January Meeting Notice

1/1/2026 12:00 am

RECORDS & DATA FOR THE REGISTER OF NEBRASKA HISTORIC PLACES
PRESENTED BY MICHAEL BELDING III - NEBRASKA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Description:

In this presentation Michael M. Belding III will discuss how the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) collects and maintains data on historic buildings and projects that affect them. Some of SHPO’s most significant data challenges relate to the storage and retrieval of qualitative data in machine-readable ways or in files that are traditionally used for quantitative and geographical data. Storing all types of data securely but accessibly presents a significant problem for SHPO to overcome as it performs its roles of collecting, storing, sharing, and using information on the historic built environment.

As part of the presentation, he will present a few case studies of specific challenges that arise from fluctuating public access policies, the redesign of key forms, the increase of born-digital data, the digitization of analog data, and connecting data from one program to another.

A question-and-answer period will follow.

Bio: Michael M. Belding III is the National Register Coordinator at the Nebraska (SHPO), a department of the Nebraska State Historical Society. His primary responsibilities in this role are to conduct preliminary evaluations of properties’ eligibility for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP); organize meetings of the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Board, which reviews nominations to the NRHP; and assist nomination preparers in all phases of the process—research, writing, presentation, and submittal.

Charity

7/1/2025 12:00 am

Willie’s Underwear Project (WUP) provides sweatpants, underwear, T-shirts, and socks to Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) students who experience accidents during the school day.

WUP was founded in 2002 by retired LPS middle school teacher Willie Shafer. Her mission was simple but powerful: to ensure that students who have accidents can return to class quickly and continue learning without embarrassment or interruption.

The project operates out of the basement of Saratoga Elementary School, where school nurses and health technicians pick up supplies each month for their buildings. WUP supports more than 42,000 students across the district—from Head Start through high school—and is run entirely by dedicated volunteers. Every penny of every financial donation goes directly to the project.

The board will collect items for Willie’s Underwear Project in October, November, and December. Please consider donating a package or two of underwear—or perhaps some sweatpants.

In December, we’ll host our annual charity auction and raffle, where you’ll have the opportunity to support the project by purchasing an auction item and/or participating in the raffle.

Donation Guidelines:
Boys’ Underwear
Sizes: 4 and 6–8
Style: Briefs or boxer briefs (not boxers)

Girls’ Underwear
Size: 4
Style: Briefs (not bikini style)

Sweatpants (Unisex)
Sizes: 6, 7, 8, or 10–12
Neutral colors like gray, navy and black

Thanks!