Genealogy in the Age of COVID: 5 Positive Outcomes
Happy New Year, everyone! Welcome to the first blog post from Heritage With Heart!
I think we can all agree hindsight is 2020, and thank goodness 2020 is now hindsight. It was a year of unprecedented uncertainty, challenges, and loss. With every crisis or tragedy I faced throughout my life, I’ve always reflected and dug deep to uncover the silver lining. With every challenge, there comes an opportunity. it’s all about perspective.
So after months of lockdown, I started searching to find just one positive aspect of this pandemic. I surprised myself in that many positives came to mind without much effort.
I want to share with you the top 5 positive outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic with regard to genealogy research and family in general.
1. time to focus on genealogy research
COVID-19 lockdowns made all of our distractions were abruptly taken away. Suddenly all of those things we put off and never seemed to have time for became a priority.
How many of you pressure-washed your sidewalk? Yep, thought so! We did too.
For myself, life’s distractions meant that I couldn’t spend time on the genealogy research that I love to do – either for my own family or for others.
For those of you who have been wanting to research your family history, the opportunity and time to do so magically appeared because of the pandemic.
2. ability to sort through family pictures and memorabilia
Housecleaning was obviously a priority to battle the invisible enemy of COVID. Once the kitchen and bathrooms were fanatically Cloroxed, what was the next logical step? Closets? Attic and basement?
How many of you opened up that box of old family pictures and home movies that you hadn’t seen in over a decade?
What a wonderful opportunity to sit with our parents and grandparents, put names to those faces, and learn about their histories.
3. advancing our technical knowledge
Just like many of you, at the beginning of 2020, the word Zoom was a verb, not a NOUN!
Now it is a new way to safely conduct business and connect with friends and family. I never thought I’d be seeing my dear octogenarian family members embracing this new technology. It truly has been a game-changer.
I now hear of many having weekly family Zoom meetings. Even though we are keeping our distance from one another, families have never been closer.
4. quantity and quality time with family – getting back to basics
Parents are working from home and kids are in virtual classrooms. There’s no rushing to bring the kids to those soccer practices, dance classes or other extracurricular activities. Many us of discovered the joys of a simpler, slower-paced life like “the good ole days”.
I consider the Lakefront and City Park the best kept secrets of New Orleans. It was heartwarming to me to see entire families riding bikes together through the park and fishing at the lake. It seems COVID taught us how to enjoy and appreciate the simpler things in life, right in our own backyards, and to remember and rekindle the joy of sharing time and activities as a family.
5. rootstech is free!
Those of you who are not avid genealogists have probably never heard of Rootstech.
I considered myself passionate about genealogy, and even I hadn’t heard about this incredible conference until it was in its eighth year. For those who ask, “What is Rootstech",” let me ask, “What is Disney World to a 10-year-old?”
For genealogists, it’s all the Disney theme parks rolled into one awesome experience held annually in Salt Lake City.
I was lucky enough to attend in February 2019 and 2020, along with more than 25,000 other family history enthusiasts. Many of my “genie” friends have longed to go, but the cost of registration, hotel, and flights usually made it prohibitive. But not this year! Rootstech has gone virtual and for this year, it’s FREE!
Not only is it free, but starting Feb. 25, all registrants will have access to more 1500+ lectures on demand for an entire year! Attending a world-class conference in your pajamas with a cup of coffee is the ultimate experience for anyone interested in their family history.
This event was already the biggest genealogy conference in the world, but now it has an international platform with registrants from all over the world, classes offered in 30 different languages, and nearly 200,000 registrants. More than 85 percent are first-timers this year. That’s HUGE! It just doesn’t get any better than that! Or does it?
For me, this particular COVID-19 positive outcome is a BIGGIE! I’m proud to announce that I have been selected to co-present along with my newfound cousin, Beverly Bevel. Our session is a two-part series entitled, “Once Enslaved, Once Slaveholder – Forging a Forever Family Bond.”
Retiring from a 40-year career as a micropaleontologist and starting a new career has been a little scary, to say the least. Being given this opportunity to share my story and my passion for family connections is truly a humbling honor.
Take advantage of this incredible opportunity and register at www.rootstech.org.
Heritage With Heart offers genealogy seminars, courses, and family history packages and is based in North Carolina. Owner Rhonda Roderer has been active in the field of genealogy for more than 30 years and is a first-time presenter at Rootstech in 2021. For more information on how to attend a course or seminar, or to work with her on your family history, visit www.heritagewithheart.com.