Genies! Mark your calendars for May

Writers group, Bettinger’s GedMatch webinar at WGS, Census in Burlington, and two research opportunities.  What more could we ask??  This will be another great month.

Dust off your goals for 2018 and think about what help you need.  What education?  There are always webinars plus the “best, closest conference” in Arlington in August.  See you soon. 

A Time to Write:  Starting May 7, Loretta Willems is leading a group for people wanting to write their stories, either their own memories or the stories they revealed in their genealogical research.  Loretta is the author of The Gift of Laughter: The Story of a California Mennonite Family.  She attends the Whatcom Writers and Publishers group and spoke last month to the Ferndale Genies.  Meetings are the 1^st Monday of each month 2:30-4:00.  Contact Loretta Willems for details:  willemsloretta@gmail.com

Ferndale Genies Monthly Meeting:  Next meeting: 3rd Monday May 21^st  1:00-3:30 at the Ferndale Library.   No presentation is planned.  We will have news and announcements.  Time for presenting your brick wall problem or reading your writing selection.  

There will be ample time for questions and research.  Come prepared with questions and passwords.  Bring a computing device or plan to borrow a library laptop.

Whatcom Genealogical Society (WGS):    

Monday, May 14, 2018 - Blaine Bettinger's Legacy Family Tree webinar on GedMatch.com

Always 2^nd Monday at 2:00 pm at the Bellingham Elks Lodge, 710 Samish Way, Bellingham WA. Park around back and enter on the lower level (unless you have a big truck or an RV).  Visitors welcome! Contact: 360-733-8300 

Friday, June 1, 2018   WGS Research Group, 1:00-3:00, doors open at 12:30 for setup. 

Ferndale Public Library, 2125 Main Street, Ferndale

Who: WGS members and friends.  Everyone welcome!

What:  A hands-on informal opportunity to discuss genealogy research including but not limited to organization, DNA, navigating software, and technology.  Because this is a hands-on meeting, please bring your laptops, tablets, scanners, USB drives, and research with you.  A limited number of laptops will be available on site.  Help and answers will be “crowd-sourced” by attendees and there will be no formal lecture.

Skagit Valley Genealogical Society, Burlington

http://skagitvalleygenealogy.org/calendars/ 

2^nd Sat, 1pm – 3pm at the Burlington Senior Center, 1011 Greenleaf Ave, Burlington, WA 98233, (map)

Saturday, May 12   Censational Census Strategies by Mary Kircher-Roddy
The US Federal censuses and the state censuses are the research workhorses for genealogy researchers. But are you getting all the information you can from them? Discover some lesser known sources and clues for discovering more about your ancestors. Professional genealogist Mary Kircher-Roddy presenter. Free and the public is welcome to attend and membership encouraged.

Northwest Genealogy Conference, Aug 15-18, Arlington, WA

Wednesday is a free Beginners Class all afternoon.  Then three days of nationally-known speakers.  Info at nwgc.org.

Crazy Sales on DNA Day April 25, Special Ancestry to 23andme Transfer

Details here:  https://www.genealogybargains.com/genealogy-bargains-for-wednesday-april-25-2018/

A few are “today only”.  Most have other ending dates.  Ancestry sale ends 4/29.  So be alert to ending dates.

Today only!  23andme allowing upload of AncestryDNA data.  I’ve never seen this before!  Scroll down to How It Works; click on Get Started button.  Create a free account by 11:59 PT today and upload raw data within 7 days.  Can't find it?  Go to 23andme.com and there is a purple banner at the top of the page.

Living DNA 50% off, $79.  Use this after Ancestry and others.  Great for fishing in all FIVE ponds!

Free-write Technique for Meeting 4/16/18

Loretta Willems  4/16/2018

Free-writing

Free-write technique: This is a type of brain storming. This is my own basic writing technique, one I learned when teaching writing to high school students, one I use almost daily:

 Ask yourself a question, write it down then start writing everything that comes to mind. Do not edit yourself before writing. Focus on words and phrases. Do not try to write in full sentences.

         

1. Old Photos

          Look at the picture and write all the words that come to mind. Do not write full sentences—write just words and phrases. Keep writing until time is up.

2. Chose a person you have been researching. Write down their name and then write the question:  Why does this person interest me? Start writing and keep writing until time is up.

3. Chose a person you have been researching. Write down their name and then write the question:  What is the story I see in this person’s life? Start writing and keep writing until time is up.

WGS Research Group Meets in Ferndale on Friday

Genies meeting is Monday, April 16.  However, this week beginners to experienced genealogists will have another chance to gather to talk about genealogy projects and problems on Friday. 

Whatcom Genealogical Society Research Group Announces…

Who: WGS members and friends

What:  A hands-on informal opportunity to discuss genealogy research including but not limited to organization, DNA, navigating software, and technology.  Because this is a hands-on meeting, please bring your laptops, tablets, scanners, USB drives, and research with you.  A limited number of laptops will be available on site.  Help and answers will be “crowd-sourced” by attendees and there will be no formal lecture.

Where:  Ferndale Public Library, 2125 Main Street, Ferndale

When:  Friday, April 20^th, 2-4 pm

DNA Living DNA Sale; MyHeritage Pro Bono Initiative

Big sale on Living DNA

One day only.  Expires Monday, April 16 at 11:59 GMT (Britain time).  Do it now. 

If you have already tested at AncestryDNA, if you have European ancestry, or if you have been thinking of adding another DNA test, consider Living DNA.  Marked down from $159 to $79.

It is normally $159 USD because the Living DNA test explores not just your family line ancestry, but also your direct motherline and direct fatherline if you are male! 

Adopted? Here’s another pond that you cannot transfer data to.

Curious?  In the fall they will start matching and will provide tree matches without you providing a tree.  They are building a universal tree and will match you with only your birthdate and gender.  How can they do that?  This is not for the doubting.

Be aware that this mother- and fatherline matching is not like Family Tree DNA which provides matching and surname projects and is much more expensive.

Get details here https://mailchi.mp/genealogybargains/livingdna-nationaldnaday-2018?e=cb7c45b1c4  At the bottom of the page is 50% off on Ancestry.com including renewals.

______________________________________

MyHeritage has launched a new pro bono initiative to help adoptees and their families through genetic testing.  They are providing 15,000 MyHeritage kits, worth over one million dollars, for free, to eligible participants.  Preference will be given to people who are not able to afford genetic testing.  Applications are open until April 30, 2018.  Apply here https://www.dnaquest.org/etic testing. We are providing 15,000 MyHeritage DNA kits, worth more than one million dollars, for free, to eligible participants.

“Writing Our Stories” Monday, April 16

April 16.  It’s coming right up.  Along with others I’ve been looking forward to this one-time opportunity.  Some of our members have made “writing stories” a goal for 2018 but we often have trouble getting started. 

Genealogy is not just dates and places; it also includes the stories of our ancestors.  Stories are a great way to excite children and to entice previously uninterested family members.  They also make nice family keepsakes and presents.

Join the Genies for “Writing Our Stories” with our members Loretta Willems and Linda Q. Lambert.  They both attend the Whatcom Writers and Publishers and have published writings.  Linda writes a blog and essays.  Loretta has a website and has published a book about her family.

Loretta will be talking about using old photos as prompts for writing and suggests you bring an old photo or two that intrigues you. They will also introduce you to a technique called free-writing and you will have time to get started with your writing. 

Find some pictures and get ready.  1:00 at the Ferndale Library.

As usual  there will be time for hands-on help on any topic.  Come prepared with questions and passwords.  Bring a computing device or plan to borrow a library laptop.

See you there!