The National Genealogical Society (NGS) held its annual conference in Raleigh, NC, from Wednesday, May 13, through Saturday, May 16. The SAR was doubly represented: the North Carolina Society had an exhibit on Wednesday's "Society Night," while the National Society had an exhibit in the exhibition hall during the entire conference.

Although attendance at this year's NGS conference was a bit lighter than last year's, the SAR exhibits received plenty of attention from the conference attendees. Dozens of people stopped by, asked about the SAR and picked up membership information.

Especially, I want to thank the compatriots of the North Carolina Society for their invaluable help during the 2009 NGS conference. The compatriots who helped out were:

James A. Becker                Dick Bishop
Stewart Dunaway              James D. Hill
Frank Horton                     Grant Peterson
Ed Phillips                          Haynes W. Rhodes
Glenn Sappie                     Wendell Small
John Sullivan                      Dr. Thomas Thomson
Clark Wiser

NCSSAR President Frank Horton had the foresight to bring his laptop and an SAR patriot index on CD -- this was brilliant. Frank spent hours with conference attendees looking up patriots, and discussing how attendees could join the SAR.

My heartfelt thanks to the compatriots of the North Carolina Society -- all in all, a successful NGS conference, which could not have been successful but for the help of these men.

The next genealogical conference at which the National Society will be represented will be in September in Little Rock. I will be asking the Arkansas Society for their help with this conference.

Fraternally,
Joseph W. Dooley
NSSAR Genealogist General