The Howard County Genealogical Society is a non-profit, 100% volunteer service organization. We give our time, offer our expertise, and gather frequently to help each other learn, practice, and enjoy genealogy in its many forms and styles.
We are funded 100% by member dues which includes the printed materials we collect, the video meetings we hold, the expert presentations we host each month, the educational materials we collect. We try to keep our costs down and genie energies and activities up. Many of us learned genealogy the hard way. Some were fortunate to have a mentor. And so we recognize the value of asking for help, offering help, and helping to bring others along.
Volunteerism extends even to Howard the Genie. Behind every answer that Howard the Genie delivers is something even more powerful than magic—people. The Howard County Genealogical Society is built on the dedication of members who have spent years—often decades—researching, questioning, discovering, and sharing what they’ve learned. While many may not carry formal certifications, they bring something just as valuable: deep, practical experience and a genuine passion for helping others succeed. Their knowledge has been shaped through countless hours in archives, libraries, and conversations—shared in meetings, written in articles, and offered generously at help desks and workshops.
When you ask Howard the Genie a question, you are tapping into this remarkable collective wisdom—you are, quite literally, standing on the shoulders of giants in genealogy. Every response reflects a spirit of generosity that defines our Society: members freely giving their time so that others can move forward in their own journeys. We hope that as you benefit from this shared knowledge, you’ll stay connected, grow your skills, and one day find yourself doing the same—reaching back to help the next person, and paying it forward.
As such, we are grateful for the many volunteers who keep HCGS running, from the president who organizes a lot of this and leads our meetings, down to the one-time event helper. This organization would not exist if it weren’t for our volunteers or our participants, for that matter. Volunteering is a great way to get involved and interact with other members and really get to know the people who keep HCGS running smoothly. You may also make some valuable connections helpful to your personal genealogy work. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll find a few cousins here!
How can you help? Here are a few suggestions:
- Give a genealogy presentation at our monthly General Membership Meeting
- Serve as an Officer or Board member of HCGS
- Serve on a standing or ad-hoc committee
- Help at a meeting or event
- Answer research requests
- Write an article for our newsletter, The Family Tree
Or perhaps you would rather volunteer by becoming one of these:
- Become a Help Desk Research Assistant
- Become a Newsletter Reporter
- Join A Committee
- Become a Research Buddy
If you are even considering participation through volunteering, please reach out to us:
Consider Donating to the HCGS
If you prefer, please consider becoming a donor to the Howard County Genealogy Society. As we noted, we are 100% funded by member dues. So, while we try to keep dues as low as possible, it also means we often forego larger events, more expensive presentations or any of the frills that non-profit organizations only wish they could afford. You can help by donating, too. Consider a $20 donation - about the cost of a good restaurant hamburger. Since we are also 100% volunteer, the donation would go 100% to helping the members in various way. Thanks for considering this. And, we hope, thanks for helping.