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 months, 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.

Gail Porter

Today we’re introducing Gail Porter of Port Angeles, Washington, who was nominated by the Clallam County Genealogical Society (CCGS). She was recognized for her enthusiasm and willingness to take on challenging projects.

Although Ms. Porter has been the CCGS treasurer for five years, in 2016 she undertook the project of organizing the genealogies of the Clallam County pioneer families. This was no small project as there were more than 200 pioneer families and she had to sort through a hodgepodge of information. Using her organizational skills, she sorted them by family groups and is now in the process of indexing the information for inclusion on the CCGS web page. She has spent an average of 40 hours a week over the past eight months on this project.

Ms. Porter also makes herself available to all comers seeking assistance with their personal family genealogies, devoting many hours and donating her fees back to the society. This commitment to the CCGS and field of genealogy illustrate 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.