We're All Set for 2026 and a Reminder About Giving Tuesday!

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and with the arrival of our first measurable snow in St. Louis this weekend, most of us are now well into the mood for the upcoming holiday season! We have a sneak peek for you now of the first StLGS genealogy programs of 2026, and we also want to remind you how important it is to help your favorite nonprofits as much as you can on Giving Tuesday. Please read on for details.

Tomorrow, 2 December 2025, is Giving Tuesday. Since our message remains the same, we'd like to repeat what we said to you last year at this time . . .

Begun in 2012, this designated special day, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, is a global effort to increase awareness of the work that nonprofit organizations do and their need for the generosity of members and friends to support them. St. Louis Genealogical Society is a perfect example of how the support of those who care about history and preservation benefits the entire community. Without the willingness of our members to donate and volunteer, our efforts to educate family history researchers and to publish and preserve St. Louis records could not happen. As most of you know, StLGS has no paid staff. We are entirely run by the massive efforts of dozens of volunteers, some of whom work up to twenty hours a week at our office and at home; some of whom step up when needed, and all of whom are appreciated beyond words.

We know this time of year can be difficult on everyone's budget. However, if you have some money set aside for donations to a favorite non-profit group, we hope you will remember StLGS. Many of you have already donated, for which we are very grateful, but if you haven't, we hope you will remember us this week. Any donation, no matter how small, helps our society to flourish and continue to be there for you when you need help with your family history research.

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Final Meeting for 2025: Jewish Special Interest Group: Sunday, 7 December 2025

"How to Find Any Shtetl on Topographic Maps," by Andrew Kapochunas, expert on historic maps; 1:00 p.m. (Central); free, open to all. This meeting will be via Zoom only.  Registration is required. More details and instructions for registering are posted on the Jewish SIG page on the StLGS website. 

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2026 Previews

 January StLGS Virtual Monthly Meeting

Saturday, 10 January 2026

"Ask Louie at Your Service!" Q & A panel discussion, 10:00 a.m. (Central); free, open to all. This meeting will be via Zoom only; registration required. Ask our panel of experienced genealogists your family history questions. Please email your questions ahead, if possible, to asklouie@stlgs.org so we can accurately assist you. Live questions from attendees will also be addressed. More details and instructions for registering are on the StLGS website.

January/February StLGS SIG Meetings

German Special Interest Group Meeting: Saturday, 17 January 2026

"CompGen (genealogy.net) and Beyond: Discover the Online Records of German Genealogy Societies," by Timo Kracke, professional German genealogist; 1:00 p.m. (Central); free, open to all. This meeting will be hybrid; registration required to attend via Zoom, but no registration needed to attend at our office. More details and instructions for registering are on the German SIG page on the StLGS website.

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Irish Special Interest Group Meeting: Saturday, 24 January 2026

"Organizing Your Genealogy: Getting Your Research Year Off to a Good Start" by author and specialist in Irish genealogy, Susan McKee; 1:00 p.m. (Central); free, open to all. This meeting will be hybrid; registration required to attend via Zoom, but no registration needed to attend at our office. More details and instructions for registering are on the Irish SIG page on the StLGS website.

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Jewish Special Interest Group Meeting: Sunday, 1 February 2026

"The Old Deal: Fraternal Societies, Self-Help, and How Our Immigrant Ancestors Built the World We Live in Today," by Dr. John Cline, reference specialist, St. Louis County Library. This meeting will be via Zoom only. Registration will be required. More details and instructions for registering will be posted on the Jewish SIG page in mid-December on the StLGS website.