Hello Gang! Wow.........this has been quite a topic for discussion! Glad we have this available to us....thanks to Phil for getting the ball rolling for us! Mary does have some good points, a lot of good points too!.....there is a lot out there that can be done for free....if you are a person who has access to a computer to know about the request for free look-ups.....but there are many who do not. (We know this to be true with the folks in our own GSGS that don't own a computer....don't know how to use one...nor do they plan on ever getting one and learning!). Anything, however, that one would want from Texas, would more than likely be available free via the GENWEB project. Something to note, again, however, is that.....I have looked into getting some stuff done via the GENWEB on Illinois.....and there was no one available in MY counties to do look-ups! They were actually looking for volunteers to do my free look-ups! SO.....that being said........if there was something I REALLY wanted....would I spend a little $$ to have someone from a local genie society to do it for me....you bet your bottom dollar I would. That point being made.......IF we did do something like a pay for look-up.....we would need to set the parameters of which documents we'd look through. In our area.....most of the Texas stuff would be available for free via GENWEB........so I am not sure exactly how we would define and set those parameters. I think, honestly...that it is a good way to get us "noticed"..........but doing look-ups for a fee is getting to be a thing of the past....it's not always easy to get volunteers either....GENWEB for my counties is STILL looking..... And has been for a couple of years! We probably need to look at other venues to bring attention to ourselves....perhaps in conjunction with the Saginaw Historical Society (or other small Historical societies in the *greater* Saginaw area) to put some interesting things of use in the news letter. Could we not but the entire Saginaw Cemetery Survey/Inscription in the news letter....or some interesting about the history of Saginaw or Blue Mound....something taken from one of the old back issues form the Times Record...............see where I am going with this? Of local interest........ As for fund raising........we were thinking of perhaps seeing if Ms. Bell would do a program on a Saturday (our biggy/ get us on the map program)....one in which we charged..... (hint-hint Ms. Bell.....might you be available to assist us ?) ok..........all just food for thought.................... Jayna From: Lisa Polk<mailto:lpolk@dpengineering.com> To: TX-GSGS-L@rootsweb.com<mailto:TX-GSGS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 3:52 PM Subject: RE: I have an idea... While I can see Mary's point...and they are good points...My line of thought wasn't meant to be an extensive research project. My thought was if that someone requested something simple as a marriage cert look up...then we could do it instead of the staff. that if someone requested something that only a resident of Texas has access to.....similar to someone in Ireland having access to files that we as 'outsiders', would have to pay just to access the site.....etc. It's just an idea...for raising funds, for awareness of the group.... ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx<http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx>

I'd love to help, Jayna! In any way I can. Mary ----- Original Message ----- From: "robert kobs" <rpkobs@msn.com> To: <TX-GSGS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 6:07 PM Subject: Re: I have an idea... > Hello Gang! > > Wow.........this has been quite a topic for discussion! Glad we have this > available to us....thanks to Phil for getting the ball rolling for us! > > Mary does have some good points, a lot of good points too!.....there is a > lot out there that can be done for free....if you are a person who has > access to a computer to know about the request for free look-ups.....but > there are many who do not. (We know this to be true with the folks in our > own GSGS that don't own a computer....don't know how to use one...nor do > they plan on ever getting one and learning!). > > Anything, however, that one would want from Texas, would more than likely > be available free via the GENWEB project. Something to note, again, > however, is that.....I have looked into getting some stuff done via the > GENWEB on Illinois.....and there was no one available in MY counties to do > look-ups! They were actually looking for volunteers to do my free > look-ups! SO.....that being said........if there was something I REALLY > wanted....would I spend a little $$ to have someone from a local genie > society to do it for me....you bet your bottom dollar I would. > > That point being made.......IF we did do something like a pay for > look-up.....we would need to set the parameters of which documents we'd > look through. In our area.....most of the Texas stuff would be available > for free via GENWEB........so I am not sure exactly how we would define > and set those parameters. > > I think, honestly...that it is a good way to get us "noticed"..........but > doing look-ups for a fee is getting to be a thing of the past....it's not > always easy to get volunteers either....GENWEB for my counties is STILL > looking..... And has been for a couple of years! We probably need to look > at other venues to bring attention to ourselves....perhaps in conjunction > with the Saginaw Historical Society (or other small Historical societies > in the *greater* Saginaw area) to put some interesting things of use in > the news letter. Could we not but the entire Saginaw Cemetery > Survey/Inscription in the news letter....or some interesting about the > history of Saginaw or Blue Mound....something taken from one of the old > back issues form the Times Record...............see where I am going with > this? Of local interest........ > > As for fund raising........we were thinking of perhaps seeing if Ms. Bell > would do a program on a Saturday (our biggy/ get us on the map > program)....one in which we charged..... (hint-hint Ms. Bell.....might you > be available to assist us ?) > > ok..........all just food for thought.................... > > Jayna > > > > > > From: Lisa Polk<mailto:lpolk@dpengineering.com> > To: TX-GSGS-L@rootsweb.com<mailto:TX-GSGS-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 3:52 PM > Subject: RE: I have an idea... > > > While I can see Mary's point...and they are good points...My line of > thought wasn't meant to be an extensive research project. > > My thought was if that someone requested something simple as a marriage > cert look up...then we could do it instead of the staff. > > that if someone requested something that only a resident of Texas has > access to.....similar to someone in Ireland having access to files that > we as 'outsiders', would have to pay just to access the site.....etc. > > It's just an idea...for raising funds, for awareness of the group.... > > > > > > > > > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx<http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx> > > > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > >