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July 2007
President's Message
It is a great time to celebrate the Porter Family and its history! This year America is celebrating the 400 year anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown Colony. The Mayflower Compact of 1620 was signed 387 years ago, and this July America will celebrate its 231st Birthday. Joseph Smith organized the Mormon Church in April of 1830, a mere 177 years ago. A year later Sanford Porter was baptized in the newly organized church. His family was among the first companies of Mormon emigrants that entered the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, 160 years ago. In 1860 Sanford and Family began moving into the Morgan Valley, settling in the Porterville area. That was 147 years ago. My dear Mother is enjoying good health, and we are celebrating her 93rd birthday this year. It is easy to think of our family history as a long time ago, but our family history is fresh and alive and available to all of us to enjoy.
This year's family reunion theme is The Importance of Family History. I know we all enjoy reading the history of our early Porter ancestors. We have invited two of our Porter cousins, May Browning and Beth Porter to give us a lesson in compiling and organizing our own family histories. There is a recorded story about our cousin Nancy Malinda Porter Moffett. She tells of one morning in June 1956, of waking up, and having a sweet, happy influence come over her. She continues, "A voice said to me, you are to make a record of your Grandfather Sanford Porter, Sr., his children, and his grandchildren. This is very important and you are the one chosen to do it. It is very, very important for future use. It was so impressed on my mind that it should be done." Nancy goes on to explain how can I do that? The spirit told her to ask for help.
I think this is where many of us are. We all have a great Porter history to record. It will be exciting to be instructed as to how we can start in organizing our own Porter Family history, for our own family and to have it included in the greater Porter Family History. We have wonderful aids today that make this easier to happen. I pray that we may all be blessed with the Spirit to become motivated to accomplish this calling that we all share.
There is a wealth of talent in our extended family and I know we are all eager to help with the improvement of our Porter Family Organization. If you want to become involved in one of our committees we extend the invitation to become involved. Our organization has a great web site. Our cousin Lynn Porter has designed a terrific web site. It is easy to travel around in, and contains a wealth of information. I urge every one to visit on a regular basis. I urge everyone to be a contributor to it.
I look forward to meeting everyone at the Porterville chapel on August 11, 2007. See you there!
Gary Porter,
gary@sanfordporter.org
August Reunion
Please join us on August 11th for the annual Porter Family Reunion located at the Porterville Stake Center, 2700 S. Morgan Valley Dr. Morgan UT. Bryon Porter is organizing a 5K walk/run before the lunch. This will be a fun event that everyone can participate in. Lunch will be provided by the Committee (Sloppy Joes, Hot dogs, Chips, drinks and paper products.) All we ask you to bring is a potluck salad or dessert to share. We will also include some activities for the younger children, so plan on bringing the entire family.
Reunion Agenda
10:00 a.m. 5K walk/run. Starts at the Porterville Chapel
11:30 a.m. Mix and Mingle
12:00 noon Family Picnic at Pavilion
1:00 p.m. Business Meeting
2:00 p.m. Family History Program
Map to Porterville
2700 S Morgan Valley Dr.
Morgan, UTAH 84050
Communications
We have an active Website full of information of interest for the members of the Porter Family. Since we began the website many of you have contributed stories and information of interest to all of us. We hope you have been happy with the way we have treated your contributions and hope you realize how many of us have enjoyed your input.
We would like you to know that it is a great source of Porter Family history and information. You can take a virtual tour of the Porterville cemetery to look at different ancestors' monuments. You can access an archive of past Porter Family Newsletters or play games that have a Porter Family connection. You can read some favorite inspirational thoughts, poems and stories. You can access links to many other websites that have information of interest to the Porter Family.
The best thing of all about the Website is everyone can contribute. Just as the contributions of past years have made the site better, we know that there are many more stories out there that we all need to hear. If you have personal histories of any of your Porter relatives, we would love to put them on the site. If you would like to add some favorite poems or Porter anecdotes or stories, it's easy to do. If you know of other sites that would be of interest to the family, we can easily add those if you give us the information. The more contributions we get from you, the richer this site will become.
We encourage you to go today to http://www.sanfordporter.org and see what's available. If you register, you will also be linked to sections of the site that are reserved for family members only. Take some time to explore the site and then think about what you would like to add to make it even better.
Lynn Porter
lynn@sanfordporter.org
History Committee
Have you found any hidden treasures lately? There are many stories of the past that need to be shared today. Will you join with me to tell the stories of the Porter Family? They sacrificed to write; let us do likewise to bring them to light. Help them reach out to their posterity. Writing your own history and encouraging family members to do the same will strengthen your faith and give you the courage to accomplish your life's mission. DON'T LET YOUR STORY GO UNTOLD! Turn your hearts to your fathers-their hearts are already turned towards you. We're looking for a few good Porters who would be willing to serve on the history committee. If you have desires to serve, contact me at paul@sanfordporter.org or sign up at the reunion.
Paul Porter
paul@sanfordporter.org
Genealogical Information
You can request a copy of all his Porter Family Resources at:
Stevenson's Genealogical Center
230 West 1230 North
Provo, UT 84604
(801)-374-9600
cs@sgenealogy.com
Porter Family Organization
P. O. Box 410
Farmington, UT 84025
Annual Dues
Suggested Family Donation: $15.00
Yearly donations will be accepted at the reunion or may be sent to:
Porter Family Organization
P. O. Box 410 Farmington, Utah 84025
We would like to thank all those who have so generously donated time and money to the Porter Family Organization.
Family Leadership
President- Gary Porter
1st Vice President- Kim Byron Porter
2nd Vice President- Yvonne Bolton
Secretary- Kevan Jensen
Treasurer- Deane Smith
Web Master- Lynn Porter
History Chairman- Paul Porter
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