The First Word #20: Taking a Turn at the Wheel

I’ve written about this and spoken on this before; helping out, volunteering, giving back to the genealogical community. We’ve all benefitted from the work others have done, either from compiled indexes, records look-ups or from service in a genealogical society. This year it’s my turn at the helm of the Boulder Genealogical Society, to pay forward what I’ve reaped in the past.

I was honored to be asked to be President of BGS over a year ago. (Well, to be honest, I was coerced, but that’s neither here nor there.) I have been a member of BGS since May of 2001, so after ten years, “they” (the nominating committee) finally caught up with me. I suppose it is time I had a turn at the wheel. I had been dodging the job for several years now by being “too busy” with things like being Quarterly Editor, Webmaster and the like. All joking aside, I believe that each and every one of us should spend some time filling a position in the society. Try it and see what you can give back over the course of a new year.

The new year season is a fun time for me. I am always excited by the new possibilities and changes each new year brings. It is always fun to think ahead to what might be new and exciting but also to look back and be grateful for the times that have passed. It is also a good time to take stock in your life and make some plans for improvements, always growing for the better.

I am glad that some things are behind us –– sad events like the Fourmile Fire and the passing of our dear friend Birdie Holsclaw. I am also looking forward to the genealogy projects I will get to work on (and maybe even finish). I am also looking forward to raising money for the Birdie Monk Holsclaw Memorial Fund through the sale of books from Birdie’s personal library. Looking forward at my term as President, I am exciting by the new possibilities and I hope to keep the BGS team moving forward and upholding our societal objectives:

• to promote an interest in genealogical research
• to collect, preserve and disseminate genealogical and related historical, biographical and heraldic data
• to encourage adherence to scientific principles of accuracy and thoroughness in research
• to champion advanced ethical standards
• to discourage and oppose incompetent and disreputable research
• to foster careful documentation
• to promote scholarly writing
• to provide instruction in the use of efficient mechanics

The past year brought a lot of hard times for our society but I believe there are always silver linings to every bad situation. Even though I dearly miss Birdie, I have gained a deep appreciation for what she represented to me in my life––a mentor, friend and cheerleader. I know that even though Mary Ann Looney (the Immediate Past President) lost her beautiful mountain home in the Fourmile Fire, it meant that I didn’t inherit a large box of presidential papers when the presidency passed to me!

This year, consider improving the genealogical community by filling an empty position in BGS, volunteering your time on one or more of the various BGS projects, writing an article for the Quarterly or sharing your personal research experience with us by giving a presentation to the society at a monthly meeting.

There are many ways you can give back. It is because of the time dedicated by other willing volunteers that much of your research and genealogical education has been successful. Don’t forget to pay it forward! After all, as Bernard M. Baruch said “We didn't all come over on the same ship, but we're all in the same boat.”