Today I received my Nov/Dec 2023 issue of Family Tree Magazine. One of the cover stories is “Genealogy Societies: 5 Reasons to Join.”
Genealogy Societies are often overlooked. During COVID, most of us stayed home and were less social. A Society suggests being Social! With a common goal!
From Merriam-Webster online: society
1: companionship or association with one’s fellows : friendly or intimate intercourse : company
2: a voluntary association of individuals for common ends
especially : an organized group working together or periodically meeting because of common interests, beliefs, or profession
3a : an enduring and cooperating social group whose members have developed organized patterns of relationships through interaction with one another
3b: a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests
4a : a part of a community that is a unit distinguishable by particular aims or standards of living or conduct : a social circle or a group of social circles having a clearly marked identity….
The 5 reasons mentioned in the article are:
- Become a better researcher: build new skills to help your family history
- Make and spend time with genea-freinds
- Discover and preserve records
- Advocate for genealogy, including for increased record access
- Help grow the genealogy world
There are more details of each reason in their full article online.
You probably have a Genealogy Society near you or in your general area. I encourage you to join, discover what learning programs they have, what Special Interest Groups they have, and learn the benefits of membership.
Years ago, I was clicking around online learning how to learn more about genealogy. I discovered this wonderful thing called Genealogy Jamboree! I want to go! Now! When is it? That’s when I found out it had just happened…two weeks before I found them. I had to wait a whole year before I could attend! But attend I did! Jamboree is sponsored by the Southern California Genealogical Society, and I am now a full fledged member and attend Jamboree every year! Attending Jamboree, and being a member of SCGS, has improved my research skills tremendously, and I encourage you to find your local Genealogy Society and join! For many (including SCGS) you can even join long-distance and attend online workshops!
Don’t overlook this often omitted treasure!