THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s
Wednesday Evening
E-News
7 June 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!

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider for May 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!
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Super Volunteers to the Rescue!! Help on Sundays??

Volunteer spots are open for Sundays, 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Would you consider signing up for one Sunday per month?

Duties of the job are welcoming patrons into the library, answering phone calls, helping patrons with their research, and finding or shelving books.

During slow times, you could also work on your own genealogy. While working with others, you enhance your own skills for researching.
We need your help!

Please contact me at volunteer@gfo.org or call the library, 503-963-1932 to leave your name.

Thanks in advance!

Cathy Lauer
Volunteer Coordinator
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We Appreciate Your Contributions and Time So Much!

Calling all volunteers!! We’d like to show our thanks for all you’ve done for the GFO.

We will be celebrating our volunteers with snacks and prizes during our Annual Meeting, Saturday, June 17th beginning at 1:00 p.m.

The appreciation festivities will be followed by a program featuring Harold Hinds, speaking on U.S. Farm Ancestors. Most of us had them. Come learn more exciting facts that can be gleaned about their lives.
Hope to see you there, and THANKS SO MUCH for volunteering!
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Recently Added GFO Surplus Books for Sale!

We have over 1,200 surplus books for sale at GFO.

That’s a lot, we know! If you’re head’s spinning because this sounds like too much amazing-ness to efficiently browse, below is a link highlighting just the titles added in the last month.

Click HERE to begin browsing the magic!

Email us at booksales@gfo.org for more information.
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Attention Members: OOOPS!

Between our new website and our new membership database program we’ve discovered a few little glitches. Unfortunately, some members’ renewals have hit a snag.

• Have you paid but are still getting renewal reminders?

• Have you never received a renewal reminder but are now getting a second reminder?

These are just two of the problems uncovered this week in response to emails and messages received from some of our terrific members. THANK YOU for taking the time to write or call to tell us about the mistakes.

While we’re struggling a little through the changes and the learning curve, PLEASE let us know if you receive a message about your membership that just doesn’t make sense.
Thank you for your membership and your patience as we work through the bumps. We value you and your support.

You may send any questions via email to the membership committee at membership@gfo.org, or call the GFO at 503-963-1932 and leave a message.

~ Jane McGarvin, Membership Chair
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Introducing the GFO “Reboot” Campaign!

Hardware, Printers, and Routers—Oh My!

Everyone’s time is valuable, and no one should have to fight equipment to get results—especially GFO’s patrons. After all, researchers are the reason GFO exists!

Many GFO Library visitors come in specifically to use GFO computers to access the online database collections we provide—like Ancestry.com, Fold3, FindMyPast, Newspapers.com, and others. These folks know that our current computers are slow—really slow—and our patron printer is on its last legs.

Faster, more reliable technology will make every GFO visitor’s online research faster, easier, and more trouble-free. It’s our hope, with your help, to make this happen.

Some time ago, GFO switched to faster Internet service; however, until recently we did not have the routers necessary to provide the speed we were paying for. Now, thanks to very generous donations of expertise and equipment, the GFO has received and installed two new routers for the library, significantly improving access to the high-speed connection. The improvements also allow more people to be online without significantly reducing speed. Thank you donors!

To take advantage of our high-speed Internet connection and our two new routers, the next step is to replace out-of-date patron computers which were not configured to receive Internet data so quickly. The 2017-2018 GFO budget includes $1500 for three new computers, and another PC has already been generously donated—so we’re off to a great start!
We’re seeking your help to purchase six additional computers (about $500 each) and a new laser printer ($400) devoted to patron print jobs—a complete IT upgrade for GFO patrons. Without your help, this will take two to three years to accomplish.

Won’t you please consider helping? If you want to sponsor the purchase of a new computer or the printer—that’s great! And we thank you! We all know that many of us are not in a position to be so generous, but lots of smaller donations can quickly add up—so won’t you please give what you can to our Reboot campaign? It’s easy!

You can send a check to:
GFO – Reboot
2505 SE 11th Ave., B-18
Portland, OR 97202-1061

You can donate using a credit card on our website: www.gfo.org.

Donations can also be made on PayPal to payments@gfo.org. (Dot org, not dot com.)

And of course you may drop off any donations at the library.
Whatever the method, please be sure to tell us it’s for the Reboot Campaign.
Thank you so much for your support!

Questions? Please send an e-mail labeled “Reboot” to give@gfo.org and we’ll do our best to provide answers.
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This Week at the GFO…

FRIDAY, JUNE 9TH

Mexican Ancestry Group 11:30am – 1:30pm

Finding your Hispanic ancestors from Mexico, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California!

This Special Interest Group (SIG) will pertain specifically to Mexican ancestors from Mexico and the American Southwest (New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and California).

Beginning and intermediate researchers are very welcome. Some subjects will include online parish records, Hispanic genealogy societies, Family History Library/FamilySearch.org. Ancestry.com, solving genealogical problems, methodology of organizing your research, etc. Of course this group will also be about sharing our research experiences, and having fun.

If you know of any other people interested in Hispanic genealogy tell them about the up and coming group. They don’t have to be a GFO member to participate.

For questions or comments, please email Vince at sw@gfo.org.
SATURDAY, JUNE 10th

Illinois Group 9:30 – 11:30am

The Illinois Interest Group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 9:30am (except Jul/Aug/Dec) in the GFO Library. All interested researchers are welcome to join us. Just drop in and share the workshop when you can and when you are interested. The group leaders are Kristy Gravlin, call 630-621-5166 or email hannah@teleport.com, and Harlene Patterson.

Writers’ Forum 1 – 3pm

This is a peer group of genealogists, who meet to learn about writing and to share our writing with each other. Peggy Baldwin facilitates this group and can be reached at peggyrbaldwin@gmail.com or 503-916-9410.
SUNDAY, JUNE 11th

Library Work Party – Maps! 9:30am – noon

That’s right! We are planning to continue working on this project on the second Sunday of the month from 9:00 am until noon or whenever. Come when you can. Doris Cruickshank, map project coordinator.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5th

Photoshop Elements 1:30 – 2:30pm

Come learn the tricks of the trade regarding how to save and showcase your pictorial family history using photoshop elements software. Taught by Sarah Holmes!