StLGS Celebrates Its Volunteers; Plus, Early Registration Expires Soon!

Without its many volunteers, St. Louis Genealogical Society would not be able to accomplish any of its goals. We are the largest local genealogical society in the United States and there is not a single paid staff member! Although "thank you" is heard all the time around our office, once a year the society says a special thank you to those who have given outstanding service during the previous year. Award winners must be members of the society, not a recipient in the last two years, and not currently on the board of directors. Usually the award winners are recognized at the annual Family History Conference, but we did not have one this year because of the NGS conference in May. Instead, StLGS volunteer coordinator, Marilyn Brennan, organized a thank you luncheon on Thursday, 20 June, at the StLGS office.

Those who regularly work at the office or at home on special projects were invited to a delicious lunch of salads, sandwiches, fruit, and cake. Afterwards, StLGS president, Kay Weber, honored the men and women chosen for this year's awards.

 This year's honorees were as follows:

• Appreciation: Ray Barbeau, Steve Butler, Mary Cornell, Joe Gildehaus, Ann Hodges, Mark Madras, and Buddy Van Arsdale 
• Achievement: Jean Marie Meyer, April Webb, Ken Webb
• Special Achievement: Ted Steele
• Special Awards: Bob Goode and Joyce Mercer

Ted Steele received the Special Achievement Award for the projects he has spearheaded to organize the society's archives and to sort out and update all the cemetery information on the StLGS website. Ted's efforts have led to dozens of web pages being corrected and modified, which will be uploaded to the site very soon.

Bob Goode and Joyce Mercer received their Special Awards for the time and effort each puts into their jobs at the office. Bob tirelessly works to keep the StLGS website running and current. He helps to maintain the office computer network and is a teacher and lecturer for the society. Joyce answers the phone, handles the front desk, helps with event registrations and sales, and generously shares her knowledge of rural cemeteries.

Congratulations to all our 2019 award winners! (For more photos, check out the StLGS Facebook group.)

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Reminder: Just one week left to get the early registration discount rates for three major genealogy events! All prices go up on 1 July!

1. Saturday, 13 July: Summer Speaker Series featuring Dr. John Colletta, including four lectures plus lunch. Registration booklet and more details on our website.
2. Monday through Thursday, 15–18 July: Summer Writing Institute; four days of intensive workshops, including morning snacks and lunch each day. Learn more about the Institute and how to register on our website. If you register early for both of the above events, you save $15.
3. Sunday through Sunday, 27 October–3 November: Salt Lake City Research Trip. Just a few rooms remain for our annual trip to the world's largest genealogy library. Save $100 and take part in all pre-trip preparations if you register by 30 June. More information and a four-page registration flyer are on the StLGS website.
   

May Genealogy Meetings and Special Events

Upcoming Special Event

National Genealogical Society (NGS) 2019 Family History Conference
Wednesday–Saturday, 8–11 May 2019

Journey of Discovery

St. Louis Genealogical Society volunteers have spent the past two years preparing to be the local hosts at the National Genealogical Society's 2019 Family History Conference and now the event is just days away! Volunteers will be at the St. Charles Convention Center on Monday morning, 6 May 2019, to be sure that all registrants have a goodie bag filled with information, and on Tuesday, 7 May, the pre-conference activities begin. The registration area opens at noon. Volunteers will be on hand to lead those who are interested on tours of the facility and help anyone who needs assistance with the conference app.

Also in the afternoon is the Society Showcase, from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. on the upper level of the Convention Center. Meet representatives from fifteen Missouri and Illinois genealogical and historical societies and learn more about how they might help you with your research.

The conference officially begins bright and early on Wednesday morning, 8 May, and we can't wait to meet and greet our friends, make new ones, and welcome everyone with our famous St. Louis hospitality. Be sure you stop by to say hello at the StLGS booth, 101, in the Exhibit Hall!

Upcoming StLGS Meeting

StLGS Monthly Meeting: No meeting in May; next meeting: Saturday, 8 June 2019

"Migration from the Eastern U.S. to Mid-America," by Carol Whitton, CG, St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, 10:00 a.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

More information on the StLGS website.

    
Upcoming Jewish Special Interest Group (SIG) Meeting

  Wednesday, 29 May 2019

"Treasures Found in Legal Documents," by Mike Everman, archivist; St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, 7:00 p.m. Free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

 More information on the Jewish SIG page on the StLGS website.

Upcoming Classes

Missouri History Museum: Wednesday, 15 May 2019

"Civil War Notables at Bellefontaine Cemetery," by Dan Fuller. Hear about those from both sides of the war who are buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Lee Auditorium, St. Louis History Museum in Forest Park, 10:30 a.m. Free but pre-registration required through St. Louis Community College at 314-984-7777.

Dan Fuller will also present this lecture at the St. Louis Public Library, 1301 Olive Street, on Wednesday, 29 May 2019 at 7:00 p.m. in the Training Room on the second floor. Free and open to the public; no registration required. More information on the library's website.

Missouri History Museum: Thursday, 16 May 2019

"Sage Chapel Cemetery," by Dorris Keeven-Franke. Learn about the history and the people buried in a small African American cemetery in O'Fallon, Missouri. Lee Auditorium, St. Louis History Museum in Forest Park, 10:30 a.m. Free but pre-registration required  through St. Louis Community College at 314-984-7777.

  More information on these events and more on the Missouri History Museum website.

  
 

 

Visit our website: www.stlgs.org

So Many Things to Remember!

This week's blog is a reminder of three special genealogy events you don't want to miss. With so much going on this busy springtime, it's easy to let things slide. Pre-registration (save money!) is open now—but only for a limited time—for the following:

2019 Summer Speaker Series: Your Family Stories: What DID They Say?

Featuring John Philip Colletta, Ph.D.

Saturday, 13 July 2019

Maryland Heights Community Center

 2300 McKelvey Road

8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.

• Breaking through Brick Walls: Use Your HEAD!
• Turning Biographical Facts into Real Life Events: How to Build Historical Context
• Principles of Good Writing and Storytelling 
• Writing a Narrative Family History: The Snares and Pitfalls

Your day includes all four lectures plus lunch. Registration booklet and more details on our website.
 

 2019 Summer Writing Institute: Are You Ready to Write Your Family History?

Monday through Thursday, 15–18 July 2019

StLGS Office

 4 Sunnen Drive, Suite 140, Maplewood, Missouri

9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. each day

• Lectures
• Hands-on practice
• Advice on best practices for writing short stories, articles, and/or your family history book. 

Featuring local writers/editors Viki Fagyal, Bob Goode, Ilene Murray, and Jane Theissen, and Liz Kelley, publications manager at No Waste Publishing.

Includes morning snacks and lunch each day. All participants will also receive a notebook and USB drive of handout material.

You can learn more about the Institute and how to register on our website.

Save $15 by registering for both the Speaker Series and the Writing Institute together. Both registration booklets have the combination price and you can register online at our secure store.

2019 Salt Lake City Research Trip

Sunday, 27 October–Sunday, 3 November

• Seven nights at the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel
• Shuttle service to and from the airport
• Sunday dinner
• Monday evening meeting
• Individual assistance all week from two experienced leaders
• Pre-trip meeting
• Electronic mailing list for out-of-town participants 

Pre-registration ends 30 June. You save $100 and can take part in all pre-trip preparations if you register by that date. More information and a four-page registration flyer are on the StLGS website.