Two Okanogan County Historical Society Members to Receive Washington State History awards

Jackie Cook, president of the Okanogan County Historical Society and member of the Confererated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Washington State Historical Society at an Awards Ceremony held at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma, April 25th from 5:30-8:00 p.m.  "This is the highest award bestowed by the Washington State Historical Society." Jackie "has spent nearly 50 years preserving and advocating for the histories of the Columbia Plateau through archaelogy, museum work, and repatriation efforts. Her career includes helping develop the Tama'stslikt Cultural Institute, overseeing tribal collections and museums, and playing a key role in the return of the Ancient One and the repatriation of more than 1,500 ancestors from institutions across the nation."

Sharon Sumpter, board member of the Okanogan County Historical Society and volunteer archivist at the Shafer Historical Museum in Winthrop, will be honored with the Service to Local History Award at the same event. "This award recognizes the contributions of an exceptional volunteer at a local history organization in Washington". She "has devoted countless hours to preserving and sharing the region's history. Through her work organizing archives, supporting museum operations and leading local history initiatives, she has helped make thousands of records and stories accessible to her community."

CONGRATULATIONS to Jackie and Sharon!

Quoted sections are from the Washington State Historical Society website