Volunteer

CGS Committees: Volunteers

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One in a series of blog posts about CGS committees and their work
*This committee is seeking new volunteers. Contact: Chris Pattillo.

Three women with cake

Longtime Volunteer Committee chair Kathleen Beitiks (in blue) with Diana Edwards and Linda Okazaki, at the 2016 Genie Awards

Currently the Volunteer Committee is one of our one-person committees but now that Kathleen Beitiks, who has filled this position for about a decade, is stepping down, we’d like to find a team of two to take it on.

One of the nice things about the Volunteer Committee is that most of the tasks that need doing can be done from home. But the even better part is that it gives you an opportunity for direct connections with our members as you advise and help them find a volunteer position that fits their talents and interests.

PurposeThe Volunteer Committee works with members to fill volunteer positions – a critically important role that enables CGS to function smoothly.
ChairCurrently vacant
MeetsAs needed; new co-chairs will determine
Time CommitmentVaries by event and interest.
Helpful SkillsBeing friendly and outgoing. Good people skills. Likes meeting and interacting with new people. General good cheer ….. all talents Kathleen has an abundance of.
Work LocationMostly at home but at the library during social events

 

When individuals join CGS, they are invited to indicate what type of volunteer position they might be interested in. When they do, the Volunteer Committee then contacts those individuals to match their interests and skills to one of the many varied positions we have. Go to our website and on the Members tab you’ll find a page for Volunteer Opportunities with brief descriptions of current openings and the name of the current chair with their contact information.

Sometimes longterm members who have been volunteering for years in one position will feel like a change, so the Volunteer Chair will work with them to find something new to take on.

For in-person social events – that I hope will be restored in 2023 – the Volunteer Committee takes charge of making sure we have a refreshments plus enough plates, napkins, cups, etc., for the event.

Another fun task is the annual Genie Awards. Volunteers facilitate that event and work with the president to identify recipients of awards each year for service “above and beyond.”

If you consider yourself a party person or just someone who enjoys people, this position is for you. Even better, if you have a buddy that you would enjoy teaming up with, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact me at: [email protected]

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Jane Lindsey Honored

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by Chris Pattillo

Jane Lindsey, Chair LHC for NGS

On June 6th Jane Knowles Lindsey hosted a thank-you luncheon for the CGS members who volunteered during the recent NGS Conference in Sacramento. Over 100 of our members worked to fill the 700 hours of spots needed throughout the conference to ensure that everything went smoothly.

Our terrific volunteers planned tours and evening events, checked in attendees, sat at our CGS booth in the exhibit hall, served as room monitors during lectures, and more. Many others did pre-conference duties, arranging for a series of talks by representatives from six research facilities near the conference site, and assembled a massive database of genealogical resources for every county in the state. It was a massive effort and none of it would have happened without the creative thinking and motivating efforts of Jane Lindsey, who served as chair of the local host committee.

Jane’s impact on the society has been immeasurable. She served two terms as president from 2004-2010. The NGS conference was not her first big event planning effort. She was also the driving force behind two Ancestry Day events in 2011 and 2013. She has led multiple research trips to Boston, the Family History Center in Salt Lake and to the Allen County Public Library. Jane was the driving force behind our society’s efforts to produce the Sherman Allen Family Ancestry book and the Judge Family Ancestry book. She has given numerous talks for CGS and other societies, and has produced YouTube videos promoting our society. Jane can be credited for much of the success of the 2017 Capitol Campaign, and she was part of the leadership that completed the 2018 Strategic Plan. I could go on but you get the idea. If you are curious, you can search our blog to learn more about Jane and her many contributions to the society.

Jane Lindsey 2022 NGS

Jane’s tremendous efforts, that made the NGS a smashing success despite the hurdles of a pandemic, were honored by both CGS and NGS. CGS President Jim Sorenson presented her with an “Outstanding Service Award” commemorative plaque. Jane also was among those presented with an NGS certificate of appreciation at the conference.

Our society is enriched by Jane’s many contributions. Thank you!

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2022 Genie Awards!

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Last Saturday the CGS Board held its monthly meeting online (as we have done since the pandemic began). Besides discussing business, we took time to honor this year’s recipients of the “Genie” Award, bestowed annually on volunteers who have gone above and beyond in their service to the society.

As Chris Pattillo shared last fall, the Website Content Committee has undertaken the huge task of enlarging our California Surnames Index. A team of volunteers has been going through our large book collection, identifying family names, and entering them into a searchable database. The process involves carefully going through each book, and volunteers have spent many hours on this rewarding but sometimes tedious task. Some of our volunteers have contributed literally thousands of entries. Volunteer Committee chair Kathleen Beitiks presented the Genie Award to our three top indexers: Jean Alderson, who has indexed 10 books; Liz Summerhayes, who has done 12; and Kristi Wessenberg, who finished 13 books! They, along with the other indexing volunteers, have our immense gratitude and appreciation.

Zoom screen

Genie Award recipients (starred) Jean Alderson, Liz Summerhayes, and Kristi Wessenberg. (With halo: Our Lady of Volunteers, Kathleen Beitiks)

We missed the festive atmosphere (and goodies!) that usually characterize this member meeting. The good news is that we are cautiously moving back to in-person gatherings: we expect to host several hybrid events beginning in June, and we certainly hope we’ll be seeing one another in person again before too long.

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Volunteering at the CGS Manuscript Collection: a great opportunity

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Pat Bonderud and Linda Darby

Pat Bonderud and Linda Darby enjoy volunteering in the CGS Manuscripts Collection, and you can, too!

The volunteers who work in the Manuscripts Department find it an enriching experience. A “manuscript” is defined as a document, book, or piece of music that is handwritten and has not been published.

Linda Darby is a big fan of manuscripts and has spent many of her volunteer years poring through genealogy-related manuscripts donated to the California Genealogical Society Library.

Darby and several other volunteers are tasked with the “job” of reviewing and organizing personal papers or manuscripts, including photos and other documents that might also be part of a family’s donation to CGS.

Many of these collections include ancestry charts, family histories, letters, family group sheets, newspaper articles, certificates, compiled genealogies, vital and military records, copies of original deeds, probate records and even some tintypes.

Reading through family letters and other documents can be surprisingly interesting, says Darby.

Several volunteers have their favorite manuscript collections. Darby’s favorite manuscripts have been from the “Ringo Collection,” donated by an heir of a San Francisco opera singer. “I am not really an opera fan,” said Darby, “but I loved reading the letters and looking at the photos – it really piqued my interest.”

Another favorite is the Hale Collection. This family descended from California pioneers. One of the descendants was a woman juvenile judge in the 1920s, while another took the time to write about her 1906 earthquake experience.

Darby says she loves helping to preserve family documents for researchers. “I wanted to give back to the community because I have received so much help with my own genealogy,” she said.

She suspects other CGS members would enjoy working with manuscripts and is putting out the word that two volunteers are needed at the library. It’s a fun job, says Darby, and the hours are flexible.  She usually spends three hours once a week at the Library when organizing a new collection. Training is provided.  Most of the work organizing a collection requires being at the library, but here are a few things that can be done from home, if necessary.

CGS members interested in learning more about working with manuscripts can send an email to Volunteer Coordinator Kathleen Beitiks for more details.

Meanwhile, take a look at the online manuscript database by going to “What’s in the Library” on the CGS website. The database can be viewed by clicking on “Manuscript Collection.”

Who knows? You might stumble upon one of your own, long-lost ancestors!

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