*HAPPY NEW YEAR* *LINKING TO RAOGK* *DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR LISTING SAYS?* *VOLUNTEER TIP* *KUDOS* *CURRENT STATS* *HAPPY NEW YEAR* Another year is under way, and all of our staff wish everyone a healthy and prosperous one. We also wish to thank you for being the generous people you are in allotting time to help others in their quest to find who their ancestors are. Without you wonderful volunteers, RAOGK would not be seeing its 9th anniversary online just around the corner. ***************** *LINKING TO RAOGK* In the FAQ's for Volunteers ( http://www.raogk.org/faq-vols.htm ) we tell you how you can link to the website within your signature line. Occasionally we get queried on how to present a link to RAOGK via a website. I've add a web page to give you the coding for signature lines and for linking through a website: http://www.raogk.org/linking.html Please only use the link to the main page, do not link to any sub-pages within the site. We are trying to get our visitors to read the Guidelines for Making a Request (http://www.raogk.org/faq-requesters.htm) page prior to their using our site. Reading these guidelines will make their experience as a user and your experience as a volunteer a better one. ***************** *DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR LISTING SAYS?* Our sign up forms list 6 of the most common areas that volunteers will do as their Act of Kindness (AOK). We provided them to save you some typing. However, sometimes just selecting a box next to some words doesn't explain enough of what are willing to do. The way our pages are set up for the USA we list our volunteers by county, name, and AOK. With NON_USA we also have a column for region or territory. Unless you live in a county that is not too large, this listing may be enough. However, if you live in a large county (or region/territory), you may have to be more specific where you will go within your location. As an example, I live in Lancaster Co, Nebraska. If I was to sign up as a volunteer I would have my AOK read something like: Public Records Lookups (Courthouse and Library), No Obituaries, Gravestone pictures for cemeteries in the NW of Lincoln. Reimbursement may be required. What the above does is tell researchers if they would like gravestone pictures, that I will not go to those towns surrounding Lincoln (nor the south side of the city). If you feel you need to be more specific with what is stated in your AOK, you can change it by sending in the form to staff that can be found at http://www.raogk.org/change.html Really read your act of kindness. Our staff members just copy and paste what is submitted. Many do not have the time to determine if the word cemetery is spelled with all e's or cematery or genealogy spelled correctly or the oft misspelled version of geneology. ***************** *VOLUNTEER TIP* Just thought you'd like to know what I do with all those photos and stuff I have left over in my computer after fulfilling a request. I donate the pictures to my local library to include in their genealogy files. They are available for anyone else looking for the same info and the library really appreciates it. Plus, if something were to happen at that particular cemetery (such as vandalism) the information on the stones isn't lost. Unfortunately, vandalism has taken many of the stones in local cemeteries over the years and maybe this way, I can help someone keep parts of their history intact. Paul Navarro Volunteer in Parker County, TX Have a tip for your fellow volunteers? Please send your tips to feedback@raogk.org with the subject of Volunteer Tips. ***************** *KUDOS*: http://www.raogk.org/thankyou/ The month of January saw kudos written about: Louisa (Indiana), Inga-Lill Johansson (Sweden), Sharon Hiltibidal (Illinois), Lita Wells (California), Godfrey Eardley (Missouri), Shirley Kennedy (Missouri), Michael Bergmire (Missouri), Mark J. Rosenblum [5](Missouri), Marti Day (Massachusetts), Beth Proctor (Tennessee), E. F. Forshaw (Ohio), Linda Hudson (Florida), George Eyler (Oklahoma), Kathleen Mayo (Massachusetts), Smiley (Oklahoma), Mary Phalan (Pennsylvania), Shelli Steedman (Montana), Stacey Smith (Iowa), Paul Daraghy (Colorado), Ken Peters (Indiana), David & Judith Mills (Idaho), Don & Carolyn Reed (Michigan), Donita Hamilton (North Carolina), Dave Gauvin (Michigan), Robert and Karen Craig (Wisconsin), Pete K. (Canada), Lynn Romer (Wyoming), Janice Graves (Massachusetts), April Wharton Makerney (Oklahoma), Dave Lossos (Missouri), Mary Mace Miller (Ohio), Dave McTigue (Connecticut), Jason Garneau (New Hampshire), Carl Smith (California), Dave McTigue (Connecticut), John Small (Wisconsin), Marianne Fisher (Pennsylvania), Dave McTigue (Massachusetts), Elaine Smith (Montana), Nancy A (Florida), Lesley DuBois (Australia), Jo desMarets (Hawaii), Aletta Drummond (Missouri), Rick Warner [2] (Tennessee), Melissa Barker (Kentucky) ***************** *CURRENT STATS* Last month: 3953 This month: 3939 New: 72 Left: 45 Staff removals*: 38 January Requests (through January 30, 2007): 5,973 USA volunteers received: 5,277 NON-USA volunteers received: 696 *Staff removals are those folks whose e-mail address has been reported bouncing and confirmed or volunteers who, over the course of trying many times, did not respond back to requesters or staff. The STAFF thanks you for volunteering and until next month.. . . . . THE STAFF Bridgett, Michele, Bill, Anja, Terri, Jo, Bonnie, Melissa, Dennis, Jeniann and Doc, the Tech Guru