Performing Genealogical Kindnesses
Friday January 2, 2009
When I was first starting my research I had plenty of help -- much of it from strangers. People I had met only through email took cemetery photos, did quick lookups or shared their research with me with no expectation of a return. In the years since I've tried to make it a point of doing the same thing for others and performing little acts of genealogical kindness where I can. My favorite "genealogical kindness" activities include taking photos in local cemeteries and tracking down loving homes for "discovered" family history items. Some include a family photo album I rescued from a Vermont antique shop; the living family members of a young soldier shot down during WWII for a English woman who had mementos to share with them; and a mysterious box full of family history items found among the book donations at a Ohio library. The warm, fuzzy feeling I got from finding descendents who would cherish these precious family history items is usually better than the elation I experience when I have a breakthrough in my own family history research!
Take some time during the coming year, if you can, to give back to the family history community, including all of those misguided souls out there who have not yet discovered the fun of genealogy. Sign up with a helpful group such as Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness or Find A Grave, or rescue a "lost" photo album or family Bible from your local antique store or flea market. You'll love the feeling of satisfaction it gives you!
Comments
Happy New Year and thank you for reminding us that there are many ways to share.
Have found your website very helpful. Believe some of our relatives are connected from same area. Also wanted to mention that there are many photos on a website that need to find their families. www.deadfred.com has many photos sent to website where in some cases people have found pics at flea markets and sales, estate sales with no known immed. surviving relatives, some are from some yearbooks, etc. One can search by counties as well as surnames. I even found a few photos without families from ebay, and helped connect to their family. Happy 2009!
I joined Find-A-Grave during the past year, and actually got the opportunity (lack of transportation hurts) to fulfill a few requests. Actually does give the ‘warm fuzzy’ good feeling that you get from helping someone. Besides…might give the opportunity to call in a favor later on if needed (though, that’s merely a side-benefit).
You must be a very helpful person indeed.I have done the same for many now residing in the UK, States, Canada, Europe etc. who cannot visit India where I live, and needed information or photographs. It did give one a warm feeling and a wish to do more. In return I made new friends and one finally got me the elusive information information about our French ancestor from France.