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From: "Jayne" <>
Subject: [GV] Convention Memories
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 11:12:57 -0500


Dear List,
Each of us took away different treasured views of the convention and by sharing them here a full picture should emerge for those who could not attend. Will everyone mark their calendars for June 17th next year in Yakima.
My husband and I arrived on Tues. afternoon. We drove from OH, leaving early Monday morning. We had a business appointment in Rantoul, IL Monday noon [set up in January - but waited until July because we knew we would be passing nearby] and proceeded to the Amana Colonies for Monday evening at a fine B&B. Tuesday AM we toured, and thoroughly enjoyed the Amana Colonies [they came directly from Germany to the US very early] for a look at another religious German group who were very successful. They voted to end the communal life style in 1932. My home village of Galka, on the Volga, ended the communal village ownership of land in 1910 and my father's family remained there for 3 more years. Many comparisons and more recent stories of how the change effected a community. In Amana they also had communal kitchens/dinning rooms. It was a good introduction to the convention to follow.
The board, officers, volunteer tour of the Living History Farm with dinner was Tues. PM. I will put pictures up and post the URL later today. Fine evening.
Wed. afternoon was the Village Coordinators' meeting. My first. I didn't know what to expect but had some preconceived ideas that were all wrong. It was good to see each VC in person, face, voice - although we need to fill the position for some villages. Many VCs were unable to attend this year. I am hoping to meet many more next year. We are aging - and our parents are aging. It gets harder to make treks. Thank goodness we don't have to travel two years just to get there! There was a request to make next year's VC meeting on Thursday - outcome?
---The Genealogy Workshop was well run, as always, and served many of the convention goers. The Obituary files were much in use - but as I went through stacks of cards myself - I was praying for SOAR to be fully functional by next year at Yakima. It will be so welcome to all! The family group sheets were being used well. The Pleve Charts available were in demand and poured over - [Please let Doris Evans' work on this index be finalized - it will add so much information retrieval capability to a fine resource]. I saw only a few people using the old WorkPapers and Journals but they are also a great resource - and Henry Schmidt will have that digitized, searchable project ready for Yakima. We are going to enter the next year with an explosion of data accessibility. The data is there - has been somewhere - in boxes - in chapters - in journals - in attics - for years. 2003 is the year it all comes out of the closet!!
---In the computer workroom Marge & Bob Benson and Ken Leffler, among others, were tutoring, refreshing, and recruiting more volunteers for SOAR. I took my lessons and did 4 obits. Some members are coming close to the 10,000 mark. I will have to do some catching-up!!! I am putting Henry's proofreading first for now.
Thursday was Village Night - some had great successes. There were moments of connectivity. [I think we need to do better for Yakima]. Hosrt Gutsche of Canada visited every table and updated the groups on the conditions of the German Lutheran Churches across the former German Lutheran areas of Russia. There is encouragement there.

The Welcome for Erica Neuman (Brazil) was a good intimate session. When she did her formal presentation the next afternoon - and it was well attended - slides and talk were excellent - there were almost NO questions - BECAUSE we asked them all the night before when we had her in a small intimate room very conducive to a group discussion. I am sorry for anyone who missed the earlier session. --

All the speakers were excellent for the Research Symposium hosted by Ed Hoak. We learned more about the multifaceted approach being taken to gain access to records - including on an academic level - University to University. As our speaker said, you don't have to convince a university history department on the importance of preserving historical records - and the academics over there know the people who do need to be convinced. "It is who you know that counts." Isn't it always?
Brent Mai is close to production on the book of 'Origins and Settlements' or 'Where they came from - Where they went." and has unearthed sources unknown to the group a few years ago. He estimated that the work would need revision in 5-8 years due to new sources appearing even 'as we speak' --- all of which is very exciting.
Dr. Pleve's new book did not arrive for convention. We will have to order from headquarters.
Lastly, with great effort I managed to get my sister, brother, nephew and spouse, three children and spouses to attend a family reunion at the Embassy Suites and most joined AHSGR. Most did not take part in the convention activities - except I put them in for Village Night - but all got a feel for their heritage AND had a great time in Des Moines which has many activities.
My husband, who is not GR, drove me over, AND found a bundle of new exciting information in the library and the historical center on his family tree - terrific stuff we didn't know was there for the asking! - isn't that great? Who would have thought it?
Best wishes to all,
Jayne Wunsch, Galka on the Volga, Lancaster OH


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