Seattle Genealogical Society News

CECELLIA ROGERS,
VOLUNTEER OF SPRING QUARTER

Each quarter,the Seattle Genealogical Society recognizes one volunteer as our volunteer of the quarter. Our Volunteer for Spring 2020 Quarter is Cecellia Rogers.

Cecellia joined SGS soon after moving to the Seattle area almost 3 years ago. She’s an active member and regularly attends the Fall and Spring Seminars, Second Saturday presentations, and the DNA Special Interest Group. Cecellia began volunteering to reinstate the raffle at our Fall 2018 Seminar and has done an exemplary job ever since. Last fall, she joined the Nominations Committee to help propose the slate of candidates for our incoming 2020-2021 Board of Directors. 

Cecellia enjoys the contacts she has developed at SGS. Joining and participating in the Seattle Genealogical Society made moving across the country to start a new life much easier. Sharing an interest in genealogy is a good starting place. Cecellia also likes to feel useful and to contribute to the success of the organization. 

Speaking of genealogy – Cecellia is currently fascinated by genetic genealogy. She continues adding to the family trees started 50 years ago by her paternal aunt and maternal first cousin. Her aunt discovered they were NOT related to Will Rogers as they previously thought. Cecelia is now searching for a connection to Thomas Rogers of the Mayflower. If that were not enough, she is finishing the year-long ProGen study group and hopes to apply for BCG certification within the next year. Jill Morelli’s Certification Discussion Group was a real boost in that direction.

Besides genealogy, Cecillia has been very active in community theater – acting, directing, backstage – but she has not yet found a theater group home in the Seattle area.  She is creative and knits, crochets, and makes jewelry. You may have seen her necklaces and earrings on the raffle table. Cecellia also enjoys jigsaw puzzles, especially electronic ones, with no pieces to lose.

Cecellia grew up in Western New York, outside Buffalo. She attended school in Syracuse, NY and Bloomington, IN. She has lived in Phoenix, Maryland, and now Seattle.  She has two children – one here in Washington and the other in Washington, DC. The one in Seattle shares her two children with their Gram, which is Cecellia. She is grateful for the community SGS offers. And we are grateful she found us.
SGS CLOSURE EXTENDED UNTIL JULY 2020
Due to COVID-19 virus concerns, the Seattle Genealogical Society (SGS) Library will remain closed at least through the 4th of July Holiday 2020. SGS will continue to adhere to state, county and city guidelines as to opening our doors in the future. If it is determined by governing entities that it is safe to allow libraries to open, we will inform you under what conditions your visit will be allowed. We anticipate that initially social distancing and masks will be required of all patrons.    SGS ELECTION RESULTS
The Seattle Genealogical Society’s 2020 Election was closed April 30, 2020. The Election Committee made its report of the tallies and write-in votes. This report was reviewed by the SGS Board May 11, 2020. Congratulations to the new officers and directors on the SGS Board: 

  • President – James Secan
  • Vice-President – Karen Rathe (write-in ballots)
  • Treasurer – Karen Knudson
  • Secretary – Amandalei Bennett
  • Director of Education – Heidi Mair
  • Director of Operations – Rob Sexton
  • Director of Volunteers – Cecellia Rogers (Board action)
  • Director of Technology – David Rimmer
  • Director of Library –  Sue Jensen
  • Director of Membership –  Christine Schomaker 

The position of Director of Volunteers was filled by Board action when Cecellia Rogers volunteered to fill this empty position after the election had finished. Jill Morelli will serve as Past President and Mahina Oshie is the representative from the Seattle Public Library. This Board will serve from June 2020 through May 2021. In addition, the proposed changes to the Bylaws passed.

The positions of Director of Publications and Director of Communications had no candidates so the Board is looking for volunteers. If you would like to serve in either of these positions, please contact Amandalei Bennett at secretary@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org.

A special thanks to our Nominating Committee: Walter Clinton, Cecellia Rogers, and Judy Lysiak; and our Election Committee: Bruce Finlayson, Lisa Oberg, and Kim Waggie. We also thank Jill Morelli for serving as SGS President for the past three years and Janice Lovelace for serving on the Board as Director of Education these past two years.      SGS MEMBERSHIP MEETING NOTICE
  Please note the next membership meeting of the Seattle Genealogical Society has been scheduled for Saturday, June 13, 2020  from 12:30 pm – 1:00 pm PDT.  This will be a real time, online meeting via Zoom. The room opens at noon and the meeting starts at 12:30 pm. The new SGS officers will be introduced.

Bring a genealogical discovery to share. Below is the Zoom meeting link.

Join the Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81599981851?pwd=ckd2OTZqcThKWVFsejV5VmI2UEtKZz09
  The Second Saturday Series presentation “Do You Trello and Kanban?” will be presented by Lori Lee Sauber from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, directly following the SGS Membership meeting. What exactly is Trello and Kanban? Here’s your chance to find out. 
SGS MEMBERSHIP DRIVE 
SGS members, it’s time to renew for 2020-21. Use the quick and convenient “Renew Membership” button at the SGS website. You can print out an invoice and mail it to SGS with a check. Or, you can pay your dues right then and there with a credit or debit card.

Yes, you must first log in to your SGS member account; the renewal button will be just a click away. Start here: Members Home

Remember, you can always email membership@seagensoc.org for help. 

Are you an eNews! reader who hasn’t joined SGS yet? Our membership year runs from June 1, 2020 through May 31, 2021. Now is a great time to become a member and obtain a full year of discounted class and event registration fees, free research requests, and access to exclusive SGS publications and databases. Annual dues are $40.00 for an individual, $50.00 for a dual membership (two people at the same mailing address). Click here: Join SGS
SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS*** In consideration of COVID-19 social distancing recommendations, the SGS Library is closed until at least July 5, 2020 and all SGS in-person events have been canceled, postponed, or replaced with an online event.
Stay home – stay healthy – but stay engaged by attending one of our live, online events! 

Saturday, May 16, 2020
Time: 9:00 am -1:00 pm PDT  ONLINE


Online seminar : “Spring 2020 SGS Seminar with Fritz Juengling: Old European Records Research”   Meeting live, online via Zoom.  Registration required. Register by 9:00 pm, May 14, 2020. 

Mr Juengling is the German, Dutch and Scandinavian Research Specialist at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. This will be an online, virtual seminar.


Saturday, June 6, 2020
Time: 1:00 pm -3:00 pm PDT  ONLINE


Digging Deeper : “How I Discovered My Female Ancestor”  with Jill Morelli and Mahina Oshie

Follow this link to join https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87966848541

This workshop is part of the Seattle Genealogical Society’s lecture and workshop series: Women’s Suffrage in your Family History. We thank the Washington State Historical Society for their grant in support of our project. For more information, see https://www.suffrage100wa.com/