WESTERN MICHIGAN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY ONLINE!

MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS

We meet at 1:30PM in the Ryerson Auditorium of the Grand Rapids Public Library on the first Saturday of the month, September through June. Should the first Saturday fall on a holiday weekend, another day will be scheduled. The June meeting is often times changed to the 2nd Saturday. Unless a special program, each meeting has a one-hour lecture on a genealogy related subject by a knowledgeable speaker. Books and charts are sold at our meetings and a "Hospitality Hour" follows. All meetings are free and open to the public. 

REMINDER: parking is free at the library on Saturdays. Just make sure you get the ticket stamped at either the Library's information desk or the genealogy desk.

MONTHLY MEETINGS

June 14th

Looking Under Every Rock : Lesser-Known Records That Yield Results
Toni I. Benson, Local History Librarian for the Van Buren District Library in Decatur

Once you've exhausted the more common sources in your research, such as vital records, wills, cemeteries & census, you need to cast a wider net in order to solve some of those ancestral mysteries. Dozens of lesser-known records types will be discussed, all with visual examples and explanation of their uses and locations. This lecture is designed to inspire new ideas, provide new leads, and re-ignite research through some of those frustrating brick walls in your genealogy.

Toni I. Benson has been doing family history for 26 years and is currently the Local History librarian for the Van Buren District Library in Decatur. A professional genealogist, she is has also edited over a dozen book titles including the "Pictorial History of Van Buren County" and "Toni's List : a bibliography of Southwest Michigan family/local history resources and their repositories", both released in 2003. She is vice-president and past president of the Van Buren Regional Genealogical Society, and has presented programs on a wide variety of related topics.

September 6th

To be announced.

October 4th

To be announced.

November 1st

Don't miss this meeting! A special day-long seminar event is being planned at the Prince Center at Calvin College. Lunch and refreshments will be included for a very reasonable registration fee.

Nationally known speakers will include:

Lisa Alzo will present two sessions in the morning: Identifying Immigrant Cluster Communities and The Evidence! Following Online Clues to Solve Your Family History. Lisa is a frequent contributor to both Internet Genealogy and Family Chronicles magazines.

In the afternoon Michael John Neill will do two presentation: Seeing Patterns: Organizing Your Information and Brick Walls From A to Z.

December 6th

To be announced.

Introduction to Genealogy

BEGINNER CLASSES!!!!!

Just beginning your family history or returning after a break from searching? We have just the classes for you!

Next schedule of classes is being prepared.

Fall 2008 Research Trip to Allen County Public Library
is being Scheduled for October

Sponsored by WMGS

Details and Reservation Form will be available here when available

The Dominican Center on the corner of East Fulton and Lakeside Drive is the location for 2007-2008 WMGS Writers Group workshops. We meet 1:30 (new time) to 4:00 p.m. the third Tuesday of October, November, January, February, March, April and May.

We help and support each other's desire to write about our families with a kind eye and lots of humor. Everyone is welcome

It is requested to call Sister Michael Ellen Carling at 616-643-0206 if you wish to attend. Please park in the Dominican Center parking lot which is off Lakeside Drive. Go to the main entrance under the large portico and then go up the steps. The receptionist will direct you to the room.

For more details, look here...

OTHER ACTIVITIES AT MONTHLY MEETINGS

Refreshments:   Many WMGS members are great cooks!  They share homemade cookies and other goodies with us during our social time!  Social time for gene-people is as must!  Who else wants to listen to how you found G-G-G Grandpa except another WMGS member?   If you can bring cookies, contact Sue Carpenter, our Hospitality Chairperson.

WMGS Book Sales:  WMGS stocks quite a large number of new  books and materials for your inspection.  We feel that most people want to browse through genealogy books before they purchase. Valuable genealogy materials are  difficult to find in the normal bookstores.  Got ideas?  Want to help?  Let us know!   Watch for our Christmas Special in December!

WMGS  Tape Rentals:   WMGS has been recording taping our speakers whenever possible.  We also have tapes we've purchased from state conferences.   These are available for $1 rental fee.  Why not listen and learn while you drive to work?