When I started this page about 9 years back, I was surprised at the numerous responses we received from people willing to donate their time & talent to help other researchers... and I still am in awe.   Whether it is a book, a CD, a yearbook or a trip to the courthouse, these volunteers do an exceptional job.  As host of the Shawano site, I welcome feedback from people who make use of this page... both good and bad feedback... and by far, I hear very, very good things.  On the rare occasion I did get a complaint, I acted on it immediately because being a volunteer is near & dear to my heart -- and I have only had to act on 1 instance in 9 years out of THOUSANDS of volunteer lookups.  The volunteers listed here are all exceptional & very professional... and we appreciate each and every one of them.  Many thanks to them  - I have received HUNDREDS of EMAILS from researchers who start their letters with "I couldn't have found this family member without the help of your volunteer ___".   Each email means so much to me because it means that this volunteer/look-up page works!   If you have a story you would like to share, let me know and we'll post it to the SUCCESS PAGE.

PAY IT FORWARD -- Simply, someone has helped you, so you in turn will "pay the favour forward" to help someone else... This is not a requirement, just a nice idea.  If you have any place/data source that you would be willing to do look-ups in, please consider being a volunteer.  This could be a library in Madison, a book of Grandpa's, and old plat map or even a CD with a census... or a membership to an online service where you would check for a surname.  Just email me...

GENEALOGY RULE #1-- I know, when you FINALLY hit a good lead, we can easily forget that these people have volunteered  and we can WANT all the death certificates copied for family LAEDTKE.  But, please don't abuse their kind spirits and TRY to keep your requests to no more than 2 names per request. And remember, they are just like you & I,  and have families, jobs, and Doberman Pinschers they have to find time for, too!  And like "Mom" always said, a sincere "THANK-YOU"  is always appropriate!

GENEALOGY RULE #2--Always remember Rule #1!

**And a GOOD request has Shawano GenWeb Look-up in the subject line...with all the junk emails and viruses out there, it might just get "deleted" inadvertently with nothing in the subject line.  THANKS!
 

BEFORE YOU REQUEST COPIES .........

Our awesome, did I say AWESOME?, volunteers volunteer their time, not their wallets.  After receiving feedback on this issue from a couple of them, I have been informed that they have been paying for copies out of their own pockets and it is starting to add up....fast.  In order to keep such a GREAT LIST of FREE TALENTED RESEARCHERS at your disposal, the following has been suggested.  IF and WHEN copies are requested, the copy/xerox fee is 50 cents a page + postage.  The volunteers will mail these copies the cheapest way possible... most often, the question can be answered in a simple email without incurring any costs.      If you have a concern regarding paying the copying fee, please email me directly, not the volunteers...None of them are independently wealthy -- or so they haven't told me yet! -- they don't ask for gas $ or mileage, so let's treat them fairly and MAYBE THEY WILL KEEP VOLUNTEERING!!!!  50 cents a page is still a great deal -- you'd have to pay the copying/xerox costs if you were in those libraries -- and, they pay those costs, too, EVEN IF THEY WORK THERE.      And these volunteers have s of GOLD..not wallets of gold....and most would NEVER ask to be reimbursed their costs for copies....they just assume people will do the right thing and reimburse them.  Most people do, some don't...so remember to PLEASE, PAY FOR YOUR COPIES & POSTAGE...                      THANKS!!!

AND NOW.....<drum roll, please!>
OUR AWESOME VOLUNTEERS...

	Barbara Brady	Shawano County Courthouse Records -- Births, Marriages, Deaths.
	Carl Listle	Several books including: Pamphlet put out by St. Martin's Lutheran Church, Belle Plaine for their 125th Anniversary.
	Laila Normann	1910 Census for Shawano County, (This is not indexed so "PLEASE only ONE FAMILY PER REQUEST, TOWN Required..")
	Bill Habeck	Bill is willing to do look-ups in a book he has,  written by Frank R. Griepp, called "FAMILY LINES Sager, Habeck, Krueger, Juedes and many more, traced to their origins in Pomerania"  The many more names include:  Behnke, Boettcher, Brandenburg, Bruss, Bubolz, Coenen, Engelbrecht, Gant, Gauger, Griepp, Grueb, Guse, Knuth, Loppnow, Rabenhorst, Radue, Richter, Schley, Seering, Shimon, Sumnicht, Hacker and many more.
	Bev Ginnow	Bev has a copy of the 75th Anniversary of St. John's Lutheran Church, Mattoon and has transcribed the earlier years online, and is willing to do look-ups for all the years.  This booklet goes from 1885 to 1960.
	Janet Meydam	I have acquired a copy of History of the Township of Lessor, researched and compiled by Ray Brysky 1996 and published by the Bonduel Community Archives. This is a 61 page spiral bound that was researched during the 90s and published to coincide with the 125 anniversary of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in the town of Lessor. The book is very thorough and includes histories and pictures of the little "bergs" that existed in Lessor, the churches, businesses, plus newspaper clippings, listings of town officials and school teachers, school pictures, town records, plat maps, and stories told by life time locals. There are also a few biographies. I would be happy to do lookups from this book for anyone interested.   I can't copy the whole book to send to anyone, but I can transcribe a single record or scan a picture. Copies of this book can be purchased through: Our Savior's Lutheran Church N1731 Cty. Rd. S Pulaski, WI 54162 Price: $10.00  People might want to email me if they are interested and I will check on availability first.  10/17/2002 - I have another book that I can offer look-ups from to anyone interested. This is the History of Maple Grove, researched and compiled by Ray Brusky, 2002. Hot off the presses! This is the same author as the History of Town of Lessor book.
	Mikki	OUR BIG THANKS to Mikki who works at the Shawano Public Library and had offered to do look-ups in their "Wisconsin Room" genealogy collection.  They also have OLD newspapers!! -- Mikki has helped many researchers over the years and is taking time for her family.  If you need items from the LIBRARY, please see the LIBRARIES page for more details on their holdings and fees.  Again, thanks Mikki for all your help over the years!
	Terri	I have a 1929 yearbook from Shawano High School.  I would be happy to look up info on graduates of that year.
	Nancy	Nancy is willing to be listed as a volunteer for lookups in the material she has at home, which include:  Shawnee year books for Shawano High School 1923, 1924, 1925 30th SHS Anniversary booklet for 1925 in 1955 75th Anniversary Festival of Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church (1880 - 1955) Cemetery Record of Immanuel Lutheran Church at White Clay Lake indexed in 1999 196_ Shawano County official farm plat book and directory. Not sure of the exact year.  Nancy adds: "I may take a while to get back to people, but I would be willing to help wherever I can."
	Tasha	Tasha is in the process of transcribing the cemetery records for Immanuel Lutheran Church, White Clay Lake.  In the meantime, she'll be happy to do look-ups.  She also has a Church book that has records of marriages (1874-1979), births and baptism's (1871 -1980), confirmations (1889-1980) and deaths (1877-1980).  She'd be happy to do look-ups on this info also.
	Terry	Terry has the FHL 1880 census, and can access 1900 & 1850 on one of his subscriptions, if anyone would like a lookup. Terry adds this note: "I would prefer no sweeping surname searches. Most of my reference material is Ohio & Pennsylvania related."
	Shawano FHC	FREE OBITUARIES Shawano Family History Center has indexed THOUSANDS of obituaries for Shawano County.  The FHC offers FREE assistance to any researchers, regardless of denomination.  Because they are a non-profit tax-exempt organization, they do not charge for research assistance.
	Pat	I have a subscription to Ancestry.com so if someone needs anything looked up (and saved) they can email me any time.
	Anne	Determined that the pricey ancestry.com fee doesn't go to waste and is used to the max!!! Willing to do look-ups in the 1895 and 1905 STATE CENSUS... 1895 just lists head of household but the 1905 lists the entire family by name... also, WWI Draft Registration cards, etc.  Email me with what you need checked out and I'll see what I can do!  And there is never a charge... 1895, 1905 State Censuses 1850 - 1930 Federal Censuses WWI Draft Registration Cards New York Passenger Lists and ??? else I can help with!