NGS 2023 Family History Conference in Richmond
VGS invites you to join us for the National Genealogical Society (NGS) 2023 Family History Conference in Richmond 31 May–3 June 2023. An amazing variety of lectures and special events are planned with an emphasis on the theme, “Virginia, Deep Roots of a Nation.”
Volunteers are what make conferences successful, and we hope you will take advantage of this unique opportunity to volunteer during the event. You do not have to be a member of VGS or registered for the conference to volunteer.
If you haven’t attended a VGS conference or an NGS Family History Conference before, this is your opportunity to find out what going to a conference is really like. Come meet the VGS board! Come network with fellow genealogists! Come for a day—or several days! Many positions are available including conference bag prep, check-in, event ticket collectors, lecture room monitors, exhibit hall monitors, and tour escorts. And, don’t forget, if you do sign up for the conference, you can attend lectures with nationally renowned genealogists!
Volunteering for NGS 2023 is also a wonderful opportunity for high school or college students interested in history and genealogy who want to add volunteer experience to their resumes. We will, with pleasure, sign a statement certifying the number of hours you volunteer.
If you would like to volunteer at NGS 2023, sign up for the opportunity that interests you most at Signup Genius.
If you have any questions, please direct them to NGS2023Volunteers@vgs.org.
May Saxton & Birgitte Tessier NGS 2023 Volunteer Committee Co-Chairs
Volunteer Opportunities
Below are descriptions of more than 700 hours of opportunities from which to choose. You will have the opportunity to sign up for the opportunities you’re interested in and for as many hours as you are available.
Pre-Conference Bag Preparation: Tuesday, 30 May
Join the assembly line adding items to the conference bags each attendee receives at check-in. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet and network with fellow genealogists from around the country.
Tour Escorts: Wednesday, 31 May
Bus Tours
As a Bus Tour Escort, you will join one of the bus tours on Wednesday, 31 May:
- American Civil War Museum, 9:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. This tour includes a quarter-mile optional walk along the James River.
- Virginia Museum of History and Culture, 1:00 p.m.–4:15 p.m.
Duties include confirming attendees are registered for the tour; making sure water is on the bus; accounting for all attendees before the bus leaves the museum; and providing general assistance as needed.
Please bring a mobile phone to contact an NGS representative in case of an emergency.
Tours are guided; therefore, you only have to answer general questions from attendees.
Walking Tours
As a Walking Tour Escort, you will join one of the walking tours on Wednesday, 31 May. Two tours are offered in the morning and two in the afternoon.
Morning:
- Jackson Ward, 9:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m., a one-mile walking tour. You will escort the group to Jackson ward, a short walk from the Convention Center, to meet the tour guide.
- Virginia State Capitol, 9:45 a.m.–11:45 a.m. You will escort the group to the Virginia State Capitol, about six blocks from the Convention Center, to meet the tour guide.
Afternoon:
- Black History Museum & Cultural Center, 1:45 p.m.–4:00 p.m. You will escort the group to the museum to meet the tour guide (about 4/10 mile from the Convention Center).
- Virginia State Capitol, 1:15 p.m.–3:15 p.m. You will escort the group to the Virginia State Capitol, about six blocks from the Convention Center, to meet the tour guide.
Duties include confirming attendees are registered for the tour; making sure water is on the bus; accounting for all attendees at the end of the tour; and providing general assistance as needed.
Please bring a mobile phone to contact an NGS representative in case of an emergency.
Tours are guided; therefore, you only have to answer general questions from attendees.
At the end of the tour, you will escort the group back to the Convention Center.
Library of Virginia Support: Wednesday–Friday, 31 May–2 June
Wednesday–Friday, 31 May–2 June from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Sign up for as many hours as you are available.
Thursday, 1 June from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Sign up for as many hours as you are available.
As a support volunteer, you will be stationed either in the lobby of the Convention Center to help direct conference attendees to the Library of Virginia or in the Library of Virginia Reading Rooms to assist with tasks such as copying and scanning. Training will be provided.
Conference Support: Wednesday–Saturday, 31 May–3 June
Conference Check-in
Duties include checking the identification of each registered attendee; confirming the name and registration type; asking each attendee to ensure their name badge contains the correct information including meals, tours, and special events; and giving each attendee a lanyard and conference bag.
Ask Me
Duties include welcoming attendees; answering general questions about room locations; and providing directions to the check-in desk, exhibit hall, lecture rooms, rest rooms, meeting spots, etc.
Exhibit Hall Monitor
Duties include confirming only registered vendors enter the hall before and after official opening hours and answering general questions about the exhibit hall hours.
Floater
Duties include assisting with the unexpected such as filling in for another volunteer, taking an item or person somewhere, or helping find a specific person to deal with a question or situation.
Event Ticket Collector
Duties include collecting tickets from attendees; counting and recording ticket numbers; and assisting as needed. If you volunteer at the VGS luncheon, the speaker may require assistance with book signing after the presentation.
Room Monitor
Duties include arriving early to provide assistance, if needed, to the speaker; checking badges at the door; making attendees feel welcome as they enter the room; assisting attendees with special needs; monitoring the lighting and sound level in the room; and recording the number of attendees in the session.
Small rooms require one monitor. Additional monitors will be assigned for larger rooms.
VGS Exhibit Booth Staff
Duties include assisting with book sales and answering basic questions about Virginia research. VGS Board members will be on hand to answer intermediate and advanced research questions and questions about VGS membership. Training for credit card transactions will be provided when you arrive at the booth.
For additional conference information or to register for the conference, visit https://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/.
