Tag Archives: Eastern Washington Genealogical Society

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Christmas Around the World

by Charles Hansen

Holiday Customs Around the World 

Date: December 06, 2025

Time: 12:30 PM to 03:00 PM

Location: The Hive (Door code for the Hive: 985426#)

Zoom Link will be available on the website the day of the event. (Ewgsi.org)

We will hear about the customs of: Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium, Kwanza, Jewish.

And there will be a visit from someone very special! 

Wear your Holiday Sweater, be it ugly or adorable.

Bring an unwrapped toy for the Toy Drive. 

Or you may contact one of the drop off sites to deliver.

Lola-East

Carol-South

Jennilyn-North

Lynn-West

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies (And Coffee Too)

  Please bring a couple dozen cookies to share, and be sure to bring the recipe

  You will be going home with cookies for sure!

Zip locks will be provided by our Hospitality Team 

Please remember some cash for $50/50$ and raffles.

Bring any items to add to Jeanne’s Genealogy Free Table

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Siblings, Friends & Enemies Collateral Research

by Charles Hansen

Siblings, Friends & Enemies: Collateral Research

Presented by Pamela Bell Dallas

Pamela will teach us some proven techniques for successful collateral research.

Date: Saturday November 01, 2025

Time: 12:30 PM to 03:00 PM

Location: The Hive (Door Code: 985426#)  

Zoom link and Handouts for this presentation will be on the website the day prior.

 at EWGSi.org

Please print your handouts at home.  

Cookies and Coffee

Free Table

Raffles

$50/50$

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society October Civil War Seminar

by Charles Hansen

EWGS Fall Seminar: Civil War Research 

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!!  

There are many attendees already registered, so don’t miss out!  Go to the website to register now! 

$40 – MEMBERS (attending in person) $50 – NON-MEMBERS (attending in person) $20 – ZOOMERS

Date: October 04, 2025

Time: 09:00 AM to 03:00 PM (Doors open at 8:30)

Location: Southside Community Center – 3151 E 27th Ave, Spokane, WA 99223

 Hybrid-Zoom available for this event 

From Muster Rolls to Family Roles: 

Discovering Civil War Histories Researching Your Civil War Ancestor – by Craig R. Scott

    Oh Yes, I Went to the Front!: Women in the Civil War – by Melanie McComb   

Refugees, Claims, and Pardons: 

Reconciliation during the Reconstruction Era – by Michael L. Strauss

Handouts will be emailed to registered attendees 2-3 days PRIOR to the event. (please print your handouts at home)

In-Person Attendance includes:  lunch, snacks, dessert, coffee, tea, and possibly door prizes!

Deadline for mailing checks is SEPTEMBER 26, 2025 BY 5:00 P.M. 

NOTE:  IF YOU WISH TO REGISTER VIA WRITTEN CHECK: Write your check for the correct amount (see above),

MAIL TO: EWGS 9116 E SPRAGUE AVE., #438   SPOKANE VALLEY, WA 99206

Cancellation for this event AND TO RECEIVE A FULL REFUND deadline is SEPTEMBER 26TH BY 5:00 P.M.

Exciting new vendors

 Book sale of donated Civil War books and many others!

Free Table

If you feel that you cannot afford the tuition fee for this seminar, please apply for a scholarship.  

Sign in to EWGS as a member. Click on Events and Choose Scholarship Grant Forms.  

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Diseases Our Ancestors Faced and How Those Illnesses Changed Our World

by Charles Hansen

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Presents: 

“Diseases Our Ancestors Faced and How Those Illnesses Changed Our World” 

Presented by: Dr Gregory Gardner MD, MACP

Date: September 06, 2025   Time: 12:30 PM to 03:00 PM

Location:  IN PERSON at the HIVE 2904 E Sprague, Spokane (Door Code: 985426)

 AND VIA ZOOM (Zoom link will be on the website the day prior to the presentation)

Doors open at 12:30 p.m. for light refreshments and social time, with the program beginning promptly at 1:00 p.m. 

The event is free and open to all who are interested in genealogy, history, or public health. 

Please print your handouts prior to the event. (available on the website 9/5/25)

Dr. Gardner, a respected physician and educator, will explore several of the major diseases that struck fear in past generations—illnesses that shaped family histories, migration patterns, and even global events. Drawing from death records, historical documents, and modern research, this talk will illuminate how our ancestors’ experiences with disease influenced the world we live in today. 

This is part of EWGS’s ongoing mission to provide engaging and educational programs to support family history research. EWGS is proud to be celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2025, continuing a long tradition of connecting people through genealogy.

Raffles   $50/50$   Cookies   Free Table  

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Carved in Stone: Cemetery Research

by Charles Hansen

Please join us for this timely presentation;

it comes just a few days before our

FindAGrave Adventure!

“Carved in Stone: Cemetery Research”

presented by: Pamela Bell Dallas

Gain more from your cemetery research. Unlock the full potential of your cemetery visits!

In this session, you’ll learn how to effectively prepare before heading to the cemetery,

make the most of your time on-site, and discover valuable family history clues

Date: June 07, 2025 Time: 01:00 PM to 03:00 PM

Location: The Hive – 2904 E Sprague Ave, Spokane, WA 99202

Hybrid-Zoom meeting (We’d sure love to see you in person.)

Doors open at 12:30 p.m. (Come early to catch up with friends)

Door code: 985426#

Zoom link and handouts will be available on the EWGSi website the day before the event.

(please print your handouts at home)

Don’t forget some cash for Raffles and $50/50$

Jeannie will have her world-famous Free Table.

And of course coffee, cookies and friends!

To find out more about the FindAGrave event please visit: EWGSi.org

Donna Potter Phillips Named One of WSGS’s Outstanding Volunteers in 2024

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 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 2024 award recipients and learn why they received they received a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing Donna Potter Phillips of Spokane, Washington who was selected by the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society (EWGS) as its recipient of a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award.

Donna has contributed nearly 50 years of dedication to EWGS. She has held every position on the Board except Treasurer. She has been the driving force for multi-class workshops, an annual Board retreat, keeping scrapbooks and other EWGS materials, the Walking with Ancestors event and the massive Obituary Indexing Project with more than 100,000 records to date.

Donna has written over 40 articles for the EWGS Digital Digest.  She writes weekly Blog articles for EWGS and WSGS. She also volunteers at the library helping the public find their own story.  Her dedication is an inspiration to all of us!

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.

Kelly Martin Named One of WSGS’s Outstanding Volunteers in 2024

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 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 2024 award recipients and learn why they received they received a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing Kelly Martin of Spokane, Washington who was selected by the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society as its recipient of a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award.

Even though Kelly has been a member of EWGS for only two years, she has jumped right in on a number of different activities. She has been a gene helper in the library, and even substituted for others that were not able to attend their shift. Her knowledge of North Idaho sources has been invaluable to people coming to the library researching that area.

Kelly has started an Irish special interest group, whose goal is to discuss resources and tools to aid Irish genealogical research. She also was one of the participants in the recent “Walking with Ancestors” event. Kelly has been an enthusiastic researcher on the well-known Best family in the library. She portrayed Emily and Edward Best. (Best Road in Spokane Valley was named for them.)

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Full Text Search

by Charles Hansen

What in the World is “Full Text Search”

(Full-text search is a powerful technique that allows you to find specific information within a large collection of text by analyzing the content of the documents, rather than just matching keywords.)

Join us May 3rd to find out how this “magical” tool can help you!

Date: May 03, 2025

Time: 01:00 PM to 03:00 PM

Location: The Hive – 2904 E Sprague Ave, Spokane, WA 99202 Hybrid-Zoom meeting Doors open at 12:30 p.m.

Pam Duce will be presenting:

“Family Search Full-Text Search: Experimental to Essential”.

Artificial Intelligence has advanced access to handwritten, narrative records like wills, guardianships, and land records. 

Learn how to access and search these records through the FamilySearch Full-Text Search introduced at RootsTech 2024. 

 Examples showing the importance of these records and how you can help AI learn will also be shared.

Zoom link and Handouts will be available on the EWGSi.org website the day prior to this presentation. (please print your handouts at home.)

Cookies Coffee Free Table Raffles $50/50$

EWGS Audio-Visual Team Named One of WSGS’s Outstanding Teams in 2024

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 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 2024 award recipients and learn why they received they received a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing the EWGS Audio-Visual Team who was selected by the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society as their recipient of a WSGS Outstanding Team Award. The team is composed of Dan Cotton, Julie Roesnoff, Ron Marvin, John Wilson and Duane Beck.

The Audio-Visual team is responsible for the storage, transport, maintenance, inventory, and set-up / take-down of equipment. They are also responsible for ensuring audio and visual capabilities for attendees and presenters of EWGS meetings and seminars for those attending in person and on Zoom.

The team was created in 2020 when in-person meetings could not be held. When regular meetings resumed, they continued to provide the services needed for hybrid meetings.

Members of this team spend countless hours making sure the meetings are available to all and record them for later viewing. They have had to adjust to varied set-up conditions at different locations, and they have worked to resolve any technical difficulties that arose.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.

Charles Hansen Honored By Spokane City Council

by Roxanne Lowe

Earlier this week, Charles Hansen was surprised with a proclamation by the Spokane City Council for his “dedicated service to the citizens of Spokane and in great celebration of the positive impact he has made in the lives of our community’s families, residents, organizations and youth.” The resolution was signed by Betsy Wilkerson, Spokane City Council President.

The proclamation (below) outlines the many endeavors that Charles has committed himself to over the years, including being Whitman Neighborhood Council Chair, volunteering to do genealogical research at the Spokane County Auditor’s Office and being a longtime member of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society.

Although in his long list of activities it doesn’t say, we are enormously proud of Charles for being the WSGS Blog Master since its inception in January 2019. He is also the #2 all-time scribe of Washington State records with 678,945 transcriptions.

Congratulations, Charles, for all you do.