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Moose Jaw Genealogy Society helps locals understand DNA

With the rise in advertising related to DNA ancestry kits, there is a desire to know more about genetics

As people become more curious about their ancestry, the Moose Jaw Genealogy Society wants to provide as much information as possible so that individuals can foster a better understanding of their backgrounds and what this could mean for them and their families.

As part of this, the Genealogy Society staged a presentation at their meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 22 at the Moose Jaw Public Library, which helped people to understand more about DNA. Local educator Logan Petlak was the guest speaker.

Petlak, a teacher of biology at Central Collegiate, provided a basic understanding of DNA from a scientific perspective, using different objects to demonstrate the wealth of information. Petlak, who was excited to bring this information to the community, says he is happy that the conversation around DNA and its understanding is growing.  

“I was really excited to make this presentation because from a teaching perspective, seeing the enthusiasm that students have for this topic on a regular basis is something that I hoped to share outside of the classroom. So, when I was contacted, I was happy to do it because outside of a classroom, different members of the community might not know enough about the content. If I can contribute to someone better understanding DNA and them starting to actively question it more, then that’s something I’m excited to be part of,” Petlak stated.

He wants people to have a better understanding of DNA and its makeup/structure so that they can know more about personality traits they have and how it is passed down from one generation to the next.

“In general, I’d like people to understand how simple and yet complex of a molecule DNA is. It acts as a means to bring us together as humans as a whole rather than focusing on differences between us.”  

He says more resources are now available that can help people understand DNA in simpler terms than what existed before.

“I think the resources available now are much more where people can tap into a deeper understanding of DNA. There is a lot more available than when I started teaching some six years ago,” he noted. “The main thing I want people to understand is that molecule DNA is something incredibly complex that we’re continuing to understand that it is a connecting component that helps brings us together as people as well as to nature.”

Marge Cleave, president of the Moose Jaw Genealogy Society, says genealogy is fast becoming popular as people’s interests continue to peak. 

“Because a lot of people are interested in DNA now, especially with genealogy, they want to research their DNA to find matches. There’s a lot of advertising now that also make this possible and we find that many people are becoming more interested. People who do explore their DNAs want to also understand how to read them, so we thought it was important to bring this kind of information to the community to help people better understand and provide answers to questions they might have.”

She says the presentation also provided a basic understanding to get people started should they decide to delve more into genealogy.

“There is so much more out there to understand DNA, but this was just a presentation to facilitate more of that understanding that breaks it down in terms that people can understand and are able to ask questions. So, just in case someone wants to explore their DNA, this provides a basic understanding for them.”

Cleave noted that becoming a member of the local or provincial Genealogy Society will also provide deeper understanding and unlimited access to more information in relation to DNA.

“The provincial Genealogical Society (Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, SGS), when you belong to this organization, part of your membership enables you to access webinars on DNA, for which access is free. This will allow members to have more information to access for a better understanding.”

If you’re interested in becoming a member of the Moose Jaw Genealogy Society, you can contact the club at 306-799-2004 or visit their website at http://moosejawgenealogy.com. The club meets on the third Tuesday of each month except for July, August and December. 

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