Tuesday's Tip - FGS/RootsTech2015 OVER

Editor's note: Today's post was written by Sandra Gardner-Benward


What a ride all week.........

attendance tripled this week for the conference time.  Over 20,000 conference goers attended. Can you believe that? But it is true, I am sure I touched the hands, elbows or shoulders with them all. This is the largest conference I have attended. It was overwhelming. They (RootsTech & FGS) got together the best keynote speakers and presenters.  We were entertained with CEO's & Presidents, D Joshua Taylor, President of FGS;  Former First Lady Laura W Bush and her daughter, Jenna Bush Hager,  NBC Today Show Correspondent;  A J Jacobs, New York Times Best Selling Author and is hosting the largest family reunion in New York in June2015...everyone is welcome,  everyone in the audience held up a sign that said "I am a Cousin"; and Donny Osmond, singer and entertainer; Alex Boye and the One voice Children's Choir; David Archuleta and the cast of BYUtv"s Studio C;  performers showcasing the sights, sounds and dancing from various world cultures. Everyday we had the opportunity to be informed, and entertained at the beginning of each day and at the end of each day. The exhibit hall was huge and I think that there was something for everyone, Because I still attend classes when attending a conference there is not much time for the Exhibit Hall and this time was no exception. I was literally running through the Hall on my way to the next class. The rooms were really spread out and the need to get to that class before it filled up OR you needed to take you second choice. (which I did a couple of times). I need a couple of weeks to recuperate and start applying what I have learned.

Some highlights..................

you are looking at only about a third of the Exhibit Hall- Doors just opened 

Demo Stage.....  something going on all the time. Check out those comfy chairs and couches

a friend from San Diego, Paul Hawthorne, showing off his collection of tags.....
contest for the most is on and I think he is losing already!

one of many small gatherings of Ambassadors, &/or  Bloggers ....... this is at the Find My Past booth with Jen Baldwin

Family Day on Saturday - lots of families, lots of children attended. Special classes & events set up for the families. I brought back 3 booklets being handed out for children to fill in - having fun and learning about family at the same time. Can hardly wait to see my own grandchildren and watch them while they fill their own booklet out. I wonder what questions they will have, what they know and what they don't know.............

Family Tree DNA Booth extremely busy, every hour of every day. But I managed to upgrade to of my kits. AND yes, AncestryDNA was just as busy. Both ran out of kits each day. 

one of the many LAB's offered during the conference- this is EVERNOTE. You are looking over my green screen into the room & Drew Smith presenting the LAB standing in between the two huge screens in front of room. All labs were sold out with some auditing allowed.

                           Bagpiper's marching through the entire exhibit hall........ up and down each isle.                                                                          Oh those Scottish bagpipes......love them
                                     BUT Oh my the echoing.........echoing ..........echoing.........!!

Sorry I don't remember the name of this group but they were good........ ole time cowboy group

Mark your calendars

2016 RootsTech Conference 

Feb 4-6, 2016 

Salt Lake City

FGS 2016 National Conference

Springfield, Illinois

August 31 - September 3, 2016

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