Marion County Genealogical Society, Ocala, FL

Volunteer Opportunities

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The Marion County Genealogical Society is a very active organization. No matter what your skills or talents are, there is something you can do to help our society realize its goals.
 
Below are some of our current projects with a description of what kind of help is needed. Please see any of the board members at a meeting, or email us at MarionGenealogy@gmail.com. Full training is provided to all volunteers.
 
We hope everyone will take an active role in the continuing success of our society.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Cemetery Transcription
Purpose: The objective of this committee is to create a complete inventory of the cemeteries in Marion County, Florida, on the Internet, freely accesible by the researching public. To accomplish this, photographs, locations, and when available, some genealogical data is posted on www.findagrave.com.
 
Type of help needed:
  • Preparing memorials to be photographed
  • Photographing the memorials
  • Entering memorial information and picture to www.findagrave.com
  • Minimal researching to add additional information to findagrave.com entries
  • Answering correspondence regarding Marion County Cemeteries

Contact: Arnold Davis

 
Research
Purpose: To do look-ups and fulfill specific research requests sent to us from people from outside the Marion County area. The research chairman will assist volunteers in determining where and how to find the requested information.
 
Type of help needed: People who are willing to look for:
  • obits or other newspaper articles in the Ocala Public Library microfilm collection
  • land, marriage, probate or other court records at the courthouse
  • information from various resource books that are made available to researchers
  • information from various genealogy websites

Contact: Lisa Holt

 

Field Trips

Purpose: To find genealogy events or research facilities within driving distance of Ocala and organize carpools.
 
Type of help needed: People who are willing to:
  • Check genealogy websites and newsletters for information about possible destinations
  • Help organize carpools to those events

Contact: Jim Neate

 

Rootdigger

Purpose: To publish a quarterly newsletter including information of interest to the membership.
 
Type of help needed: People who can
  • find articles for reprint from other publications
  • write articles concerning their own research or other topics of interest and encourage other members to do the same
  • assist in finding suitable graphics for use in the newsletter
  • create and edit a newsletter using desktop publishing software

Contact: Margaret Sasser

 

Obituary Daily Times

 
 

Library Volunteers

Purpose: To assist library patrons who come to do research in the genealogy room. MCGS volunteers are on rotating duty in the genealogy room every Wednesday, each volunteer serving once a month.
 
Type of help needed: People who can assist patrons with
  • using print materials in the genealogy room
  • using microfilm readers and printers
  • using computers to access genealogy databases provided by the library
  • developing a strategy of searching their family's history

Contact: Bettie DeBary

 

Obituary Transcription

Purpose: We are creating a valuable research tool for those looking for information on the people of Marion County, Florida.  The searchable database will have all of the Ocala Star-Banner obituaries published from the present back to 2003 and beyond.  This database will be available to the public at no charge.
 
Type of help needed:
Please volunteer if you can type at least one page of obituaries (about 9 obituaries) a week.
Contact: Richard Heckman