Greetings fellow CCs, As our Tennessee Project enters its third year, it seems apparent that the project has grown enough that a small amount organization might be in order. As individuals, we may say we are here to honor our ancestors or because we love genealogy or because we have an obsession with HTML, but whatever the reason, our product is online genealogical information which we contribute freely to the general public. Our state project is a good project, it is getting better and better all the time. The dedicated efforts of, you, the CC Volunteers built this project and it is the efforts of you CC Volunteers that keep this project healthy and growing. Any organizational effort needs to respect both the product and those who give of themselves to create that product. In as much as the CCs donate their time in a totally volunteer nonprofit environment with absolutely no financial gain for themselves, any proposed organization structure must support and protect the freedoms that rightful belong to those CCs. A velvet glove approach is indicated, not that of an iron fist. Organization must not create a situation where the "Page Police" are looking down our necks. But the project does need some organization to protect the work we do and we need a "legal" organization to which we can "will" our work when we leave the project. Bridgett, Nancy and I have been working on a Charter that can be submitted to the Tennessee Department of State. It is a Charter for a nonprofit corporation. We would not be the first StateGenWeb to incorporate. KansasGenWeb has recently incorporated as a nonprofit. After the basic Charter is approved, we (all CCs), would have the opportunity to contribute to a fair and equitable set of Bylaws. Next, the Bylaws would need to be approved by a majority of the CCs. We would then be governed by the rules WE create, rather than being subject to outside intervention. Please note, there is nothing in this act of our incorporation that would change our relationship with USGenWeb Project. As long as the USGenWeb Project met OUR standards of free online nonprofit genealogy, there would probably never be a need for change. Before submitting the Charter, we need to hear from you. Please post your reply to this list so we all can share. We need to remain a team, and keep our three stars shining above the rest. Fred Smoot, a State Rights Westerner