Category Archives: Society Support

Seattle Genealogical Society Annual Appeal

by Charles Hansen
The Seattle Genealogical Society empowers individuals to discover their family histories through education, collaboration, and preservation. 15 November 2024 Dear Members and Friends,
Throughout the year, Seattle Genealogical Society volunteers work to deliver our programs, build our community, archive records, and responsibly plan our future. Once per year we ask for your financial support. This is our Annual Appeal. Please be as generous as you can. Your year-end contribution will help us continue, improve, and do more.

We are doing important work. We are helping people write their stories, discover their roots, and even make connections with relatives they didn’t know they had. We are helping people unpack their family lore and learn about their family’s place in history. 

We exist for only one reason – our mission. We want to keep the cost of an SGS membership affordable for everyone.  Annual membership revenue covers only 27% of our current fiscal year’s operating costs. The balance comes primarily from your gifts, with some from class fees and a grant. (Source: 2024-2025 budget)

We are happy to receive your contribution by check, credit card, stock, donor advised fund, or IRA. Thank you for your support of SGS.
  In gratitude,

                                        Kathy Weber                                                                                     
President of the Board          
president@seagensoc.org           Donate Online Now orSend this form with a check or money order payable to:Seattle Genealogical Society
4649 Sunnyside Ave N Ste 302
Seattle, WA 98103-6955
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SEATTLE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY DONATION – 2024 ANNUAL APPEAL
Yes!  I would like to support the Seattle Genealogical Society with a gift of:

$1000, $500, $100, something else $_____________

□ My employer will match my contribution. Company name:_________________________

□ My gift is in memory of (Please Print)

_______________________________________________________________________

Your Name (Please Print)

_______________________________________________________________________ □ Check if you do not want your name to be published.  ————————————————————————————————————————Did you know? You can now donate shares of stock to SGS. For instructions email treasurer@seagensoc.org. Find out more at the SGS website Donate page.
SGS Logo - shadow, no backgroundKing Co WA 4-Culture LogoVisit our website at seagensoc.org
Seattle Genealogical Society is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization registered in the state of Washington. Tax ID #91-0850085.  Copyright © 2024 Seattle Genealogical Society, All rights reserved.
All SGS members have been automatically signed up for this e-letter.

Our library and mailing address is:
Seattle Genealogical Society
4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Suite 302
Seattle, WA98103-6955

FREE CASH for Societies

by Roxanne Lowe

The deadline for applying for a WSGS Supportive Grant is coming up — July 31, 2024. Two grants will be awarded on August 30, 2024.

The grants, up to $250 each, are designed to fill a need or support a special project of WSGS-member societies and organizations. Ideas are limited only by societies’ creativity. Some ideas include:

  • Equipment, such as video camera, microphone, tripod, mixing board, or screen, as your society moves to hybrid meetings.
  • Purchase of furniture, equipment, books, magazines or other publications/ subscriptions for an existing or new society library.
  • Locating, inventorying, restoring and/or preserving a local cemetery.
  • Hosting a special event, presentation, or workshop.
  • Purchasing genealogical-related software, scanner, projector, peripherals or other equipment or technology.
  • Developing a project serving special populations, e.g. senior citizens, children/teens, tribal members, ethnic organizations, etc..
  • Restoring and/or preservation of photos or original documents.
  • Identifying and unifying old photos, Bibles, quilts, letters or other significant memorabilia with family members, museums, or other good homes.
  • Creation of a website, blog or other communication tool.
  • Publication of local history or narratives.

The simple application is only ONE page and is available here. Additional guidance on the program is here.

For more information, email Outreach@wasgs.org.

Yakima Valley Genealogical Society Donated Photos

by Charles Hansen

YVGS received several years ago (2006) genealogical materials that include pictures, correspondence, deeds, etc from a house in Seattle that was going to be demolished.

Items received by YVGS include the following names, items, etc. If this is your family please contact me: ericksensue@gmail.com

A F Foltz, Seattle; Jack Lindsley; Burchett, Harry J, b.1889; Frank Lary, Wenatchee; Higgins family: Lewis Lee & Phoebe Davis Higgins; Deeds: John Ross, Wenatchee; John Kempfer; 1886 Phillip Miller Kittitas County; Northern Pacific Railroad 1901.

If unclaimed photos will be sent to Dead Fred.

Deadline for Supportive Grant Application is Oct. 31

by Roxanne Lowe

Societies: The application deadline for WSGS’s new Supportive Grant is Sunday, October 31. Societies are urged and encouraged to submit applications for one of the two $250 grants designed to fill a societal need or support a special project.

The simple application is only one page and is available here. There is also additional guidance on the program. For more information, visit our website at http://www.wasgs.org/cpage.php?pt=49.

Questions should be directed to Info@wasgs.org. Please note “Supportive Grant” in the Subject Line. The winners will be announced on November 11, 2021.

GFO’s Grand Idea Needs Your Input

by Charles Hansen
GFO’s Grand Idea Needs Your Input
Hello GFO Supporter, As the Genealogical Forum of Oregon approaches its 75th anniversary in 2021, the Board has a really grand idea. In fact, this is a huge undertaking unlike anything we’ve ever done. It’s time that you are included in the discussion. We think the Genealogical Forum of Oregon should buy its own building. A permanent home would free the GFO of rent increases from a landlord. It would give us stability, a known space, and control of our future. Acting now could guarantee our future 25 years from now. Our current lease allows us to leave only in the summer of 2021, or 2026, or 2031. Next year is too soon to make this happen. But by 2026, our monthly rent will reach about the same level as a mortgage payment. That’s when this makes more financial sense. Why not have all that monthly “rent” go into our very own building? Yes, we realize the timing is not ideal. The pandemic is rocking our economy. We would need to raise $400,000 to $500,000 for a down payment on a mortgage and additional funds to cover required renovations of a new space by early to mid-2025, then find a building, remodel it, and move by late spring 2026. To do this will be a monumental task. We are not suggesting buying a building free and clear. That would require $1.5 to $2 million. (Please share this idea with any philanthropists in your life!) Keep in mind that we would still need to raise money in our Annual Appeal to continue paying for year-to-year operations. A capital campaign would have to be in addition to regular fundraising. That’s a very big request. We’re a small organization. And frankly, we’re not professional fundraisers. We need help. As a GFO member, we’d like your feedback. Should we aim this high? Can you help us do it? Please enter the link below to take a quick survey, or fill out the paper version enclosed and mail it back.
Take the Permanent Home Survey
Thank you,
Vince Patton President, Genealogical Forum of Oregon

Annual Volunteer Awards Grants & Educational Assistance

by Charles Hansen

It’s Time to Recognize our Wonderful Volunteers!

Nominations for the WSGS Awards program opened on Feb. 1, 2019.  Information on how to recommend a volunteer, team, communication or special genealogist are available on the WSGS website, www.wasgs.org .  Applications for awards are open until March 30th. 

Does Your Society need Financial Assistance? 

Applications for Grants and Educational Assistance are now open!  Details are available for both programs on the WSGS website, www.wasgs.org .  Applications are open until March 30th!

Seattle Genealogical Society Annual Appeal

by Charles Hansen

P.O. Box 15329
Seattle, Washington 98115-0329 10 December 2018Dear Members and Friends,

The Seattle Genealogical Society celebrated a milestone this year, reaching the grand age of 95 on October 18, 2018. We thank you again for your generous donations in the past and request your support as we continue to improve access, lend assistance and supply resources to the ever wider community of those seeking to discover and preserve their family history. A few recent accomplishments: The SGS Library has over 17,000 catalogued items and just this year acquired almost 400 new books. The library is open to the public six days a week at no charge. Come take a look! The library is now a FamilySearch affiliate. When you visit you may access, at SGS computer workstations or on your own portable computer, the extensive digitized microfilm records of the LDS Family History Library, many of them not generally available online. SGS launched successful online classes in introductory genealogy and DNA, and received an FGS Directors award for our nationally recognized online Certification Discussion Group Series. We’ll be rolling out a new website in early 2019 – watch for individual accounts for each SGS member, a convenient new page listing upcoming education and events, and exclusive online access to the indexes and databases our volunteers have been busy putting together this year. Our popular Seminars, Interest Groups, and Second Saturdays continue – next up: “Ins and Outs of Indexes” on Jan. 12, 2019, and our first-ever Japanese Genealogy Seminar, Feb. 2-3, 2019.Please make a tax-deductible contribution today to provide much-needed sustenance for SGS as we look forward to the even grander age of 100! Fill out the form below and return it with your check or money order. Or make your donation online with a credit or debit card at the link below.

Thank you,                           
 President
  Donate Now

 Seattle Genealogical Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, charitable organization registered in the state of Washington. Tax ID#91-0850085. Contributions
are tax deductible.
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Please send this form with a check or money order payable to:
Seattle Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 15329, Seattle, WA 98115-0329
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Yes!  I would like to support the Seattle Genealogical Society with a gift of:

Benefactor $250 and up □ ___________________     □ My employer (Enter
name):
Patron $100 – $249        □ ___________________
Sponsor $50 – $99         □ ___________________       ___________________________
Contributor up to $49     □ ___________________       will match my
contribution to SGS.

My gift is in memory of (Please Print)

_______________________________________________________________________

Your Name (Please Print)

_______________________________________________________________________□
Check if you do not want your name to be published.     

Societies: We Want to Hear From You

by Roxanne Lowe

Local genealogical societies and organizations, we’d love to publicize your events and meetings on the WSGS website and Blog.

Here are a few reasons to share information about your upcoming society meeting, workshop, seminar or special event:

  • Gets the word out to your target audience in order to increase attendance or participation.
  • Helps other local societies looking for program ideas.
  • Promotes what great programs you’re providing your members. (Bragging is totally acceptable in this case!)

Web site: The “Meetings and Events” tab of the website lists upcoming events chronologically. You can also search for a key word or filter by category. The three most immediate events are highlighted on the right navigation bar on every web page.

Blog: Every Thursday, more than 700 WSGS Blog subscribers receive a weekly digest listing all the blog posts from the previous seven days. That’s right…more than 700 people interested in area meetings, events, tips, and special features!

WSGS wants to help promote your activities. Just send your meeting notice, workshop/seminar flyer or event news to WebManager@wasgs.org and WSGSBlog@wasgs.org and we’ll do the rest. We hope to hear from you!

Outstanding Volunteer Nominations Due Feb. 15

by Roxanne Lowe

Attention all Societies & Organizations:

The deadline to name your 2018 Outstanding Volunteer is Feb 15. All we need by that date is the name of your honoree. To view other deadlines, click here.

The Outstanding Volunteer and Outstanding Team Awards are presented each year at the Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony to members nominated by their local society. Nomination criteria is left to the individual societies, but limited to two individuals or one team. This year’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony will be at the Clark County Genealogical Society‘s Spring Workshop on Saturday, May 26 in Vancouver.

Honor those outstanding members and teams that help your organization be successful. If you’ve got questions, contact Roxanne Lowe, Interim WSGS Recognition Chair.