Meetings 2025-2026

General Meeting & Luncheon – third Tuesdays as shown below September through May.

Our New meeting location is:

 South Hillsborough Elks Lodge 2672, 1630 S U.S. Hwy 41, Ruskin, Florida   Map & Location

10:30 am – Optional Regional Round Table  Discussion before the luncheon. Bring your questions and maybe the group can help you find the answers.

12:00 pm – Lunch              1:00 pm – Guest Speaker

 COST: $18.00 includes program & pre-planned lunch. Make check payable to South Bay Genealogical Society. Reservations must be received in our P.O. Box at least nine  (9) days prior to the luncheon meeting.  Send a check for $18.00 each, including names of attendees and food choice to SBGS, PO Box 5202, Sun City Center, FL 33571 

September 16 – Karen Fortin – Identifying Female Ancestors –

The names and parentage of our female ancestors can sometimes be elusive in comparison to our male ancestors.  This presentation will look at various types of records that might hold clues to female identities, some techniques for finding the answers, and a case study showing how one such mystery was solved.

October 21 – Karen Dwyer – Self Publishing Your Genealogy for Under $10

Embark on a journey to transform your genealogical research into a cherished family heirloom. This comprehensive workshop will guide you through the process of self-publishing your family history, ensuring that your discoveries are accessible for generations to come,

November 18 – Shelley Bishop – Avoiding an Ancestor Identity Crisis

How can you tell if a name in a database or record is really your ancestor? Genealogists often deal with the challenges of identifying ancestors despite same names, irregular spellings, inconsistent ages, similar places, unknown maiden names, missing vital records, ancestral migration, and boundary changes. Knowing how to sort these issues out is crucial to building an accurate family tree. This lecture will demonstrate the use of seven strategies to help you solve identity problems and keep your research on track

December 16 – Karen Fortin – WorldCat and ArchiveGrid: Finding Books, Manuscripts, and More 

A treasure trove of genealogical material is available in books, manuscripts, and other print resources. However, much of this material is scattered in libraries and archives throughout the country. WorldCat and ArchiveGrid are online resources that allow you to search many of these repositories to identify and locate materials on the families and topics you are researching.