The WSGS Board of Directors awarded Supportive Grants to four local societies. Diane Huckabay, WSGS Education Chair, announced the awards at the Annual Meeting on August 21, 2025.
The grants were awarded to:
Clark County Genealogical Society — Develop and launch a membership initiative. CCGS has seen a 20 percent decline in membership since 2020. Additionally, the COVID 19 pandemic and relocation greatly reduced foot traffic at their research library. Despite this, their volunteers logged more than 6,100 hours in 2024, managing operations and opening the CCGS Library on about 200 days to patrons.
The Supportive Grant will help CCGS:
• Update and print a new brochure and other materials with appealing layouts and designs.
• Extend the brochure’s content across platforms, ensuring the monthly newsletter, the weekly email update, their website, Facebook, and YouTube deliver cohesive messaging.
• Host an Open House or a free beginning genealogy class to attract attention to CCGS, inviting the public to meet their dedicated volunteers and explore the Library.
Lower Columbia Genealogical Society — Provide speakers for on-line meetings. This small society usually has about 10 speakers per year for their 18 – 25 members. Because of their location (Southwest Washington), society cost-cutting and the limited number of members who have already spoken, they often need to reach out to outside speakers. With the rise in speaker fee and loss of society income, the Supportive Grant will help them obtain quality speakers with an eye to increasing membership as well as educating their members.
North Beach Genealogical Society — Purchase a copy of “The Archaeology of Minard: A case study of a late-prehistoric Northwest Coast Procurement system” by Tom E Roll. This doctoral thesis was published in 1974 and refers to archaeological work conducted at the Minard Site, located near Ocean Shores, beginning in 1968. The copy at the Ocean Shores Public Library is falling apart and is kept in the backroom. Owning this book will preserve the local history and allow NBGS to share it with the community.
Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society — Offset the cost of three 3’x6’ vinyl banners. These banners are an important communication tool for the society.
Оne banner will be used to identify their booth at community events. The eye-catching banner will draw attention to SVGS and encourage community interaction. The other two banners will mark their building’s location, which is set back from the road. The banners will make it easier for people to find the Library.
For more information about the Supportive Grants, click here.
