The Genealogy Club of Newtown will hold its first meeting of the near year on Wednesday, January 14, via Zoom, beginning at 7 pm.

The program will be a presentation entitled “I Have Always Wanted to Go There … Tips for Visiting the Hometowns of Your Family in the USA and Overseas,” to be given by Margaret (Peg) Kapustiak.

There is nothing more exciting than walking the same cobblestone streets or praying in the same church of one’s grandparents or great-grandparents. Maybe your ancestors came from New England or the southern states or out west. Maybe they came from London or Munich or Stockholm or one of the many large cities in Europe. But if you are like most of us, they came from little villages that are off the beaten path, with little cemeteries set among the fields or nestled against an old stone church. Traveling within the United States and Europe is not that difficult.

Kapustiak will give tips to help attendees, based on her experience of living in Europe for almost five years and also visiting many hometowns in both the United States and Europe.

Kapustiak’s presentations are designed to provide guests with extremely practical tips, ideas, links, and sources. She has been a genealogist/family historian for 48 years, and has researched her family history in the Chicago area, the Midwest, New England, and New York state, plus ten countries in Europe and Asia, when she lived overseas. She has provided over 200 talks to organizations, both nationally and internationally.

She is the author of two books and 58 research articles. Her latest book, on Venice, Florida, was written for the 100th anniversary of its incorporation as a city.

She currently volunteers at five historical/genealogical organizations and is on the Board of South Suburban Genealogical and Historical Society as their strategic planner. She conducts their monthly Website SIG (Special Interest Group) specializing on the 50 states and internationally.

Programs of the Genealogy Club are co-sponsored by C.H. Booth Library and are open to the public. Registration is required for the Zoom meetings.

For the January 14 meeting, reservations are requested by January 12. Send an email request for the Zoom link to genclubnewtownct.secretary@gmail.com. An email with a link to the meeting will be sent on January 13 or 14 and will serve as confirmation.

Those planning to attend are asked to sign in starting at 6:45 so that everyone will be admitted before the program begins at 7 pm.