Priscilla Richardson

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It takes real courage to start something and call it the first annual. After all, that does promise a second annual, a third annual and so on. The organizers of the First Annual Genealogy Fair, planned for Saturday, have nothing if not courage. Rena Worthen, who is in charge of the genealogy material at the Fincastle library, sent out "about two thousand e-mail invitations" to genealogy club members and those who have visited the Botetourt genealogy Web site.

"I'm ready for about 300," Worthen claims, with goody bags containing a pencil, paper and information about current-day Botetourt County. And she and her committee have found enticing door prizes. One is a year's free membership to ancestor.com, one of those sites family searchers use.

Worthen does know that she will have in attendance the entire Bedford Historical Society because this will be their regular meeting. One honored guest will be Doug Cooper, the director of the Bedford Historical Society and museum. After all, attending their genealogy fair inspired our Botetourt folks to start this one.

When you walk in the door of the Family Life Center at Fincastle United Methodist Church on Saturday, you will have a choice. You can stay upstairs for a while to see Judy Barnett's display covering the story of black settlements, schools and churches in Botetourt. You may remember that she originally created this display for special exhibits at the Botetourt County Historical Society Museum.

Or you can go directly down to the main hall, where 28 tables will display a wide variety of family histories and other information. For example, Laura Wickstead, the librarian for the Virginia Room at the downtown Roanoke Public Library, will have a table. Other tables will be the domain of individuals, who will display information about their own family lines.

When you stop by a table and find something that would help you in your own ancestor search, you can borrow the material for a few minutes and make 10-cent copies on the library's copy machine. The hall also will host a few vendors of books, software and other items.

But don't overlook the speakers. These folks will whet your interest in searching out your own family background.

Loretta Caldwell, one of the courthouse researchers, starts the day at 9:30 a.m. by explaining what is in the courthouse. Unfortunately, the courthouse itself will not be open during the fair, although the museum will be.

At 10:30, Wickstead will speak about the holdings of the Virginia Room. At 11:30, Susan Mason offers a mini workshop on writing your personal history. Fincastle's Weldon Martin, executive director of the Botetourt Historical Society, will give his history of the county at 12:30 p.m.

Throughout the day, Fincastle's Paige Ware will be selling food to benefit the Friends of the Library. Goodies will include corn bread and pinto beans.

One touch unique to our fair will be the scanning service that Genevieve Goss is offering to all comers. If you have a photo at least 75 years old, or old documents such as birth or death certificates, Goss would like you to bring them by. She will scan them into a computer and give you back your original. Scanned images will reside in the library's collection.

This is not Goss' business, so you might ask why she's taking her whole day to do these scans. She ties this service to her work for the Valley Conservation Council. "The council supports cultural heritage," Goss said. "I value the quality of life in this area. And preserving the history helps preserve the quality of life."