Congratulations to Michael Moore our feature Volunteer of the Month for March, 2020! Thank you for your work in Canadian cemeteries, particularly photographing headstones in Quebec.
Michael was inspired to volunteer when he encountered the work of BCDocwalker, who has transcribed records for cemeteries in the Lachûte, Quebec area and added them to Find a Grave. This is also where Michael’s ancestors immigrated to in the early nineteenth century.
He decided to make the 300-mile drive and photograph headstones for memorials created in that area and to visit his ancestors’ graves. The trip was a success! Later that summer, he went back to Lachûte and fully photographed all twenty cemeteries in the area, uploaded the photos to Find a Grave and created any new memorials needed. Now the information and photos can help people around the world! The collaboration aspect of Find a Grave is one of his favorite features of the site.
“I have two motorcycles, both long-distance touring motorcycles, one in Europe and one in Canada. When I head out on cross-continent tours, I make a list of locations where ancestors are buried, and I try to photograph the entire cemetery & upload all the pictures to Find A Grave. My experience has been that when I do that, other Find A Grave members start linking families together and that greatly helps me with my family history research.”
Michael spent much of his career flying in war relief efforts for the Red Cross in Africa. He retired a few years back, ending his career as an engineering test pilot for an aircraft manufacturer. Michael lives in Canada, but airport closures and closed borders have him stuck in Tunisia. He’s been trying to find a way home for the past couple of weeks. Fortunately, he has “a backlog of about 4,000 pictures” to upload and says this will “keep him busy.” We hope you get home soon, Michael!
Our accolades to you for your extraordinary work in cemeteries! We are so glad that you are a Find a Grave member and appreciate all your efforts in recording and memorializing those that have passed.
We welcome your suggestions for Volunteer of the Month. If you’d like to submit a volunteer for consideration in future months, please send an email with details of their work to feedback@findagrave.com.
Thank You for all you do. The lives you touch you will never know, but they will remember your kindness.
Michael Moore, Thank you so much for the great gift you make available to others. The photographs Of headstones you’ve taken, and shared with Findagrave are truly a Gift! Thank you!
Congratulations Mr. Michael Moore, for all the hard work and time to do this in your schedule . Again Congratulations!!!!!
My sincere congratulations and thanks to my dear friend, Michael Moore, for all of the work you have done. You have helped me so much. Until we meet again take care. Your friend, Ruth (aka BCDocwalker))
Beautiful….congratulations Michael….