Reading one of the email messages I received this morning reminded me how much time and effort others have put into making it possible for me to access so much information so economically. We are the benefactor of the work done by members of local genealogical organizations who have walked cemeteries, searched records, collected obituaries, and a wealth of other information from their community and published it making it available to those of us who live great distances from their community. It is certainly more economical for me to buy a book than spend the time and money to travel to the area to do the research myself. The internet has made so much more information available to us in our homes. It is a wonderful resource, but it is not FREE. People spend time collecting all that information. Computers and internet access or not free, and someone must post the information, and hopefully someone has checked the accuracy before it is circulated around the world. Few of us take time to consider the cost of maintaining any organization. Printing and postage to provide newsletters and other publications to those of us who live far away is an ever increasing expense. Maintaining a research facility is very costly. Each of us should consider the work, effort, and cost of publishing information, and remember to give recognition to those who did the work and paid the cost. Our purchases and contribution enables the group to maintain and enhance their collections. I cannot say enough to thank the genealogy "angels" who do all the hard work and contribute so much of time and money to preserve the genealogical and historical material in their community and make it available to the present and future generations. Jonelle ELLIS Russell