Category Archives: WSGS Programs

Recipe from our WSGS First Lady

by Charles Hansen

PIE

This is berry season in Washington state and that means berry pies!!

WSGS First Lady, Janet McKinnon, wife of President Mikal McKinnon shares the BESTEST EVER berry pie recipe for NO-BAKE BERRY PIE:

Mix:  3/4 c. water, 3/4 c. sugar, 2 1/2 TB cornstarch, and dash of salt in pan on the stove; bring to boil and add 1 c. berries; cook until thick.

In bowl, mix 8 oz. cream cheese with 1-instant pudding mix (with only 1 c. cold milk). Pour into larger-size graham cracker crust. Stir remaining 2 c. berries into the cooked mix, cool slightly and pour over cheese-pudding. Chill until serving time. Enjoy! And thank you, Janet!

(Picture was from Google. You could divide the berry mix top and bottom.)

Innovative Grant Applications Due on Wednesday

by Roxanne Lowe

Local Societies:

Get your Innovative Grant applications in by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, June 1, 2016. Late applications will not be accepted.

The grants, up to $100, are designed to support the inventive and creative efforts of WSGS-member societies and organizations. Up to five grants will be awarded in 2016.

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

For more information, contact Roxanne Lowe, WSGS Recognition Chair.

Special Awards Nominations Due

by Roxanne Lowe

Societies are urged and encouraged to submit nominations for Outstanding Communication, Outstanding Project and the President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement. The deadline for each award is May 1, 2016. For more information and nomination information, click on the links below.

  • Outstanding Communication – Recognizes the importance of how local genealogical societies or organizations communicate. Includes all forms of communication, including websites, social media, newsletters, lectures, videos, podcasts, etc.
  • Outstanding Project – Awarded to local genealogical society or organization in recognition of exceptional genealogical or historical projects implemented during the past year.
  • President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement – Recognizes that rare individual, society or organization who has demonstrated exemplary service above and beyond expectations.

Questions? Contact Roxanne Lowe, WSGS Recognition Chair.

WSGS Innovative Grants Available to Local Societies

by Roxanne Lowe

The Washington State Genealogical Society’s “Innovative Grant Program” is accepting applications. The deadline is April 1, 2016.

The grants, up to $100, are designed to support the inventive and creative efforts of WSGS-member societies and organizations. Up to five grants will be awarded in 2016.

Last year’s grant awards were made to:

  • Chelan Valley GS for the purchase of a computer at the local library for the exclusive use of accessing Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
  • Northeast Washington GS for the removal of diseased trees at a local pioneer cemetery.
  • Skagit Valley GS for the purchase of a new computer for society presentations and transcription of documents at the regional archives.
  • Tri-City GS for promotion monies to support the society’s “Archives Records Contest” and augmentation of the prize pool.
  • Wenatchee Area GS for the purchase of specialized software to manage the society’s extensive genealogical holdings.

The deadline for the Innovative Grant application is April 1, 2016. The simple application is only ONE page and is available here. Additional guidance on the program is here.

For more information, contact Roxanne Lowe, WSGS Recognition Chair.

Northeast Washington Gen Society Report On WSGS Grant

by Charles Hansen

NeWGS LOGO cropped

EVERGREEN CEMETERY PROJECT Annual Report to the Northeast Washington Genealogical Society October 2015

The Evergreen Cemetery was adopted by NeWGS in the late 1980’s as a project. The cemetery having been neglected for some time, caused native brush to invade a large part of the property and some grave markers were vandalized. NeWGS members and local residents continue the work to beautify the grounds and honor the over 600 interments of local pioneers and their families.

Activity Report: • In March, the north perimeter fence was cleaned of brush, stripped of old fencing and new wire strung tightly. • Maurice Williamson, Forest Management Consultant, met with Gordy & Karen Struve, Susan Dechant and Lora Rose to offer his evaluation of the tree health and status in the cemetery. His knowledge and abilities were of benefit in long term planning of the trees; an integral component of the grounds.

• Spring clean-up work, in anticipation of Memorial Day, began with the LDS youth groups aiding our members in removal of pine cones & some needles, dead branches and debris. Adult supervisors of this group and our members used weed whackers to trim around markers, trees and monuments in preparation for mowing. Brookover Bros. Lawn Service was hired to mow the cemetery grounds.

• A small work group removed 7 trees from the crowded southwest corner of the cemetery to provide more light for viewing burial locations. Further work will be done this fall or early spring.

• A rummage sale at the Struve house produced a generous increase in cemetery funds by $1138. 39. • Gordy Struve and Lora Rose continued efforts to honor those interred at Evergreen on our NeWGS website. Grave marker photos, pictures and obituaries were added as well as biographical information. Documentation used for our research was added to our NeWGS databases and the beginning of an “Evergreen Cemetery” tree was added to Ancestry.com to collaborate with others in correctly identifying family relationships and biographical data.

• Cement grave markers are being produced by Lora Rose to identify those known burials that are heretofore unmarked. Grave sites clearly identifiable but of unknown remains are also marked with cement/granite markers.

• A $100 grant from the Washington State Genealogical Society was applied for and received to help fund the removal of a large, dead pine tree on the east side of the cemetery.

• NeWGS featured Evergreen Cemetery at the Northeast Washington Fair in late August. Unfortunately, fires in the area limited attendance. Credit for much of the above mentioned work goes to dedicated NeWGS members. Thank you all for offering your time, energy and often personal equipment and money to keeping the restoration and maintenance of Evergreen cemetery a reality.

Innovative Grant Awards Announced

by Roxanne Lowe

WSGS President Mikal McKinnon has announced the local society projects that received Innovative Grants at last month’s state conference. The Innovative Grant Program, awarding financial awards up to $100, was created to support the inventive and creative efforts of WSGS-member societies and organizations. The successfully funded projects, which include matching funds from the local society, are:

  • Chelan Valley Genealogical Society – Purchase of a computer, solely for genealogical research, at the Chelan Public Library. The computer will have access to Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
  • Northeast Washington Genealogical Society – Removal of trees that are endangering the safety of people and protection of grave markers at the Evergreen Cemetery, a local cemetery near Colville. Until NWGS began caring for this long-neglected cemetery, vandalism and lack of care had left its mark on many of the headstones and gravesites. Today, the cemetery looks like an old, but loved, pioneer cemetery.
  • Skagit Valley Genealogical Society – Purchase of a new laptop computer to be used for society presentations and transcription of documents from the Northwest Regional Archives in Bellingham.
  • Tri-City Genealogical Society – Funds will support the society’s “Archived Records Contest” which encourages individuals to share records they have obtained by various means other than just downloading an image from the Internet. Click here for more about the Archived Records Contest.
  • Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society – Specialized computer software to enable more than one volunteer to enter data related to local obituaries, cemetery records, World War I records and more. The software purchase will enable WAGS members to add to their extensive genealogical holdings of more than 394,000 records and 90 databases.

Announcements for the 2016 grant cycle will be posted on the Blog in Spring 2016. For more information about the Innovative Grant Program, contact Roxanne Lowe, WSGS Recognition Chair.

Fred Pflugrath Receives President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement

by Roxanne Lowe
Lynda Pheasant accepts Fred's President's Award from Roxanne Lowe and Mike McKinnon

WAGS President Lynda Pheasant accepts Fred Pflugrath’s President’s Award from Roxanne Lowe and Mike McKinnon

Fred Pflugrath was named the first recipient of the WSGS President’ Award for Outstanding Achievement at the WSGS Conference in Ellensburg last month. He was nominated by the Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society (WAGS).

Over the last dozen years, Fred has single-handedly identified, researched, and documented information about almost 2,500 Civil War veterans from all over Eastern Washington. Much of his research is available in 35 notebooks in the WAGS library with an index available online. Additionally, he has taken the extra step to submit the information to the National Grave Registration Project (part of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, SUVCW).

Fred has connected families with their Civil War ancestors, arranged for headstones and markers, and orchestrated dedication and memorial ceremonies. He has willingly shared information, resources and expertise with anyone wanting information, including those outside Chelan and Douglas counties.

As if that isn’t enough, Fred also gives tours of local cemeteries and has been the WAGS newsletter editor.

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Skagit Valley GS Earns First Outstanding Project Award

by Roxanne Lowe

Kris and Chris, proud Skagit Valley GS members, accepting the Outstanding Project Award

The inaugural WSGS Outstanding Project award was awarded at the WSGS Conference in Ellensburg last month to the Skagit Valley Genealogical Society (SVGS) for their “Making Connections Through Roots (Researching Our Origins Teens With Seniors)” project. This deserving effort was a community collaboration between SVGS, the Burlington Public Library and the Burlington-Edison Alternative High School. The purpose of the project was to teach 12th grade students who were at risk of dropping out of school basic researching methods by researching their own unique family histories. In addition to the dedication of many committed individuals, this innovative project received a $23,000 grant from the Paul G. Allen Foundation. The SVGS received a certificate and one-year membership to WSGS for their accomplishment.

Upon reviewing the ROOTS nomination, one reviewer commented,

“I can only find positive remarks to make about this marvelous project. It perfectly combines answers to various struggles that genealogical societies encounter. It embraces youth and validates them. It is an amazing tool for outreach…I applaud the mastermind that created a solution to address so many concerns. I also applaud each and every person that participated in this project. I would love to see this project duplicated by every genealogical society in every county of every state of this great country. Bravo!!”

If you would like to hear more about this outstanding project, contact John Hayes, SVGS President. In addition, the Washington State Library featured a recent First Tuesday webinar about the project. https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?sid=2008170&psid=2015-01-06.0907.M.51A1F6BD288768B43F3C46EBA9B642.vcr

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Columbia Gorge GS Earns Outstanding Communication Award

by Roxanne Lowe

The Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society’s “Tales and Trails” quarterly newsletter was awarded the 2015 Outstanding Communication Award at the WSGS Conference in Ellensburg last month. The society received a certificate and will have possession of the perpetual Outstanding Communication Plaque for the next year.

Besides news, reports and announcements that pertain to their 38-member society, the newsletter features interesting and useful information about genealogical research and family history. It’s no easy task for Editor Jim Bull to constantly be on the lookout for quality material. He has been the Editor in Chief since 2010.

Formerly “paper copy only,”  the newsletter has now transitioned to an “on-line” edition that is available to society members, other genealogical societies, family history centers and libraries. Those without computer access still receive their copy in the mail. The change to electronic publication has resulted in a higher quality newsletter, which can be published at less expense.

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