THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’sWednesday EveningE-News, Edition10 January 2018 |
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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 January 2018, 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 www.gfo.org. |
Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member! |
GFO’s 2018 Elections Need Some Super Superhero’s!!The following positions are available for new candidates this coming fiscal year:
Interested in taking on one of these roles! Please email president@gfo.org today! We need candidates candidates candidates. And there is on-the-job training available for all of these positions. These people help keep the GFO going in so many ways. Just curious?? Send a note to Laurel Smith at president@gfo.org for more information! Insider Editors NeededWe also need two or three people to help take over editing and publication of the Insider this summer. This is our monthly newsletter and our fearless editor is stepping down this summer. Interested in helping out? Email Jackie Olson at insider@gfo.org. |
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Have you heard the great news!!The Irish Special Interest Group (SIG) at The GFO is being reactivated. Three cheers! They would ask anyone interested in this group to please fill out the survey below to help establish a meeting time and day. We need your thoughts by Monday, January 5th, please.And remember! All of our Special Interest Groups at the GFO are free and open to the public. |
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Don’t miss out on all the great events and classes ALL this month at the GFO! |
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Making the Most of Your DNA Holiday GiftPerhaps you are one of the many people who received a DNA test kit during the 2017 holidays. Now your results are in! What do you do with them? What do you want to find out? Or perhaps you have received a surprise. Or maybe you found your long lost cousin! Lisa will help you learn how to interpret your DNA test results and plan a course for your next steps in managing your DNA matches and how they can be used to verify your genealogy. |
African American Special Interest Group – Jan 27thCome here Stephen Hanks talk about his book Akee Tree! Stephen Hanks is a legal process server in the state of Oregon, and a specialist in African American genealogy, volunteering his time in helping to promote African American genealogy through his network, Genealogical Networking Services. In 2006 Hanks was a contributor to the PBS special “African American Lives—Oprah’s Roots” which examined the genealogy of Oprah Winfrey. He lives in Portland, Oregon. He is the author of Akee Tree: A Descendant’s Search for His Slave Ancestors on the Eskridge Plantations. He will discuss – helpful hints to African descent genealogy; overcoming roadblocks in your research; and share his personal family research. |
Beginner’s Boot Camp (ducks not included)Come join GFO’s President, Laurel Smith, for a day of beginning your genealogy adventure! WHEN: Wednesday, Jan 31st, 9:30am – 6pm WHERE: GFO’s Multipurpose Room (map) WHAT: There will be sessions about the census, vital records, immigration and naturalization, discussions about genealogy software and database use, organizing your research and more — all geared toward beginners. HOW: Bring a sack lunch so the discussion can continue while we eat. GFO members may attend for free, and non-members should please bring $20 to pay at the door. Attendees are encouraged to bring their laptops, but it is not required. RSVP: Please let us know if you plan to attend by sending a message to RSVP@gfo.org. Handouts will be emailed in advance. |
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Are you a GFO Ambassador?Have you been dreaming of the chance to attend the National Genealogical Society (NGS) Family History Conference this year?? The GFO has been offered three tickets to this event at a discounted rate. If you’re a GFO Member and would like to take advantage of this offer, please email Laurel Smith at president@gfo.org. The Conference is May 2nd through May 5th in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and it’s going to be simply amazing! Conference Details for “Paths to Your Past” HERE. |
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Illinois Special Interest Group – Save This Group!!We recently noticed that the Illinois Special Interest Group (SIG) has not met in some time. Oh no! If you have interest in helping reactivate and reinvigorate this group, please email our SIG Coordinator, Bonnie Randolph, at bonnierandolph2066@gmail.com. We’d love to see this group continue to offer expertise and research assistance to our members and any other parties with family history from Illinois and Surrounding Areas. |
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This Week at the GFO… |
FRIDAY, January 12thMexican Ancestry Group 11:30am – 1:30pm Topic: Finding your Hispanic ancestors from Mexico, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California Beginning and intermediate researchers are very welcome. Some subjects 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 is also 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, January 13thIllinois Group 9:30 – 11:30am If you have interest in helping reactivate and reinvigorate this group, please email our SIG Coordinator, Bonnie Randolph, at bonnierandolph2066@gmail.com. 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, January 14thLibrary Work Party 9am – noon There’s another work party at the GFO library today for those of you who can come. There’s lots to do and we’d love to have your help. Doors open at 9 and work usually wraps up around noon. Some people come for just an hour or so and you’re welcome to do the same. Any time you can share is valuable. Hope to see you there. WEDNESDAY, January 17thLearn & Chat 10am – noon Topic: Find a Grave – format has changed – Revisiting, please bring any questions or problems we can work on together. At Learn & Chat some of the learning comes from speakers with particular expertise but most of it comes from the sharing of experiences and knowledge of attendees who have developed methods that work for them. And if you have been doing genealogy for any length time you have likely experienced the wonderful moments of exhilaration, the successes that you then share with others and that drive you to continue researching. Unfortunately those times can be few and far between. Join us to talk about your genealogy questions and help provide support to others. Facilitated by Jean Quan. DNA Q&A 1 – 3pm 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. |
