CGS now offers up to twelve events a month for our members and the larger genealogy community to learn and share their experience, knowledge and get help. How does this happen in a society that is strictly run and managed by volunteers?
We leverage the skill and generosity of a wonderful group of people willing to draw on their former or current occupations and innate abilities to, as the British say, “Stay Calm and Carry On.”
Meet two of the super heroes that make it possible and learn about their roles and how you can get involved.
Adelle Treakle is the guru and queen of our Eventbrite registration system and our calendar. This beast (the software) is not an easy one to tame, but Adelle has figured out how to make it work for a variety of scenarios and needs of the organization. She gathers multiple pieces of information gathered by other volunteers and creates pages that anyone can navigate to find speakers, times, costs, and directions. She makes sure the notices go out on time, including two reminders. On top of that Adelle creates access to the handouts and the recordings. Adelle draws on her experience in the programming and technical world.
Keith Montgomery is a stalwart proponent and supporter of hybrid meetings (where you can attend online or in-person) and of the Special Interest Groups. He has technical skills like no other. He juggles microphones, cameras, laptops, and display monitors like a member of Cirque du Soleil. Keith volunteers as the host that gets meetings started, monitors chat and works with those having trouble with access, sound and video. In addition, Keith serves on the Technical Committee, making sure the library computers are up to speed.
Interested in learning more about the roles that support Keith and Adelle? Check out the volunteer opportunities on our web page and see if there is a match for you. We know you would enjoy working with us.
Tues., May 14, 11 am: “How-to Series: Using Linkpendium” with Denise Plaskett. What is 
Wednesday, May 15, 6:30 pm: “Sharing Family History with Children” with Marisa Louie Lee. Inspire an interest in family history with the children in your family! We’ll discuss the importance of rituals and storytelling to children and explore some practical family history activities for busy families. Marisa Louie Lee is a freelance researcher and workshop speaker who specializes in federal government records and Asian American history and genealogy. She previously worked for the National Archives at San Francisco and the Chinese Historical Society of America. Marisa is a proud alumna of the “Friends of Roots” program and enjoys sharing family history with her daughters, ages 5 and 8.
Wed., May 8, 6:30 PM: Tips & Talk series: “Contacting Cousins: How? Why? (DNA, Photos, Family History and more)” with Jane Lindsey. We all begin our research by finding our ancestors . But cousins, close or distant, may have family information that provides clues to enhancing your research. A longtime CGS member, Jane also volunteers at the OFSC. She loves helping patrons and hopes to get more CGS members to come to OFSC for a visit in 2024!