Monday, May 18, 2015

National Genealogical Society's Family History Conference

Family History Conference
Last week the annual Family History Conference was held at the convention center in St. Charles, Missouri. I attended my first conference last year in Richmond, Virginia and found it to be a worthwhile investment of my time. This year I was a volunteer as well, since the St. Louis Genealogical Society was the host. On Monday we had an orientation of our duties, and then stuffed around 2,500 canvas bags for the attendees. Tuesday I worked the registration table, and it was fun to see where all the people were from. I even met a couple from Australia! The rest of my volunteer activities for the week involved being a room monitor. That was simply checking to make sure everyone entering a room had a name tag, making sure that the speaker had everything he or she needed, and looking for trash and anything left in the room at the end of the presentation. We were assigned to talks we already planned on attending, so I didn't have to miss anything I wanted to hear. It was a fun job, actually!

Vickie, Sherry & me
While I didn't enjoy the drive to and from St. Charles each day, everything else about the conference was exceptional. The facility was perfect and the staff was very responsive, the sessions I attended were informative, and the exhibition hall was filled with good stuff. Best of all, four of the people I went to Germany with, along with our fearless leader, were here as well. I enjoyed hanging out with Sherry and Vickie from Manhattan, Kansas. It was nice to have people to share lunch with as I normally don't know anyone at these conferences. Plus I could have a drink with them at 5:00 when the sessions ended to let the traffic die down before driving home. It is hard to believe that it has been nearly two years since we traveled together. We just picked up right where we left off, as if the two years had not gone by. I am hoping to be able to go to the family history library in Independence, Missouri at some point down the road to meet up with them again. Friends don't let friends research alone!

Sherry, Bob, Karen,
me & Vickie
The conference was a big success, and the St. Louis Genealogical Society has reason to be proud. It was a wonderful opportunity to show off the assets of the society, as well as our whole community.

1 comment:

Mrs. Wryly said...

What a perfect event for you to "work!" (Sounds like too much fun to actually use the "w" word.) So cool that you met up with your travel buds! LOL about friends not letting friends research alone.