As the 2000 census gets underway tomorrow I can't help but think back to the thousands of dedicated hard-working enumerators who have braved a lot of elements, hardships, time away from their families, and personal expense to give us the records that we have. We, as genealogists, value the information we can glean from those worn, hand-written documents...those precious pieces of paper that give us a glimpse in the lives of those who have gone before us...of those who through courage, fortitude, patience, and love brought up families to be proud of who they are and from whom they descend. I treasure the little pieces of my family history puzzle that they have provided. Past enumerators have given me information that makes me proud to descend from BREEDLOVEs, CHURCHWELLs, DOWNSes, McFARLANDs, HULSEYs, JOHNSONs, and a host of other families. I look forward to being enumerated in the year 2000 and hope that in the years down the road that my descendants will be proud to find a little bit of me in this document. These thoughts were prompted from the festive evening I just spent at the Frank A. Degnan High School gym in Unalakleet, Alaska. If you have been reading about the census in the paper, you know that the census count starts tomorrow here in Unalakleet. Tonight we had the community kick-off. There were speeches, Eskimo dancing, and a potluck dinner for the community which will be the first in the nation to be counted in the 2000 census. We honored our elders, our veterans, and welcomed Alaska's Lt. Governor. Dignitaries from D.C. and other places were here. Tomorrow one of our elders, Stanton Katchatag, will be the first in the nation to be counted. During the next three days the rest of us will have our turn. Monday in many papers across the nation there was a picture of one of our elders ice fishing along with an article. Emma Ivanoff is my neighbor. I take exception to a few things which were written, but for the most part it was a good article. Tomorrow or Friday Stanton's picture will be in the paper and maybe on television. As you view these things, think of one of your "cousins" way up here, and with me thank and honor the enumerators for the work that they do and the piece of history they record. Virginia Breedlove Degnan