MEETING OPENED: 6:30 pm – President Ed Patton presiding.

REPORTS:
A. Minutes of last meeting – not available
B. Treasurer's Report:
C. Membership
Anyone wishing to place articles and/or queries in the next issue of the Times needs to submit the information prior Sept15th
Individual genealogy reports are wanted for inclusion in the binder located in the library. Information may be submitted in any convenient format. The possibility of converting these data to CDs is now available as the result of the newly purchased computer.
All members are asked to notify John Blest or Donna Shine whenever they have a change of address and/or email address
. Reminder: Any donation to BIGS that you, your family or your company makes is tax deductible.

OLD BUSINESS:
A. Events:
- Buffalo Irish Festival, scheduled for August 25th through the 27th will be held at the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg. Volunteers are needed. Please contact Donna Shine to schedule a time.
- Gathering of the Clans for 2007 will take place on Saturday, January 20th. Two suggested themes are under consideration –
1.) Research displays specific to each county in Ireland
2.) The History of Irish Dance
A decision and plan will be made at the October meeting.
- St. Patrick’s Day Parades: 2007 will be the tenth anniversary of BIGS. This calls for something special at the parades. A float is being considered. Contact Joan Scahill with suggestions.
B. Projects:
- Surname lists have been distributed.
- The Holy Cross indexing project is on-going.
- A new project has been proposed by Ed Patton. He is in possession of two books containing many names of early Irish residents. They are the minute book of the Sons of Erin from its formation in 1837 through 1844, and the contractors day book for the construction of St. Joseph’s Cathedral in 1850. The latter book contains monies paid to laborers as well as their names. Ed is suggesting that an index of these names would be a useful resource for genealogical researchers.
C. Purchases: 22 new items have been acquired for the library.
D. Library hours: 1st and 2nd Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
3rd Tuesday from 6:00 to 9:00 pm

NEW BUSINESS:
Diane M. Blaser, President of the WNY Genealogical Society presented that group’s schedule of upcoming events:
2006
September 16 - The Das House in Bergholz by Fern Suckow
November 18 - Sid Emmons, Lyndon Town Historian, Cattaraugus
County
2007
March 17 - Dr. Marian Henry on Organizing Family Research
May 19 - Suzanne Kulp, Orchard Park Historian on the Early Quakers of Orchard Park.
WNYGS meetings take place at 10:30 am. At 1:00 pm the Society holds an open session where members share information. Meetings are held at the Hamburg Senior High School on Legion Drive.

MEETING ADJOURNED: 6:37 pm

FEATURED TOPIC: Cynthia vanNess and Thomas Morrisey from the BECPL on the collections of the Grosvenor Room.

NEXT MEETING: Saturday, 21 October 2006 @ 10:30 am

M. E. O'Grady-Fabinsky