Monday, July 20, 2009
Freebies, Goodies...All In the Bag!
Do you like free? (Hasn't Donna always taught you that if it's free, take two?) Well, do we have some freebies lined up for conference goers in September! There will be the usual fliers and coupons, pencils and tablets, but there will also be a free issue of Discovering Family History magazine and a free little gift from FamilySearch. Oh, and the bags are special...donated by Albertsons grocery. Our committee has been busy soliciting, begging, and buying and our WSGS conference goodie bags will be the best ever!! Only one to a conference registrant, so get registered now!!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Megan Smolenyak's Presentations - Update
As our principal and fantastic main speaker, Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak has exercised her right to rearrange her topics for our upcoming Washington State Genealogical Society's 2009 state conference. Here are the topics she will present and the times/days for each:
Friday night: "Cases That Made My Brain Hurt"
Saturday morning: "Reverse Genealogy" (techniques for finding lost loved ones)
Saturday afternoon: "Trace Your Roots With DNA" (topics from Saturday morning and Sunday morning's original schedules, combined)
Sunday morning: "Newspaper Research Online"
Megan explained that by doing this re-shuffling, we are really getting five presentations instead of just four, for she's combined her two DNA talks into one and so has given us a bonus for Friday night. Lucky us! Lucky those who come to hear her!!
Click on the link below to register.
Friday night: "Cases That Made My Brain Hurt"
Saturday morning: "Reverse Genealogy" (techniques for finding lost loved ones)
Saturday afternoon: "Trace Your Roots With DNA" (topics from Saturday morning and Sunday morning's original schedules, combined)
Sunday morning: "Newspaper Research Online"
Megan explained that by doing this re-shuffling, we are really getting five presentations instead of just four, for she's combined her two DNA talks into one and so has given us a bonus for Friday night. Lucky us! Lucky those who come to hear her!!
Click on the link below to register.
Online Registration
(need help with the online registration? read our tutorial here)
Brochure and Saturday Schedule
(to help you choose your classes and activities)
Mail-in Registration Form
(for those who prefer registering offline)
(need help with the online registration? read our tutorial here)
Brochure and Saturday Schedule
(to help you choose your classes and activities)
Mail-in Registration Form
(for those who prefer registering offline)
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Fantastic Presenters for the WSGS 2009 Conference: Session D
It's been tricky figuring out what sessions to attend at Saturday's classes for the Washington State Genealogical Society's 2009 state conference to be held at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington on September 11 - 13! There are so many terrific offers that it's hard to decide! Here are the presentations available for Session D, which will take place at 4:15 to 5:15 PM:
Washington's Paper Archives by Lee Pierce
Finding Graves, Cemeteries, and Burials by Karen Kramer Struve
Drawing and Keeping Society Members in an Internet Environment by Steve Baylor
Finding Pasco: A Research Project by Susan Faulkner
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Lee Pierce, MA, is the Assistant Archivist of the Washington State Archives, Eastern Regional Branch in Cheney, Washington. While the Eastern Regional Archives is well known for housing the Washington State Digital Archives, there's plenty more to discover in the printed records! The Eastern Regional Branch stores the archives of 11 Eastern Washington counties: Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, and Whitman. Come learn what's available and how to access them! (A tour of the archives is one of the Friday afternoon choices, available for $20. You can sign up when you register for the conference--links at the bottom of this article).
Karen Kramer Struve is a member of the Northeast Washington Genealogical Society and the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society, and makes regular presentations in the area to various genealogical groups. Karen will demonstrate how to find graves, cemeteries, and burials online, as well as explain how to find these records offline as well. A good choice no matter in what state (or country) your ancestors are buried!
Steve Baylor is the Past President of the Washington State Genealogical Society. Many societies are growing concerned with the lack of membership and wonder how they can compete with the genealogical resources available on the Internet. Steve brings his unique perspective on this topic. If you want to learn how to keep your society current in a digital age, this session is for you!
Susan Davis Faulkner is a member of the Tri-City Genealogical Society and the author of Early Pasco (to be released by Arcadia Publishing in August 2009). She is also the webmaster of the Washington GenWeb sites for Benton and Franklin Counties. Susan takes us through the process from researching a town to writing a book, advice and skills useful in any genealogical project!
Don't these presentations sound interesting? No matter which choice you make for Session D, I'm sure your mind will be reeling with all the information and knowledge you soak in by the end of this busy, educational day!
Click on the link below to register.
Finding Graves, Cemeteries, and Burials by Karen Kramer Struve
Drawing and Keeping Society Members in an Internet Environment by Steve Baylor
Finding Pasco: A Research Project by Susan Faulkner
---
Here's some details about the presenters and their presentations to help you make your Session D choice:
Lee Pierce, MA, is the Assistant Archivist of the Washington State Archives, Eastern Regional Branch in Cheney, Washington. While the Eastern Regional Archives is well known for housing the Washington State Digital Archives, there's plenty more to discover in the printed records! The Eastern Regional Branch stores the archives of 11 Eastern Washington counties: Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, and Whitman. Come learn what's available and how to access them! (A tour of the archives is one of the Friday afternoon choices, available for $20. You can sign up when you register for the conference--links at the bottom of this article).
Karen Kramer Struve is a member of the Northeast Washington Genealogical Society and the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society, and makes regular presentations in the area to various genealogical groups. Karen will demonstrate how to find graves, cemeteries, and burials online, as well as explain how to find these records offline as well. A good choice no matter in what state (or country) your ancestors are buried!
Steve Baylor is the Past President of the Washington State Genealogical Society. Many societies are growing concerned with the lack of membership and wonder how they can compete with the genealogical resources available on the Internet. Steve brings his unique perspective on this topic. If you want to learn how to keep your society current in a digital age, this session is for you!
Susan Davis Faulkner is a member of the Tri-City Genealogical Society and the author of Early Pasco (to be released by Arcadia Publishing in August 2009). She is also the webmaster of the Washington GenWeb sites for Benton and Franklin Counties. Susan takes us through the process from researching a town to writing a book, advice and skills useful in any genealogical project!
Don't these presentations sound interesting? No matter which choice you make for Session D, I'm sure your mind will be reeling with all the information and knowledge you soak in by the end of this busy, educational day!
Click on the link below to register.
Online Registration
(need help with the online registration? read our tutorial here)
Brochure and Saturday Schedule
(to help you choose your classes and activities)
Mail-in Registration Form
(for those who prefer registering offline)
(need help with the online registration? read our tutorial here)
Brochure and Saturday Schedule
(to help you choose your classes and activities)
Mail-in Registration Form
(for those who prefer registering offline)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Fantastic Presenters for the WSGS 2009 Conference: Session C
There are some great choices to be had for Session C of Saturday's classes for the Washington State Genealogical Society's 2009 state conference to be held at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington on September 11 - 13, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM:
The Revolt of the Genealogist: Records, Records, Records by Jerry Handfield
RootsMagic Genealogy Program by Bruce Buzbee
Eugenics: The Misuse of Genealogy? by Barbara Brazington
Creating a Desktop Atlas by Carol Medeiros
RootsMagic Genealogy Program by Bruce Buzbee
Eugenics: The Misuse of Genealogy? by Barbara Brazington
Creating a Desktop Atlas by Carol Medeiros
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Here's some details about the presenters and their presentations to help you make your Session C choice:
Jerry Handfield is our Washington State Archivist, with over 25 years' experience in archives, history, and records management (read more about him here). He will be sharing the wealth of information available at our State Archives (physical records) and at our acclaimed Digital Archives (electronic records). If you've got Washington State ancestors, this is a must-attend session.
Bruce Buzbee is the creator and developer of the RootsMagic genealogy software. This program is described as "the easiest-to-use family tree software available for Windows Vista, XP, and 2000, yet is also one of the most powerful." Bruce will be highlighting the features of the newly-released version 4. If you are looking for a quality program, or are merely curious about this software, you'll be sure to want to attend and ask your questions. Bruce will also be exhibiting his program in the vendor area.
Barbara Brazington is an active member of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society. This year's EWGS's Distinguished Service Member, she is the society's Assistant Librarian and Aquisitions chair. She explores how genealogy was mis-used during the rise of eugenics ("the self-direction of human evolution") in the early 20th century. Could this happen again? Come find out!
Carol Medeiros is a board member of the Washington State Genealogical Society. Wouldn't be fantastic if you could have a personal atlas of maps and gazetteers of all your ancestral locations at your very fingertips? Carole will explain exactly how to create a desktop atlas using your personal computer. Improve your technological skills and expand your genealogical resources through this presentation!
Decisions, decisions, decisions! Which one of these fantastic presentations will YOU choose to attend during Session C?
Click on the link below to register.
Jerry Handfield is our Washington State Archivist, with over 25 years' experience in archives, history, and records management (read more about him here). He will be sharing the wealth of information available at our State Archives (physical records) and at our acclaimed Digital Archives (electronic records). If you've got Washington State ancestors, this is a must-attend session.
Bruce Buzbee is the creator and developer of the RootsMagic genealogy software. This program is described as "the easiest-to-use family tree software available for Windows Vista, XP, and 2000, yet is also one of the most powerful." Bruce will be highlighting the features of the newly-released version 4. If you are looking for a quality program, or are merely curious about this software, you'll be sure to want to attend and ask your questions. Bruce will also be exhibiting his program in the vendor area.
Barbara Brazington is an active member of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society. This year's EWGS's Distinguished Service Member, she is the society's Assistant Librarian and Aquisitions chair. She explores how genealogy was mis-used during the rise of eugenics ("the self-direction of human evolution") in the early 20th century. Could this happen again? Come find out!
Carol Medeiros is a board member of the Washington State Genealogical Society. Wouldn't be fantastic if you could have a personal atlas of maps and gazetteers of all your ancestral locations at your very fingertips? Carole will explain exactly how to create a desktop atlas using your personal computer. Improve your technological skills and expand your genealogical resources through this presentation!
Decisions, decisions, decisions! Which one of these fantastic presentations will YOU choose to attend during Session C?
Click on the link below to register.
Online Registration
(need help with the online registration? read our tutorial here)
Brochure and Saturday Schedule
(to help you choose your classes and activities)
Mail-in Registration Form
(for those who prefer registering offline)
(need help with the online registration? read our tutorial here)
Brochure and Saturday Schedule
(to help you choose your classes and activities)
Mail-in Registration Form
(for those who prefer registering offline)
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Fantastic Presenters for the WSGS 2009 Conference: Session B
Here's the lineup for Session B of Saturday's classes for the Washington State Genealogical Society's 2009 state conference to be held at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington on September 11 - 13, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM:
CCC in the Pacific Northwest by Dale Soden, Ph.D.
Traveling Light with an iPAC by Gordy Struve
Scandinavian Research in the Pacific Northwest by Lois Thomason
NEHGS Databases by Sue Richart
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Traveling Light with an iPAC by Gordy Struve
Scandinavian Research in the Pacific Northwest by Lois Thomason
NEHGS Databases by Sue Richart
---
Here's some details about the presenters and their presentations to help you make your Session B choice:
Dale Soden is a history professor at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington as well as an author of several books. The Civilian Conservation Corps was very active in the Pacific Northwest during the Great Depression, and Dr. Soden will be giving an informative presentation on this chapter of our history. Did you have an ancestor or relative who served in the CCC?
Gordy Struve is a member of the Northeast Washington Genealogical Society and the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society. He will be telling us all about his fun, new genealogical toy/tool, the iPAQ, a personal digital assistant and pocket PC! Come find out how it can be used to improve your genealogical life!
Lois Thomason is a member of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society. Did you know that Washington State and other Pacific Northwest states were destinations for many immigrants from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark? Drawing on her own personal research experience, Lois will help you find out what genealogy resources are available for your Scandinavian ancestors and where to locate the records.
Sue Richart is another member of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society, as well as a member of the New England Historic and Genealogical Society. She will be doing her presentation on the wonderful databases available on the NEHGS subscription website. Founded in 1847, more and more of NEHGS's collection is going online.
Dale Soden is a history professor at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington as well as an author of several books. The Civilian Conservation Corps was very active in the Pacific Northwest during the Great Depression, and Dr. Soden will be giving an informative presentation on this chapter of our history. Did you have an ancestor or relative who served in the CCC?
Gordy Struve is a member of the Northeast Washington Genealogical Society and the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society. He will be telling us all about his fun, new genealogical toy/tool, the iPAQ, a personal digital assistant and pocket PC! Come find out how it can be used to improve your genealogical life!
Lois Thomason is a member of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society. Did you know that Washington State and other Pacific Northwest states were destinations for many immigrants from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark? Drawing on her own personal research experience, Lois will help you find out what genealogy resources are available for your Scandinavian ancestors and where to locate the records.
Sue Richart is another member of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society, as well as a member of the New England Historic and Genealogical Society. She will be doing her presentation on the wonderful databases available on the NEHGS subscription website. Founded in 1847, more and more of NEHGS's collection is going online.
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So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, four more terrific choices from four fantastic presenters to decide upon for Session B!
Click on the link below to register.
Click on the link below to register.
Online Registration
(need help with the online registration? read our tutorial here)
Brochure and Saturday Schedule
(to help you choose your classes and activities)
Mail-in Registration Form
(for those who prefer registering offline)
(need help with the online registration? read our tutorial here)
Brochure and Saturday Schedule
(to help you choose your classes and activities)
Mail-in Registration Form
(for those who prefer registering offline)
Donna's Fall Genealogy Classes Schedule
After our wonderful conference, if your head still has time for some learning, the Seniors' Program will be offering classes from Donna Potter Phillips at the Mirabeau Center. Here is the roster of her classes:
M215 - Sep 18: Tombstones & Cemeteries
M216 - Sep 25: Set Up Your Own Google Reader
M217 - Oct 2: Military Records Online: 1775 to Present
M218 - Oct 9: FamilySearch: Enlarged, Expanded & Wonderful
M219 - Oct 16 to Oct 30 (3 Friday classes): Genealogy: Starting New Or Starting Over
This last, a three-session class, will help you pick a research project and take you through some Internet resources to help solve the problem.
All classes are on Fridays, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Cost is minimal. Watch for these classes listed in the Seniors' Program brochure which will arrive in your mailbox shortly. Then call to register or register online. Hope to see you there!
M215 - Sep 18: Tombstones & Cemeteries
M216 - Sep 25: Set Up Your Own Google Reader
M217 - Oct 2: Military Records Online: 1775 to Present
M218 - Oct 9: FamilySearch: Enlarged, Expanded & Wonderful
M219 - Oct 16 to Oct 30 (3 Friday classes): Genealogy: Starting New Or Starting Over
This last, a three-session class, will help you pick a research project and take you through some Internet resources to help solve the problem.
All classes are on Fridays, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Cost is minimal. Watch for these classes listed in the Seniors' Program brochure which will arrive in your mailbox shortly. Then call to register or register online. Hope to see you there!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Some Words of Advice from a Young Genealogist
Elyse Doerflinger is a 19-year-old genealogy enthusiast from California who has been making how-to genealogy videos on YouTube for several years and just started a genealogy blog last year. This past week, she wrote an interesting post on her blog, entitled Genealogy Societies Need to Look Toward the Future. She received so many comments that she had to write a follow-up post. Elyse makes some very valid points about the need for societies to embrace and welcome young people, to mentor them in research skills and to learn technology skills from them.
I don't know about you, but this 42-year-old genealogist expects to keep on researching for another 40 or 50 years. However...I certainly hope that EWGS and all the other societies I belong to are still around in the year 2051 or later, and that they will not die off with this generation of members. I hope that I will learn to accept new things as they come in the future to keep this society alive and vibrant.
Did you realize that we have a member of our very own society who is in elementary school? If you haven't met Terri Rehmann's daughter, Elizabeth, you're in for a treat! For the sake of all the Elyses and Elizabeths out there, I hope you'll read Elyse's posts (and the comments) and take them to heart. What can we learn from this? What are we doing well? Where can we improve? Please leave your comments below.
I don't know about you, but this 42-year-old genealogist expects to keep on researching for another 40 or 50 years. However...I certainly hope that EWGS and all the other societies I belong to are still around in the year 2051 or later, and that they will not die off with this generation of members. I hope that I will learn to accept new things as they come in the future to keep this society alive and vibrant.
Did you realize that we have a member of our very own society who is in elementary school? If you haven't met Terri Rehmann's daughter, Elizabeth, you're in for a treat! For the sake of all the Elyses and Elizabeths out there, I hope you'll read Elyse's posts (and the comments) and take them to heart. What can we learn from this? What are we doing well? Where can we improve? Please leave your comments below.
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