Those Places Thursday

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

More opportunities ……… remembering back only a couple of weeks ago & the NGS Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Now you can purchase CD’s of many of the classes presented there. Good News, you can look through their list of CD’s.  (actually you can go back as far as their 2008 conference). This is amazing to me. If you are researching a certain area or a subject I’ll bet that you can find that their  CD’s are a great way to listen to experts and learn at your own pace. You can start and stop the CD as much as you need too. It gives you an opportunity to take notes, rewind, rewind, rewind, create list of suggestions of records to research. This also gives you an opportunity to hear speakers and subjects that may not be typically available at a local society’s meeting or conference.  Check it out JAMB    

Mark your calendar 21-24 August 2013 in Fort Wayne Indiana for the FGS Conference. Don’t know what Fort Wayne, Indiana is all about? Located there is the Allen County Public Library which houses the second largest Genealogical section. Oh yes it is a big deal.

 

Here I am in Burbank California for the 44^th Annual Southern California Jamboree.  What a quiet and relaxing place to be, especially when Sacramento area is forecast for 104-108 degrees OUCH!!  I ended up sitting in the courtyard between Marriott’s Hotel and the Convention Center. Wow, quiet, a nice cool breeze – so relaxing I almost fell asleep zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! But I didn’t. 

It is the calm before the storm…

 

                                                        Very little activity in the hotel lobby yet

Very  little activity in the social/ blogging area

 

 

A little more activity- doesn't this look refreshing? 

                  A couple of people in the outside sitting area. Sure is relaxing and quiet right now

 

And the courtyard between the hotel and the convention center will have a set up for breakfast foods in the morning and then change over at noon to lunch foods. It will also be the center for the DNA day registration. Right now it is a little slice of heaven.

 

The Convention Center Hub area - eerie and quiet. Registration is straight ahead. Raffles down the right side, exhibit hall near right side ,some classrooms down at the end of the hall and tents outside but not yet

 

 

.     

.........and up this hall will be many many large rounds tables each for a different discussion.   On Sunday it will be all societies showing off and that includes Root Cellar) Food court will be set up outside to the right and another entrance to the exhibit hall



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Root Cellar on FGS Blog Talk Radio

Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society was honored to be the featured member society on FGS* Blog Talk Radio on Saturday, 12 Nov 2011.  The main topic of this episode was "Genealogy and the Vital Records Access Crisis".  Show host Thomas MacEntee's guest was Frederick E. Moss, FGS Legal Advisor and member.  It was an informative discussion about a subject that effects all family history researchers. During the last 10 minutes of the show, Denise Richmond was interviewed by Thomas and highlighted the many exciting benefits and activities of our society.  Thanks again Thomas and FGS Radio!

You can still listen to the show by clicking on the right arrow in the blog talk radio box. Remember to turn up your computer speaker!

Listen to internet radio with mysociety on Blog Talk Radio

*Federation of Genealogical Societies

posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

FGS Recognizes Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society for Unique Program Idea

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) conference in Springfield, Illinois on September 7-10 inaugurated a new feature this year called "Society Showcase". For a modest fee of $25, a genealogical society could display publications and promote activities at tables arranged along the periphery of the exhibit hall. 

Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society received a kind offer from Kathryn Doyle of the California Genealogical Society in Oakland to share their table.  We accepted and displayed our Divorce, Coroners and Women Entrepreneurs publications; the publications list; the Preserves; Family History Day and Spring Seminar flyers, and membership brochures. 
 

Pictured (l-r) Kathryn Doyle, Communications Director and
Jane Hufft, Nugget Editor from California Genealogical Society and
Denise Hibsch Richmond, Publicity Chairperson for Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society


Thursday, September 8th was Society Showcase night.  From 6pm to 8pm, we were at our assigned tables.  (click on photo to enlarge)  Attendees throughout the U.S. stopped by to chat and tell us about their California ancestors.  A few did not have any ancestors in California! (gasp!)  The exhibit hall was also buzzing that night because of several drawings at most exhibit booths for some pretty cool prizes.  I, alas, have yet to receive a call about my winning entry.  

During the evening, each society was asked to list their unique activities  in several categories including member benefits, programs, and fundraising.  The FGS Conference Committee reviewed all submissions and identified several "winning" ideas on the FGS Blog.  Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society was recognized in the "Program" category for its Blog Instructions, FAQs, etc.  Read the complete FGS Blog article. 

Thank you again FGS, and Kathryn, we could not have achieved this without you!

posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

FGS Conference 2011 - Epilogue

The Federation of Genealogical Societies 2011 conference in Springfield, Illinois came to a close yesterday.   Today, we attended the first annual FGS Farewell Brunch for the many people who were still in town.  What a ride these past four days! My head is spinning with strategies and techniques for society management and family research (some new, some refreshers).  Once home, I hope to research with renewed vigor and share some highlights with you at the next Root Cellar workshop.

For the first time at a conference we attended every luncheon.  Would it be more convenient than looking for a cafe?  Would it taste better than concession fare?  Yes and yes. It also gave us a special opportunity to interact with many other genealogists at the table and to hear a speaker.  I recommend it if your budget allows.  I may not have otherwise learned about the extensive genealogical collection at the Warren County Ohio library housed in the courthouse building.  In the same building I can go to the archives and recorder's offices - literally a one-stop shop!   My Clark and Brown ancestors lived in and near Warren County.

Silly highlights

• NARA lingo is affectionately called Archi-jive.  If you have used NARA, online or at a research center, you already speak Archi-jive: RG, DP, RIP, PI (record group, descriptive pamphlet, research information pamphlet, and preliminary inventory).
• On the last day (4) of the conference, inside the usually crowded elevator, someone said it was going to the lobby and so, we all broke out in song "let's all go to the lobby, let's all go to the lobby, let's all go to the lobby and get ourself some treats".  We were all howling as we left the elevator!

I took several pictures in the exhibit hall to give a feel of the show if you have not attended a large genealogical conference.  Click on the arrow or box above for a slideshow. Click again to go full-screen and the Esc(ape) key to return to the post.

Classes I attended with speaker's name are listed below. 

• How to Develop and Implement Affordable Member Benefits, George G. Morgan
• Engaging a New Generation of Genealogists, D. Joshua Taylor
• Finding and Keeping Volunteers, Amy Johnson Crow
• Brainstorming:  Marketing Your Society, Thomas MacEntee and Linda Herrick Swisher
• The Jones Jinx - Tracing Common Surnames, Thomas W. Jones
• Immigrant Cluster Communities: Past, Present, Future, Lisa A. Alzo
• After Mustering Out: Researching Civil War Veterans, Amy Johnson Crow
• Navigating the 1890 Gap - Research with State Census Records, Kris Rzepczynski
• Using Records in the National Archives: A Researcher's View, Marie Varrelman Melchiori
• Using Correlation to Reveal Facts That No Record States, Thomas W. Jones
• Gateway to the West: Researching in Ohio, Diane VanSkiver Gagel
• Workshop: Developing a Basic Research Plan, J. Mark Lowe

Mark your calendars for some of the many future conferences and create a travel budget now:

29 Aug - 1 Sep 2012 - FGS Conference, Birmingham, Alabama
2013 - FGS Conference, Fort Wayne, Indiana
9-12 May 2012 - National Genealogical Society (NGS) Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio
8-11 May 2013 - NGS Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada
8-10 June 2012 - Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree, Burbank, California

posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond