At the moment there is a pause in the incoming membership renewals 35+ from those who received renewal notices. About 80 still need to renew.  Otherwise, you are still good for at least another year.  

Among recent activities have been the number of Life Memberships both from renewals as well as first-time memberships.
Recent inquiries from relatively new members have been questions many of us have known the answers,but the answers are warranted to be repeated here for those who have not asked:

• It is important to revisit the databases often for new entries and updates.  Our database owners are continuously working on their data entries, updating, correcting, and adding new information.  

• SAGA is grateful for members like Robert Fish who searches obituaries from many newspapers and forwards these obituaries to database owners who most likely have these individuals in their files.  So many updates are constantly being done.

• One purpose of the Database Updates found on the Home Page is to let members know who and when they have made an update.  This is a clue for you to perhaps check to see if there is an update for the individuals you are following.

• Every effort is being made to include the genealogies as they are published in Mennonite Family History and Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage.  References are cited to the specific issue for members to seek out more detailed information.  [Both these publications are great resources].

• Thelma Martin keeps the MennoBits website up-to-date with new obits she receives.

• Loren Johns has taken over Jim Hostetler's mission of entering and updating Amish Directories as they become available to him in his database.

• Other members likewise are searching for new resources and doing similar research.  SAGA has no paid full-time or part-time staff.  It is all volunteer work.  But the research tends to be full-time for many, while others utilize any free time they have to do their part.  This perhaps is better than full-time staff, as the work is the member's passion, not just a job.

• SAGA posts links from its Home Page LINKS tab of new good websites for researching birth, death, marriage, and family histories.
  As the COVID virus seems to be on the rise once again, at this point, we are still hopeful for a Spring Meeting.  However, this will be evaluated and reevaluated again and again as time draws near.  We desire to have a meeting, but not at a cost to the health and welfare of our members.  

Wishing you all a safe and blessed Christmas and health and prosperity in the New Year.
Hoosierly yours,
James G. Hermsen8108 Laura Lynne LaneIndianapolis, IN 46217
317-679-1466 cell317-881-4600 land line

Thank you! That was a very well written informative letter.  Appreciate it!

A new life member
Laura Schmidt

Get Outlook for iOShttps://aka.ms/o0ukef

From: James G. Hermsen jhermsen@yahoo.com
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2021 9:46:40 AM
To: list@maillist.saga-omii.org list@maillist.saga-omii.org
Subject: [List] SAGA Year-End Roundup News

At the moment there is a pause in the incoming membership renewals 35+ from those who received renewal notices. About 80 still need to renew.  Otherwise, you are still good for at least another year.

Among recent activities have been the number of Life Memberships both from renewals as well as first-time memberships.

Recent inquiries from relatively new members have been questions many of us have known the answers,but the answers are warranted to be repeated here for those who have not asked:

• It is important to revisit the databases often for new entries and updates.  Our database owners are continuously working on their data entries, updating, correcting, and adding new information.
• SAGA is grateful for members like Robert Fish who searches obituaries from many newspapers and forwards these obituaries to database owners who most likely have these individuals in their files.  So many updates are constantly being done.
• One purpose of the Database Updates found on the Home Page is to let members know who and when they have made an update.  This is a clue for you to perhaps check to see if there is an update for the individuals you are following.
• Every effort is being made to include the genealogies as they are published in Mennonite Family History and Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage.  References are cited to the specific issue for members to seek out more detailed information.  [Both these publications are great resources].
  *  Thelma Martin keeps the MennoBits website up-to-date with new obits she receives.
  *  Loren Johns has taken over Jim Hostetler's mission of entering and updating Amish Directories as they become available to him in his database.
  *  Other members likewise are searching for new resources and doing similar research.  SAGA has no paid full-time or part-time staff.  It is all volunteer work.  But the research tends to be full-time for many, while others utilize any free time they have to do their part.  This perhaps is better than full-time staff, as the work is the member's passion, not just a job.
• SAGA posts links from its Home Page LINKS tab of new good websites for researching birth, death, marriage, and family histories.

As the COVID virus seems to be on the rise once again, at this point, we are still hopeful for a Spring Meeting.  However, this will be evaluated and reevaluated again and again as time draws near.  We desire to have a meeting, but not at a cost to the health and welfare of our members.

Wishing you all a safe and blessed Christmas and health and prosperity in the New Year.

Hoosierly yours,

James G. Hermsen
8108 Laura Lynne Lane
Indianapolis, IN 46217

317-679-1466 cell
317-881-4600 land line