Florida Genealogical Society (Tampa)

Serving the Needs of the Genealogical Community for Over 50 Years

Susan Jones Is New Chair of Awards

FGS member Susan Jones has been appointed as the chair of the Awards Committee. The Awards Committee is responsible for identifying individuals or organizations who should be honored by the Society for their contributions to the Society or to the genealogical community. This responsibility includes selecting an FGS member for the annual Volunteer of the Year award.

More volunteers needed!

Under our new bylaws, we have a streamlined set of committees. The Membership Committee and Special Projects Committee are already in action, but we have a lot more committees to start up and get going. Here is a list of what we need volunteers for:

The Awards Committee shall be responsible for identifying individuals or organizations who should be honored by the Society for their contributions to the Society or to the genealogical community.
The Communications Committee shall be responsible for managing communication between the Society and its members and between the Society and the community, including the promotion of Society-sponsored activities.
The Education Committee shall be responsible for educational activities of the Society. Its membership shall include the chairs of the Program Committee and the Seminar Committee.
The Hospitality Committee shall be responsible for greeting attendees at Society-sponsored events; for introducing new members and guests at Society meetings; and for organizing and hosting social events.
The Program Committee shall be responsible for planning and implementing programs at the monthly meetings. Its membership shall include the chairs of the Education Committee and the Seminar Committee.
The Research Committee shall be responsible for assisting genealogists with their research.
The Seminar Committee shall be responsible for planning and implementing Society-sponsored seminars and workshops. Its membership shall include the chairs of the Education Committee and the Program Committee.

An email will be sent to all members (those whose email addresses we have on file) asking for volunteers for these communities. Please give serious consideration to volunteering!

Shirley Besch Is New Chair of Membership

FGS Director Shirley Besch has been appointed as the chair of the FGS Membership Committee. She is joined on that committee by Treasurer Mary Rivers and Director Pattie Schultz. The Membership Committee is responsible for for planning and implementing activities to recruit new members and to retain existing members.

Hoffman Is New Chair of Special Projects

FGS member David Hoffman has been appointed as the first chair of the FGS Special Projects Committee. The Special Projects Committee is responsible for managing volunteer projects involving the preservation of and access to genealogical materials.

P.O. Box 18624
Tampa, FL 33679-8624

Mary McLeod Bethune (1875 - 1955)

Mary Bethune fought to be educated in a time when few African American children had access to books. She became a teacher, eventually opening a school of her own in Daytona for children of the African American railroad workers. The Daytona Normal and Industrial School for Negro Girls opened in 1904 with six students. The years went by and the school grew, merging with Cookman Institute in 1928 to become Bethune-Cookman College. Mary Bethune was president of the college for 14 years, growing it to over 2000 students.