Hello to All!
Update: 02 July 2019 - I had a friend look at my site and noticed I said volunteers were our problem and should have said "lack of volunteers." They knew me well enough to know it was what I meant. Thank You.
Also, I would like to note that a few of you have written me and given me very good ideas for finding those volunteers. I like that. In any event of whether I win or lose, I think it should be a committee to find those volunteers. All of you have done a great job, but we need the extra help to take some of the strain of those working so hard to keep us going.I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Jana Cortez and I live in Michigan. I've been with the USGW Project almost from the very beginning. At first I just started typing for websites in MI and NY. I finally learned a bit and began with a WYSIWYG Software and began doing my own. I'm still not very good at it, but, I do enjoy working with the patrons and many of the other webmasters.
I have been with MIGenWeb as it's State Coordinator for a number of years, but unfortunately I don't have deep roots here. Mine are in NJ, NY and WI. I have learned along the way about pay backs. I pay back the best I can through work and offering that online to Michigan Researchers.
I have been to many genealogical societies and have had talks on researching. The one thing I always find is that they think we are Rootsweb. I spend a lot of time telling them of what we have in the way of websites and archives. Coordinators that live in their area are always valuable and like myself in Mecosta County, I find things that the big sites don't have. I also enjoyed going to the National Genealogical Society Conference in Grand Rapids in May of last year, although we didn't have any representation there.
First of all, let me say, I am not running against Denise because of the work she has done. She has been excellent at keeping things going while doing so many webites. I would have to give her high marks, for sure.
What I am looking at is how many people think change is good in the real world National sites. I have to agree.
While Denise has done very well in chairing the Advisory Board and worked on many rules and regulations, I differ from her in that I feel the biggest problem we have is lack of volunteers. Without them we won't be able to go on. They are the heart and soul of this project.
I'd like to see all of us put our heads together and figure out a way to get people interested in doing them. We have a very talented group and should be able to figure out a way.
We need people that want to learn history and at the same time discover their genealogy. Let's appeal to the younger set and get them going.
I can't make any promises to you that it will work, but, I would honestly like to give it a try. I'll do my very best to hold us all together and all I ask of you is to try to work with me on this.
In any event whether you agree with me or not, I'm asking all of you to get out and vote. Whether it be Denise or myself, please vote.
Jana Cortez