Family Web Sites
If you don’t already have a family web site to help your family stay in touch, check out this article “All in the Family,” I found on MSN. The article discusses the trend of family blogs and web sites.
Because families are so scattered these days, a family web site is a great way to keep in touch with your relatives and friends. I am an administrator for two family web sites and one village-based web site. The sites are private and password-protected. I am a member of several other group sites as well. It is a great way to stay informed about family news, see who has a birthday or anniversary coming up, share family photos and more! I recently used one of my family sites to post the invitation to our 40th annual reunion and also the most recent issue of our family newsletter. It saves postage (especially now since the rates have gone up again) and provides quick and easy reference for family members.
Most members visit the site every day, some once a week or when they get a chance. But the site is an integral tool for our communication.
Not only does a family site provide a great way for distant relatives to stay connected, it also offers a platform to share the history and research the genealogists in the family have collected. I regularly post short stories and photos on our family site. Most may not care about a family tree database or find browsing microfilm an interesting pastime, but they do enjoy – and appreciate – the results of our efforts.