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 weeks, you will be introduced to each of the 2016 award recipients and learn why they received the 2016 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Sandra Wade

Today we’re introducing Sandra Wade of Graham, Washington, who was nominated by the Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society (TPCGS). She was recognized for her diligence and attention-to-detail in transcribing data from local records.

Upon her retirement as a school bus driver for 32 years, Ms. Wade joined TPCGS and began researching her family history in earnest.  In 2013, when TPCGS began a special project to transcribe records from the Tacoma City Light Register, Book 2 (1904 – 1940), society members, including Ms. Wade, volunteered. Ms. Wade tackled the task, completing the majority of the work. After the data entry, Ms. Wade undertook the majority of the proofreading work, then single-handedly made the corrections to all 282 pages.

All agree that this compilation of data will be invaluable to researchers as the time period 1904 to 1940 is sometimes difficult to locate records placing people in a certain area during a certain time. Ms. Wade’s dedication to the project illustrate proves she richly deserves 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.