A FEW REMINDERS

It is up to you whether you wish to fulfill a request or not. If you 
find that you might be travelling some distance to do a particular 
request, you do not have to do that request. Remember we do not allow 
charging for mileage (travel). You can save it in hopes another request 
comes in for the same area and lump those together, or you can just let 
the requester know that that area is quite a bit of distance away and 
that you can not fulfill the request.

Charging for time is also not allowed. Many of the requests can be done 
during a time while you are researching your own family tree, or doing 
several requests at one time.

There are always exceptions to every rule. However, before you think 
that you should be reimbursed for something in the above two paragraphs, 
check with the section coordinator first. I have allowed for volunteers 
to charge a requester if this person put in a second request, however 
this is up to the volunteer.

It is mandatory that if you need to change your e-mail address, change 
your listing in anyway, or have a need to be removed as a volunteer that 
you go to http://www.raogk.org/change.html This form is keyed into the 
subscription base for this newsletter.

To make it easier on the staff when requesting to be removed, please use 
the e-mail address that is listed on the website. In trying to locate a 
volunteer the staff first searches for the e-mail address, we then search 
for your name if we do not come up with a matching e-mail address. 

It is our hope that we are making it easier for you to help others. If you 
should have any suggestions on how we might be able to achieve this better, 
please feel free to send us a message with your suggestion: raogk-admin@raogk.org.


VOLUNTEER MAILING LIST

I would like to remind you that there is a mailing list where volunteers can 
exchange opinions, get ideas and ask questions of fellow volunteers. To join 
the list visit http://www.raogk.org/mailman/listinfo/raogk-l. Once subscribed, 
please read and keep your welcome message, as it will tell you how to change 
your method of receiving messages and also how to unsubscribe, if need be.

Recently we have some nice conversations going on about how to break down 
brickwalls, some of the tips provided could aid volunteers with fulfilling 
a request they may have received. Another thread has been the increased 
charge for obtaining a Social Security Administration file from $7 to $27.

The RAOGK-L mailing list is NOT a list for finding your ancestors (i.e. 
research list), but an tool for volunteers to get hints, provide tips and 
just get to know one another.  Come join us.


UNREASONABLE REQUESTS

The word "unreasonable" has different interpretations from one person to
the next. One person may think a request for the 6 death certificates
unreasonable in one request, and another would think not a problem.

Let me point out something here.  *Most* of the "rules" and FAQ's 
(both for the volunteers and requesters) regarding RAOGK are culled 
from many complaints received and also suggestions. They are 
"guidelines" and, when needed, a place to send a person to back up what
is being told to them.

As volunteers, you *can* and *do* have the right to specify what you 
will do and what you can't/won't do. If a volunteer wants to do 
(using the example) the 6 death certificate lookups in one fell 
swoop, so be it, they are *not* breaking any hard and fast rules and 
won't be removed from the site for doing so.  However, if *they* feel it is
an unreasonable request, they have the FAQ's to backup their statement that
they cannot do the 6 requests at once.

However, there *are* some hard and fast rules, that *may* get you 
removed from the site.

1) the inability to receive the global newsletter. If the newsletter is
bounced back to us two consecutive months, you are removed without
notification (how can we notify you if your e-mail is bouncing?)

2) repeated complaints received that you are unresponsive. This is 
only done AFTER a staff member has also tried to get in touch with 
you and received no response.

3) proven use of the site only for personal financial gain. The site 
does not make any money off anyone, in fact we run in the *red* most 
of the time.

4) putting the site and the server in jeopardy and possible lawsuits 
by looking up requests *specifically* asking for information on 
*living* people.


Everyone is doing a really good job here and the staff and those folks 
who use us appreciate all of your efforts. We wouldn't be RAOGK without you.

Everyone who celebrates the July 4th holiday, be safe and have a good time.

Until next month . . . . 

RAOGK Staff