To understand the purpose of this pilot is to understand a little of the background that brought us to this moment.
First we need to thank those who have served and volunteered as the Waterloo Executive over the years as well as thank those who have decided to stay on to support this effort. These volunteers who are staying on are now involved in the administration of the Facebook Group, adding and sorting new content for the e-Store and Members only for this website and setting the membership costs. They are finishing a project they started, that being updating all cemetery transcriptions. This project should be completed in two years time.
So why are we here? Simply, because it we did not want to lose another branch.. When the Board of The Ontario Genealogical Society received the letter from the Waterloo Executive re moving to inactive status, we were heart broken. The question came to mind, “How do we stop this?” From that simple statement an idea was born; converting the Branch to a Virtual Branch so there would still be research access in Waterloo County. We had no play-book or example to use; this was something new, an opportunity to try something, anything to provide a solution. The Board, with recommendations from the Technical Support & Innovation Committee (TSIC) came up with a plan and presented it to the current executive of the Branch. Instead of shutting the Branch down, we would transform it. Together we would fight for this Branch to remain in operation in some format. With some promotion and showing others what Waterloo had to offer, maybe other volunteers would step up and the Branch could be relaunched to full status. Anything would be possible.
By working with the volunteers who are staying and using the expertise of the TSIC team, with the support of the OGS Board, we have brought the Branch to this point. We now need to thank you for being part of this experiment. Forging new ideas in a technically based hobby we call Genealogy, will benefit those who wish to connect to their past.
Providing access to quality genealogical information is what it is all about. Please enjoy the website and may your use of it bring you success in your research.
Technical Support & Innovation Committee
The Ontario Genealogical Society