Temecula Valley Genealogical Society - Our Beginnings
In January of 1998 Jo Peck, teacher, columnist and specialist in genealogical research, helped organize the Temecula Valley Genealogical Society. The meetings were set for the first Monday of every month and the first slate of officers was:
Jo Peck, President; Toni Perrone, Vice President; Marilyn Abigt, Treasurer; Terri Scheele, Recording Secretary; Jeanne Roberts, Corresponding Secretary; Bernadine Anderson, Librarian; Jeff Jensen, Historian; John Hunneman, Newsletter Editor; Kit Poole, Publicity; Brian Youens, Membership; Jan Reynolds, Hospitality; Sue Gosser, Ways and Means; and Barbara Russell, By-Laws.
The First President’s Message
Welcome to the wonderful world of genealogy, and to what is probably one of the newest genealogical societies in existence. We’ve done it because of your enthusiasm for this hobby, as expressed in your letters from my genealogy column, and your wonderful response to our blanket advertising in every media we could think of. Thank you for attending the first meeting of the new TEMECULA VALLEY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY.
Our aim now is to keep this excitement and interest going by having interesting and informative speakers, planning mini seminars, field trips, and holding beginners classes.
See you at the next meeting and bring a friend. JO PECK
Since that first meeting in 1998 with 42 members, Temecula Valley Genealogical Society (TVGS) has continued to grow in terms of the variety of events and activities and the size of the membership. In addition to the regular meetings, we have offered classes and seminars. We have one or two social events each year. Our book collection has grown considerably, especially with the opening of the new Temecula Public Library in December 2006. We offer genealogy help to patrons of the library. We have a computer and many CDs, along with a digital film viewer and scanner system in the library.
We continue to have outstanding speakers, including Arlene Eakle, Nancy Carlberg, Gene Armistead, Bill Doty, and many others. Other events include an annual trip to Salt Lake City to spend a week in the Family History Library for genealogy research. In the past year, we also traveled to Washington, D.C. to visit the National Archives and the DAR Library. Over the years we have also made field trips to libraries in southern California. Our annual Open Houses with professional genealogists, computer experts, and specialists in various other areas of genealogy are open to the public and have been well attended. TVGS now has 161 members.
