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 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing the Digitization of Historic Newspapers Team that was nominated by the Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society (SVGS). The team was comprised of Sue Walde, Michele Heiderer, Suzanne Brown, Ruth Caesar, Karen Looney and Sue McNeil.

Despite COVID-19, SVGS’s Outstanding Volunteers worked with SmallTownPapers, Inc. to digitize 7,770 pages of The Arlington Times historic newspapers (1895 – 1924) from microfilm. The team reviewed every page to ensure each was posted as accurately as possible on the SVGS website. Roughly 500 corrections were discovered, researched and reposted. The newspapers are an essential source of local history of Arlington and the surrounding Stillaguamish Valley benefiting genealogists, historians and local families for posterity. Now the earliest of the historic Arlington Times newspapers (1895-1924) are freely available to the world at www.stillygen.org.

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.”