2010 WSGS Conference Day 2

Saturday started a little early as we had to pack up and move the mini home as checkout was at 1 p.m., so we got going and found a pretty level place at the church parking lot.

Registration started at 8 am and then we wandered into the vendors room. If you look close you can see two EWGS members. I did not even notice them until I downloaded the pictures to my computer.

The first session started with introduction of Diane Van Sliver Gagel at 9 and her first subject was How did our Ancestors go West? Very interesting talk on canals, railroads and wagon trains. Then a short break and vendors visit, and the next session was Women and the Law, Researching our Female ancestors. Probably my favorite subject Diane talked about all day. Next was Lunch and the Annual WSGS meeting. This part also had a bunch of awards to members of the local societies and a special one to Sam Reed the Washington Secretary of State who has done so much to help all Washington researchers.
This lineup is the volunteers that were present to receive their award. The tall gentleman above the lady in blue was the representative for Sam Reed since Sam could not make the conference.

After lunch of sandwiches, salads, and brownies by the church our first session was Ancestors in the Attic: Finding and sharing Family Photos. Diane said to check with all your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc., cousins for photos as you never know what photos they have.

The above picture is Jim Terry of Legacy shuffling the submissions for the notebook computer and Diane Van Skiver Gagel the main speaker.
At the break they selected the raffle prizes and Jim Terry of Legacy Family Tree selected the winner of the notebook computer; Susan Faulkner of Kennewick won the notebook.
The last session was Social History and Genealogy, Filling in the Gaps. Very interesting session on how and where to find what was happening during the time your ancestor lived. The example Diane used was coming on the Erie Canal and then landing in Ohio, what was that like and what was available for immigrants on arrival. Then all too soon the conference was over, I did have a yellow sticker on the back of my nametag which gave me a centerpiece from the lunch tables or a flower in several of the rooms. I really did not have a place for a flower so I donated my flower to one of the local volunteers that really wanted one.
It started to rain during our last session and continued for a couple of hours as we left Chehalis, and one shower was so heavy I slowed a lot so I could see. My sister and I stopped at her lot at Ocean Shores for Saturday night and Sunday and Monday morning I headed home. This is a picture of the wind farm up the hill from Vantage. They are all pointing west as there was a nice tail wind all the way home. :)