Fresno California East FamilySearch Center

Center Contacts and Hours
Location Map:


 * Google Maps

Address:


 * 1880 Gettysburg Ave Clovis CA 93611 United States


 * Language: English

Phone:


 * 1-559-291-2448

E-mail:


 * [mailto:CA_FresnoEast@ldsmail.net FresnoEast@ldsmail.net]

Center Director


 * Steve Mecham (559) 291-7363; [mailto:steve_phs@hotmail.com steve_phs@hotmail.com]

Open Hours:


 * Tuesday 10:00am-3:00pm and 6:30pm-9:00pm
 * Wednesday 10:00am-3:00pm and 6:30pm-9:00pm
 * Thursday 10:00am-3:00pm and 6:30pm-9:00pm

Holiday Schedule:


 * Closed November 24-27, 2015
 * December 15th through January 2nd, 2015

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Calendar and Events
Ward and Stake Family History Training: October 25, 2015, Sunday at 7 p.m. in the Stake Family History Center, please submit ideas to Steve Mecham at [mailto:steve_phs@hotmail.com steve_phs@hotmail.com]

Coming: Fresno East Stake Family Discovery Day- March 26, 2016, More details to follow:

The Family History Guide
What is "The Family History Guide"?

The Family History Guide is a new website that represents a best-in-class learning environment for family history. Its scope is broad, but its focus is narrow enough to help you achieve your goals, step by step. Whether you're brand new to family history or a seasoned researcher - or somewhere in between - The Family History Guide can be your difference maker.

Unique features you'll find on the site: 


 * Over 350 Goals for learning, supported by over 600 flexible Choices
 * Step-by-step instructions to make learning easier
 * Links to over 1,000 videos and articles from FamilySearch, Ancestry, and more
 * Quick-links to search records from multiple sources
 * Project Tracker sheets and Classroom materials for self-study or group instruction

Check out the website at: http://thefhguide.com/

RootsTech 2015 Video Archive

 * Keynote Session Addresses by Dennis Brimhall, Mike Mallin, Tan Le;: Link
 * 30 Pieces of Tech I Can't Live Without by D. Joshua Taylor: Link
 * You've Mastered the Census and Basic Search, What Next? by Karen Auman: Link
 * What's New at FamilySearch by Devin Ashby: Link
 * Getting Started in Genetic Genealogy by Diahan Southard: Link
 * Building a Genealogy Research Toolbox by Thomas MacNetee: Link
 * Bring Your Ancestor Back to the Future by Anne Leishman: Link
 * The Write Stuff. Leaving a Recorded Legacy: Personal Histories, Journals, Diaries, and Letters by Valerie Elkins: Link
 * Family History on the Go Using Phones and Tablet Apps byRhonna Farrer, Crystal Beutler: Link
 * Personal History Triage: How to Tell the Best Ten Stories of Your Life by Alison Taylor: Link
 * Finding Your Family On Newspapers.com by Peter Drinkwater: Link
 * Consultant Training: Using FamilySearch Partners by Craig Miller: Link
 * FamilySearch Family Tree 2014 and Beyond by Ron Tanner: Link
 * Getting the Most Out of Ancestry.com by Crista Cowan, Juliana Szucs: Link
 * Discover New Research Opportunities with the MyHeritage and FamilySearch Partnership by Mark Olsen: Link
 * Finding the Living Among the Dead: Using the Internet to Find Your Living Cousins by Amy Archibald: Link
 * From Machine-Checkable Proofs to Purple Prose: Levels of Rigor in Family History Software by Luther Tychonievich: Link
 * Reimagining the Family Tree by Harrison Tang: Link

Online Class Schedule
New On Line Family History Consultant Training:

This course consists of six different on line modules to be completed by the new consultant. The course menu includes:


 * 1) Understand Your Purpose: Find, Take, Teach (15 minutes in duration)
 * 2) Start your Family Tree (15 minutes in Duration)
 * 3) Grow Your family Tree (15 minutes in Duration)
 * 4) Find Your Cousins (15 minutes in duration)
 * 5) Turn the Hearts (15 minutes in duration)
 * 6) Teach others (30 minutes in duration) . All newly called Ward family history consultants should complete this on line training

Link: http://broadcast.lds.org/elearning/FHD/Local_Support/Consultant/NewTraining/Lesson/story.html

Family Search Learning Center:

Did you know that you can take courses on how to do family history research right here on FamilySearch.org? These courses are but one of our hidden gems.

Our new Learning Center makes it easier for you to find courses of interest to you. You can search by keywords and use filters. The Learning Center also highlights recommended and popular courses.

https://familysearch.org/learningcenter/home.html

Staff Training Meetings:
October 25, 2015 - Family History Consultant Training, 7 p.m. at the FHC library, 1880 Gettysburg, Clovis, CA

No meeting in November or December 2015.

Top 10 Things to Learn
Here are the Top 10 Things that family history consultants should learn. Website

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Collections

 * FamilySearch Catalog: This center has the ability to order any of the films and fiche available through the FamilySearch Catalog.

Databases and Software

 * FHC Portal This center has access to the Family History Center Portal page which gives free access in the center to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions.

Hardware and Equipment

 * Our Family History Center has 18 separate computer stations; one microfilm copier; two microfilm readers; one microfiche reader, and a copy/scanning machine.


 * Thanks to the efforts of Dennis McCauley and Bill Holden, we have one of the best family history centers in the Fresno Region. The Stake has recently increased the capacity of our internet bandwidth so our computers are able to connect much quicker to family history websites than in the past.
 * Thanks to the efforts of Dennis McCauley and Bill Holden, we have one of the best family history centers in the Fresno Region. The Stake has recently increased the capacity of our internet bandwidth so our computers are able to connect much quicker to family history websites than in the past.


 * Due to the large number of individual computer stations, our Center offers an excellent facility to bring groups of ten to fifteen individuals at a time for family history training. We would request that if your Priesthood Quorum, or mutual class, or other organization bring in a group for training purposes, that you call Brother Steve Mecham, the Family History Center Director, at 559-291-7363, so that we can schedule adequate staff to assist patrons on a one-to-one basis. For youth groups, we request that the youth have their LDS accounts set up before coming to the Family History Center so that time may be more fully devoted to helping them find names to take to the temple rather than setting up their accounts. Both LDS.org and familysearch.org use the same username and password, so only one account is needed.  Top of Page

Staff Research Specialists

 * Conrad and Karen Bitters, Stake Indexing Directors (559) 291-4847
 * Steve Mecham Family History Center Director, works Wednesday nights at FHC, (559) 291-7363
 * Elder David Grenier, FamilySearch Support Missionary, works Thursday night at FHC, (559) 297-1345; [mailto:grenida@pacbell.net grenida@pacbell.net]
 * Rebecca Shiner, Eastern Prussia, Great Britian Research (559) 346-1390
 * Bishop Dan Winiecke, Polish Russian Research, (559) 903-0605
 * Patrick Cummings, Leeds-Grenville County, Ontario, New York Research, (559) 346-1259
 * Leon Papin, French Canadian Research, (559) 346-9620
 * Jane Moffitt, Great Britain Research, works Tuesday mornings at FHC, (559) 412-4267
 * Bill Vaughn, Fresno East Stake FHC printing specialist, works Thursday nights at FHC, (559) 298-8345
 * Bill and Patty Vaughn, Fresno East Stake Family History Consultant Trainers, (559) 298-8345
 * Jana Last, Family History Blogger specialist, (559) 291-6375
 * Steve Mecham, Ancestry.com Research, works Wednesday evenings at FHC, (559) 291-7363

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Resources in the Local Area
American Historical Society of Germans From Russia:

Their purpose is purely historical by doing genealogical research of our German from Russia forefathers, as well as reuniting with living relatives, recording and preserving historical facts.

Genealogy Research Library and Museum

Library Hours: Tuesday to Friday 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m., Closed Saturday to Monday

Tours and/or Personal Research by appointment

Central California Chapter, 3233 N. West Ave, Fresno, CA 93705-3402

Phone: (559) 229-8287 Email: [mailto:info@ahsgrfc-centralcal.org info@ahsgrfc-centralcal.org]

American Historical Society of Germans From Russia

The Heritage Center ~San Joaquin Valley Heritage and Genealogical Center~Central Branch- 2420 Mariposa St., Fresno, CA. (559) 600-6230; Link

Hours:

Monday-Thursday 10:00 am to 7:00 pm

Friday, Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Sunday 12 noon to 5:00 pm

Resources:


 * California vital record indexes, censuses Great Registers


 * City Directories and Telephone Books for Fresno More


 * Obituary File


 * Yearbooks from local area schools and colleges


 * Online resources including ancestry library edition


 * Newspapers: local and California dating back to the 1850s


 * Maps: Fresno, San Joaquin Valley and parts of California


 * Postcard and Photograph collection


 * William Saroyan Collection


 * Oral Histories

For a more complete list of Resources, go to: Link

Daughters of Utah Pioneers:

C.L. Fancher Camp meets in Clovis on the third Thursday at noon.

Lydia McCauley Camp meets in Fresno on the 2nd Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

Camp Sugar Pine meets in Oakhurst on the 2nd Monday at noon.

For more information, contact Sonja Kland, (559) 224-5236

International Society of Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 300 N. Main, Salt Lake City, UT 84103-1699

Link

 Fresno County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1429, Fresno, CA 93716-1429; (559) -600-6230

FCGS meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month in Feb-July, Sept and Nov. at 6:30 p.m. in the Woodward Park Library located at 944 E. Perrin (at Champlain).

Meetings feature speakers on a variety of topics of genealogical and historical interest.

Save the Date! October 17, 2015; Lisa Louise Cook, host of the Genealogy Gems podcast, author, blogger, and national speaker, Lisa has spoken for the Southern California Genealogy Society's Jamboree, RootsTech, Who Do You Think You Are? We are pleased to bring Lisa to the valley. Look for more information on our website,

Our website: Link

''' Want to make a donation to the Church History Library? '''Contact Church History Library Donations;

Acquisitions hotline 1-801-240-5696. Will accept journals, manuscripts, books, letters, museum items with historical value with LDS content. E-mail inquiries to: [mailto:churchhistoryacquistions@ldschurch.org churchhistoryacquistions@ldschurch.org]

 BLOG CENTER = FAMILYSEARCH BLOG CENTER

How to Exchange Details Between Ancestry and Family Tree https://familysearch.org/blog/en/exchange-details-ancestry-family-tree-2/

What's New at FamilySearch.org? https://familysearch.org/blog/en/whats-new-at-familysearch/

Family Search Blog https://familysearch.org/blog/en/

New Feature: Search Genealogy Records on the Web’s Largest Sites https://familysearch.org/blog/en/searchgenealogyrecords/

What’s New on FamilySearch—October, 2015 https://familysearch.org/blog/en/whats-familysearchoctober-2015-2/ Past Persecution Make Irish Information Difficult to Discover https://familysearch.org/blog/en/past-persecution-make-irish-information-difficult-to-discover/

Advancement in Technology Aid Genealogists https://familysearch.org/blog/en/advancements-technology-aid-genealogists/

Using the Family HIstory Guide https://familysearch.org/blog/en/family-history-guide/

New Features: Search Genealogy Records on the Web's Largest Sites

On the Person Page of each of your ancestors in FamilySearch Family Tree there are now three additional genealogy sites you can access for a genealogy records search.

In addition to FamilySearch (naturally) you will find logos for three of the largest family history websites, Ancestry.com, FindMyPast.com, and MyHeritage.com. A simple click on any of the logos takes you to that site and initiates a global search of that site’s records. When you arrive at the site, you are already looking at the results of your search. Search results are based on whatever information you have for that person in FamilySearch Family Tree, so names, birth date, spouse name, etc. It is a simple and efficient way to search vast databases of genealogically relevant information with a single click.

Go to FamilySearch Family Tree and try it out on our own person page. From there you can jump around to ancestors and try searching genealogy records on the other sites to see what you can find. This is bound to speed up your research, and you just might discover records you have never seen before.

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FamilySearch Partner Websites
LDS Church Members - Create your personal accounts with Ancestry.com, FindMyPast.com, MyHeritage.com, and AmericanAncestors.com for FREE. Go to Familysearch Partner Access to get your free LDS accounts. For more information on how to use your free accounts, go to the FamilySearch Help Center.

books.familysearch.org  Discover unknown ancestors in a collection of over 20,000 digitized family and local history publications from around the world. Preserve your printed family history for generations and share it without making paper copies. When you use scan-on-demand, you keep the original and FamilySearch makes a high-quality digital copy and preserves it no matter how technology changes. Questions? send an e-mail to [mailto:books@familysearch.org books@familysearch.org]

Download free e-book "48 Ancestry.com Research Tips" from Family Tree University at: http://ftu.familytreemagazine.com/free-ancestry-search-tips/

BYU Relative Finder
BYU Relative Finder is a place where you can see how you are related to the world. Discover connections between you, presidents, prophets, famous people, and your families. Go to Roots-fb.cs.byu.edu to see who you're related to.


 * To find Relatives in Fresno East Stake, join Fresno East Stake Group, password is fowler
 * To find relatives in Fresno Stake, join Fresno Stake Group, password is Cedar
 * To find relatives in Fresno North Stake, join Fresno North Stake Group, password is 1234
 * To find relatives in Fresno West Stake, join Fresno West Stake Group, password is sierra

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
A little known program of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides genealogy information that may be difficult or impossible to obtain elsewhere. The records include naturalization files, visa applications, and citizenship tests, and may reveal family secrets and mysteries. In addition to relatives, historians or researchers can also request files.

Under the USCIS Genealogy Progam, which started in 2008, requests are usually completed within 30 days. The government will run a search of the name, as long as the person is deceased. If there are records available, the government charges additional fees for the files. The fee for a record copy from microfilm identified as (M) is $20 per request. The fee for a copy of a hard copy file identified as (HC) is $35 per request. More information about the fees associated with each file series may be found at USCIS Government History Genealogy Records.

The documents typically include immigration information, often (but not always) including exact hometowns in their ancestors native countries. The files often have information on brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles. Many times it is useful to obtain the records of your uncles, aunts, and cousins who also immigrated from "the old country."

If the immigrant applied for American citizenship, the details are also included in these files. For anyone of Japanese, German, or Italian origin who lived in the United States during World War II, the documents often include FBI reports about the person's activities, including friends, family, and political activities.

For more information about the program, check out USCIS Government Genealogy.

"5 Minute Genealogy" Video Series
Episode  1: Quick Start 

Episode  2: The Research Process

Episode  3: Record What You Know

Episode  4: Learn from Family

Episode  5: Choose an Ancestor and Question  

Episode  6: Locate Where Your Ancestor Lived

Episode  7: Records, an Introduction

Episode  8: Find a Record

Episode  9: Using Indexes to Find a Record

Episode 10: Using Name Variations to Find a Record

Episode 11: Find Help from Others Online

Episode 12: Write It Down

Episode 13: Organize Your Records

Episode 14: Understand how records are created

Episode 15: Share with Others

Episode 16: Completing Your Research

Episode 17: Get Help In-Person

Episode 18: Get Help from Others Researching the Same Name

Episode 19: I Want to Interview a Living Relative 

Episode 20: I Want to Learn More About Sourcing

Episode 21: Indexing, I want to help

Making Family History Fun for Children
Family History Fun - Friend, February 2011

Extra, Extra! - Friend, March 2012

FamilySearch Sleuth - Friend, July 2013

Grandma's Trunk - Friend, May 2006

My Family Tree - Friend, October 2009

Seek and Find - Friend, March 1982

Sharing Time: "The Heart of the Children" - Liahona, August 2002

Build Your Family Tree now! - Family Tree Kids Magazine

Miscellaneous Links
Tour the Boards: Finding Clues in Genealogy Forums &amp; Message Boards http://genealogy.about.com/od/help/a/message_boards.htm

The National Archives: Resources for Genealogists: http://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/

FamilySearch Blog: How to Submit Temple names through Ancestry.com https://familysearch.org/blog/en/submit-names-temple-ancestrycom/

New Audio File Feature Helps You Teach Others About Their Ancestors FamilySearch Memories: Audio Files

Need some help getting your members engaged in Family History? This webinar series explores new tools and techniques for motivating members with Family History and temple work. Consultant Webinar Series

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Family History Center Volunteers
Ward and Stake Family History Positions

Academy Ward
Family History Consultant Bill Holden, (559) 593-0441, [mailto:bholden1958@gmail.com bholden1958@gmail.com]

Indexing Specialist Marilyn Averall, [mailto:momavarell@msn.com momavarell@msn.com]

Cedarwood Ward
Family History Consultants Susan Brown, (559) 476-9632, [mailto:brown9687@sbcglobal.net brown9687@sbcglobal.net] Mary Luke, (559) 240-7706, [mailto:maryluke1@gmail.com maryluke1@gmail.com] Ben Hutchason, (559) 408-4512, [mailto:Chutch49@hotmail.com Chutch49@hotmail.com] Diane Humann, (559) 298-0421

Indexing Niki Robinson, Indexing Director, (562) 212-8148 Wendy Freeman, (559) 892-7890 Susan Rozier, (559) 408-6161, [mailto:susanblackutah@yahoo.com susanblackutah@yahoo.com][mailto:susanblackutah@yahoo.com]

Clovis Ward
Family History Consultants Kathy Nankervis, (559) 230-9740, [mailto:marypopgranny@gmail.com marypopgranny@gmail.com] Julie Beirne, (530) 300-6604 David Brown, (559) 475-2420, [mailto:dbrown997@gmail.com dbrown997@gmail.com] Megan Carlson, (559) 940-2091 David Grenier, (559) 297-1345, [mailto:grenida@pacbell.net grenida@pacbell.net] Kristie Malan, (559) 322-1640, [mailto:ksaltair@hotmail.com ksaltair@hotmail.com] Brittany Ryan, (559) 472-8623, [mailto:brittanyryan1@gmail.com brittanyryan1@gmail.com] Lorraine Walker, (559) 904-6254, [mailto:walkerrunners@att.net walkerrunners@att.net]

Indexing Specialist David Grenier, (559) 297-1345, [mailto:grenida@pacbell.net grenida@pacbell.net]

Dakota Ward
Family History Consultant Doug Salin, (559) 314-5430, [mailto:DMS44@hotmail.com DMS44@hotmail.com]

Indexing Specialists Theron and Ingrid Toler, (559) 294-7682, [mailto:ingrid.toler@gmail.com ingrid.toler@gmail.com]

Kings Canyon Ward
Family History Consultants Lisa Gifford, (559) 252-4866 Teela Hamilton, (559) 840-8809 Katie Haroldson, (559) 577-7470, [mailto:katie@haroldsen.me katie@haroldsen.me ]Bonnie Harris, (559) 960-9061, [mailto:bonnielou1946@att.net bonnielou1946@att.net] Tamara Lainez, (559) 400-5718, [mailto:ricardolainez@me.com ricardolainez@me.com] Bounthay Linthalath, (559) 652-6138, [mailto:bounlint@gmail.com bounlint@gmail.com] Michael Ohler, (559) 273-7341, [mailto:mickail777@gmail.com mickail777@gmail.com] Joseph Wirth, (559) 455-9267, [mailto:chearnwirth@att.net chearnwirth@att.net]

Youth Familly History Consultants Andrew Henry, (559) 449-3486 Porter Mounsevath, [mailto:mounesavath@hotmail.com mounesavath@hotmail.com]

Indexing Rachelle Hardy, Indexing Director, (559) 281-7947, [mailto:rachellehardy@guarantee.com rachellehardy@guarantee.com] Arturo and Virginia Cuevas, (559) 326-9004, [mailto:jeng_pc@yahoo.com jeng_pc@yahoo.com]

McKinley Ward
Family History Consultants Jana Last, (559) 260-2592, [mailto:jmlast@comcast.net jmlast@comcast.net] Dennis McCauley, (559) 294-1029, [mailto:drmmccauley@sbcglobal.net drmmccauley@sbcglobal.net] Davud Viau, (559) 454-0684, [mailto:mountainvue@gmail.com mountainvue@gmail.com] Melanie Keasler, (559) 251-4405 JoNell Dustin 559-312-7146

Indexing David Viau, Indexing Director, (559) 454-0684, [mailto:mountainvue@gmail.com mountainvue@gmail.com] Dwayne Jakel, (559) 967-9340, [mailto:dwaynejakel33@gmail.com dwaynejakel33@gmail.com] Paul Fletcher, (559) 252-9465 Olivia Gonzalez, (559) 709-7790 

Redbank Ward
Family History Consultants'' Kimberly Price, (559) 761-1224, [mailto:kimprice16@gmail.com kimprice16@gmail.com] Jack Runyan, (818) 632-1040, [mailto:runyantaxservice@yahoo.com runyantaxservice@yahoo.com] Kimberly Calaway. (559) 323-8585, [mailto:calawayclan@yahoo.com calawayclan@yahoo.com]''

Indexing Dane Jensen, Director, (559) 940-9621 Britneylee Jensen, (559) 940-9619, [mailto:reynoldsbritneylee@gmail.com reynoldsbritneylee@gmail.com]

Sanger Ward
Family History Center Directors Ken and Sherry Reed, (559) 875-5025, [mailto:kendreed@gmail.com kendreed@gmail.com]

Family History Consultants Sandra Gorham, (559)-978-9170 Fred Heizman, (559) 394-7654 Linda Lowney, (760) 265-4979 Norma Chavez, (559) 320-6431, [mailto:chaveznorma@att.net chaveznorma@att.net]

Indexing

Sierra Vista Ward
Family History Consultants Conrad and Karen Bitters, (559) 974-1510, [mailto:clbitters5@att.net clbitters5@att.net] David Hatch, (559) 313-9148, [mailto:davidghatch@comcast.net davidghatch@comcast.net ]Susan Koch, (559) 593-9827 Mary Moore, (559) 779-0546, [mailto:marym62@yahoo.com marym62@yahoo.com]

Youth Consultants Jeremy Huey, (559) 301-4612, [mailto:scumdragon@gmail.com scumdragon@gmail.com] Nathan Tanner, (559) 291-0304 McKenzie Shepard, (559) 477-7220

Indexing Claudia Call, Director, (559) 908-0692, [mailto:claudyacall@gmail.com claudyacall@gmail.com]

Lois Booth, 559-240-7782; loisbth3@gmail.com

Ventura Ward
Family History Consultants Carmen Zarco, Leader, (559) 618-2568, [mailto:mczarco@yahoo.com mczarco@yahoo.com] Arcela Aguilar, (559) 251-3167

Indexing 

Community Family History Consultants
Carolee Hansen, (559) 301-5585, [mailto:khansen784@aol.com khansen784@aol.com] Jan Gerdts, (559) 875-3409, [mailto:j.gerdtsiq24@gmail.com j.gerdtsiq24@gmail.com]

Stake Family History Center Callings
Director Steve Mecham, (559) 291-7363, [mailto:steve_phs@hotmail.com steve_phs@hotmail.com]

Assistant Directors Louise Marie Baird, (559) 454-8657, [mailto:louisebaird@ymail.com louisebaird@ymail.com] William Arthur Baird, (559) 454-8657 Linda Jaeckel, (559) 999-6514 Sig Jaeckel, (559) 960-8887 Karen Mecham, (559) 284-1185, [mailto:kmech8@hotmail.com kmech8@hotmail.com] Sherry Reed, (559) 875-5025 Don Shroyer, (559) 647-3717, [mailto:docdonsh@aol.com docdonsh@aol.com] Nancy Shroyer, (559) 313-8899, [mailto:nanjeanmc@aol.com nanjeanmc@aol.com] Bill Vaughn, (559) 298-8345, [mailto:bill.pvasolutions@icloud.com bill.pvasolutions@icloud.com]' Patty Vaughn, (559) 297-7000, [mailto:patty.pvasolutions@icloud.com patty.pvasolutions@icloud.com] 

Family History Consultant Trainers Bill Vaughn, (559) 298-8345, [mailto:bill.pvasolutions@icloud.com bill.pvasolutions@icloud.com] Patty Vaughn, (559) 297-7000, [mailto:patty.pvasolutions@icloud.com patty.pvasolutions@icloud.com]

Stake Indexing Directors

Con Bitters, (559)974-1510, clbitters5@att.net

Karen Bitters, (559) 291-4847

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