Sydney and All -- There is no "criteria" to be an FSGS Member and there are many benefits. One does not need to be researching Florida as we also provide a lot of information on general genealogy in addition to Florida information. We publish a calendar of events that covers activities across the state. We also send a e-letter to all of the Florida Society FSGS Liasions. Please check with your own society to see who is receiving this information. The e-letter and Florida Lines often contain information that is of importance to all genealogists - such as the current attempts of governmental offices to close various records to the public. FSGS Members also receive a discount on our FSGS Conference registration. The conference will be in St Pete this year and the sessions cover beginning to advanced topics. This is a wonderful place to network and meet people! Currently, 52% of our FSGS membership are involved in the Florida Pioneer Program. While many of our Pioneer Applicants remain FSGS Members, there are always some who will join only while they are working on their pioneer application. In some cases, there is one "serious" genealogist in the family who puts the applications together for their children or grandchildren - or siblings or even cousins -- and it is this "serious" family member who remains active with FSGS. There are many others who join FSGS because of the Pioneer Program and remain active members. Sometimes, Individuals and Libraries do not renew their dues, I am sure for various reasons. (Societies are honorary members and are not charged dues). Each year, if a member becomes "past due", we do mail a postcard reminder. However, we are not always notified if a member moves or if a member is deceased. We wish we were! Sometimes an obituary is posted to this FL List and I generally check to see if the deceased is a FSGS member - if so, they are listed as "deceased" in our records. As Leslie mentioned in an earlier posting, it has only been in the last couple of years that our FSGS Membership records have been converted to a computer program that can track email addresses. We do use these emails to attempt to track down members who forget to renew their memberships. While a street address may change, sometimes the email address does not. I am finding this year that we are receiving dues from individuals who say "I was a member a long time ago..." and we are most happy to have them back! Another thing I have noticed this year - we keep getting new and renewed members! Generally we receive the bulk of the dues payments during the beginning of the year, then we get another "rush" of memberships around the deadline for pioneer applications. This year, a week does not go by that there is not a membership application (or 2 or more) in my mail box - still! This thrills us to no end!! FSGS has enjoyed an increase in memberships - in the past few years since we have used our new computer program and can track such things - this year shows the largest number of active members enrolled in FSGS. Again, - whether you have Florida ancestors or not - and whether you live in Florida or not - you can join FSGS by sending in a membership application: http://www.rootsweb.com/~flsgs/membrshp.htm Sydney, I would like to invite you and everyone on the List to become a members of FSGS! Thank you for inquiring! Best Regards, Mary P Parker FSGS Pioneer Committee FSGS Membership Chair ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sydney Cardner" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2002 3:55 PM Subject: Re: [FLORIDA] Florida Pioneers - Update > I had heard that before, that some members may not be in membership now. I > never heard why it was? Was incorrect info given or are the criteria > different? > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mary P. Parker" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2002 2:29 PM > Subject: Re: [FLORIDA] Florida Pioneers - Update > > > > Dear Liz and All: > > > > The Pioneer Program spans over 20 years and many of the descendants who > > received certificates in the early years may no longer be FSGS Members. > > Current members are listed in our newsletter, Florida Lines. There are 81 > > Florida Societies currently receiving Florida Lines (and our journal, The > > Florida Genealogist) so you might want to start looking in the collections > > of your local society. Many of the older Societies have the back issues > of > > Florida Lines, and therefore, the old membership directories. (Liz - if > > GSSB at the Melbourne Library, Fee Ave does not have the back issues, I > > believe BGS at the Cocoa Library on Forrest Ave does) All members of FSGS > > receive these publications - which is one of the values of joining FSGS. > A > > Membership Application is on our web site at > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~flsgs/membrshp.htm > > > > The membership directory includes the member's name and address. We are > > have recently announced (in the last issue) that we can also publish email > > addresses for members -- if they choose this option -- in the directory. > > Since this is a new option, there are very few email addresses listed > right > > now. > > > > Since there are 4 issues of Florida Lines printed annually, the 1st issue > > contains all of the FSGS members who are current as of the date of > > publication, generally the end of March. This is the largest list for the > > year. Successive issues contain those members who have joined/renewed > since > > the previous issue was published. > > > > Another way to research descendants is through the pioneer files > themselves. > > As I mentioned to Dr Hendricks, this would enable you to have access to > the > > documents submitted in the file. I personally found copies of 2 different > > Bible records for my ancestors in the pioneer files. You may also find > the > > address of the descendant - at the time the application was submitted - in > > the file. > > > > Copies of the Pioneer files are at the Florida Archives and you can order > > copies from them - copying fees and postage do apply. Also, the pioneer > > files up through 1995 have been filmed and can be ordered through your > local > > Family History Center. The FHL film numbers for the pioneers are listed > on > > our recently updated Index of Pioneers on the FSGS web site at > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~flsgs/pioneers/2001index.html > > > > Unfortunately, at this time, we can not handle requests for copies from > the > > FSGS pioneer files located at the Field Library of Florida History in > Cocoa. > > We do not have a Library Volunteer and are looking for someone to fill > this > > position. At the moment, I am the only person in Brevard County who has > the > > keys and access to the FSGS pioneer files. Field Library Volunteers do > not > > have access. My duties do not allow the time to handle the Librarian > > function as well. > > > > Therefore - is there anyone in Brevard County who would be interested in > > joining FSGS as our Librarian??? This is an important position and would > be > > a tremendous benefit to all of us Florida Researchers!! You would be very > > much appreciated!!! > > > > If you are interested in the Librarian position, please contact me > > personally at [email protected] or contact Pam Cooper, FSGS President > > at [email protected] > > > > For those of you interested in applying for a Florida Pioneer Certificate, > > please look at our Applicant's Workbook. This contains all of the > > instructions, forms and other helpful information for researching your > > Florida ancestors and applying for a certificate. Documenting your > Florida > > ancestors is a wonderful way to preserve your family's history for future > > generations. You can download the Workbook from the FSGS web site, or > order > > a hardcopy from the committee. An order form is on the web site. > > > > Please visit our web site at www.rootsweb.com/~flsgs There are many > > benefits to becoming a member of FSGS! > > > > Best Regards, > > Mary P Parker > > FSGS Pioneer Committee > > FSGS Membership Chair > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <[email protected]> > > To: <[email protected]> > > Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2002 1:24 PM > > Subject: Re: [FLORIDA] Florida Pioneers - Update > > > > > > > In a message dated 7/31/02 10:53:43 AM Central Daylight Time, > > > [email protected] writes: > > > > > > > > > > Is there a way to contact the folks on the Pioneer list? > > > > > > > > Please post answer to the list as I am curious about this, also. > > > > > > > > Thanks! > > > > Liz > > > > > > > > > > > > >