THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News 29 March 2017

For more information visit www.gfo.org, contact us at info@gfo.org, or call our library at 503-963-1932. We love hearing from you!

For a complete GFO CALENDAR click here.

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider for February 2017, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy HERE. NOTE: The Insider issues are now located under the “Learn” –> “Our Publications” menu at our new website (still gfo.org).

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!
We’ve recently received a lot of questions from our wonderful members asking when their membership expires and how they can track this.

In response, we’re now providing your membership information right here with our weekly e-news blasts. If you want to forward our weekly e-news blasts to a friend, you can also delete your personal information before forwarding the message.

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No Foolin’! Early-Bird Registration for the Colletta Spring Seminar ends April 1st!

REGISTER for SATURDAY’s SEMINAR

And YES, OH YES, there are still seats available for the Saturday Session!!
Online registrations received by and mailed registrations postmarked by this Saturday, April 1st, will still be considered at the Early-Bird Registration rates.

When APRIL 29TH, 10am – 4:30pm

Where THE MILWAUKIE CENTER

Who JOHN PHILIP COLLETTA

What OUR ANCESTORS FROM OVERSEAS

How It’s so simple! Just click HERE to register right now online.
Please note, the Saturday Seminar is NOT sold out yet. Click HERE to register your seat!
John Philip Colletta is one of America’s most popular genealogical lecturers. Knowledgeable, experienced and entertaining (what a genealogical catch!), he is a faculty member of the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. For twenty years, he worked part-time at the Library of Congress and taught workshops at the National Archives.

Free First Monday – April 3rd, at the GFO Library

Don’t be shy! Every first Monday of every month is free at the GFO for non-members!!
What you could be missing if you don’t come out to the GFO this next Monday:
▪ Access to online databases including Ancestry.com World Edition, Fold3 (military), HistoryGeo.com (land records), FindMyPast, Newspapers.com, and the American Ancestors (NEHGS) database.
▪ The GFO’s analog (books & periodicals) collection with over 40,000 items.
▪ An expansive microfilm collection featuring Oregon Donation Land Claims and Foreign Voter Registration records.
▪ An electronic microfilm reader you can use to email images to yourself.
▪ A state-of-the-art flatbed scanner for capturing and emailing or saving images of your newly found research treasures.
▪ Multnomah County marriage and death records in our Rare Book Room.

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And so so much more! The library will be open this coming Monday from 9:30am – 5pm. Hope to see you there!

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GFO’s March 2017 Star – Bobbie Foster

We’re so honored to have Bobbie’s ongoing support!
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Bobbie has been a supporter of the GFO for many years. Recently, she went above and beyond by including information about GFO’s Open House in The Skanner as a news brief by putting it their calendar of events.
Thank you, Bobbie!

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Thank you all for making the GFO’s 2017 Open House such a wonderful experience!

GFO President, Laurel Smith, has proclaimed this year’s Open House was the best attended and most successful Open House we’ve ever seen.

We loved having you, and from all the droves of attendees at all our many Open House sessions, we’re guessing you loved joining in the festivities.

Thanks to all our wonderful members and volunteers especially for hosting and for all the tireless hours of class preparation work!

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Vanport GenTalk – Sat. May 20th

At the GFO, 2 – 4pm
Did you happen to catch the Hollywood Theatre’s The Wake of Vanport show last November? You did, but you want more, you say!? Or, you didn’t and you wish you had another similar event to go to about this part of North Portland’s history?

Well, are you ever in luck. The GFO’s May GenTalk is featuring author Zita Podany as she talks about her Images of America: Vanport book and the history surrounding what happened that fateful day on May 30, 1948, as well as what this second-largest city in Oregon was like before the flood waters came.
This is a free event, open to the public.

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SATURDAY, APRIL 1st
Virginia Group 10am – noon

Topic this time: Library of Virginia Digital Resources for Genealogists. The Library of Virginia is a wonderful resource for genealogists. They have a great variety of digital resources, including many documents. However, as changes are made and records added, it is not always easy to know what is available, and how to find the new records. Our April 1st meeting of the Virginia Group will explore this library’s website and digital archives.

German Group 1 – 3pm

The German Interest Group was formed in the spring of 2011. It is intended to be a source of information and inspiration for anyone with German speaking ancestors. One goal is to provide information on a variety of topics related to Germanic history and migration. We also will provide time for members to share their research journeys and connect with others who may be researching the same region or time period.
SUNDAY, APRIL 2nd
Manuscripts Work Party 9am – Noon

There will be lots to do this Sunday at the GFO’s Manuscripts Work Party! We are still working our way through the collections, prepping each for scanning. We’d love to get your help, and teach you all about the process. A few weeks ago we found an original handwritten letter from a Civil War soldier. Come help us hunt for and make accessible some of these literally buried treasures in our manuscripts collection backlog boxes.
MONDAY, APRIL 3rd
Free First Monday 9:30am – 5pm

We look forward to seeing you! Every first Monday of each month, the GFO Library’s $7 day-use fee for non-members is waived!
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5th
Learn & Chat 10am – noon

Join us to talk about your genealogy questions and help provide support to others. Facilitated by Jean Quan.

DNA Q&A 1 – 2pm

Lisa McCullough leads a discussion on various DNA related subjects, with each meeting focused on a particular subject. General questions are welcome at the end of each planned discussion.