPRING
SGS is seeking individuals who are interested in becoming a Certified Genealogist, or who are interested in knowing more about it. Registration is now open for the Spring Certification Discussion Group series. SGS members and Washington State residents will be given priority. The 7-part series is entirely online. The goal of the program is to demystify the process and ensure you are “really ready” when you submit your portfolio.
You can learn more of the details here : https://gallery.mailchimp.
To sign up, or ask a question, send an email to jkmorelli@gmail.com
BEGINNING GENEALOGY CLASS
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2
10:15 AM – 3:00 PM
New to genealogy? Get started on the right foot. Research veteran and past president of SGS, Linda Fitzgerald, will teach you how to get your genealogy project going. Come join in. It’s a full day, so bring a sack lunch. Laptops welcome, but not necessary.
DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL?
The SGS Publications Committee invites you to submit articles for the Journal of the Seattle Genealogical Society. We are looking for articles about genealogical research and family history that would be of interest to our members. We welcome submissions from all areas of genealogy. Some possibilities include memoirs, research articles, how-to and problem solving articles, and genealogical technology. Book reviews, historical photographs, and blog posts are also welcome.
Help is available for inexperienced writers!
Send submissions or questions to: publications@
SAVE THE DATE
Family History Fanatics,
eConference,
“Finding Family Stories and Passing Them On”,
January 19th at 8:45 am Central Time.
Speakers will be Randy Seaver, Eric Wells, Victoria Woo and Tammy Hepps. Participants will learn about how to find, preserve, and share their family stories. Five hours of interactive instruction for the early bird price of $19.99 through January 10th, and $24.99 thereafter. More details and registration can be found at: https://www.
SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle. Check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections. Programs may be canceled or postponed because of inclement weather.
JANUARY
Wednesday, January 17, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, MAC SIG, Sponsored jointly by SGS, Fiske, and dBug, meets quarterly at the Fiske Genealogical Library, 1644 43rd Ave E, Seattle
Saturday, January 20, 10:15am – 12:15pm, Irish SIG, with Jean Roth
Saturday, January 20, 1:00pm – 2:30pm, German SIG, with Jean Roth
Saturday, January 27, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm, DNA SIG, this group meets at the Wedgwood Presbyterian Church, 8008 35th Ave NE, Seattle. For more information contact SGSDNASIG@gmail.com Co-chaired by Cary Bright and Herb McDaniel. This is an extended meeting. The first 30 minutes will be dedicated to beginners, those new to DNA.
FEBRUARY
Friday, February 2, 10:15 am – 3:00 pm, Beginning Genealogy Class, All you need to bring is a pencil and a sack lunch! You are welcome to bring your laptop. The instructor, Linda Fitzgerald, will provide a handout of class materials.
Saturday, February 3, 10:15am – 12:15pm, Family Tree Interest Group, Lou Daly, leader of this special interest group exploring all the features of the tool Family Tree on FamilySearch.org
Sunday, February 4, 1:00pm – 3:00pm, DNA Workshop, Led by Cary Bright with first hour on a specific topic, and the second hour open for sharing DNA issues with focus on GenomeMate Pro.
Saturday, February 10, 10:15am – 12:15pm, Family Tree Maker (FTM) Users Group, leaders Reiley Kidd & Betty Ravenholt, this group meets the second Saturday of every even month, FTM is the tool long associated with Ancestry.com
Saturday, February 10 , 1:00pm – 3:00pm, Second Saturday Speaker Series, “Using Academic Libraries for genealogy Research” with Lisa Oberg
Sunday, February 11, 1:30pm – 3:00pm, Scandinavian SIG, with Karen Knudson. Jill Morelli will give her talk “Finding your Nordic Parish of Birth” & be available for questions following the presentation.
Saturday, February 17, 10:15am – 12:15pm, Irish SIG, with Jean Roth
Saturday, February 17, 1:00pm – 2:30pm, German SIG, with Jean Roth
It’s a mystery to me………… the experts proclaim that not one snowflake in 100 Bezillion is like another. (Has anybody looked at 100 bezillion??) Given for Christmas a cool book all about snowflakes, how they form and how to photograph them. Mysteriously interesting. One really cool factoid: Anybody, with a handheld magnifying glass and a black surface, can go outside and see the mystery that is a snowflake.
Somehow I think our ancestors had a very different opinion of a snowflake than we do today……… we who sit warm and dry.