SGS Board Meeting minutes now available on-line
Historically, the minutes of SGS Board meetings have been posted on the Information Board at the SGS Library soon after they have been approved, so that any interested member may view them and see what the Board has been working on.
At their January 2015 meeting, the SGS Board of Directors voted to ALSO make the approved minutes of Board meetings available online in the Members section of the Society’s web site, where they may be viewed by any current member, from wherever they have Internet access.
The minutes from our December 2, 2014 meeting were approved at the Board meeting of January 27, 2015, and are now available online. To view them, go to the SGS web site at http://
If you cannot remember your Username or Password, send an email toSGSSecretary@gmail.com, including your name and zip code; we’ll check your membership status (we need to do that because this eNewsletter goes to previous members as well as active members) and send you instructions on how to proceed.
CALLING ALL WRITERS!
The first Seattle Genealogical Society Writing content is here! Do you love to write the stories of your families but are not interested in writing your story within the structure of a formal research paper? Then, this is for you. For the next SGS Bulletin, SGS is soliciting your family stories– sometimes called “creative non-fiction.” These stories are non-fiction stories but contain narrative which might have happened. The contest is open to SGS members and monetary prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd will be awarded. For more information go to the SGS website under Publications for Contest Guidelines and entry form. Entries are due 1 April 2015.
HELP WANTED – CURRENT SGS NEEDS & OPENINGS
IT TAKES A SOCIETY TO PUT ON A SEMINAR
Each year, SGS puts on two seminars, bringing in nationally known speakers. These seminars are always well received, and draw big crowds. The seminars are vital to SGS because membership dues cover less than one half of the society’s operating budget each year. Revenue from the seminars is another of our main revenue sources, and this revenue is critical to our society’s operation. Therefore it is important that we ensure the seminars’ success.
This year, the Spring seminar will be on Saturday May 9, and we need more help in all the areas that make or break a seminar: effective publicity; assistance with set-up and parking on the morning of the event; an efficient registration & sign-in desk; arranging and serving the seminar lunch; and more.
Below are several openings we need to fill. If you can help with these, or wish to help in any way, please email Betty Ravenholt, ravenholt@aol.com
NEEDED: We need 3 more volunteers to help with registration for the SGS Spring Seminar on the morning of Saturday, May 9, 2015, 8:30-10:30 a.m. at Greenwood Senior Center.
NEEDED: Two volunteers willing to give SGS approximately one hour to put out snacks/water bottles and group prepared/delivered lunch boxes at SGS spring seminar on 9 May. Work begins at 8:30. Seminar at Greenwood Senior Center. Email Betty Ravenholt, ravenholt@aol.com
NEEDED: Three volunteers willing to give SGS approximately one hour to hand out lunch boxes and replenish snack trays/water bottles at SGS spring seminar on 9 May. Work will take about one hour and begins about 12:00. Seminar at Greenwood Senior Center. Email Betty Ravenholt, ravenholt@aol.com
NEEDED: Several volunteers to help fold the seminar brochures and apply printed mailing labels on them (about 2-3 hours at SGS, sometime in the last week of February). Email Betty Ravenholt, ravenholt@aol.com
IN ADDITION, SGS needs to select the chairperson for the two seminars in 2016 NOW, to begin the process of identifying and inviting the speakers.
WANTED: Seminars Chairperson for 2016. Volunteer now, and learn the job from the 2015 Seminar Chairperson, while getting a jump on planning the Spring and Fall SGS Seminars for 2016. Applicants please contact Jean Roth, jeanaroth@juno.com
WANTED: Reviving the Publicity Committee to publicize events and the society in general. About four hours per month for: posting SGS event information on area genealogical societies’ web site calendars, posting event information to local newspapers’ calendars, working with Seminar and Education committees to meet publicity needs. Monthly meeting but much committee work can be done from home. Contact SGSVicePresident@gmail.com
WANTED: Volunteers willing to give 3-4 hours a month for answering research queries that come to SGS (generally out-of-state requests). Work includes: looking for obituaries in Seattle Times (online or at Seattle Public Library), looking for listings in the Seattle City Directory (at SGS office) and copying a page from a book in the SGS Library (requester will identify book and page). ContactSGSVicePresident@gmail.com
TREASURER’S REQUEST
Calling all SGS volunteers who work with PayPal, eBay, GiveBig, JustGive or any other online service related to revenue for SGS. I do not have a list of names and/or responsibilities. Would anyone who is currently assigned such responsibilities, please send me an email as soon as possible at sgstreasurer@gmail.com indicating which service and your duties so that I can set up a meeting. I need your expertise and advice about what procedures are being used, what is working, and what might need to be reviewed.
THANK YOU,
Fran Lewis, Treasurer
All programs are at the SGS Library at 6200 Sand Point Way unless otherwise indicated. Please Check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections. Programs may be postponed if the SGS Library is closed due to weather or lack of a desk volunteer.
Tuesday, February 17, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m., Brick Wall Solving Session. Join SGS members for a problem-solving session. This is an open forum format. Jean A. Roth, leader.
Sunday, February 22, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Irish Interest Group, Jean A. Roth, leader. Open session on Irish research. Come and share your successes and brick walls.
Sunday, February 22, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., German Interest Group, Jean A. Roth, leader. Open session on German research. Come and share your successes and brick walls.
The next two programs begin our 2015 series of lectures on the Ethnic Heritage in the Northwest.
Saturday, February 28, 10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Program: Embracing Your Ethnic Heritage, Jean A. Roth, leader. Our ancestors had a rich ethnic heritage – a story that needs to be told.
Saturday, February 28, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Program: Coming to America – Castle Gardens and Ellis Island, Jean A. Roth, leader. Many of our ancestors came through the Port of New York and entered through Castle Gardens or Ellis Island. This program will describe entering the U.S. in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Saturday, March 7, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm
CANADIAN INTEREST GROUP, Leader: David Robert
Sunday, March 8 [Beginning of Daylight Savings Time – set clocks forward]
ETHNIC SERIES: NATIVE AMERICAN WORKSHOP 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm
“Is Great-Grandmother Really Native American? An Introduction to Native American Genealogical Research” Many families have the oral history that an ancestor was Native American. How does a family researcher begin to discover if this is true? What federal, state and tribal records are available?
Speaker: Janice Lovelace.
Wednesday, March 11, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
MAC Computer Interest Group, Fiske Genealogical Library
1644 43rd Ave E. Seattle – Pioneer Hall in Madison Park. $3 library use fee.
Speakers: Diane Heddrick and Lou Daly.
Saturday, March 14 – ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE 12:30 pm
5th and Jefferson to Westlake – SGS will have an antique car entry, a 1954 MG. SGS marchers are wanted to walk along the car. Contact Jean Roth,jeanaroth@juno.com
IRISH WEEK FESTIVAL at SEATTLE CENTER
Saturday March 14,12 noon – 6:00 pm
Sunday, March 15, 10 am – 6:00 pm
SGS will host an information booth and also conduct genealogy classes.
Volunteers needed for booth.
Saturday, March 21, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, IRISH GENEALOGY WORKSHOP all day, sponsored by the Irish Heritage Club and the SGS Irish Interest Group
Luther Memorial Lutheran Church – 13047 Greenwood N. in Seattle.
Register at www.irishclub.org – click on Irish Week – March 21 for details.
Sunday, March 22
(The Irish Interest Group will not meet this month)
GERMAN INTEREST GROUP 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm.
“Using German Church Records,” Speaker: Jean A. Roth.
Saturday, March 28, 1:00 pm -3:00 pm
Open Social Session & Brown bag Lunch- 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
SGS MEMBERSHIP MEETING begins at 1 p.m.
Sunday, March 29, 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
BEGINNING GENEALOGY CLASS
An overview of basic genealogy techniques and resources. Advance registration requested; email SGSvicepresident@gmail.com, or call SGS, 522-8658, to register.
Instructor: Janice Lovelace
TIP OF THE WEEK
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.
Mark Twain