ROOTS & BRANCHES

Over the last 20 years, I’ve been on virtually every side of the desk for genealogy conferences.

I’ve been a rank-and-file attendee.

I’ve been a speaker.

I’ve been a vendor.

I’ve co-chaired a national conference.

I’ve planned programming.

So when I tell you that lecturing at the Montana State Genealogical Society’s 30^th annual conference earlier this month was one of my most satisfying events ever, I hope you’ll take my word for it.

The conference was held over two days in Helena, Montana, and I was paired with Kris Rzepczynski, archivist at the Archives of Michigan, with each of us giving four presentations. There was the usual banquet, luncheons and some exhibitors—all staple features of most of these get-togethers—but what was exceptional was an energy from the participants that I’ve rarely seen duplicated.

Many regional and state genealogy conferences follow one of two models: Either there’s a single speaker who delivers four presentations in one day or several simultaneous tracks of speakers over one or more days.

I liked the Montana model better, though. As a speaker, I had the chance to recharge while Rzepczynski was lecturing, and from an attendee’s standpoint, they had the opportunity to hear all of the topics rather than having to make difficult choices as is the case when there are simultaneous tracks of speakers.

There were about 120 registrants for the conference and they were filled with sensible questions after each of the lectures.

Shawna Valentine, the state society president, kicked off the conference with a stirring family history story referencing the theme of “Preserving the Past” at the Delta Hotels Helena Colonial. Her mother Verba Valentine, the society’s first vice president, was the MC.

The Lewis and Clark County Genealogical Society was the “home team” for the conference and several other local societies had a presence there: Great Falls Genealogy Society and Genealogy Library; Western Montana Genealogical Society, headquartered in Missoula; and the Yellowstone Genealogy Forum from Montana’s largest city, Billings.

There are about a dozen total member societies of the state organization; the individual members of those local groups automatically receive individual membership in the state society.

The local societies gave reports during the luncheons and its obvious that many of them are staying active and giving their members “value added.”

All in all, it was refreshing change from the “doom and gloom” paradigm often found in many genealogical society circles.

It also proved a point that sometimes the best crowds are in some of the least populated areas. Having fewer competing events and more time to concentrate on genealogy isn’t such a bad thing!