Novice Genealogy SIG • Fri, Oct 17 • 1–3 PM Beginner-friendly! With Stephanie Sparks & Dru Froggett. 📍WVGS, Donaldson Room 

🌿 WVGS October Membership Meeting! Beyond Stick Figures: Building Fuller Pictures of Your Ancestors with Barbara Shroyer. 📅 Mon, Oct 13 | 1 PM | First Presbyterian Church, Sun City 👉 Handout available 1 week prior. #AZWVGS #GenealogyEvent

October is Polish-American Heritage Month! ✨ What’s a Polish tradition or story your family has passed down? Share it below—you might inspire others in the community to explore their roots. #PolishAmericanHeritageMonth #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #WVGS #AncestorStories

Document Trail • Thu, Oct 16 • 1–2 PM Hands-on practice tracing & connecting records. 📍WVGS, Donaldson Room https://azwvgs.org/education/sigs/

Canada SIG • Thu, Oct 16 • 10–11 AM Share your Canadian family history journey. 📍WVGS, Youngtown https://azwvgs.org/education/sigs/

Did you know our WVGS Library has maps, local newspapers, and obituary collections waiting to be explored? Our volunteers are happy to guide you as you uncover the stories of your ancestors. Share this post with your friends and family. 📍 WVGS Library, 12222 N 111th Ave, Youngtown #Genealogy

Norway SIG • Tue, Oct 14 • 9:30–11:30 AM Bring your Norwegian research & questions. 📍WVGS, The Donaldson Room https://azwvgs.org/education/sigs/

Barbara Shroyer’s program Beyond Stick Figures will help us all go deeper than names and dates. What’s YOUR biggest challenge when it comes to telling ancestors’ stories? Vote below ⬇️ and then join us October 13th for tips and inspiration. 📅 October 13 | 1:00 pm | Sun City, AZ #AncestorStories

DNA SIG (Virtual) • Sat, Oct 11 • 9:30–11:30 AM Leader: Barbara Shroyer. Join from anywhere! https://azwvgs.org/education/sigs/

October is Italian-American Heritage Month! It’s a time to celebrate the traditions, history, and contributions of Italian-Americans while exploring the stories of those who came before us. ✨ How are you honoring your Italian heritage this month—through food, stories, or research?

Study Group • Thu, Oct 9 • 1–3 PM Members only. Space is limited—ask to join! 📍WVGS, Youngtown 👉 Learn more about WVGS programs:

🌿 “Genealogy is more than names and dates—it’s the story of lives lived.” Join WVGS Mon, Oct 13, 1 PM for Beyond Stick Figures: Building Fuller Pictures of Your Ancestors w/ Barbara Shroyer. Sun City, AZ. Handout 1 wk prior. Info: https://azwvgs.org/ #AZWVGS #FamilyHistoryMonth

Legacy SIG • Sat, Oct 4 • 10–12 • The Donaldson Room Bring your Legacy questions—get help from experienced users. 📍WVGS, Youngtown https://azwvgs.org/education/sigs/

🌿 October is Family History Month! Every story matters—big or small. Visit WVGS this month to start uncovering yours. Explore resources, attend a Special Interest Group, or connect with fellow researchers—you never know what you’ll find. 👉 Learn more about WVGS programs: https://azwvgs.org/

Family Tree Maker SIG • Thu, Oct 2 • 1–3 PM • Donaldson Room Come share questions, tips, and tricks with fellow users. 📍WVGS Youngtown https://azwvgs.org/education/sigs/

Italy SIG • Thu, Oct 2 • 10–12 • Donaldson Room Leader: Peggy Morphew. Bring a question or surname—leave with new leads. 📍WVGS, Youngtown. https://azwvgs.org/education/sigs/

⭐ Gold Star Mothers & Family Day | Sept 28 honors the mothers & families who lost loved ones to war. We remember their sacrifice and stand with them in gratitude. #GoldStarFamilies #NeverForgotten

🪶 Native American Day | Sept 26 honors Indigenous peoples and their contributions. Explore ancestors’ stories and learn to research tribal records with respect. #NativeAmericanDay #Genealogy

British Isles SIG | Sept 25, 1–3 PM at WVGS. Explore family history in England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales. Share resources & connect with others researching their roots.

✍️ Writing Your Family History SIG | Sept 25, 9:30–11:30 AM, Donaldson Room at WVGS. Led by Cathy Gallagher, this group helps turn genealogy research into engaging family stories. #FamilyHistory

📢 Mark your calendars! WVGS Open House 🗓 Sunday, October 26, 2025 ⏰ 1–4 PM Discover your ancestry, explore resources, and connect with our community. We can’t wait to welcome you! 🌐 Learn more: www.azwvgs.org #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #Ancestry

🎖️ National POW/MIA Recognition Day | Sept 19 We honor prisoners of war and missing service members. Explore military records and preserve the stories of ancestors who served. #POWMIARecognitionDay #NeverForgotten #Genealogy

📜 Constitution & Citizenship Day | Sept 17, 1787 marked the signing of the U.S. Constitution. Explore your ancestors’ stories through naturalization records & discover who helped shape early American laws. #ConstitutionDay #Genealogy

🗂️ Document Trail SIG Join us on Thursday, Sept 18, 1–2 PM in the Donaldson Room at WVGS. Our Document Trail SIG will help you dig deeper into records and uncover your family’s untold stories. Learn how to follow the paper trail your ancestors left behind to reveal new discoveries. #Genealogy

🎉 Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15–Oct 15) celebrates the genealogies, traditions & contributions of Hispanic & Latino Americans. Explore immigrant stories & research resources in Spanish-speaking countries. #HispanicHeritageMonth #Genealogy

💻 Computer Tutorial at WVGS Join us on Monday, Sept 15, 10–11:30 AM in the WVGS Library Computer Lab. Instructor Lou McLean will guide this hands-on session—perfect for sharpening your tech skills to support your genealogy research. For more info visit www.azwvgs.org #Genealogy #FamilyHistory

Germany/Poland SIG | Sept 16, 9:30–11:30 AM, Donaldson Room at WVGS. Led by Ken Bus, this group explores genealogy resources & strategies for tracing German & Polish roots. #GermanyGenealogy #PolandGenealogy

🧬 DNA Special Interest Group – Virtual Join us on Saturday, Sept 13, 9:30–11:30 AM for our online DNA SIG, led by Barbara Shroyer. This group explores using DNA for family history research—learn strategies, ask questions, and connect with others navigating genetic genealogy. 👉 www.azwvgs.org

📚 WVGS SIG Study Group | Sept 11, 1–3 PM. Members only, space is capped—ask to join in advance! Connect, learn, and collaborate with fellow genealogists. #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #Ancestry

📢 Library Closure Notice The WVGS Library will be closed on Monday, Sept 8 due to our General Membership Meeting today (1–2:30 PM). We look forward to welcoming our members at the meeting and will reopen with regular hours. Thank you for your understanding! #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #Ancestry

📢 WVGS General Membership Meeting | Sept 8, 1–2:30 PM, First Presbyterian Church, Sun City. Learn tips for using Excel, FamilySearch, PowerPoint & Scrivener in your genealogy research. Details: azwvgs.org/education/membership-meetings #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #DigitalTools #GenealogyCommunity

🔍 Did you know the WVGS Library holds the largest genealogy collection in Arizona—with books, maps, microfilm, and resources from around the world? Come explore, meet our volunteers, and see why WVGS is a hub for family history research. 📅 Save the date and plan to join us! 🌐 www.azwvgs.org

👩‍🏫👨‍🌾🧵 Our ancestors worked hard in a wide range of trades—teachers, farmers, seamstresses, and more. What occupation shows up most in YOUR family tree? Cast your vote below ⬇️ #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #Ancestry

📢 WVGS General Membership Meeting | Sept 8, 1–2:30 PM, First Presbyterian Church, Sun City. Learn tips for using Excel, FamilySearch, PowerPoint & Scrivener in your genealogy research. Details: azwvgs.org/education/membership-meetings #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #DigitalTools #GenealogyCommunity

💻 Legacy Special Interest Group Join us on Saturday, Sept 6, 10 AM–12 PM in the Multi-Purpose Room at WVGS. Members help one another use the Legacy database program to enter and solve genealogical information. Experienced users will be on hand to answer questions—come learn and share! #Genealogy

🍂 Fall is here! We’d love to know: do you have any genealogy goals you’re hoping to work on this Fall? Whether it’s tackling a brick wall, organizing your research, or finally writing down that family story, share with us in the comments. Let’s inspire each other! #genealogy

🌳 Family Tree Maker Special Interest Group Join us on Thursday, Sept 4, 1–3 PM in the Donaldson Room at WVGS. Connect with others using Family Tree Maker, share tips, and get your questions answered. All skill levels welcome! #FamilyTreeMaker

🇮🇹 Discover your Italian roots! Join the Italy SIG at WVGS on Sept 4, 10 AM–12 PM in the Donaldson Room. Led by Peggy Morphew, this group explores research tips & resources for Italian ancestry. Details: [insert link] #Italy #FamilyHistory #Genealogy #italiangenealogy  #italianroots

📚 Reminder: The WVGS Library will be closed today, Monday, September 1 for Labor Day. Enjoy the holiday and maybe take time to research a hardworking ancestor! 💼🕵️‍♂️ #LaborDay #LibraryClosed #AZWVGS #GenealogyInspiration

📚 Reminder: The WVGS Library will be closed Monday, September 1 for Labor Day. Enjoy the holiday and maybe take time to research a hardworking ancestor! 💼🕵️‍♂️ #LaborDay #LibraryClosed #AZWVGS #GenealogyInspiration

“Did you know yearbooks can be gold mines for genealogy? Look for names, clubs, photos, and even handwritten notes. Stop by the library to see what we have!” #GenealogyTips #YearbookResearch #AZWVGS

💙 We’re saddened to share that AZWVGS member & SIG leader Delfina "Del" Kunz has passed away. Her service is Aug 27 at 9 AM at St. Joachim & St. Anne. Read her obituary & donation info here:

☀️ Beat the heat—come hang out in the library! While you’re here, don’t miss our $5 Duplicate Book Sale. There’s something magical about flipping through a good book and building your family history at the same time. 🧬📖 📍 AZWVGS Library #AZWVGS #GenealogyLibrary #SummerReads #FamilyHistoryFun

📅 Save the Date! Join us for the West Valley Genealogical Society Open House on Sunday, October 26, 2025, from 1–4 PM. Explore the largest genealogical resource collection in Arizona, connect with fellow family historians, and discover what makes WVGS such a vibrant community. 🌐 www.azwvgs.org

🧬 DNA SIG meets virtually this Saturday! Join us August 9, 9:30–11:30AM from wherever you are for a deep dive into DNA tools and techniques with leader Barbara Shroyer. 🔗 Visit website for SIG info and login details! #DNASIG #AZWVGS #GenealogyDNA #VirtualGenealogy #WestValleyGenealogists

📚 $5 Summer Book Sale! Stop by the shelves near the Aide’s Desk—lots of new titles, all just $5 each! Thanks to Jill, Elaine & Della for keeping the finds coming. 📍 AZWVGS Library, Youngtown AZ #AZWVGS #GenealogyBooks #SummerBookSale #LibraryFinds

Italy SIG meets this Thursday! Join us August 7, 10AM–12PM in the Donaldson Room at WVGS as we dive into Italian genealogy with leader Peggy Morphew. 📍12222 N 111th Ave, Youngtown 🔗 Click our website for SIG details! https://azwvgs.org/calendar/ #AZWVGS #ItalianRoots #WestValleyGenealogists

A little midweek motivation from the roots of wisdom. Who are you researching this month? #FamilyHistory #GenealogyQuotes #AZWVGS

🪑 Need a desk chair? We’ve replaced ours and the old ones are yours for a donation of any size! Just ask the Aide in the Library office. Take it with you and get a tax-deductible receipt. First come, first sit! #AZWVGS #GenealogyGear #ChairSwap

Who was the first generation of your family to settle in Arizona? 🌵📜 What brought them here and was it you who planted the first roots? Let’s celebrate the pioneers in our family trees. #Arizona