The Seattle Genealogical Society, 6200 Sand Point Way N. E., will present a class on Beginning Beginning Genealogy on Wednesday, 16 Aug 2017, from 11 am to 3 pm.
Feel free to bring a brown bag lunch. The class is free.
Linda Fitzgerald
Seattle Genealogical Society
WSGS President Ginny Majewski (center) with Board Members Nancy Cordell and Patty Olsen at “Nuts and Bolts of Society Management” class
Ginny Majewski, WSGS President, recently presented her “Nuts and Bolts of Society Management” class to a group of local genealogists hosted by the Lewis County Genealogical Society. By all accounts, the class was well-received and packed with valuable information, as well providing answers to a lot of society management questions — and some questions that attendees didn’t even know to ask.
Ginny’s “Nuts and Bolts” class is one of two society management classes being offered by WSGS on Wednesday, August 16, 2017, at the Northwest Genealogy Conference in Arlington, WA. The other class, taught by WSGS VP Donna Potter Phillips, is “How to Attract and Keep Members…Awake.” More information about the FREE society management classes is available in this Blog post.
For those local societies not able to take advantage of the management classes at the Northwest Genealogy Conference, arrangements are possible to present the classes at a more convenient time and location. Contact Ginny for more information.
Ah, the good old days when most every grade school child was ushered into the nurses’ office and given a wooden spatula to cover first the right eye and then the left and was told to read the letters on this lighted eye chart. Did you pass? If not, a note was sent home with you to your parents that you needed glasses. Very scientific.
Do you know who’s running the show at the Washington State Genealogical Society? Did you know we have an Executive Committee, six standing committee chairs and three appointed non-elected officers? Who are all these people? In the coming months, we’ll introduce them to you, so you can say “hi” the next time you see them.
Donna Potter Phillips
In today’s “Meet the Board” series, we’re introducing you to Donna Potter Phillips. Donna lives in Spokane and is WSGS’s Vice President, Communication Chair, on the Blog Team, and Region 7 Representative for Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, and Stevens Counties. She also served as WSGS Vice President a number of years ago. She is a proud member of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society where she has been president (twice!), program chair, newsletter editor and held “jack of all” jobs. She is currently EWGS’s Federation of Genealogical Societies’ representative and Education chair.
Besides being a member of WSGS (since 1984) and EWGS, Donna is a member of the Mayflower Society, DAR, St. Clair County (Illinois) Genealogical Society, National Genealogical Society, Whitman County Genealogical Society and the Northeast Washington Genealogical Society. In addition, Donna was named a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer in 2008 and 2014. That’s a lot of genealogy, but that’s what Donna does!
Donna, age 5
Donna Ruth Potter was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan to Francis Harold and June Magdalen (Gurney) Potter. She was named for the heroine Lady Dona in Daphne Du Maurier’s 1941 novel “Frenchman’s Creek.”
Donna and her husband John are the proud parents of three, grandparents of eight and great-grandparents of 2-3/4 great-granddaughters.
Donna’s been interested in genealogy for more than 40 years – since she first learned she was a direct descendant of Englishman William Bradford of the Mayflower. She got “hooked” in 1971, joined EWGS in 1976 and has been researching, sharing, educating and promoting genealogy ever since. One of her favorite experiences was going with her son Benjamin and his son Austin to Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane to see a B-52 bomber jet on display. According to the serial number on the plane, it was one Donna’s father flew as an Aircraft Commander in the U.S. Air Force. Such serendipity! And speaking of “serendipity,” Donna publishes a weekly feature on the WSGS Blog called “Friday Serendipity” – assorted musings to entertain one and all. She also publishes “Monday Mystery,” “Tuesday Trivia,” and “Wednesday Nostalgia.”
On Donna’s ever-growing genealogy To Do List:
• Get all her genealogy research and information in order in case…well, you know.
• Upload her photos to www.Forever.com.
• Put her family tree on Ancestry, FamilySearch and MyHeritage.
• Make sure her list of contacts and passwords are updated.
When Donna’s not doing genealogy, she enjoys gardening (both inside and out), reading, rock collecting, taking educational classes and travel, including her ancestral homelands: Germany, England and Wales. She’s also a devoted dachshund lover!
A few more interesting tidbits about Donna:
• Favorite genealogy sites: Ancestry, FamilySearch and the Washington Digital Archives
• Favorite color: red
• Favorite dessert: Anything chocolate
• Word or phrase that describes her: Outspokenly energetic!
Now you know a little more about another of the WSGS Board members. The next time you see Donna, say hello and thank her for her service to WSGS.
Donna Potter Phillip will be speaking September 9 @ 8:30 a.m.
at Okanogan P.U.D. Auditorium.
1331 2nd Ave. N. Okanogan, WA.
“Bring Your Own Bag Lunch & Drinks
Face Book: “Okanogan Genealogy”
If you need more Information, Please let me know
Email: okanogangenes@gmail.com
Noma Wyllson, President
Would you rather live on Beet Street or Frog Hollow Road?
These are two for-real street names near Walla Walla.
Don’t we smile to see Bluebird Lane, Cricket Street, or Kennedy Parkway but we scratch our heads at Itani Street (a real street in Pullman). How would you react to these…. found photos of each on a website so I’m not pulling your tail……….
Priest River, Idaho: GOA Way
Story, Alaska: Farfrompoopen Road (said to be 200 miles from a reststop)
Bainbridge Island, Washington: Toe Jam Hill Road
Troy, Michigan: Intersection of Crooks Road / Corporate Drive
Great Meadows, New Jersey: Shades of Death Road
New Portland, Maine: Katie’s Crotch Road
Blountville, Tennessee: Meth Bible Camp Road / Dead End
Littleton, Colorado: Jackass Hill Road
Heather Highland, Michigan: Divorce Court
WSGS Blog Team: Roxanne Lowe, Charles Hansen & Donna Potter Phillips
Since our first post in January 2015, the Blog Masters have posted 1,o90 genealogy-related articles, special features, events announcements and a plethora of other postings and musings. To date, almost 600 genealogy enthusiasts from around the region subscribe to the blog.
You can help us continue our success:
Thanks for making the Washington State Genealogical Society Blog a success!
WAGS Coyote (right) sitting with twin brother AppleSox Coyote on the steps of the WAGS Museum Annex Building. (Photo by Barbara Congdon)
Many years ago, two coyote brothers were romping the hillsides around Wenatchee. Playing hide and seek, the twins exuberantly worked their way into the mountain heights, losing track of time and place. The coyote youngsters were lost – neither twin could find tracks made by the other brother.
Before long, one of the youngsters was found by a coach hiking in the high hills, and taken to a beautiful ballpark in the city to spend his days. The other coyote was eventually rescued by a librarian and taken to Wenatchee just in time for presentations of the first Art on the Avenues. The Coyote was shaped into a new role, creating within him a voracious appetite for reading. He eagerly devoured a book of poetry by Blue Flute, and read whatever else he could get his hands on, most often a candy wrapper.
After many years of sitting on the steps of the Museum Annex Building, in 2016, the Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society officially adopted WAGS Coyote as its mascot. No more reading just a candy wrapper – this astute WAGS Coyote became a genealogist. He researched books, maps, and even census records, and inquired of all the people he greeted at the Genealogy Library if they might know about his brother. At last, WAGS Coyote located his brother at the AppleSox ballpark in Wenatchee!
The ballgame on Sunday, July 23rd is celebrating their reunion at Paul Thomas Field in Wenatchee! You are invited to join in this celebration as the Coyote mascots make history! For more information, visit the WAGS website. Cheers to AppleSox Coyote and WAGS Coyote!!!
Story by Lynda Pheasant, Past President, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society
Today’s mystery question: Where can you see a metal sculpture “garden” complete with a larger-that-life Scrappy Sasquatch, made from driftwood and metal? (Can you tell I’m on a sasquatch kick?)
And a chocolaty WSGS cupcake to Lori Bell who sent this answer to my question “How many Native American tribes are registered in Washngton?” Here’s her answer:
“There are 29 Federally recognized tribes in WA. I teach my 4th graders about WA state, including Native Americans. Shocking to compare maps of tribal regions before and after 1855 treaties.”
Thanks to faithful responders Patty Olsen, Anne Grimm, Sonji Ruttan and Phyllis Griffith, for mostly-correct answers.