Genealogical Society is going ZOOM

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Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in early 2020 the Fayette County Genealogical Society has been unable to meet and offer presentations of programs. The room where we normally meet in the public library had to be converted to a sanitation room for incoming books.

In addition, Fayette County has been under high risk for the virus, as most of Ohio has been, and the library has not been open to the public and now is only open to a limited number of people at a time. The Society is in the process of setting up Zoom presentations when our season opens up this month.

Paul LaRue, a retired Washington City Schools teacher and the recipient of numerous teaching awards, who is known for his African-American History studies, will be presenting on Monday March 15 at 7 p.m. in recognition of National Black History Month celebrated every February. His program is titled, “African American Civil War Sailors, Truly Forgotten Heroes.” Paul has opened our season in March for several years.

For our April 19 meeting at 7 p.m., Sharon Verhoff, a retired Chillicothe High School social studies teacher, and a long-time active member of the League of Women Voters in Ross County, will present a program on “Women’s Suffrage” in honor of the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote in the United States.

On Monday, May 17 at 7 p.m., Tom Neel from the Ohio Genealogical Society will present a program entitled “Exploring Newspaper Records.” This program will be very helpful in finding family history within old newspapers and how to locate those records.

The Society is working closely with the Ohio Genealogical Society to finish out our Society’s program year with presentations that can be easily adapted to a ZOOM as needed during these difficult pandemic times. Programs for the months June through November will be announced later with the exception of October. Kelli Bergheimer, the well-known DNA expert as it relates to genealogy, will return with a program on Monday, Oct. 18. The Society is in great hopes that by December 2021 we will once again be able to have our annual holiday dinner.

You can participate in a Zoom meeting by using your computer, iPad, or even your phone. You do not need to an acquire a ZOOM account. You only need to place the free ZOOM app on the device you are going to use, your computer, iPad, or phone. You can obtain a free tutorial on signing into a meeting and participating on your chosen device as well. If there is someone in your family familiar with using ZOOM, ask them to get you started. A child and even a grandchild is a good resource person. It is not really difficult to attend a ZOOM meeting, but we suggest that you prepare before our upcoming meetings.

Membership dues for the Fayette County Genealogical Society is $10 per person or family in one household, or $100 for a lifetime membership per person or family in one household. Dues are to be paid annually by March 31 of each year. If you want any further information concerning these upcoming ZOOM meetings, membership in the Society, or any of our Lineage Societies contact Cathy Massie White at 740-333-7227 or [email protected].

We hope you will be joining us in this adventure.

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