Join us for the genealogy information sharing event of the year - a chance to make new connections, hear educational lectures, purchase resource materials and maybe breakdown those elusive and stubborn brick walls! Always a chance to learn something new!
The Maine Genealogical Society's 2011 Family History Conference will be held on Saturday, September 24 at the Spectacular Event Center in Bangor, ME, just a few miles off I-95. This year’s annual conference will feature six workshops, a national keynote speaker, vendors, exhibitors, publications for sale and a new Ancestors Round Table.
Our featured speaker is Meldon “Mel” Wolfgang III who is the founder and owner of Jonathan Shepard Books. He has been active in the field of genealogy for the past 40 years and is a popular conference speaker. The individual workshop presenters all have professional expertise in their fields – this year’s program includes an author, a professional genealogist, a past president of the US Internet Genealogical Society and a county Registrar of Probate.
Workshop topics include:
Session One - concurrent
A. Beyond the Basics: Tips & Techniques for Using Newspapers in Genealogy Research
B. More Than Wills: Using Probate Records in Genealogy Research
Session Two - concurrent
A. More Than Almshouses and Cold Charity: Exploring Family History in the Records of Public and Private Assistance in New England
B. The Role of Women in the Civil War
Session Three - concurrent
A. Using Social Media in Genealogical Research
B. Often Overlooked: What the Census Tells You Beyond Name and Age
In addition to these workshops, the keynote address by Mel Wolfgang will be Uncommon Research Tools That Can Lead to Uncommonly Good Results.
A new feature of the conference this year will be the Ancestor Round Table – a spot where people can gather to ask questions and/or help with advice or suggestions. Experts in various areas will be available but it will be an ever-changing gathering, so plan to check back often and join in the discussions! Don’t forget to bring your research query to post on the popular query board as well.
Be sure to register soon for this great conference - registration deadline is September 10. Registrations are $40 for MGS members and $50 for non-members. Be sure to register early and share this information with fellow researchers who might be interested in attending.
On Saturday, September 24, the registration table will begin at 8am and the vendors and exhibitors will be open and ready to greet you. Come early to share a cup of coffee, browse the tables and chat with the vendors. There will be a luncheon buffet ($15 a ticket) which will allow plenty of time for networking, making connections and story-sharing. (The best genealogy connection I made personally was during lunch at a conference many years ago – you never know who you will be sharing a table with!) The conference will end at 5:00pm. Be sure to stay until the end for the highly anticipated door prizes! (Note - For those not wanting to participate in the luncheon, there are restaurant options in the local area or you are welcome to bring your own lunch with you for the day.)
Planning to stay over and combine the conference with a research trip? Accommodations are available at the Fairfield Inn on Odlin Road in Bangor with a special conference rate. Reservations must be made by August 24 to obtain the discounted room rate (Hotel phone number is 1-207-990-0001).
For more information on this conference such as a full description of each workshop, biographies of the workshop speakers, full conference schedule, conference brochure and registration form, please visit the website at www.maineroots.org
Hope to see you there! Should you have any questions, please feel free to email us at mainegenealogical@yahoo.com or call Celeste Hyer at 207-627-7147.
And be sure to check us out on Facebook! Remember to “like” Maine Genealogical Society’s Facebook page. We will be posting periodic conference updates here.
No comments:
Post a Comment