From to president Alain Michaud :
Our yearly general meeting held last June 8th, in Lévis, was rather successful. After the usual welcome and reconnections, the twenty-two attending people were ready for two conferences.
As webmaster, I had the occasion of entertaining the crowd about the improvements done during the past year and to explain an ambitious project in progress, that being the downloading of all of the previous editions of our Brelan. A user’s guide of our genealogic databank has also been inaugurated. You will find copy (french) of it in the “généalogie” section of our website « www.famillesmichaud.org ».
The second conference was on DNA and genealogy. Thanks to Lise Lachance who has developed a real passion in this field so to offer her services to those interested. During the afternoon, as usual took place the annual general meeting. Report on the association’s activities for 2018-2019 was delivered as well as the financial statements. Those documents appear in the Brelan’s september edition. They also appear on our website in the section reserved to our members under “Assemblées annuelles”.
It was also the occasion for the administration council to be enriched with two new members: Réjean Michaud (1511) and Lise Michaud Landry (1375). They join Isabelle Deblois-Michaud (1440), Madelaine Dubé-Michaud (1585), Jean-Eudes Michaud (3) and Réal Michaud (1536), who have generously accepted to continue with us.
I am glad to inform that, for the first time in many years, the 7 administrative tasks of our rules are being filled, which demonstrate our association dynamism regrouping some 200 members.
Following Madelaine’s wish to offer to someone else the president mandate, I have accepted to take on her offer. I am confident that having been in the last six years administrator, secretary, then treasurer has prepared me adequately to endorse this responsibility. Moreover, with the team’s devotion and wise advices from two ex-presidents on the administration council, Madelaine (2015-2019) and Lise (2006-2015), I shall be doing just fine.
After the annual general meeting, our group was offered a very interesting guided tour at Alphonse-Desjardins home. This museum is a neo- gothic type house built between 1882 and 1884 for Alphonse Desjardins who resided there until his death in 1920. This house was also the site of the very first Caisse populaire in the province of Quebec.
I also wish to inform you that our administration council held its first meeting of the present new year on August 16th. An action plan pertaining to an improved version of our genealogic data bank accessible to all members since 2017.
We also wish to install an active link plan for our new members and those who renew their membership. This is to make sure that they are aware of the existence of our online services offered to all and that they know how to enrich their family researches.
A last call to the 30 some members who have not yet renewed their membership as of March 31st, 2019 and to whom this edition of our Brelan reaches them for the last time unless they settle this situation in the following weeks. PLEASE remain faithful to our Association; the volunteers expect your contribution to go on with the last years important improvements.
As you well know, AFMI’s success stand on the annual contribution renewals. Without your support year after year, your Association may very well be among the many other family associations in Quebec, and disappear.
On a regular basis, new members join, and we extend to them a warm welcome. With them, let’s continue the perpetuity of our fantastic Association, descendants of our common ancestor, Pierre.
Alain Michaud (1480), président