Where We've Been and Where We're Going

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 President's Report: 

Where We've Been and Where We're Going

2021 is now in the rear-view window, and South King County Genealogical Society is looking forward to what we have planned for 2022. You have seen what some of the teams are planning, last week: https://skcgs.blogspot.com/2022/01/2021-in-review.html. 

Highlights of 2021-2022 as we fulfill our mission: furthering genealogical research and interest in family and local history.


Communication and Social Media

Groups.io

We've grown! Although we're less chatty than we were last year, we now have 228 members at https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Society.


Blog: http://skcgs.org/blog.html

Read all over the world!



Facebook


Washington State Genealogical Society Blog 

https://wasgs.org/blog/. If you aren't subscribed, you're missing out. We post at least monthly, and so do other societies and people. Keep up!


Conference Keeper

Most of our new attendees from outside of the local area find us on Conference Keeper: https://conferencekeeper.org. You'll find gems there too.


Twitter


Did you know you can follow us at https://twitter.com/skcgs1? We now have over 450 followers, and our feed is full of interesting genealogy and historical posts. 

Special Interest Groups

Did you know that we have a FamilyTreeMaker User Group? Tech Interest Group? Also Genetic Genealogy /DNA, and an ongoing research project: Black Heritage of Franklin, Washington. Just click to go to the homepage of each of these groups, and click join to get meeting information and discussion. We also have a monthly genealogy chat, where we meet up and chat about genealogy subjects and topics. We have no agenda; we just like one another! Invitations and discussion in the main group, Society.


Speakers & Talks

Thanks to our energetic and creative Education and Seminar teams, we've have some amazing speakers and topics this year at our general meetings, and our Seminar. Pattie Gillespie started us off, presenting Armchair Mysteries Solved at Home with Old School Communication and New School Technology, followed by Dana Palmer speaking about Chronicling America: A Newspaper Site for Everyone in February. 

In March, Steven W. Morrison taught us about Irish Records Online at Findmypast and Ancestry. April we learned about Solving Genealogy Problems with Timelines presented by Beth Foulk. In May, Kristin Brooks presented Finding Your WWI & WWII Ancestors Online. I'm still personally putting this information to use. 


In June, we had an entire day with the incomparable Judy Russell. What a day it was. Judy gave us all so much, chatting and answering questions during breaks. 






Fall began with methodology: Annette Lyttle presented Genealogical Proof for the Everyday Genealogist. Informative and inspiring each of us to use the GPS in every step of our research process. October was energized by Thomas McEntee presenting You Can Do This, Photo Organizing Preservation. Later that month, we hosted a special event in conjunction with the Black Diamond Historical Society and Museum, Janice Lovelace presenting Black Miners in the West. Our final 2021 talk was Melinda Kashuba: Using Maps in Genealogical Research. 

In addition to our monthly meetings, some of our members continued presenting to the King County Library System patrons in 2021. We would love to continue to do this with fresh ideas and presenters. Write to m.strickland@skcgs.org to volunteer.


Looking Forward

This month should be both sobering and inspiring, as Dr. Leah Larkin presents The Hicks Babies. After watching the TLC series Taken at Birth I have so many questions!

In February we'll learn about Using Lesser Known Resources from Gena Ortega and in March our own Alexis Hacker Scholz about Using Probate Records.  

May brings us Kate Eakman presenting Adding Historical Content to Your Genealogy Research. In June Julie Miller guides us in Navigating the National Archives. Let's hope we can put our new knowledge to use in our own NARA Northwest branch!

National Archives Northwest - 6125 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle



SKCGS President Valorie Zimmerman

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