Kutztown resident awarded for genealogical research

Kutztown resident Lucy Kern, Library Director at the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University, received two awards based upon her efforts in genealogical research. Lucy has received the Mary Owen Steinmetz award, and the Palatines to America Meritorious Service Award.

The Mary Owen Steinmetz award - which is given biennially to a person who has made great strides in the field of genealogical research in Berks County – was presented to Lucy during the Berks County Genealogical Society’s (BCGS) Annual Dinner Meeting in June. Lucy joined the BCGS in 1988, served a board position from 1994-1996 and again from 1996-1998. Lucy is a current member of BCGS.

PALAM’s Meritorious Service award – which honors “outstanding performance, meritorious service, and exemplary support in the furtherance of the principles and goals of Palatines to America” – was given at the PALAM Conference on October 6, held at Kutztown University’s Academic forum. The award was presented by Joe Lieby, current president of PALAM. Lucy is the Recording Secretary of the PA Chapter of PALAM.

Lucy has been working as the Library Director at the PGCHC since 1999, a volunteer position, and we are very fortunate to have her.

She will, again, host the Genealogy Conference on September 14 of 2013, as she is known for bringing quality speakers and lecturers to enlighten the minds of Conference attendees. This year’s line-up features such renowned guests as Dr. Don Yoder, the keynote speaker, who will discuss what life was like in Pennsylvania in the early 19th century and Dr. William Woys Weaver, who will talk about the foods created and consumed by those folks in the early 19th century. Sally McMurry will also join the conference, speaking on the vernacular architecture of the region and Patrick Donmoyer will give a talk about Barn Stars. The day before the Genealogy Conference, September 13, features a guided bus tour. This year the tour will go through the Allemaengel area of Berks & what is now Lehigh County; which would be the Albany Township area of Berks County and the Lynn Township area of Lehigh County.

For more information about the Genealogy Conference or the PGCHC, please visit www.kutztown.edu/pgchc or call the PGCHC Library at 484-646-4165; for more information on the BCGS, visit www.berksgenes.org or call 610-921-4970; and if you would like more information on PALAM, visit www.palam.org.