DGS Needs Your Service
By Jim Thornhill
Muhammad Ali once said, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” As family historians, many of us can see the threads of a “culture of service” weaving through our families for generations. In my case, that culture started with my third great grandfather. His service made an impact on his world, which is still felt today; now, if I could only live up to his example!
It has been said before and will be said again, Dallas Genealogical Society could not exist without its volunteers. Volunteering makes me feel good on many levels. Not only am I supporting something that is an important part of my genealogy passion, but it just makes me feel good to help others. And it’s not just me; science has proven that people who do for others have a greater sense of well-being, get sick less and live longer. Besides, isn’t that what genealogy is all about, sharing and collaboration? All those indexes we search, those manuscript collections we love to dig through, the courthouses search, those things are available in large part because others gave their time and effort to make them available for us.
Now that you are in volunteer mode, let me give you some opportunities. Your Dallas Genealogical Society needs people like you in two different areas, in its organization and its events. To help with running the society, you don’t have to have a lot of time or be a management guru. There are many things you can help with that only require a few hours a week. To help with events, you don’t need any special skills at all, just a smile and a willingness to help others. At our events, most volunteers don’t miss any part of the event, so it has cost you nothing to give a benefit to others!
Author Sherry Anderson once said, “Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless!” We can use some of you priceless folks! Consider volunteering with DGS. You can contact me at vicepresident@dallasgenealogy.org, go to dallasgenealogy.org and click on Get Involved>Volunteer Sign Up, contact any board member or grab one of us at a monthly meeting. The benefit we both receive will be…well, priceless!
