This time last year the Encounter Bay Family History Group performed a series of costumed vignettes in the Tabernacle cemetery about the early pioneers of the area. 

The show was a part of South Australia History Month and although the weather was relatively kind to them for the time of the year, they needed to borrow two marquees to protect the performers and the audience.

Sadly, History Month activities have been cancelled this year due to COVID-19.

Nevertheless the group foresaw a need for their own marquee for when life gets back to normal and they can plan to be out and about again attending markets, conferences and expos.

They successfully applied to the Rotary Club of Encounter Bay for a community grant towards the purchase and last week gratefully accepted a cheque for $1000.

The Victor Harbor library was opened specially to accommodate the handover to Encounter Bay Family History Group chairperson Maureen Kutcher.

The group usually meets monthly at the library and every Monday offers a free help session to locals who want to research their ancestors. 

They also undertake family history related projects; the latest has been indexing all the local and family history books at the library, taking advantage of its temporary closure to get the work done. 

Now that the library has reopened group members are looking forward to resuming their family history research and assistance, once social distancing restrictions allow it.