Welcome to the SKCGS Blog

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By Barbara Mattoon

To communicate with our members more frequently than a quarterly newsletter, the Board of Directors has decided to initiate a weekly blog post.  The blog will contain:
  • Society news and announcements as well as current news items of interest to genealogists,
  • Book reviews, interviews, suggestions for research,
  • Articles about local locations of interest to those studying family history and
  • Stories from our members and other Washington State Societies. 

Most of you have already learned the benefits of belonging to a local society (or more than one).  However, I am sure that when you talk with others about the Society, they say “Why would I want to join the South King County Genealogical Society?  My family is not from this area”.  Here are a few things you could share to convince them to join:
  • One of the most important reasons to join is to draw on the knowledge of a group of experienced genealogists.   In our May 2018 general meeting we heard Cyndi Ingle do a presentation on accessing the hidden web. We learned at least one thing that will help us research our families, no matter where they are from. 
  • Many Societies, including SKCGS, offer education classes in addition to their monthly meeting presentations.  In 2017-2018 SKCGS members could take advantage of nine Introduction to Genealogy Classes included as part of their annual membership dues. 
  • Our Special Interest Groups (SIGs) offer a variety of opportunities including:  
  •  - How to use the Family Search® genealogy software program more effectively 
  •  - Learn technology skills in the Technology Users Group (TUG). 
  •  - Do family history research in a private SKCGS group at the Kent LDS Church 
  •  - Practice writing skills in a supportive environment in the Writing Group
  •  Additional Special Interest Group groups are added when there is demand for them. My dream is to add a DNA Study Group in 2018-19.
  • Our Quarterly Newsletter published articles of local interest that are not available elsewhere. Soon these articles will be available on our blog.  Back issues are available at the Auburn Library. 
Now that you are ready to share the benefits of SKCGS, mark your calendar for these coming events: 
September 14: Family History Research Group at the LDS Church, 12817 SE 256th St., Kent. 1 – 3  pm

September 17:  Technology User Group (TUG) will discuss Privacy, Security, Strong Passwords & Password Programs Led by Janet Camarata, Covington Library 1 – 3 pm

September 22:  SKCGS SEMINAR with John Philip Colletta, Ph.D. will present a full day Seminar on Archives and the Immigrant Experience: 
  • Understanding Archives What They Are and How to Use Them;
  • The Library of Congress:  An Introduction and Overview;
  •  Lesser-Used Federal Records, Sources of Rich Detail about Ancestors’ Lives and
  •  Discovering the Real Stories of Your Immigrant Ancestors; 1886 Bavarian family, 1893 Irish family and 1919 Italian family. 
The Seminar will be held from 9 am – 4 pm at Salish Hall, Green River College.  Space is still available.  Don’t miss this opportunity to hear an outstanding speaker who has seldom visited the west coast.  See our web site:  http://SKCGS.org for more information.

September 28:  Writing User Group moderated by Lowell Tuttle at the Covington Library 1 – 3 pm. Katie Hanzeli will share a story she is writing for critique. 

October is Family History Month.  SKCGS volunteers will staff Genealogy Help Desks at the Burien and Covington Libraries from 2 – 4 pm every Saturday.  Our volunteers do not do the patron’s research for them but offer suggestions for further research to help them. Additional volunteers are needed, particularly for the Burien Library.  If you can help one or more Saturdays, please let us know in the comments.
  
October 6:  Family Tree Maker Users Group led by Dave Liesse 10:15 – 11:45, Location TBD.  The topic will be “Person and Media Charts”.


Barbara Mattoon
SKCGS President

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