The President's Message
April 2018
This is my last post. It is difficult to believe two years have passed by since Wayne Shepheard, former Editor of Relatively Speaking, and Lyn Meehan, former AGS Communications and Webmaster, encouraged me to initiate this column. According to our statistics, it received 385 hits last year. Not exactly a best seller, but still, I think that is a decent number. It has been a sedulous and at times intense two years as your President and we have raised various issues facing this society and received some worthy comments through this column, but now it is time to turn the reigns over to someone else. On April 21st a new President will be acclaimed at our 45th AGM. I have read many farewell messages over the years, and written my fair share as I’ve 
left one organization or another as life progressed. Typically those messages have provided a synopsis of highlights and achievements over the past year(s) and a plethora of thank-you to one and all. Mundane and saccharine.
When I assumed this presidency, one of our directors stated she was looking forward to the year as I struck her as being a no-BS sort of guy. She did not mean brown sugar. So, in keeping with that sentiment, for my farewell message I will issue you, the member, and you, the non-member reader, a challenge. I challenge you who are non-member readers to join AGS. If you are visiting this page you must have an interest in genealogy. Step forward and meet others who share the same interest as you. Step forward and contribute. I challenge you who are members to become involved in this society, at the Branch level, at the Provincial level, or as free-ranging individuals for those of you who have chosen to be branchless. I challenge you to take an active role in this society. What time and effort you put into this society you will receive back threefold. That I guarantee. Over the years I have joined more groups and committees than would be possible to list in a column of this length, and it has been the same with every one of them. What you get is what you put in.
AGS is a body of volunteers. Its existence and success depends on its volunteers. Each and every one of you has a special skill or ability, all of you have experiences. I challenge you to step forward and share that skill or experience with others. Join a committee. There isn’t one with your particular interest? Create one. Take on a leadership position. It can be challenging and rewarding. You will meet some very interesting and inspiring individuals who will enrich your life. At the time of this writing AGS is in need of a Archivist, a Communications Chair, a Surname Database Chair and a Parliamentarian. Step forward. Do you have an idea? A thought? The Branches and our Journal team are always looking for articles. Sit down and submit. Give others the benefit of your wisdom. Share your passion.
When I assumed the AGS Presidency in 2016, I knew the problems and the issues facing this Society. I have spent close to 450 to 500 hours each year addressing those issues. To do so I either dropped out of or reduced my involvement in four other groups I was involved with at the time. Now as I assume the duties as Past President I look forward to the change and my new role, and I am looking forward to being able to have the time to resume my involvement in those other organizations, and to explore, for me, a totally new pursuit for 2018. What are your plans for the future? I hope it involves AGS.
This is Bob. Let me know.
Robert "Bob" Franz
AGS President
Back issues of Bob's Presidential Messages
| February 2018 › | April 2018 › |
Out-of-Office | Out-of-Office |
| February 2017 › | May 2017 › | September 2017 › | Christmas 2017 › |
| Out-of-Office |
September 2016 › | November 2016 › |