March 13, 2009
Seven years ago, I created this Sweet Owen website because I felt that it was and still is a necessary aid for those researching their family histories in Morgan, Owen and Putnam Counties of Indiana.
During those years every effort was made to ensure that the data presented was free to all visitors by paying for the website myself. I have steadfastly refused to connect it with some of the other sites/organizations that would--
1. Control the content (Genweb, Rootsweb, Ancestry,etc)
2. Control the size of the website (limiting cemetery listings/photos, etc)
3. Eventually turn it into a paysite (such as Familytreemaker or Ancestry)
4. Whether anyone realizes it or not, those sites (even rootsweb) lays claim to the data you submit and it becomes theirs and it most always ends up as part of a CD of "marketable" data.
For those reasons, I have always kept this site independently owned and operated..
For reasons currently beyond my control with the economy, I have had to cut corners in my own finances and regrettably this is one of the items not deemed as "necessary" in the family budget.
HOW YOU CAN HELP As there are many of you that visit this site of a regular basis, I am appealing to you for any assistance that you might be able to provide. It is my thought that if people just submit a few dollars here or there that the accumulation of it would be enough, but yet not make it a hardship on any one person. I am not trying to say that if you don't make donations, you cannot access the site- I was hoping for a collective effort. (But if nobody makes donations, there will be no site.) Simple donations will be able to cover the cost of the website running. I am NOT looking for any ONE person to foot the bill, so please don't contact me and volunteer that service. I am not looking for someone to take over the ownership of the site, just some help in keeping it going until the economy looks a little better here.
This situation is not just a one time thing-- nor is it forever, simply till things get somewhat better economically and I can pick it up completely again.
If you can help please send a donation to:
Debbie Jennings
916 Trail Street
Woodbury, Tennessee 37190
Make any checks payable to me.
Remember, no donation is too small if everyone helps.
If you do choose to make a donation, drop me an email to let me know so I know what is going on with the future of this website.
