ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING TOPIC
 

For those of you who did not attend the Annual Membership Meeting on June 4th, one of the topics was the concern for waning membership numbers.  Put very simply, if every member was able to recruit one friend as a new member, we’d soon have an influx of new blood and that would be great.

Personally, I can say word-of-mouth is how I learned of the benefits of belonging to SGS. For a decade, I had driven by the bright blue Seattle Genealogical Society canopy thinking, “I should check that out someday”. On the other hand, my inner “Negative Nelly” kept saying “Why bother? There’s probably nothing in there that pertains to you. Your roots are Connecticut and Ohio, not the Northwest”. How wrong this thought was.

Then a neighbor and I started discussing genealogy. She told me she had joined Seattle Genealogical Society and was getting a lot from the interest groups, education sessions, and seminars. Also the library’s resources certainly weren’t limited to the Northwest.  That sold me.

Bottom line, try introducing one friend or family member to the SGS Library; they’re certain to find something useful and interesting here.  Then they just may be motivated enough to become a new member.

MARYANN SPANGLER
1923 – 2016
 

Longtime SGS member and dedicated volunteer, Maryann Spangler, passed away June 14, 2016 at age 93. Services were held on June 23, 2016. Our condolences to her family and extended family. You might remember Maryann was our Volunteer of the Quarter for the summer of 2015.  Thank you to Maryann’s friends at the Horizon House who made donations to SGS in her honor.

Her full obituary and the guest book can be accessed at:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?pid=180382418

3 UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THE GENEALOGY ENTHUSIAST

 ** SAVE THE DATES **
 

“Wide Eyes”– A War Orphan Unlocks the Mystery of Her Latvian Roots after Seventy Years

The Seattle Latvian Cultural Center invites you to a free lecture and book signing with author, Marija Platace Futchs Fine.  Seized as a baby by Nazi soldiers in 1944, and adopted by American parents in 1949, Marija tells her tale of how a “family detective” in Riga helped her unlock the story of her birth parents and reunited her with one surviving family member.

Sunday, July 24, 2016  at 12 noon
Seattle Latvian Cultural Center
11710 3rd Ave NE
Seattle, WA

** dead-end driveway appears hidden, but keep going into the parking lot

For additional info call : 206 265-3540 or see Marija’s website:
www.marijafine.com

Light refreshments will be provided.

SGS members Janice Lovelace and Mary Kircher Roddy are presenting at the next two upcoming events. Both Janice and Mary will be at:

Stillaquamish Valley Genealogical Society
2016 Northwest Genealogy Conference
Byrnes Performing Arts Center
Arlington, WA
August 17th-20th

August 17th is The Beginner Genealogy Free Day with classes geared for those new to genealogy.  For more details on this conference and registration go to:
http://stillygen.org/cpage.php?pt=50

Mary Kircher Roddy is also speaking at :

The Kelowna & District Genealogical Society’s  (KDGS)
“Harvest Your Family Tree”  Conference 2016
Kelowna, BC, Canada
September 23rd-25th

This conference usually draws over 200 attendees, many from Washington.  It’s known as a top notch genealogy conference; one of the largest in Western Canadian. See 10 acclaimed speakers from the UK, US and Canada with 33 topics, huge marketplace, Expert Panel, Speakers Reception, Guided Historic Walking Tour, bushel of fabulous door prizes and raffles.

More info and registration at :
www.kdgsconference2016.blogspot.ca

CALENDAR
 

Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE.  Please check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections.  Programs may be canceled or postponed due to inclement weather.  The German, Irish, Canadian and Scandinavian Interest Groups will not meet during the summer; regular meetings will resume in the fall.

JULY

Tuesday, July 5, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, No host this week. Desk volunteers will be available to assist visitors. The usual host, Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology will return next week.

Tuesday, July 12, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology. Bring your laptop or mobile device, visit with other members and learn from each other while working on your family history. Discuss current projects, hardware, software, organizing data, and technology trends in genealogy.

Tuesday, July 12, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, “Avoiding Common Mistakes in Genealogical Research”, program presented by Jean A Roth.

Tuesday, July 19, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology.

Friday July 22, 1:00pm – 3:00 pm, Brick Wall Session, Leader: Jean A Roth will be on-hand to help you solve your research problem.

Tuesday, July 26, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology.

******** More Save the Dates ********

SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES
Saturday, July 30 & Sunday, July 31, 2016
Expo Center (formerly The King County Fairgrounds)
45224 284th Avenue SE
Enumclaw, WA

SGS will have a booth manned by our volunteers.  Come see us and enjoy the games. Additional info at:
http://www.sshga.org/home.htm

36th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy
 “The Wandering Jew”
 Sheraton Seattle Hotel
1400 Sixth Ave
Seattle, WA
August 7th -12th

This premier annual conference had over 1,000 attendees last year.  This year it’s coming to Seattle.  Here’s your opportunity.    For more information and registration :

https://s4.goeshow.com/iajgs/annual/2016/registration.cfm

SGS RECOGNIZES VOLUNTEER
 BETTY RAVENHOLT

In January, the Board of Directors named Betty Ravenholt as the Volunteer of the Quarter. She was specially honored in the first months of this year.  Betty has most successfully filled a large number of roles and offices in the society, including several years as the Society’s secretary and also as Director of Communications (when a position of that name existed), coordinating and providing look-ups for queries. She served as a seminar co-chair during that same time period.  More recently, she has been one of the very active SGS Library Trustees. In this capacity, she devoted great energy to restoring and substantially increasing financial resources for library acquisitions; and she is in fact a continuing member of the Materials Review Committee, which oversees new additions to our library shelves.

Betty will long be appreciated for her outstanding work as the SGS Seminar chair for 2015.  The fall presentation with Tom Jones, which she organized, was an extraordinarily successful and well attended event.

Betty Ravenholt was born in Middle Tennessee and went to school just outside Atlanta at a small liberal arts college for women, Agnes Scott.  She has since lived in Nashville, Norfolk, Chapel Hill, and the Washington D.C. area.  She notes that she had never lived north of Washington D.C. or west of Nashville until she moved to Seattle with her husband (who had lived here previously) in1987. Betty had worked since the late 1970s in international public health — primarily family planning and maternal and child health – an occupation that necessitated a great deal of travel.  She retired from consulting two years ago and describes herself as “happy to be at home now and tending my gardens.”

Betty’s family has deep roots in the Southeast. She characterizes herself as “the geographically wayward child” of the family. Her family history research is consequently limited primarily to that area — especially the states of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.  Her research goal – she calls it her ‘delirious wish’ — is to be able to identify the immigrant ancestor in each of her families.  Thus she is currently researching seventeenth and early eighteenth century American records.

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SGS NEEDS 40 VOLUNTEERS
 for the 2016
  PACIFIC NORTHWEST SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES
Saturday, July 30 & Sunday, July 31
Enumclaw Expo Center

– COME LISTEN TO THE BAGPIPES – WATCH THE DANCERS –
– VISIT THE CLANS – HELP SGS PROMOTE GENEALOGY –

We need volunteers to help at the Seattle Genealogical Society and Library booth during the Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games in Enumclaw. We have been participating for many years and it is a great way to let the public know about SGS and to promote membership. Our participation also gives us valuable community outreach credit for our grant applications with 4Culture which has resulted in thousands of dollars for our equipment and projects. Game attendance is about 30,000 for the weekend. Most of the people who come to the SGS booth don’t have an understanding of their Scottish or Irish heritage and have not done any research. They primarily want to know two things:

1. “What clan do I belong to?”
2. “What tartan can I use?”

We will have a number of reference books available at the booth that help answer those questions. You will receive an e-mail attachment prior to the games that will give you a refresher course on Scottish and Celtic genealogy. There will also be a handout about SGS and other information. Highland Games material, maps and instructions will be sent out about 10 days before the games after we receive confirmation of our location and tickets.

We need twenty volunteers for each day;  two volunteers for each two hour session and three people during  the peak afternoon hours. We will supply you with a free ticket for the games. This will entitle you to enjoy a full day at the Games for your own enjoyment. It’s a lot of fun. Parking will be at your own expense at $7.00 per day. We encourage carpooling.

Please contact me before June 19th.  Send along your name, email address, phone contact,  age if you are over 62 and a time preference, if you have one.

Thanks so much.

JEAN A. ROTH, SGS Outgoing Director of Education and Outreach Coordinator
Email: jeanaroth@juno.com
Ph: (206) 782-2629

THANK YOU, DONORS!

We are delighted to report that this year we received over $3,700 in donations through the Seattle Foundation’s GiveBig 2016 program.  This represents an increase of more than 70% over giving in each of the past two years.

Over 50 donations were made to SGS, most from current members.  Three donations were anonymous, and two were from non-members; one of those was for $500, a very generous and welcome contribution!

Thank you so much to everyone who contributed and made this year’s GiveBig campaign such a big success!

HELP WANTED

We need a volunteer who can contribute a few hours a week to type bibliographies for the Archives Committee. Work can be done at SGS on Thursdays when the committee is on the job (bring your laptop) or at any time from your home. A template for the listings will be provided. No salary, but an unlimited amount of gratitude is offered. If you can help, please leave word at the SGS front desk – (206) 522-8658 or email to : sgslibrary@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org

The Archives Committee sorts, organizes and assembles documents, correspondence, family group sheets, and other materials that make up the valuable family histories on the shelves of the SGS library and includes a bibliography. Our bibliography backlog is growing and to continue its work, the Archives Committee needs help.

CALENDAR

Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE.  Please check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections.  Programs may be canceled or postponed due to inclement weather.  The German Interest Group and the  Irish Interest Group will not meet during the summer; regular meetings will be resumed in the fall.

JUNE

Saturday, June 4, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Canadian Interest Group, Leader: David Robert, Last meeting until fall.

Saturday, June 4, 1:00PM – 3:00 pm, Annual Membership Meeting, meet the new board of directors. Lisa Chan, Director of Technology will speak on how new technology will aid the Society.  The meeting will be chaired by retiring SGS President, Marilyn Rose.  Stay on for coffee, tea, cookies and socializing after the meeting.

Tuesday, June 7, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology, Bring your laptop or mobile device, visit with other members and learn from each other while working on your family history. Discuss current projects, hardware, software, organizing data, and technology trends in genealogy.

Wednesday, June 8,   7:00pm – 9:00pm ,  MAC Computer Interest Group, Fiske Genealogical Library, 1644 43rd Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112,  Leaders: Diane Heddrick and Lou Daly

Sunday, June 12, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm, Scandinavian Interest Group, Problem Solving Workshop! Jill Morelli will be filling in for Karen; bring your Scandinavian research problem and submit it for crowd-solving by the SSIG. We will answer as many questions as we can. Everyone will learn new techniques and record sets. Remember to bring your data with you.

Tuesday, June 14, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology

Wednesday, June 15,   12:00pm – 3:00pm ,  Beginning Genealogy, New to genealogy? Come and learn the basics and more. Instructor: Jean A Roth, outgoing Director of Education

Tuesday, June 21, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology

Tuesday, June 28, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology

REMEMBER TO RENEW

It’s time to renew your Seattle Genealogical Society membership. Membership forms along with a return envelope were sent out earlier this month.  You can renew in person, on-line,  or by mail. The Annual Membership Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, June 4th at 1 pm.  Hope to see you there.  Refer to the Calendar section below for more details.

SGS Annual Membership Meeting

Saturday, 4 June 2016 at 1 p.m.

6200 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115

This is an open invitation to all interested genealogists to attend the Annual Meeting of the Seattle Genealogical Society, to meet the members of the recently elected SGS Board of Directors, and to see the changes that have occurred at SGS during the past year.

More importantly, this will be an opportunity to learn of the exciting changes ahead for the society in the area of technology. Lisa Chan, the Director of Technology, will share with you her vision of how using technology can aid you as you move ahead with your research, and what SGS is, and will be doing to further advance into the digital age.

After the meeting, coffee, tea and cookies will be available. We would love to have you stay and enjoy a cup of coffee and a conversation about how you became interested in your family research and what your recent successes have been. I hope to see you at this important meeting on Saturday, the 4th of June, at 1 p.m. at the SGS Library!

Marilyn Rose,
Retiring President of the Seattle Genealogical Society

Focus on a Challenge for the Archives Committee

The SGS Archives Committee works to review and organize donated archival material. This is a volunteer committee, trained in the skills of evaluating, organizing and cataloging all sorts of documents such as manuscripts, papers, photos, legal materials and at times even artifacts that shed light upon a family history.

Every job, be it paid or volunteer, has its unique challenges and one reported by the Archives Committee is they often receive collections without much identification. There is nothing more valuable to a curator than background information on what they have received.

Ingrida Gray, member of the SGS Archives Committee, suggests “If any of you might consider that your valuable collection of family research would eventually go to an institution like Seattle Genealogical Society, please do not put off making a rough, general outline of your family and related surnames until ‘you are done’. It is ever so helpful to whatever curator will work with your research to have a general idea of the relationships at the beginning of the collection. This can be added to and fine-tuned at any time. If you have any questions on the way donated family research is organized by the Archives Committee, please feel free to stop by and chat with us”. The SGS Archives Committee meets on most Thursday at the SGS Library.

Coming on Saturday
 Don’t Miss the SGS Spring Seminar Featuring
 William Dollarhide!

Nationally Renowned Speaker and Author
“Finding Solutions to Your Toughest Research Problems”

SGS’s Spring Seminar
May 21st
Fairview Christian School
844 NE 78th Street
Seattle, WA

Finding & Using Historic Newspapers Workshop
Presented By the  King County Library System

On Saturday, June 4, 2016 at the King County Library in Black Diamond, WA from 2-4pm, professional genealogist Claudia Breland will help patrons discover the proliferation of newspaper resources available; both free, subscription, only in print, and library web sites, including KCLS free premium databases.  Learn how to readily uncover birth announcements, wedding notices, obituaries and other stories found in historic newspapers. Please note, those with basic to intermediate computer skills and some online experience will benefit most from this presentation.  For directions, phone numbers, or other information visit the King County Library website :
https://kcls.bibliocommons.com/locations/list/

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE.  Please check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections.  Programs may be canceled or postponed due to inclement weather.  The Library will be closed, Saturday, May 21 because of the Spring Seminar and it also will be closed, Saturday, May 28, through  Monday, May 30th for Memorial Day Weekend.

MAY

Tuesday, May 17, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology, Bring your laptop or mobile device, visit with other members and learn from each other while working on your family history. Discuss current projects, hardware, software, organizing data, and technology trends in genealogy

Saturday, May 21, 9:45 am – 3:30 pm, SGS Spring Seminar with William Dollarhide ,  at Fairview Christian School, 844 NE 78th Street, Seattle, WA

Tuesday, May 24, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday * Special * DNA Interest Day, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology,  this Tuesday the program will be helping DNA Interest group members with DNA focused Technology issues. Bring your laptop or mobile device and get the assistance of Lisa Chan and Cary Bright. Remember to bring any DNA Testing Company passwords. We look forward to working with you – Cary Bright and Herb McDaniels,  SGS DNA Interest Group Co-Chairs

JUNE

Saturday, June 4, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Canadian Interest Group

Tuesday, June 7, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology, Bring your laptop or mobile device, visit with other members and learn from each other while working on your family history. Discuss current projects, hardware, software, organizing data, and technology trends in genealogy.

Wednesday, June 8,   7:00pm – 9:00pm ,  MAC Computer Interest Group, Fiske Genealogical Library, 1644 43rd Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112,  Leaders: Diane Heddrick and Lou Daly

SGS ELECTION RESULTS

Here are the results for the SGS Election.  The bylaws change was approved and the following positions were filled:

Candidate for Secretary                        Reiley Kidd was elected
Candidate for Treasurer                        Karen Knudson was elected
Candidate for Director of Education        Verlin L. Judd was elected
Candidate for Director of Library            Ann Wright was elected
Candidate for Director of Membership     Julia Marconi was elected
Candidate for Director of Operations       Nancy Haugen was elected
Candidate for Director of Publications      Daniel P. Harmon was elected
Candidate for Director of Technology      Lisa Chan was elected
Candidate for Director of Volunteers       Sandra K. Stark was elected

For the SGS Nominating Committee,   Siri Nelson, Kathryn Quackenbush, David Rimmer,   and Christine Shoemaker were elected.  Nancy Hevly was elected Chair of the Nominating Committee.

Unfortunately the President and Vice President positions are still vacant.  The 2016 Nominating Committee will be working to fill those positions.

JUST IN TO THE LIBRARY!

The May/June 2016 issue of Your Genealogy Today is now in the SGS Library. The issue features a synopsis of several different websites for German Surname Distribution Maps. Here you may be able to locate your ancestor’s village! Also featured is an article about solving mysteries in cemeteries. Come on into the library and check out this newest issue of Your Genealogy Today;  it’s on the coffee table!

Don’t Miss SGS’s Featured Speaker:
William Dollarhide !!

Nationally Renowned Speaker and Author
“Finding Solutions to Your Toughest Research Problems”

SGS’s Spring Seminar
May 21st
Fairview Christian School
844 NE 78th Street
Seattle, WA

For more information go to the SGS Website:

http://seattlegenealogicalsociety.org   – or –

call the Library @ 206.622.8658

** Remember if you have a PayPal account you can use the new “Online Registration” feature

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