Society Saturday - Can We All Just Work Together?

In my area of Indiana we are blessed with multiple, active genealogy groups.  Within minutes from my home there is:

The South Bend Area Genealogical Society
The Elkhart Genealogical Society
The South Bend DAR
The Elkhart DAR
The South Bend Library Genealogy Rountable
The Mishawaka Library Genealogy Roundtable
The Twigs from the Tree of Life Genealogy Group
The GENSIG (Genealogy Special Interest Group)

That's eight groups each holding monthly meetings including classes and speakers.  Two of those groups hold a yearly event that brings in speakers from outside the area, charge a fee and include vendors.  Two of these groups host an Allen County Bus Trip - held within a month of each other.

Recently I was asked the question - Can we get these groups to work together?  Is it possible?

Of all the groups mentioned the Twigs group seems most promising.  The group meets monthly and focuses on genealogy education.  There are no fees or dues to join and includes members from all the above genealogy groups.  Twigs has somehow been able to cross county lines and bring together those with a common interest in genealogy.  But does it have what it takes to lead the initiative to get all groups to work together?  Does it have the "chops" to lead the charge?

Thinking of the two separate yearly events and the two separate Allen County Bus Trips.  What if those two groups combined forces and resources?  Imagine what could be accomplished by working together.  What caliber of speaker could be brought in to one combined yearly event?  Imagine filling a bus for Allen County with members from all groups. Getting to know each other, the camaraderie which could develop!

While each group has its own focus and identity, by staying fragmented in all areas are the groups really doing what is best for each of its members?  Is it possible to form a cohort with representation from each of the groups to look at this question?

Is it possible to work together?

Military Monday - Learning Civil War Research from Amy Johnson Crow

On Saturday Amy Johnson Crow came to town to talk about researching our Civil War soldiers.  Amy's presentation was sponsored by the St. Joseph County Public Library and the South Bend Area Genealogical Society in conjunction with this years One Book, One Michiana event.

I have so many civil war ancestors (53 at last count) that I have a separate tab on this blog to keep track of them!  I have completed an online class on researching civil war ancestors, own many books on the subject and have years of research behind me.  But I learned so much from Amy on Saturday!

I learned more about the draft and why my ancestor might appear on the draft record but never in a regiment.  I learned more about the GAR then I ever knew including the fact that they were integrated at a time when segregation was the norm!  I learned to pay more attention to those county histories instead of just skimming the index for my ancestors name.

Mostly I had a wonderful time with my genealogy friends talking about our ancestors who fought in the war and learning about research strategies from one of the best!

Thank you Amy for an enjoyable Saturday!

Indiana Genealogical Society - Annual Conference!

The Indiana Genealogical Society (IGS) is holding its annual conference on April 28, 2012 at the Allen County Public Library (ACPL) in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Debra S. Mieszala is the featured speaker. Her talks include:
•         Lessons from a Snoop: Collaterals and Associates
•         Bringing Our Soldiers Home
•         Digging Through Documents Word By Word
•         Patently Unique: Locating Patent Records, Online and Off

A second track of sessions features:
•         What’s New with FamilySearch with Michael Hall from FamilySearch
•         Finding Indiana Records and Research in FamilySearch with Michael Hall
•         Becoming an Expert on Using Ancestry with ACPL librarian, Melissa Shimkus
•         Writing a Book Using Family Tree Maker and Microsoft Word with Curtis Sylvester, President of the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana

Registration is $30 for IGS members, $40 for nonmembers and $45 at the door. Registration forms and online registration are available at http://www.indgensoc.org/conference.php.

Spend the day learning from experts, researching in the country’s second largest genealogical library and collaborating with other genealogists.

Come a day early to join the IGS pre-conference and gain research time in the library. Topics on April 27, 2012 include:

•         Indiana County Genealogists Show N’ Tell
•         Social Media for Our Societies
•         Ask the Experts Panel

Registration for the pre-conference is only $5 or $7 at the door. Find out more at www.indgensoc.org/seminar.php.

About the Indiana Genealogical Society
Formed in 1989, the Indiana Genealogical Society strives to help preserve and publish materials relating to the people who settled the state. IGS has been at the forefront of efforts to make Indiana’s historical records more accessible to the public by indexing and digitizing records. IGS has more than 500,000 records on its website, representing all 92 of Indiana’s counties. Learn more about IGS at http://www.indgensoc.org.

Thank you to Tina Lyons, Vice President of the Indiana Genealogical Society,  for this information!

I Stand Corrected

A couple of weeks ago I published a post on this blog, in response to one that Brenda posted at Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, regarding my local genealogy society.  The post was critical of the society and expressed why I had chosen not to become a member.

A person who I admire very much read the posting and commented on it, correcting some assumptions that I made.  Due to her words I removed the entry.

But then I started thinking.....I've always told my sons if they didn't like something but refused to get involved to change the situation then they lost their right to complain.  If you are not a part of the solution, then you are a part of the problem.  Yet here I sat voicing my frustrations with a society I was not a member of. 

Can we all say hypocritical?

So I took the leap. I sent in my dues and joined the society.  Monday night I attend my first meeting as an official member and the experience was a positive one in many ways.

First, a friend from my church genealogy group attended with me and also joined that evening.  Together we believe it is time for us to join forces with the society.  In her word "it's the right thing to do.....network with other genealogy folks."

I found the members, as a whole, very inviting.  The speaker they engaged for the evening gave a fascinating talk on the history of the Pokagon Indians in the area and answered many questions the members had afterwards.  The program scheduled for next month sounds equally as good and I can't wait to attend again.

Also, I was able to speak with a member who is experienced in indexing cemeteries regarding the project our small genealogy group has taken on.  She gave me some extremely useful advice we can implement when the snow melts and we return to our work in the Spring.  How's that for networking!

I still have some concerns about the society, but for now, I'll keep them to myself.  Except for one.......there is still the issue of members falling asleep as soon as the speaker begins talking.  Out of respect for the speaker I wish they would at least sit in the back row and not in front. 

Maybe my first suggestion will be for stronger coffee.............