Events for September and Beyond

September is coming and along with it lots of education opportunities.  I would like to highlight just a few. 

Genies are starting a new Research Like a Pro series.  Five of us had a great, happy, frustrating, and fulfilling pilot cycle.  You start the research process with a question from your tree and after seven weeks, you are ready to go through the process with your next question. 

The Whatcom Genealogical Society is starting back up on September 9 with Jeff Jewell, Curator of the Whatcom Museum Photo Archives, speaking on Whatcom Museum resources.  Cindy Harris is organizing a trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City in October.  Let her know right away. 

RootsTech is opening early bird registration on Sep 18 for the conference in Salt Lake City, UT, February 26-29.  Fabulous genealogy and technology conference for people who like hoopla and crowds with lots of walking. 

Details below...

New Ferndale Research Like a Pro series starting.  RLP for short.  What is it?

1.      A seven-week online series following the seven steps in the Research Like a Pro process coordinated by Judith and Jamie.

2.      You will select a question from your family tree to work on.  Pick a narrow objective in the later 1800’s so there will be documents available.  The purpose is to learn the process.

3.      Introduction meeting on Saturday, Sep 21 at 1:00 at the Ferndale Library. 

4.      Podcasts and blog posts by Family Locket team Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer.

5.      Research Like a Pro book/ebook by Diana Elder available at Amazon.  One copy in the library system.  Optional but recommended.

6.      Each Sunday starting on Sep 22, Jamie will send an email with instructions and assignments for the new lesson.

7.      The series will end with a celebration around Nov 9.

8.      I have posted frequently about this.  Try this to get some blogposts about RLP:  https://ferndalegenies.blogspot.com/search?q=research+like+a+pro

Are you with us?  If you are a “yes” or a “maybe”, let me know. 

Ferndale RootsMagic Group:  We are continuing to meet monthly.  There are four more meetings this year, all on on Saturdays at 1:00.  On September 7 we will be viewing a basic video and demonstrating various features.  Everyone is welcome as we are all learning together.  If newcomers have a device, you can ask for help to load at least the free software ahead of time or we can help you at the meeting.  Additional dates are Oct 5, Nov 2, and Dec 7. 

Ferndale Genies Monthly Meeting:   3rd Monday, 1:00-3:30 at Ferndale Library.

Next meeting:  Monday September 16.  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):   2nd Mondays, 2:00-3:30 or so.  Bellingham Elks Lodge at 710 Samish Way. Park around back and enter the lower level. 

Salt Lake City trip:  Cindy Harris, our Education Chair, is arranging a WGS group trip to Salt Lake City to use the LDS Library.  She is waiting to hear back from the Plaza Hotel for tentative dates of check in 15 October and depart 22 October.

Please contact Cindy as soon as possible if you are interested in taking this trip.  Her e-mail address is:  caharris1162@yahoo.com.  You can also reach her by cell at 360-922-2320.  She would like to hold some pre-trip planning meetings before you leave so that the trip will be successful for researchers.

September 9: Jeff Jewell, Curator of the Whatcom Museum Photo Archives, will speak to us on Whatcom Museum resources.

October 14:  Mary Kathryn Kozy, who has been working on her own family genealogy for over 35 years, and has been a speaker for 10 years, will present "Using Family Search and Family Search Wiki."

Skagit Valley Genealogical Society, 2nd Saturday, 1pm – 3pm.

Burlington Public Library, 820 E Washington Ave, Burlington, WA 98233, USA (map)

http://www.skagitvalleygenealogy.org

Saturday, September 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The topic of the program is DNA Painter: A New Tool for Genealogy and DNA. 

A Time to Write:  Meetings are the 1^st Monday of each month 2:30-4:00.  Better contact Loretta Willems to confirm dates:  willemsloretta@gmail.com. 

Loretta Willems leads 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 to the Ferndale Genies about writing.  

National Events:

RootsTech, Salt Lake City, UT, February 26-29.  Early bird registration opens September 18.  Sign up for their email list if you are interested.  There will be free live-streaming.

Northwest Genealogy Conference:

August 12-15, 2020.  Arlington, WA.  Free Beginning Genealogy.  Researchers at all levels will benefit. Three full days. National speakers.  www.NwGC.org.  Early bird registration starts in the winter 2020.  Sign up for their email list if you are interested.