Review: Virtual Genealogical Association

By Don Taylor

I find the presentations of the Virtual Genealogical Association excellent. I gain new ideas and learn new tricks in virtually every webinar I watch. “Reeling ‘Em in with Cousin Bait – 10 ways to connect with Family” by Cheri Hudson Passey (of Carolina Girl Genealogy) was no exception. Her easy-going style is a joy to watch; it contains interesting information and is generally fun.

I knew many of her topics (i.e., blogging, Find-a-Grave, and sharing DNA across several sites), but she provided many new ideas for me. One was a better way to honor my ancestors with a weekly birthday blog than the Facebook method I used and abandoned before. I will start the process again and incorporate some ideas from her talk, plus other ideas I’ve been thinking of to honor my ancestors. Her encouragement to use Instagram for genealogy sparked my desire to get an Instagram account.

The Virtual Genealogical Association is an inexpensive ($20/year) association with several online services that I find worthwhile, such as Webinars, Members-Only services, and discounts on genealogy software, publications, and products.

I renewed my membership recently and expect to use their services for years to come.

So, watch my blog for additional items, such as new weekly birthday postings and a new Instagram presence—processes I inspired by Cheri Hudson Passey and the Virtual Genealogical Association webinar series.