Irish Fest
July for me means Irish Fest at the Irish American Heritage Center. I never really get to experience the fest to the fullest, I spend all of my time in the second floor library assisting those who are interested in finding out more about their family roots.
This year did not disappoint, I helped one lady uncover a family secret and another family move their family back multiple generations. Something they had not been able to do in the past. It is exhilarating to assist others when you find something they did not know or something they could not find. Each year I am invigorated by the finds we make while volunteering at the center. It keeps me motivated to continue to help others.
While working with those interested in finding out more, I was excited to share with them the new Catholic Parish Registers that the National Library of Ireland released on July 8th. There were many that stopped by just to get the URL to find them and others that wanted to take a peak at them. I love that we all come together to share in our heritage!
There is always a discussion about doing paid work and over volunteering in our field, this is one place that the volunteering seems to be the right thing for my soul.