Wow! We’ve had a lot of snow!
You may have seen it on national news, but Germanna Country has been really socked in with heavy, wet snow.
Classes at Germanna Community College have been cancelled, and the Germanna Foundation’s Visitor Center is closed until this coming Tuesday morning. Too much snow over President’s Day Weekend!
Even though the weather may have cancelled some plans, let’s try to make up for lost time this weekend by sharing research and interesting breakthroughs with one another.
First, if you have research related to Germanna’s families or histories of the area, we would be delighted to receive a copy to preserve for future generations in our archives at the Visitor Center.
During this 300th Jubilee of Germanna, we are planning to make digital copies of our archives to guard against disaster.
Your research should be preserved, too – and the best way to do that is to donate a copy to the Germanna Foundation.
Second, let me know of new discoveries you make. I’ll pass on what I can to the wider Germanna diaspora through our Germanna blog on our website.
Third, look through your Christmas card list and think about which ones might enjoy hearing about the amazing work that is going on through the Germanna Foundation.
Be sure to let us know how they might be personally connected to Germanna, whether by a family connection or our work in deepening transatlantic relationships in England, Scotland, and Germany.
We would be honored to introduce them to our work.
Fourth, connect with us via Facebook (1,290 people already have) or LinkedIn, the largest social networking platform for professionals.
Fifth, let us know which books you have found helpful in tracing your Germanna genealogy and understanding the historical context for them, and how it might be helpful to others.
We need this information for two reasons: one, to ensure that our library acquires the most helpful resources we can find; two, to identify those resources that our members may wish to purchase through the Germanna Foundation on Amazon.com (every purchase made on Amazon after clicking the banner ad on the Germanna Foundation’s website brings us a 5% referral fee – even if you buy a lawnmower like I did!).
So, even though our Visitor Center and Library are closed for a few days, there is a lot that each of us can do to advance our shared mission.
This is a year that many of us have been preparing for – the 300th anniversary of the founding of Fort Germanna. Let’s make it count.
Even as we are making preparations for the mighty labors before us in this anniversary year, know also that we have begun discussions with Hebron Lutheran Church and our friends in Berlin and the Kraichgau for the 300th anniversary of the 1717 colonists that will occur in three years.
It will be a big one, too – not only will we be celebrating the anniversary of the arrival of the Lutheran “Second Colony,” but it will be the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation.
On March 18th, I will be meeting with the church council of Hebron Lutheran Church to discuss ideas for celebrating the 300th anniversary of the oldest Lutheran congregation in America.
Let me have your ideas, and I will introduce them on behalf of the many members of the Germanna family of families.
After acquiring the Fort Germanna / Enchanted Castle archaeological site at the close of 2103, we are laying out plans to make the story of Germanna and her people come alive in a way that the names of Germanna’s people – Spotswood, Haeger, Martin, Holtzclaw, Clore, Fishback, Blankenbaker, Kemper, Broyles and so many others – will never be forgotten.
We are a living, vibrant community that finds our families’ past an inspiring source of encouragement and determination to face the challenges of the future.
YOU are an integral part of this growing network of Germanna’s people, and your volunteer work and financial support will help the Germanna Foundation move to its next, higher level where it can achieve even more important goals and have even greater impact.
May God bless you and your branch of the Germanna family during our Jubilee Year!
Sincerely,
J. Marc Wheat
President, Germanna Foundation
Travel to Germany with the Germanna Foundation