2020 Genie Awards

Usually we have a cake and celebration, but this past Saturday we had to present the Genie Awards via Zoom. (See our previous post for details on this year's honorees.) Here's a screenshot showing our All-Stars: Arlene Miles, Rich Kehoe, John Ralls, Chris Pattillo, Theresa Murphy, Stewart Traiman, and Shannon Reese! We appreciate you! Your genie lamps are in the mail!

Copyright © 2020 by California Genealogical Society

Annual Genie Awards - Saturday, October 10

Tune in for the presentation of the golden
Genie Awards to our outstanding volunteers

All members are cordially invited to attend our virtual Board Meeting this Saturday, October 10, where we will present the annual "Genie Awards" to several volunteers who have gone "above and beyond" with their time and talents to keep our organization thriving. We normally honor all volunteers in the month of April (National Volunteers Month), but as we all know, nothing is normal in 2020. Since the pandemic forced the closing of the CGS Library in March this year's Genie Awards were postponed. However, in the spirit of "we can do it!" we have decided to have a short online presentation during the October CGS Board Meeting. 

 

Home page of our new website

This year we recognize several volunteers who have been instrumental in revamping the CGS website to bring it into the modern era. It's been a monumental task and involved many hours of discussion, research, preparation and content. We now have a fabulous, robust website that offers a wealth of information to our members and the public. Congratulations and a "tip of the hat" go to: Stewart Blandon, Rich Kehoe, Arlene Miles, Theresa Murphy, Chris Pattillo, John Ralls and Shannon Reese. The event takes place Saturday, October 10, at 10 a.m. To attend, simply register on Eventbrite.

 

Copyright © 2020 by California Genealogical Society

2019 Genie Awards and Quarterly Meeting

Vic Halfon and Theresa Murphy were the featured speakers

Our membership meeting on April 13 was fun AND instructive, as we enjoyed fellowship and some interesting talks by members. Theresa Murphy shared her tips on creating a professional-quality family memory book using one of a variety of print services. Vic Halfon recounted the amazing story of how research and DNA led to his reunion with descendants and cousins of the father he never knew.

Receiving the "Genie" award for outstanding contributions to CGS were:

Bill O'Neil with his collection of dolls in uniform

Bill O'Neil, a member since 1995, whose many contributions to the society include his long tenure as chair of the Book Repair Committee, in which he has overseen the maintenance and renewal of countless volumes and taught the skills of the trade to other volunteers. We were also treated to an exhibit of Bill's collection of "Ken dolls in uniform" - a dozen figures outfitted in military costume representing his ancestors' service through the centuries.

Genie Awardees Nancy Servin, Jerry McGovern, Bill O'Neil,
and Cheryl Schmidt (not pictured: Adelle Treakle)

Longtime Membership Team leaders Nancy Servin, Adelle Treakle and Cheryl Schmidt were also recognized, as was our dedicated "Saturday Library Assistant" Jerry McGovern. Our indefatigable Volunteer Coordinator Kathleen Beitiks presented the awards and helped bring the whole event together.

Our always-cheerful Volunteer Coordinator Kathleen Beitiks (at right)

Photos by Ron Madson.
Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Genie Awards and more this Saturday!

 

We hope to see many friends at our Spring Membership Meeting this Saturday, April 13, from noon-3 p.m at the library. The annual Genie Awards will be presented to some very special volunteers. Also, Theresa Murphy offers tips on creating a memory book and Vic Halfon will share the story of how he found a half-brother while celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary. If you need some inspiration to tackle ancestors' military records on Fold3 (accessible from the Library), come view Bill O'Neil's collection of "Ken Dolls in Uniform"! We'll enjoy a potluck meal and socializing. No cost to attend, but please let us know you're coming, by registering through EventBrite.


 Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

October Membership Meeting

Past President Jane Lindsey with Linda Longley

Linda Longley was the headliner at the October 13 Membership meeting. She wowed us with a detailed description of her approach to researching and writing her recently self-published Langley & Longley Family, Biographical Directory. Linda is a longtime member of CGS and also a past historian of the Mayflower Society. Linda’s background in marketing and experience working with databases gave her a head start in tackling this comprehensive research project. We were all impressed by the amount of data and diligence that went into recording it in multiple Excel spreadsheets. The book includes three generations of Langley/Longleys from New Hampshire starting with James born in 1680, his eight children, and their descendants. Linda started the project in 2010 with three goals, one of which was to finish the project in two years. She missed her goal by six years but the results are well worth it. Linda has donated a copy of her book to our library. It is also available at Amazon.

Thank you, Linda, for an excellent presentation.

Jane Lindsey gave an update of things that are happening at CGS. Maureen Hanlon reviewed our upcoming programs and Chris Pattillo talked briefly about the 2018 Strategic Plan with specific details on plans for updating our website.

Wrapping up the quarterly Membership Meeting, Volunteer Coordinator Kathleen Beitiks announced recipients of the 2018 Genie Awards - presented to volunteers who “make magic happen” at the CGS.

Kathleen Beitiks with Genie recipient Maureen Hanlon

Awardees this year are facilitators and organizers of CGS Special Interest Groups (SIGs), honored for their work in aiding CGS members with genealogy related research: Lavinia Schwarz and Arlene Georgia Miles (Roots Magic), Sandra Britt-Huber (San Francisco), Ron Madson and Karen Halfon (Family Tree Maker), Vicky Kolakowski and Craig Siulinski (Eastern Europe) and Maureen Hanlon (Irish Ancestor Network - Facebook). Information about SIG meeting dates can be found in the monthly CGS eNews.

Thanks to all who planned and attended the meeting. Mark your calendars for the Annual Membership Meeting on January 12, 2019!

Kathleen Beitiks planned the Genies and brought cake!

Copyright © 2018 by California Genealogical Society

Do You Dream of Genie?

by Kathleen Beitiks

It’s almost time for our intrepid California Genealogical Society (CGS) President, Linda Okazaki, to don her shiny gold lame’ turban and present the coveted “Genie Awards” to a special group of volunteers who “make magic happen” at CGS!

CGS members are invited to attend the annual awards presentation and Fall Membership meeting on Saturday, October 14th, noon, in the library, 2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland, CA. 

Our mystical master of ceremonies will present golden “magic lamps” to members who have been singled out for their dedication to CGS and its mission to help people trace and compile their family histories.

In addition to updates about CGS, members also will hear some tall tales about former board member and current Capital Campaign Chair Chris Pattillo’s 2.5 months long, summer genealogy road trip. 

While on this amazing journey, Chris found one small clue that enabled her to break down her tallest brick wall – one she’d been trying to topple for over 15 years!  Please register today for this wonderful talk.

Bring a bag lunch (drinks and dessert will be provided), mingle with old and new friends, and help us celebrate the contributions of our volunteers. Questions? Please contact Kathleen Beitiks.  We can't wait to see you!

Copyright © 2017 by California Genealogical Society

Wordless Wednesday: Genie Awards 2016

Congratulations to all of our award recipients and thank you, Diana Edwards and Kathleen Beitiks, for hosting!

A great time was had by all at our 3rd annual Genie Awards.  The Genie Awards help us celebrate the achievements of our most dedicated genealogy volunteers.

2016 Genie Award winners, left to right:  Gibran Rath,
Jamie McGrath, Arlene Miles, Nancy Cork & Shirley Hoye

Left to right:  Diana Edwards, Kathleen Beitiks and Linda Okazaki

Linda Okazaki, president, was our genie of ceremonies!

Photos by Ron Madson

Copyright © 2016 by California Genealogical Society

Calling all Members: 2016 Genie Awards

Do you dream of a Genie?

This Saturday, October 8th from Noon - 4pm is the California Genealogical Society & Library's annual 2016 Genie Awards & Fall Membership meeting held at our library. 

First up is the Fall Membership meeting that gives us all an opportunity to join with friends for lunch and conversation, as well as celebrate everyone's volunteer contributions.

Then the Genie Awards begin.  The red carpet will be unrolled and before you know it, you’ll encounter our mystical master of ceremonies (replete with her gold lame' turban).  For good luck, we’ll have magic lamps available for you to make three genealogy wishes!
  

2015 Genie Award Recipients
Back Row: Karen Wetherall, Ron Madson, Bill O'Neil, Rich Kehoe,
Larry Youngman, Georgia Lupinsky, and Phil Hoehn
Front Row: Keith Montgomery, Jane Hufft, Virginia Turner

Setting the fun aside, the Genie Awards gives the society an opportunity to thank our generous volunteers.  Without your help and generosity, we wouldn’t exist.  The Genie Awards also lets new and returning members learn what efforts, both large and small, keep the California Genealogical Society growing and thriving.

Please don’t forget to bring your own lunch.  However, dessert and beverages will be provided.

Join in the fun and don’t forget to make your three genealogy wishes.  With your help, CGS will have a wonderful 2017.

Copyright © 2016 by California Genealogical Society

October is Family History Month

Family History Month kicks off in October at the California Genealogical Society!  Are you ready?

If you haven't been either in a while or ever, take the time to plan a visit today and see what our library has to offer you. Explore our wonderful genealogy collections and resources for free during the month of October.  Our hours are 10-4, Thursday through Saturday.  

Our library is located in the historic Breuner Building at 22nd Street & Broadway, one block north of the Paramount Theater, in uptown Oakland.  All classes (for which you must register) during October will be held here, unless specified.

Have you explored our City Directories?  It’s now a part of our main library with a collection of 6,000 city and telephone directories dating from the 1840s to the 1960s.

Our member volunteers have been lining up a month of special events and exciting classes. Please help us celebrate Family History Month by attending one of the many genealogy events we’ve highlighted below in the San Francisco Bay area:

Saturday, October 1st

1pm - 3pm  If you’re ready to find out your family’s story, then we’re here to help you. Register now for our Intro to Genealogy - First Saturday Free! class.

Image from www.nichibei.org

11am - 3pm  The California Genealogical Society (CGS) is participating in the Nikkei Pilgrimage to Angel Island.  This fun, all-day event is focused on the Japanese-American experience at the "Ellis Island of the West". CGS President Linda Harms Okazaki will present and then will be available to help people get started in their own research.  Our other volunteers helping are Todd Armstrong, Lisa Gorrell, Maureen Hanlon, Diana Edwards, James Russell, Stacy Hoover, Janice Sellers, and Adelle Treakle (all CGS members & genealogists).   

Presented by: the Nichi Bei Foundation in partnership with the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation & National Japanese American Historical Society.

Saturday, October 8th

10:00am - 11:30am  Attend the monthly meeting of the CGS Board of Directors that focuses on making our tagline, “helping people connect to their diverse family heritage” a reality.

12 noon - 3pm  Please come for the 2016 Genie Awards and noontime Fall Membership meeting in the CGS Library.  The Fall Membership meeting gives all of us the opportunity to “Join your CGS” friends for lunch, conversation, and celebrate our volunteer contributions.

The Genie Awards are not only an opportunity to thank our generous volunteers, but also for new and returning members to learn about ways (large and small) to help keep CGS alive and thriving.

The red carpet will be unrolled, our mystical master of ceremonies will be there with her gold lame' turban and magic lamps will be available for your three wishes!  Please bring your own lunch.  Dessert and beverages will be provided.

Saturday, October 15^th

10am - 11:30am  Our San Francisco Special Interest Group (SF-SIG) is led by Sandra Britt-Huber.  Topics include both pre & post 1906 time periods. Come & join us this month if you have an interest in San Francisco history and genealogy! Register here.

1pm to 4pm  Need an easier and better way to organize, find, and maintain all of your genealogy research?  Then come join our Family Tree Maker™ Special Interest Group (FTM-SIG) that’s devoted exclusively to better understanding and using this genealogy research organizational software program. Facilitators are Ron Madson and Karen Halfon. The topic for the October 15th meeting will be The Publishing Module, Part I.  Register here.

John Phillip Colletta, PhD
Photo from www.genealogyjohn.com

9am - 3:30pm  Our friends at The Contra Costa Genealogical Society are presenting famed genealogist, John Phillip Colletta, PhD in “Ancestors on the Move”.  It’s an all day seminar in Lafayette comprised of 4 lectures focused on immigration and naturalization.  He’s been described, “as one of America’s most popular genealogical & family lecturers” with his lectures being known for their warmth and humor.  Click here for details and registration information. 

Saturday, October 22^nd

1pm to 4pm  You may have been asking yourself, “I've tested. So how do I use the results?”  Well, we’ve got a class to help you get some answers.  Attend our You Have Your Ancestry DNA Results: Now What? class.  This has been revamped.  It's geared to those who have submitted DNA samples at Ancestry.com and want to know the best steps and strategies to make family connections from the results. Pam Miller is the instructor.  Register here.

9am-3pm  Spend the day in Menlo Park as our friends at the San Mateo Genealogical Society present Research Rewards from Paula Stuart-Warren with Paula Stuart-Warren, a nationally known professional genealogist.  This wonderful all-day seminar encompasses 4 interesting lectures and will help you become a better researcher.  Click here for details and registration information.

Tuesday, October 25^th

10:30am – 12pm is the California Historical Society Tour. Visit the California Historical Society (CHS) near Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco.  A CHS staff member will present a brief lecture and a viewing of selected items from their extensive collection.  

The California Historical Society represents a rich resource for family history research. What’s of particular interest to genealogists? Their treasure trove of early newspapers and periodicals, Gold Rush and Immigration collections which include diaries, photographs, journals, letters and much more.  Register here.

Saturday, October 29^th

1pm - 4pm  Similar to our class on the 22^nd that’s focused on DNA testing results from Ancestry.com, You’ve got Your Family Tree DNA or 23andMe DNA Results, Now What?, is a revamped class geared to those who have submitted DNA samples at FamilyTree DNA or 23andMe and want to know the best steps and strategies to make family connections from the results. Pam Miller is the instructor.  Register here.

Want more to choose from?  For a full listing of all Bay Area genealogy events, check the frequently updated San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar.

Get started today on your family history today and begin telling the stories of your family now and for generations to come.

Copyright © 2016 by California Genealogical Society

2015 Genie Awards

 Congratulations to our award recipients.
Thank you, Diana Edwards and Kathleen Beitiks, for hosting an event showcasing our "Behind the Scenes" Volunteers!

2015 Genie Award Recipients
Back Row: Karen Wetherall, Ron Madson, Bill O'Neil, Rich Kehoe Larry Youngman,
Georgia Lupinsky, Phil Hoehn
Front Row: Keith Montgomery, Jane Hufft, Virginia Turner

Diana Edwards, Genie (aka Linda Harms Okazaki) and Kathleen Beitiks

Copyright © 2015 by California Genealogical Society

Second Annual Genie Awards

A Celebration of Volunteers Who Make Magic Happen!

2014 Genie Awards

All members of the California Genealogical Society are cordially invited to attend the Second Annual Genie Awards on Saturday October 10 at noon in the second floor conference room.

Please join your CGS friends as we say "Thank You" to some of our beloved volunteers who truly make magic happen. It's sure to be a fun-filled event. You may RSVP on our Eventbrite page.

The Genie Awards are not only an opportunity to thank our generous volunteers, but also for new and returning members to learn about ways (big and little) to help keep CGS alive and thriving - as it has been since 1898!

BYO lunch. Dessert and sparkling beverages will be provided.
Tiara's Optional

Please contact Kathleen Beitiks for more details.

Copyright © 2015 by California Genealogical Society 

The 2014 Genie Awards!

By Diana Edwards, CGS Membership Chair

It's Thankful Thursday, and we'd like to extend our thanks to the wonderful volunteers at CGS!

2014 CGS Genie Awards: L-R: Marcelle White, Kathie Jones, Arlene Miles (back), Linda Okazaki (front), Lavinia Grace Schwarz, Nancy Peterson Photo: Ron Madson

CGS has incredible volunteers- they are dedicated, loyal, hardworking and fun- and we want to honor every volunteer.  Our board works tirelessly, sometimes behind the scenes, sometimes front and center. Our committee chairs don’t just sit around, they make things happen.  But it’s the rest of the volunteer corps that really deserves the credit. 

If you haven’t met her already, I’d like to introduce you to our Volunteer Coordinator, Kathleen Beitiks. Be sure to say “hello” and welcome her. If you are interested in volunteering, she can help you find a great task.  Kathleen, along with Diana Edwards, membership chair, Diana Wild, library volunteer extraordinaire, and Linda Okazaki, our fabulous former Volunteer Coordinator, are the force behind this event. 

Last year we honored our longest serving volunteers, those that had served in some capacity for twenty years or more. This year, the volunteer committee wanted something different. Something memorable. They couldn’t come up with a “volunteer of the year” because there are too many people who work their magic in countless ways.

So what did they do?
After asking the board for suggestions and nominations, they decided to set some parameters. Looking at the volunteer database from 2013, they realized well over 100 individuals donated their time to CGS last year. As a result, the committee decided to create two award categories, and limit the nominees to just five individuals in each.

The first category is for volunteers who completed monumental tasks in the past year, those who have gone above and beyond.  The second category is for volunteers who have moved on from certain roles, though not necessarily from volunteering, just from very important roles which they had filled for a long time. 

Next year, we'll have different categories. In fact, we hope to have many awards events in our future. Today, we'll focus on those two categories- Above and beyond, and Moving on. 

Without further adieu, we present the first ever CGS Genie Awards! 

Mover of Mountains Award 
Arlene Miles
This mover and shaker is a former library assistant who volunteers two days a week. You might recognize her as the woman in the tie-dyed shirt, or the one giggling in the back office, or the lady who loves trains. She became a member in 2007 on the very day CGS opened its doors at this location. Most of us know her as the processor of periodicals, but really it’s so much more than that. She set up a database to track current periodicals. She helps Henry Snyder with anything and everything, she trains and orients new volunteers, she oversees a team of volunteers who checks and rechecks everything on the shelves, and she helps to coordinate our eBay sales, taking photos of items for sale, then packages and mails the sold items. 

Today we honor her for the monumental task affectionately known as the “Shelf Shift”. She is literally our “Mover of Mountains”...a mountain of Books...thousands and thousands of Books! CGS received hundreds of boxes of donated genealogy books last year.  After Henry and his Library Committee finished sorting and cataloging, and labeling the hundreds of new additions to our collection, new shelving was installed, and our honoree, Arlene, stepped in and organized a massive “shelf shift”.

She recruited volunteers, trained and supervised them, kept the books in order as we moved them (while explaining the Library of Congress numbering system over and over and over.)..all with humor and patience, sweat and stamina. She got our new books on the shelves!   Then, just to be sure we got it right, she turned around and “read the shelves”, methodically checking to make sure each book was in it’s place, so you and I can find them when we look.

The Orchestrator of eBay
Marci White
A member since 2009, Marci is not a long time volunteer, but she stepped in with the perfect skills at the exactly perfect time to do a much-needed job for CGS.  Remember the hundreds of boxes of books donated to the library? Well, we didn’t keep all of them for our shelves...some were duplicates, etc. Henry had decided we could make some money by selling books we didn’t need or want. How to do this? eBay was the obvious answer. 

And this is where Marci stepped up. She helped set up our eBay accounts, not an easy task, and worked with the Library Committee to put the book sale process in place, she worked with the Website and Computer Committees, the Finance Committee, Publications and Marketing. She put all of the pieces together and then trained the next people to take over. The result was a monumental symphony of collaboration. Thank you, Marci, for your monumental contribution. 

As huge as the eBay venture was, we did not let Marci sit on her laurels as a valuable Library Committee member. We recruited her to become a Board Member, and she took over as editor of the eNews, working with Shannon on the Marketing Committee. Now that she is working full-time-and-a-half, she is looking for an eNews replacement, but that’s OK. Volunteering is flexible, and must fit your life. Marci will continue to be a valuable volunteer in new roles.    

Wild Thing
Kathie Jones
A member since 1999, this recipient retired as the owner of a toy store, but hasn’t lost her sense of fun. Playful and entertaining, she and I met on one of the Salt Lake City trips. She has been volunteering several days each month to keep our member enrollment and renewal system up to date. She used her talents as a videographer to produce YouTube videos with Shannon Reese. She was on the planning committee for Their Roots are Showing and produced the screen visuals for the show. 

But today we are honoring her for one job she recently completed. She went over and beyond to move our membership database from an accounting system, “Quickbooks” to the modern membership database “Wild Apricot”. This system is full of bells and whistles that will help our society to grow and serve members in many new ways. Not only did she research the new data system, she tested several, installed it, transferred our existing membership data without losing her mind, or any members, in the process.. She has also “moved on” from her role on the membership committee entering data (we are looking for new volunteers!)  She is our newest board member, and is Treasurer for the society. 

California Genealogical Society Award for Excellence in Juggling
Lavinia Grace Schwarz
Our next recipient is a Tuesday fixture, serves as chair of the Research Committee, an active group that spends at least one full day at the library, solving genealogical puzzles and answering the queries sent to CGS from all over the world. She currently organizes the group of volunteers that teach our first Saturday Introduction to Genealogy classes and last year, helped orchestrate a revised Beginning series held at the Family History Library. 
She also spent five years as an active member of the Board of Directors, during the exciting years when the society outgrew it’s last Oakland location, and moved to our present space with double the membership.

She is a speaker, member of the Website Committee, a fabulous researcher known for her talent at breaking through brick walls. She has research interests in Haiti, New Orleans and Hawaii.  As if this weren’t enough, She performed magic behind the scenes at Ancestry Day last fall. For this, we are honoring her today…CGS offered to do research consultations...for a fee... at this event and Vinnie was asked to find the volunteers and schedule the consults. Well, the offer was VERY successful, and Vinnie found herself with the task of finding volunteer experts in many specific areas and scheduling 300 consults in one room on one day!! A Rubik's cube of a puzzle, solved with grace, patience, and talent.

The Mistress of Change Award 
Kathy Watson
A member since 1993, our next recipient is truly a wizard. In her previous roles, she built the CGS website which was redesigned to a Lotus notes website. She organized a The Master Genealogist users group. In her spare time, she is active in both the DAR AND the Colonial Dames.  These days she is Chair of the Computer and Websites committees. She and her team are the genies responsible for the maintenance of our entire computer system, including the website, where she makes changes on-demand. She graciously responds to any and all calls for help from CGS with all things technical, from "I forgot my gmail password" to "the router blew and the internet is gone".

But today we are honoring her for a monumental task which was completed last year. Our recipient oversaw the purchase, installation, configuration and troubleshooting of the library’s new computers.This entailed switching from Internet Explorer to Chrome and setting up our new Google volunteer email system. She deserves a second genie lamp just for graciously handling the myriad of whines and questions as we all had to learn a new system.  Let’s give a big round of applause for Kathy Watson. 


Part 2: Moving on, but not gone
Those individuals who have made enormous contributions to our society and have moved into new horizons. Not out of CGS, but into new roles. 
The first was a surprise nomination. 

People Who Need People
Linda Okazaki
Linda developed the formal role of Volunteer Coordinator. She put in lots of time getting to know the people serving on the many active CGS committees, and their needs. Then she spent lots of time getting to know members who wanted to volunteer to help them find the “just right” task for their interests. She set up a database for the OVER 100  volunteers and has now handed the position over to our second-ever Volunteer Coordinator, Kathleen Beitiks. 

Linda has also served as a front desk volunteer, a first-Saturday Introduction To Genealogy class teacher, contributed articles to the Nugget, and reached out to the Japanese American community to introduce people interested in their Japanese roots to CGS. She’s a friendly face at many CGS events.

Associate Number Cruncher 
Judy Zelver
A member since 2005, this recipient might be quiet, but she is a powerhouse when it comes to research,  especially when New York and New England are involved. She has been a consultant for Ancestry Day and was the lead New England researcher working on the Tim Alexander genealogy for Their Roots are Showing. She is organized and thorough, and has volunteered in countless positions, including but not limited to assistance with indexing, and working with microfilm and microfiche. Pleasant, cheerful and always willing to help, this recipient is being honored for her role as Assistant Treasurer, where she spent five years helping with opening the mail, depositing the checks and cash, data entry, bill paying and other treasury-related tasks. 

Money Makes the World Go Round
Laura Lee Karp
A former accountant and current Walnut Creek resident, this recipient hails from the South and is best known for her research in Virginia. Her husband frequently accompanies her on genealogical adventures, reading his physics books. With her southern charm, this former accountant added and subtracted her way through our accounts, making sure that all was right, She worked magic with numbers, devoted countless hours to making sure our finances were secure, balancing our checkbook, preparing our budgets and budget reports. 

Marketing Magic
Kathryn Doyle
A member since 2000 who served on the board for six years representing the Publications and Marketing Team, she helped to bring CGS into the new millenium. She was trained as a pharmacist, but always dreamed of being a journalist. She completed the Boston University Certificate Course in Genealogy and recently attended GRIPP. She has research interests in the US, Japan and Greece. She has served on more committees than we can possibly count, and the Board of Directors, but she is most proud of “branding” our society. She developed our URL, she started developed the eNews and Blog, she served as our representative to FGS, she worked with the website committee and developed our image in the greater genealogical community. Though she has moved on from her role in Publications and Marketing, we can’t wait to see what she has to offer next. 

Executive Producer & Wizard of Wonder 
Jane Lindsey
This woman joined in 2000 and it’s hard to believe she has only been a member for fourteen years. She started out as the event coordinator, which really was much simpler in those days. From there, she went on to chair many events, including some which were spectacular. She led the Salt Lake City trip for fourteen years, the Boston trip four times, the Allen County research trip three times, headed up the strategic planning committee twice, served on Desk Duty for at least four years, the nominating committee for four years. 
She also was our very own start-up, before anyone knew what a start-up was. She started the eNews with Kathy Watson before turning it over to Kathryn Doyle, began our participation in Family History Month when we were in our previous location, started our summer Thursday evening series, and was the unofficial volunteer coordinator before there was even such a position. On top of all that, she was co-chair of Ancestry Day twice (in 2011 AND 2013). She orchestrated the move to our current location with Verne Deubler after the search committee found the building. And of course, she served on the board as President for six years and as past President for two years. Though she has moved on from many of her vast responsibilities, we know she will continue to serve CGS. Her wealth of knowledge and experience are a valuable resource as our society grows and changes. 

Remarkable Retired Researcher 
Nancy Simmons Peterson
It’s hard to believe that our next recipient has only been a member since 2004. She is an author, a researcher, Stanford grad and Olympic swimmer, this recipient is known to all of us. In 1998, years before joining CGS, she won the National Genealogical Society Writing Contest. This award winning narrative remains on the BCG website as an example of work for aspiring genealogists to emulate. 

In her tenure at CGS, she has served on the board, and was co-leader of our Salt Lake City research trip for many years. She is the author of Raking the Ashes, our extraordinary book and terrific resource for anyone doing research in San Francisco, or really, any place where records have been destroyed.  Last year, she was the lead researcher for Billy Beane’s paternal line at our event, Their Roots are Showing. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and holds the revered distinction of being a Certified Genealogist. 

But today, we are recognizing those who have moved on from specific roles within the last year. Our recipient has retired from years of service on our Research Committee where she traveled weekly from her home on the peninsula to spend Tuesdays sharing her knowledge to benefit our society. 

CGS Genie Award cake Photo: Ron Madson

Copyright © 2014 by California Genealogical Society and Library.