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.