Thanks to everyone for their Congratulations to Nolan County. It is truly a great county to work, with so many submitting information showing so much interest in the preservation of our ancestor's histories.... My Congratulations to the Honorable mention Counties - Childress, Kerr, Red River, Refugio and Rusk. It is such a hard choice to the Surfing Committee because Texas has so many great sites. My thanks to the Surfing Committee for their time and efforts to make this honor possible. Billie Nichols Bennett Nolan Co., TX

Happy 4th everyone! Try to stay cool and safe while having fun. We have several fairly new CCs that may not be aware of how the COM (County of the Month <http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/surfing/Winners/index.htm>) award works. So I thought maybe COM 101 would help them understand. TXGenWeb has a Surfing Committee <http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/surfing/Committee/index.htm>. Texas is divided into 11 regions, and the surfers are each assigned a region to surf. A region consists of anywhere from 20 to 27 counties each. Each month a surfer will look at and "evaluate" each of the counties in their assigned region. The evaluation process consists of a form that each surfer uses as a guide <http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/surfing/Criteria/surfingform.htm>. Each county is checked to be sure it meets all the National <http://usgenweb.org/volunteers/standard-rules.shtml> & State level <http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/rules.htm> requirements. Once it is determined that it meets all of the requirements, it is surfed to see what else the county offers, if the links are current and working, has the site been updated recently, etc. (See form <http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/surfing/Criteria/surfingform.htm> for actual items looked for) Once the evaluation process has been completed for each county in that region, the surfer will then add up the points assigned to each county and "nominate" the county for COM that has the highest points. Once each surfer has nominated one county from their assigned region, it goes to a finalization committee. The finalization committee then surfs each of the 11 counties nominated and the patron nomination and a COM is chosen. Some months we have a patron nomination that is included in the final evaluation. When patrons send in nominations, the patron nominations form a 12th region and the counties are surfed just as those in the other 11 regions are surfed. The highest scoring county becomes the Patron Nomination and is sent to the finalization committee. If you would like for your county to be eligible, be sure to check out the evaluation form and then check your county site as if you were the surfer. You might be surprised at the things you find. I work my counties pretty hard, and I still get notes from surfers on problems they found. It is so easy to not see a problem when you look at the page so often! I always appreciate the surfer giving me a heads up on any problems. I would rather hear about the problem from the surfer than a patron complaining about it. LOL If you have any questions on what you need to do to help your county be eligible for COM, contact your surfer and let them know you are willing to make any necessary changes/additions. Once your surfer knows you are willing to work on the county, they will be happy to help you. If you are awarded the COM, your county is then not eligible for another COM award for 6 months. If a county wins the COM a total of 3 times, they are then inducted into the Hall Of Fame <http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/surfing/HOF/index.htm> and are no longer eligible to be a COM again. (Once a county changes to a new CC, the county is once again eligible for COM, and all old awards must be moved from the main index page to an inside page. The new CC must win the award to display it on the main page.) At the end of the year, we have a total of 12 COM counties. We have a committee that will evaluate the 12 COM counties and the Hall of Fame counties and choose one county from those that will receive the COY (County Of The Year <http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/surfing/COY/index.htm>). Once a county has received COY it is no longer eligible for any other awards. Clear as mud now? Elaine

Billie, Congratulations on the County of the Month and the Hall of Fame awards. Well deserved! You and Nolan County are very deserving of both awards. All the counties you do are outstanding! Congrats also go to the Honorable Mention counties and their CC's. Good Job!!...Betty Phillips

If you are a fairly new CC, you may not have found our Bulletin Board yet. If you would like to see what is currently happening within TXGenWeb, mosey over to the Bulletin Board and look around. http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/BulletinBoard.htm You might also like to join us in chat on Tuesday nights at 8 PM CST. There is no special program to download, you just need to have good working Java Script. The topics vary from grandkids, recipes, genealogy, various programs, and just plain chit chat. http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/chat/chat.html We also have a mentor program available, along with lots of helpful CC's on this list. http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/volunteers.htm You can find your needed logos, as well as a few graphics, here: http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/images/index.htm Your CC resources can be helpful and are available here: http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/resource.htm Don't forget our server cost fund. Without your contributions, we would not be able to operate on an independent basis. We have several ways you can donate, and as little as $10 will go a long way toward helping. http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/Donations.htm You might like to check out our headstone emblems page. http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/Emblems/index.htm Don't forget this is roll call month. So before the month is over, drop a line to Shirley, Jane, and/or Elaine and let us know you are still here and wanting to remain a member of the TXGenWeb family. We value your participation and would hate to see you get dropped from the rolls. Have a wonderful & safe 4th of July everyone! Elaine

Congratulations on the COM and the Hall of Fame awards, Billie. Nolan County is very deserving of both.   Hats off to the Honorable Mention counties and their CC's as well.   Shirley   --- On Wed, 7/1/09, Deb <ontheroadagain_52389@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Deb <ontheroadagain_52389@yahoo.com> Subject: [TXGEN] Congrats on C.O.M. To: txgen@rootsweb.com Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 3:27 PM Congrats to you Billie on the COM Award ... love the pg design! ~DEB~ Llano & Loving counties ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Congratulations to Billie and to all the honorable mentions. Good job!! Terri Buster PS- Happy 4th of July to everyone!!

Billie is SO good and it's SO readable! Super congrats to Billie! You make wonderful sites!!! And thanks so much for Surfin' Committee for the honorable mention for Childress. We all appreciate it!!! Thanks, Vicki Peggy wrote: > Hello, Everyone, > > The Surfin' Committee is pleased to announce Nolan County as the June > County of the Month. Congratulations to the county coordinator, Billie > Nichols Bennett! With this being her third win, Nolan County is now in > the TXGenWeb Hall of Fame. Congratulations on that honor also. > > Some of the items of interest on the Nolan site are "The First 100 > Years", Passport Applications, Novelette Kone Cook - One Woman Shares > Her Blessings, Entertainment, and Photos. You may visit with Billie and > the friendly folks of Nolan County here: > http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txnolan/ . > > Honorable Mention counties are Childress, Kerr, Red River, Refugio, and > Rusk. A big round of applause for those CC's as well. > > Wishing all of you a safe 4th of July, > > Peggy T. > Surfin' Committee Chair > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXGW-NEWS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >

Way to go Billie! Nolan County looks great! I was asked not long ago why all Texans think Texas is go great. They did not see where it was any better than any other state. My answer was to live here awhile and they would no longer be asking that question. Billie, Nolan County, and the honorable mention CCs and counties are a part of that answer! Elaine Peggy wrote: > Hello, Everyone, > > The Surfin' Committee is pleased to announce Nolan County as the June > County of the Month. Congratulations to the county coordinator, Billie > Nichols Bennett! With this being her third win, Nolan County is now in > the TXGenWeb Hall of Fame. Congratulations on that honor also. > > Some of the items of interest on the Nolan site are "The First 100 > Years", Passport Applications, Novelette Kone Cook - One Woman Shares > Her Blessings, Entertainment, and Photos. You may visit with Billie and > the friendly folks of Nolan County here: > http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txnolan/ . > > Honorable Mention counties are Childress, Kerr, Red River, Refugio, and > Rusk. A big round of applause for those CC's as well. > > Wishing all of you a safe 4th of July, > > Peggy T. > Surfin' Committee Chair > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXGW-NEWS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

Congratulations to you Billie and all the honorable mentions.   THANK YOU to all who have sent me well wishes during my ordeal.  Sure did help...hope I don't have to repay anyone....Still a ways to go but good being up and about a little more now.   Jane Keppler "It's  not what you gather,  but  what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived". 

Congrats to you Billie on the COM Award ... love the pg design! ~DEB~ Llano & Loving counties

Several CC's did make it to Chat so I wasn't alone all evening. <g>   Shirley --- On Tue, 6/30/09, Gayle Triller <gaylelt@comcast.net> wrote: From: Gayle Triller <gaylelt@comcast.net> Subject: Re: [TXGEN] Chat Night To: txgen@rootsweb.com Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 10:39 PM Oops my reminder went into the junk mail so I went outside and worked in the yard. Gayle -----Original Message----- From: txgen-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:txgen-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Shirley Cullum Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 6:04 PM To: txgen@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [TXGEN] Chat Night I am in the Chat room but no one else is. Is everyone gone but me?   Shirley --- On Tue, 6/30/09, Cynthia Samples <samples@1starnet.com> wrote: From: Cynthia Samples <samples@1starnet.com> Subject: [TXGEN] Chat Night To: TXGEN-L@rootsweb.com Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 7:12 PM Don't forget TXGenWeb chat session at 8pm this evening. http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/chat/chat.html Cynthia ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Oops my reminder went into the junk mail so I went outside and worked in the yard. Gayle -----Original Message----- From: txgen-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:txgen-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Shirley Cullum Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 6:04 PM To: txgen@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [TXGEN] Chat Night I am in the Chat room but no one else is. Is everyone gone but me?   Shirley --- On Tue, 6/30/09, Cynthia Samples <samples@1starnet.com> wrote: From: Cynthia Samples <samples@1starnet.com> Subject: [TXGEN] Chat Night To: TXGEN-L@rootsweb.com Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 7:12 PM Don't forget TXGenWeb chat session at 8pm this evening. http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/chat/chat.html Cynthia ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Don't forget TXGenWeb chat session at 8pm this evening. http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/chat/chat.html Cynthia

I am in the Chat room but no one else is. Is everyone gone but me?   Shirley --- On Tue, 6/30/09, Cynthia Samples <samples@1starnet.com> wrote: From: Cynthia Samples <samples@1starnet.com> Subject: [TXGEN] Chat Night To: TXGEN-L@rootsweb.com Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 7:12 PM Don't forget TXGenWeb chat session at 8pm this evening. http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/chat/chat.html Cynthia ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

This is your friendly reminder that it's Tuesday and we have chat at 8pm. http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/chat/chat.html Everyone is invited to join us. Isn't air conditioning wonderful? Cynthia

Dear Jane, I have been so busy with school and the kids this weekend that I have not paid attention to my email's this weekend.  This is the first one I am reading about you being in the hospital.  I so hope that you are doing well and the nurses and doctors are taking good care of you.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you during your recovery... XOXOXO   Robin R Inge "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away"     ________________________________ From: Elaine Martin <mcstumped@suddenlink.net> To: txgen <txgen@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 5:43:02 PM Subject: [TXGEN] Update on Jane Keppler I think our emails  have meant alot to Jane.  Thanks all!    Elaine -------- Original Message -------- Subject:     Jane's Update #2 Date:     Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:30:51 -0700 (PDT) From:     relppek@sbcglobal.net Reply-To:     relppek@sbcglobal.net To:     relppek@sbcglobal.net Hi everyone! Let me first say a big "THANK YOU" for all the warm wishes and prayers Jane received after my first email.  As I would read each email to Jane, I could tell it uplifted her spirits.  Please continue to pray as nothing can supplant its effectiveness. Thursday and Friday were both rough days but yesterday and especially today was and have been a much easier go of it, though I must say, taking those initial steps after surgery is always painful.  Jane managed (with much prodding) to walk three times every day, each time being longer and farther than the last...a very good thing. She is still being administered copious amounts of antibiotics and some pain medication but all seems to be progressing as planned as there is no sign of infection thus far with the exception of her urinary track infection which was there from the start.  Jane had nothing to eat until Friday (soup) as a precaution to more surgery but today has eaten a little more though not much more. It looks like at least Monday before the doctor will entertain the idea of going home.  Again, thanks for all the email, phone calls and prayers as they have really meant a lot to Jane.  I will keep you posted. Blessings, Mike /"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived"//./ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I think our emails have meant alot to Jane. Thanks all! Elaine -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Jane's Update #2 Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:30:51 -0700 (PDT) From: relppek@sbcglobal.net Reply-To: relppek@sbcglobal.net To: relppek@sbcglobal.net Hi everyone! Let me first say a big "THANK YOU" for all the warm wishes and prayers Jane received after my first email. As I would read each email to Jane, I could tell it uplifted her spirits. Please continue to pray as nothing can supplant its effectiveness. Thursday and Friday were both rough days but yesterday and especially today was and have been a much easier go of it, though I must say, taking those initial steps after surgery is always painful. Jane managed (with much prodding) to walk three times every day, each time being longer and farther than the last...a very good thing. She is still being administered copious amounts of antibiotics and some pain medication but all seems to be progressing as planned as there is no sign of infection thus far with the exception of her urinary track infection which was there from the start. Jane had nothing to eat until Friday (soup) as a precaution to more surgery but today has eaten a little more though not much more. It looks like at least Monday before the doctor will entertain the idea of going home. Again, thanks for all the email, phone calls and prayers as they have really meant a lot to Jane. I will keep you posted. Blessings, Mike /"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived"//./

I think we have welcomed several new members since I last posed the link to my "Freebie" page. http://txgenes.com/FreePrograms/ You will find links to lots of free programs that you may find useful in your websites, and just in general. There is also a small collection of links to helpful websites. And I decided to add a link to one of my personal pages on the "Freebie" page. If you like poetry and enjoy any of the things I wrote, please drop me a line and let me know. Enjoy! Elaine

Please see below email that Jane's husband Mike sent us. If you would like to send Jane a get well soon email, please send to relppek@sbcglobal.net Elaine -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Update on Jane Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:09:34 -0700 (PDT) From: relppek@sbcglobal.net Reply-To: relppek@sbcglobal.net To all our friends and family, Jane's appendix ruptured sometime around midnight Tuesday night. The pain was excruciating. We spent about seven hours in the ER before a diagnosis could be made and another three hours before Jane was wheeled into the OR. Surgery lasted about an hour and a half and was successful. Praise God! However, since the appendix had indeed ruptured, there is a very good chance of infection. As a result, Jane will have to be in the hospital for an extended stay. She is in room 1130 at the Kingwood Medical Center, 22999 Highway 59 North, Kingwood, TX 77339. Jane is currently under sedation and is being administered some very potent antibiotics to help stem off any infection. We are in prayer and are hopeful of a satisfactory outcome and speedy recovery. She is up to limited phone calls if you would like to call her, but please keep it brief or you may email as there is internet service provided by the hospital. I will check periodically and read all messages to my lovely wife. I will try and post another update tomorrow and know that all prayers are appreciated. Peace and All Goodness, Mike /"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what //kind of life// you have lived"//./ -- Quarantined! Genealogy Fever Incurable!

I haven't seen a notice come through to the list, so in case it got "lost" in cyber space, here is the chat reminder. Chat tonight 8 PM CST http://www.txgenweb.org/tx/chat/chat.html -- Quarantined! Genealogy Fever Incurable!