Historic Effingham Society will have its annual banquet Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. at the Great Hall at the New Ebenezer Retreat Center.

The guest speaker will be Vincent C. Exley, a native of Effingham County and currently residing in Cobb County. His topic will be researching Effingham families.

He is the genealogist, specializing in Georgia Salzburger descendants and their families of Effingham County. A graduate of Newberry College with a master’s degree from Jacksonville University, he has researched local and Salzburger and other German sources and locations. Currently, he chairs the special genealogical research project of the Georgia Salzburger Society, which has produced five books in a series entitled “Immigrant Families in Ebenezer, Georgia,” including Seckinger, Helmey/Helmly, Reiser, Neidlinger, and Rahn and the Exley Family book.

Historic Effingham Society will present the member of the year and historic preservation award for restoration of an Effingham building instead of destroying it, and other awards.

Tickets are available at $20 each for the meeting and dinner, at the Effingham Museum at 1002 N. Pine Street, Springfield, or by calling 754-2170. Deadline for tickets is Feb. 1.