Reminder: Webinar on June 1 - Sneak Peek at Jamboree

Jamboree Special - 

Sneak Peek at the Upcoming Jamboree

Join us for this FREE webinar on June 1 sponsored by the Southern California Genealogical Society.   Space is limited.

Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/166945240

Date:    Saturday, June 1, 2013
Time:    2:00 PM - 3:30 PM PDT
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.


ABOUT TODAY'S WEBINAR

What better way to prepare for the 44th Annual Southern California Jamboree than to get a preview from the Conference's organizers? Learn about parking, classes, special events, JamboFREE on Friday morning, speakers, exhibitors, the app ... Everything you need for the very best Jamboree experience possible.  Join Chairman Leo Myers, Co-Chair Paula Hinkel, Program Chair Vicki Hilb, and other Jamboree planners who drop by. 

ABOUT THE JAMBOREE WEBINAR SERIES
A goal of the Southern California Genealogical Society is to provide educational opportunities to genealogists and family history enthusiasts everywhere. The Jamboree Extension Webinar Series helps provide those opportunities.

COST
The initial webcast of each session is offered to the public free of charge. We are grateful for the genealogical community's support of our program, either by purchasing a membership or by making a donation. Donations can be made online or through PayPal.

UPCOMING WEBINARS
Webinars are held twice a month -- on the first Saturday and the third Wednesday of each month. Review list of upcoming webinars on the SCGS website.

WEBINAR ARCHIVE AND OTHER MEMBER BENEFITS
Webinars are archived and available only to SCGS members as a benefit of membership in the society.  The webinar archive can be found on the SCGS website. Webinars are available about a week after the session closes. In addition to 24/7 access to the webinar archive, SCGS members enjoy a number of other benefits. Learn about all these benefits here.

Thank you for your interest in our webinar series. We hope you'll enjoy the session.

Paula Hinkel
SCGS Director and Jamboree Co-Chair

SCGS Genealogy Jamboree to Offer FREE Live Streaming Sessions June 7-9

"SCGS is there for you, no matter where you are." That statement is never as true as it will be the coming 10 days , during the Society's annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree.

The Southern California Genealogical Society announces its schedule of live-streamed sessions of the 2013 Southern California Genealogy Jamboree. The "JamboSTREAM" webcast is free to viewers and is made available through the gracious support of Ancestry.com.

"We are very excited to be able to offer these outstanding classes to genealogists around the world. Our course list includes a good mix of topics from some of the best speakers around. We are confident that this event will be very popular and well-attended," said Paula Hinkel, co-chair of the annual event.

"Our partnership with Ancestry.com provides a particularly valuable service to the genealogical community in 2013. This year, Ancestry.com will be running pre-recorded webinars and instructional programs during Jamboree's break times and lunch hours. Our viewers will have an opportunity to sharpen skills in so many areas," Hinkel continued.

To sign up for a session, just click on the link for each class. You will receive a confirmation notice with the security credentials (username and password) for each session. You must be registered in order to be able to view a session, and you must register for each individual session that you wish to attend.

Sessions to be live streamed include:

Friday, June 7

1:30 PM to 2:30 PM
FR001: Basic Military Research
Craig Roberts Scott MA, CG

3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
FR016: The Ethical Genealogist
Judy G. Russell JD, CG
Handout

4:30 PM to 6:00 PM
FR022: DNA Panel Discussion - Hear it from the Experts.
CeCe Moore; Alice Fairhurst; Ken Chanine PhD; Joanna Mountain PhD; Bennett Greenspan
Co-Sponsored by International Society of Genetic Genealogy

Saturday, June 8

8:30 AM to 9:30 AM
SA004: Researching Your War of 1812 Ancestor
Craig Roberts Scott MA,CG

10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
SA018: Genealogical Periodicals: Where the Answers Are
Kory L. Meyerink MLS, AG, FUGA

11:30 AM to 12:30 PM
SA020: Master Using Google for Common Surname Searches
Lisa Louise Cooke

2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
SA032: Turning Genealogy into Family History: Creating Stories from Stats
Jean Wilcox Hibben PhD, MA, CG

3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
SA041: Finding Your Family in the French and Indian Wars
Leland Meitzler

5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
SA048: Staying Safe Online
Thomas MacEntee

Sunday, June 9

8:30 AM to 9:30 AM
SU003: A Guided Tour of Cyndi's List 2.0
Cyndi Ingle Howells

10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
SU017: Scanning and Photo Retouching for Beginners: Foundations and Fundamentals
Tom Underhill

1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
SU020: Strange and Unusual Sources for Irish Family History
James Ryan, PhD

2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
SU029: Lessons from the Archive
Denise Levenick

In addition to the live-streamed sessions, the Jamboree management team of Leo Myers and Paula Hinkel will conduct a special webinar to give Jamboree attendees a peek behind the conference curtain. Newcomers to Jamboree are encouraged to log on Saturday, June 1 at 2:00 PM PDT to learn all the ins and outs of navigating through one of the genealogical community's most popular events. What's the deal with the app? Where to park? Where to eat? What to bring? What to wear? And why must the chairs stay hooked together? You'll learn it all.

Click here to register for the webinar
2:00 p.m. PDT
Saturday, June 2, 2013
Leo Myers and Paula Hinkel

The Southern California Genealogical Society hosts semi-monthly webinar sessions that are offered free to the public. SCGS members are able to access nearly 60 recorded webinars at their convenience in the members' archive. The streamed sessions will be added to the archive at a later date, speaker authorization permitting.

Jamboree: Ancestry Will Scan Your Documents FREE! #SCGS2013

Our good friends at Ancestry.com are again bringing their huge machines and staff to provide free scanning services for Jamboree attendees. Scanning will be available Friday through Sunday. You can sign up to scan up to 50 documents.

Jamboree attendees can sign up for 15-minute scanning sessions on Friday, June 7, through Sunday, June 9 during the exhibit hall hours.

Scanning will be done in PARLOR A and B, which is located at the end of the High Tech Hallway on the right side of the hallway. Signs will point the way, but feel free to ask for directions.

According to conference organizer Elizabeth Little, "Ancestry.com is excited to provide Jamboree attendees the opportunity to have their family photos and documents scanned at the conference, for free, on our professional scanning equipment. It’s a unique opportunity to have your family history records digitized!"

Please register in advance 

Please help Ancestry plan by registering in advance and letting them know how much and what you’ll be bringing. (http://www.eventbrite.com/event/6496606525). This is just a preliminary sign-up and you are not locked in to the schedule or number of documents you provide here.

You will also register on site to confirm your appointment.

Scanning Details You’ll Want to Know

Document types accepted

•    We can scan any document type, but the maximum size supported is 22" by 15". Any type of photograph, including tintypes, is accepted. Unfortunately we can not scan slides.
•    More recent photographs or stable documents can be scanned at a much quicker rate on our high-speed scanner – meaning that you can have more documents scanned during your scanning session. Fragile or historical documents, photographs, bound books or albums and similar will be photographed.
•    Copyright and re-publishing rights for the material are strictly the responsibility of patrons, but we reserve the right to reject any document for any reason.
•    There is always a possibility that damage to older, more fragile documents may occur during the scanning process. Ancestry.com urges patrons to use their best judgment when choosing documents to be scanned.

Document preparation

•    Before your scanning session, please remove all staples, pins, and fasteners as well as any tape or sticky material from your photos and documents. These items can harm the scanning equipment.
•    Please sort all of your documents and pictures by size, largest to smallest, before entering your session. This will enable our scanners to more effectively finish your documents in the time allotted.
•    Photos mounted in an album will be digitized as a single image. Bound books do not need to be unassembled, but can be quite slow to digitize.
•    Material stored in sleeves should be removed prior to the scanning session; materials remaining in sleeves will be digitized with the sleeves in place.

Scheduling

•    You will be able to sign up for a 15-minute time slot, on a first come, first served basis. This time slot will include any document preparation not completed prior to the scanning session, so proper document preparation is crucial (see above).
•    Generally we can scan about 50 documents per person in a 15-minute slot, more if documents and photos are newer and/or not fragile.
•    Due to demand, we can accommodate only one scanning session per person during the conference.
•    The scanned files will be saved to a thumb drive (provided by Ancestry.com) and given to attendees for their own use.

#SCGS2013 Genealogy Jamboree App Now Available!

Want the app? Just click.

It is with great pride that we announce that the Mobile App for the 2013 Jamboree is now available for download. We are exceedingly grateful to Ancestry.com for again sponsoring what we think is the Best. App. Ever. for a genealogy conference.

The 2013 App has lots more content, more graphics, more of everything.

If you used either the RootsTech or NGS apps earlier this year, the Jamboree app will be very familiar. Ever since Jamboree launched the first conference app in 2011, our developer, Core-Apps, has become the provider for genealogy conference apps. They understand what genealogists are looking for, and they have helped us create a product that is sure to enrich your experience at Jamboree.

You can find the App by looking for SCGS 2013 (with the space). But here's an even easier method. Click the app graphic above to be taken to the Core-Apps website for Jamboree. No matter which platform you use --  iPad, iTouch, iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Windows ... even if you don't have a device on which to use an app -- you can go to the Core-Apps page, clink the link and request a text that you can use to download the app.

Features of this year's app:

Create your own personal schedule with the sessions, meetings, social engagements you want to add. You can even link it to your main device calendar.

The Class section includes, for each session:  the date, time, location, description, and speaker name. Options are provided to record class notes and provide feedback by rating the session directly from the app. Syllabus article, when they are provided, are also linked to the class page. While articles are not present for all sessions due to some speakers' requests, you will find a wealth of information that will help you at Jamboree and for years thereafter.

Plot your tour of the exhibit hall. Exhibitors are listed with their booth numbers, contact information, and description. Watch for this section to bloom as the exhibitors add their logos and upload PDFs of their membership forms, special offers or other information they want to share. The Jamboree App is different from others because we including virtual exhibitors, ones not physically at Jamboree, who want to connect with attendees.

In the Speaker section, you'll find photos, bios, and links to all of each speaker's presentations. Find your favorites and get those sessions scheduled first.

You are able to create a profile, make friends with other attendees, upload photos of the conference, and follow and post on Twitter directly from the App. Turn on your settings to receive alerts and keep up to the very minute with all the news.

We still have a couple of surprises up our sleeve so watch for updates.

Please let us know what you think. And share the information with your friends. We can't wait for the world to see it!

P.S. - Exhibitors, watch your inbox for a message from Nina Mancuso of Core-Apps. She will help you get your listing upgraded with graphics and PDF uploads.

P.P.S. - Genealogy Author? Professional Genealogist? Genealogical Society? Member of the genealogical community? If you're interested in becoming a virtual exhibitor, please email phinkel@pacbell.net and put VIRTUAL EXHIBITOR in the subject line. You can read more about your options here.

Free Webinar on June 1 - Sneak Peek at Jamboree

Jamboree Special - 

Sneak Peek at the Upcoming Jamboree

Join us for this FREE webinar on June 1 sponsored by the Southern California Genealogical Society.   Space is limited.

Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/166945240

Date:    Saturday, June 1, 2013
Time:    2:00 PM - 3:30 PM PDT
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.


ABOUT TODAY'S WEBINAR

What better way to prepare for the 44th Annual Southern California Jamboree than to get a preview from the Conference's organizers? Learn about parking, classes, special events, JamboFREE on Friday morning, speakers, exhibitors, the app ... Everything you need for the very best Jamboree experience possible.  Join Chairman Leo Myers, Co-Chair Paula Hinkel, Program Chair Vicki Hilb, and other Jamboree planners who drop by. 

ABOUT THE JAMBOREE WEBINAR SERIES
A goal of the Southern California Genealogical Society is to provide educational opportunities to genealogists and family history enthusiasts everywhere. The Jamboree Extension Webinar Series helps provide those opportunities.

COST
The initial webcast of each session is offered to the public free of charge. We are grateful for the genealogical community's support of our program, either by purchasing a membership or by making a donation. Donations can be made online or through PayPal.

UPCOMING WEBINARS
Webinars are held twice a month -- on the first Saturday and the third Wednesday of each month. Review list of upcoming webinars on the SCGS website.

WEBINAR ARCHIVE AND OTHER MEMBER BENEFITS
Webinars are archived and available only to SCGS members as a benefit of membership in the society.  The webinar archive can be found on the SCGS website. Webinars are available about a week after the session closes. In addition to 24/7 access to the webinar archive, SCGS members enjoy a number of other benefits. Learn about all these benefits here.

Thank you for your interest in our webinar series. We hope you'll enjoy the session.

Paula Hinkel
SCGS Director and Jamboree Co-Chair

#NGS2013 Attendees: Elvis Can be Your Ticket to Jamboree #SCGS2013

Viva Las Vegas!

We all know that Vegas is rife with Elvii. They're everywhere: on the Strip, at the slots, jumping from airplanes, and hitching folks who are happily crying in the chapel.

But we have one very specific Elvis in mind. He's the one you'll find at SCGS Booth 528, and he can be your ticket to the 2013 Jamboree.

Go to Booth 528, take your photo with Elvis and tweet it with hashtag #SCGS2013. Not into Twitter? Upload a photo to the Facebook Southern California Genealogy Jamboree page. Or blog and link it on the Jamboree Facebook.

Enter once a day, that's all right.  But don't do more or you ain't nuthin' but a hound dog (and it won't count). Elvis +1 live person in the photo please. We'd hate to have you arm wrestle your genea-buddies to pick the winner.

We'll enter your name in a random drawing for a free registration to Jamboree (value $155). Winner will be announced on Saturday, May 11th at 2:00 p.m.

Double down! Retweet or share this message and if you win, you'll double down and join us for Friday's banquet "Behind the Scenes at Who Do You Think You Are?"

Can't make it June 7-9th, 2013? We'll make it for #SCGS2014 (June 6-8th, 2014).

Hope he'll be your good luck charm! We guarantee you'll be all shook up.

Genealogy Jamboree Ethnic Classes: African American

Once more before the Early-Bird discount closes on May 7, I want to remind everyone of our class schedule for ethnic researchers. I hope that those of you with an interest in this area will hit that Facebook share button and send this information to your genealogy buddies, cousins, and fellow society members. Heck, send it to all your Facebook friends!

This is the first of two posts. This post pertains to the African American track. Tomorrow's post will focus on sessions for Mexican, Irish, German, Scottish and English researchers. Please remember that you can learn something from every session you attend, even if it doesn't exactly "fit" your research plan. Don't cross it off your list just because you think you don't "fit." Everyone "fits."

The Southern California Genealogy Jamboree will be held June 7-9, 2013, at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport, Burbank California. Register for Jamboree at www.genealogyjamboree.com.

Timothy N. Pinnick is an accomplished researcher, popular national speaker, and author of the book, Finding and Using African American Newspapers. Pinnick is the author of more than half a dozen articles, including “Using an Extended Research Project to Reconstruct a Community” which appeared in the Association for Professional Genealogists (APG) Quarterly.

In October of 2008, Tim delivered his fifth historical paper at the Western Historical Association conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Past papers were delivered at the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Association for African American Historical Research and Preservation, and the Illinois History Conference. For a number of years Pinnick has been part of the prestigious faculty at the summer Institute for Genealogy and Historical Research at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. June of 2012 marked his fourth appearance as part of the teaching cadre in the course “Researching African American Ancestors”.

In November, 2007 Tim was elected to the board of the Association of Professional Genealogists, completing a two year term. Shortly thereafter, he received a two-year appointment to the board of the Federation of Genealogical Societies which ended in December 2011.

FR021 Friday 4:30-6:00pm
Finding and Using African American Newspapers
African American newspapers are an underutilized source, yet they hold the key to solving many research problems, along with providing unprecedented insight into the social activities of black communities, both urban and rural.

SA021 Saturday 11:30am-12:30pm
The WWI Draft Card: Don’t Do Research Without It!
World War I draft registration cards should be analyzed closely as they contain valuable imbedded pieces of information that can become leads in solving genealogical roadblocks.

SU028 Sunday 1:00-2:00pm
And the Church Said Amen! African American Religious Research
Locating information on African American congregations can be frustrating due to the lack of effective record keeping. However there are a variety of records that can help you overcome the lack of record preservation at the local level.

Angela Walton-Raji is known nationally for her online genealogy presence; her research and work on Oklahoma Native American records; and her African American genealogy experience. Her book, Black Indian Genealogy Research is the only book of its kind focusing on the unique record set found within the Dawes Records.

As a founding member of AfriGeneas.com, Ms. Walton-Raji is also a genealogist specializing in information for beginners, via daily and weekly online genealogy chats on AfriGeneas. As host of a weekly genealogy podcast, a number of instructional videos and as an expert consultant on video documentaries, she combines her skills as a genealogist with a warm on-camera personality that brings comfort to her viewers through and her instructional videos on YouTube, while providing them with useful information.

Beyond her public appearances, she hosts three blogs, a 10-year ongoing message board, three websites, and the only weekly podcast devoted to African American genealogy. Her comfort with language and her skills in writing make her well known and respected in the genealogy community.

FR008 Friday 1:30-2:30pm
Documenting American Indian Families in 20th Century Records
This workshop features methods of documenting American Indian and blended families in 20th century records. Focus is on Federal and Indian Records.

SA019 Saturday 10:00-11:00am
Finding and Documenting Community History Through Records of the U.S. Colored Troops
From cemeteries to the National Archives, the development of post Civil War communities are reflected in the histories of black soldiers buried throughout the nation. Local history is revealed through the records that remain.

SA040 Saturday 3:30-4:30pm
Documenting the First Days of Freedom
How did “freedom” come to the family? This story is missing in many black family histories. However, Civil War records often hold the key to unlock the first days and, in many cases, the first moments of freedom.

SA049 Saturday 5:00-6:00pm
From AfriGeneas to Social Media:
An Overview to African American Genealogy Online Resources
This session will explore online sites, databases and communities for novices and professionals who research African American family history.

In 1985, Nicka Smith became intrigued with a family tree that was prepared by her first cousin once removed. In 1999, she discovered that her cousin’s work had not been updated and decided to continue his efforts. The result was AtlasFamily.org, and its affiliate websites, which have served as an outlet for family members to discover their lineage and for the family’s research team to share their findings with the family and the world.

In 14 years, Nicka has lead efforts that have traced the lineage of nine generations and over 2,200 people (living and dead) in more than 20 states and four countries. Nicka’s efforts have also lead the family back to their earliest traceable ancestor’s count of origin where they met two chiefs of the ancestral tribe, the Bamileke, of Cameroon.

Nicka lectures and mentors both young and old on genealogical search techniques and has become an expert resource for genealogical research in the Northeastern Louisiana area and for sharing genealogy with youth. She currently serves as the project manager for the Alameda County Ancestral Project in which she leads efforts to teach more than 300 elementary, high school and at-risk youth the value of researching their family history. She is the chair of the Outreach and Education Committee of the African American Genealogical Society of Northern California, a board member of the California Genealogical Society. She is also an accomplished communications professional and photographer.

FR013 Friday 3:00-4:00pm
Using Genealogy and DNA to Connect Back to Africa
Through traditional genealogy and DNA, many African Americans have been able to trace their ancestry back to their African country of origin. Learn the tips and tricks needed do the same and what’s needed to visit your ancestral homeland.

SA036 Saturday 2:00-3:00pm
More than 3/5th’s: Myths and Truths About Slavery in the U.S.
This history of the “peculiar institution” of slavery in the United States is complex. Learn about the myths, truths, and in-betweens that existed during a major part of U.S. history.

Family History: The Mother's Day Gift that Will *REALLY* Keep On Giving!

One year for Christmas, I gave Mom lessons to learn cake decorating at the local community college. The adult ed term started in January. I bought her all the Wilton stuff she would need, including those small metal tips, and stuck them in a small package along with the gift certificate to the class.  I loved taunting her by shaking the package so she could hear all those metal tips tinkling inside.

When she opened the package, her face took on this "What the ....??" look that we all have seen from our mothers at one time or another. I don't think she thought it was such a great idea at first. If I remember right, she mumbled a benign curse under her breath. Driving to the community college, across town and up, then down, a big, long hill in January in Iowa? Not her idea of fun. Heck, I probably would have had the same reaction!

But she went to the first one class, and then the second. By the third week, she was into it. In a big way. And we ate cake. Pretty, shiny, decorated cake. And she talked about how much fun she had taking the class, and admitted she probably would never had actually done it if I hadn't paid for the class. And with the knowledge she had, she was able to decorate cakes for years afterward ...

...which brings us to the real purpose of this post.

What are you giving as Mother's Day gifts this year? To your mother? or mother-in-law, or grandmother, if you are fortunate enough to still have them with you.  To your sister, or cousin, or daughter who is the mother of your grandchildren?

Let me suggest that you give them a very special gift... an open door to family history.

Pay for them to come to Jamboree in June. Whether it's for one day, two or all three days, present her with information, coaching, support and friends who will help her get started. If Jamboree is "too much" or daunting, accompany her to the free beginner's class on Friday morning.

Give her the knowledge that will last a lifetime. Many lifetimes.

SCGS Genealogy Jamboree: Genealogy World

Are you looking for ancestors on the Continent or in the Colonies? Trying to find your Jewish or Scandinavian forebears? Need help finding resources to research your ancestors who moved to the Midwest or the Southwest? Discuss your research successes or problem ancestors in an informal roundtable format at Genealogy World.

A JamboFREE activity, Genealogy World is scheduled on Friday morning, June 7, from 10:45 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Table topics featured in the past have included:

Denmark, Norway & Sweden Research
DNA
Chinese Research
English Research
French-Canadian
Genealogists in Second Life
Germanic Research
Virginia Research
Irish Research
Japanese Research
Jewish Research
Lineage Society Research
Midwest Research
New England Research
Portuguese Research
Scottish Research
Southern Research

Sign up NOW to host a table – you don’t need to be an expert – just have an interest in the topic area and a willingness to keep the conversation moving along!

Our thanks to guest blogger Denise Spurlock for this post about one of the JamboFREE activities on Friday, June 7, 2013, that lead up to the formal kick-off of the 2013 Jamboree. Denise, a professional genealogist, is the Jamboree Committee member who is organizing this fun and valuable networking opportunity.

Registration Update: "Family History and DNA" Conference - Burbank June 6, 2013

This is a quick note to let everyone know that interest is very strong for "Family History and DNA: Genetic Genealogy in 2013," and we are already 25 percent sold out. This is well ahead of the registration response that we typically see for Jamboree. If you plan to attend, in the words of my Iowa grandmother, "Don't let the grass grow under your feet." We will very likely sell out.

This is truly becoming an international event, with attendees from the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, and points beyond, as well as locations around the US. We are excited to see that family historians everywhere are embracing the concept of an independent day-long conference about genetic genealogy.

As a reminder, the "Family History and DNA: Genetic Genealogy in 2013" conference will be held on Thursday, June 6, 2013, at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Hotel, 2500 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank, California. The event is co-sponsored by the Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) and the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG).

Featured speakers include Dr. Spencer Wells, Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic, and lunch speaker Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.  Please note that lunch requires an additional payment. To clarify, lunch is for registered attendees only. Registrants may invite a guest (e.g. spouse), as long as space is available.  I wish we could accommodate everyone at this fabulous luncheon; however, we haven't yet found a way to stretch the walls of the Convention Center.

Plan to stay for Jamboree, which starts on Friday, June 7. Friday morning's sessions are JamboFREE, and Friday afternoon features a DNA panel as well as an African American DNA session. Of course, we encourage you to stay for the entire weekend.

The Early-bird Conference Registration costs (before 30 April 2013) are listed below. Registration costs increase by $25 between 1 May and 24 May. Walk-in registration, if space is available, is $225 for everyone.

• SCGS Members - $175 on or before 30 April 2013
• SCGS Non-Members - $195 on or before 30 April 2013
• $20 luncheon for registrants
• $60 luncheon for registrant's +1 (a guest) if space is available 
• Lunch is not open to the public. Lunch is intended for registered attendees of the "Family History and DNA" conference and a guest. 

Important Links:

• Jamboree Website (www.genealogyjamboree.com)
• DNA Day Webpage, including speaker bios
• DNA Day Schedule
• DNA Day Online Registration 
• Mail-in Registration Form
• DNA Day Tri-fold Brochure
• DNA Day 8.5"x11" Poster 
• Jamboree Online Registration 
• (click the appropriate status - nonmember or current/new SCGS member)
• SCGS Membership 
• SCGS Website

(Edited to clarify luncheon guests must be "Family History and DNA" conference registered attendee or their guest)

Jamboree to Support $500 Student Grant

Student Genealogy Grant Announced

February 5, 2013 – Do you know a young genealogist who could use $500 toward their family history education and free registration to the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree in June 2013?
The Suzanne Winsor Freeman Memorial Grant Committee is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the 2013 Student Genealogy Grant. In addition, SCGS Jamboree will once again provide the recipient with free three-day registration.

Any genealogist who is between the ages of 18 and 25 and has attended school in the last 12 months is eligible to apply. The recipient must attend the 2013 SCGS Jamboree in Burbank, California to receive the award.

The $500 cash award was established in 2010 in memory of Suzanne Winsor Freeman, family historian and life-long volunteer, and an enthusiastic annual attendee at the SCGS Jamboree.
“The Freeman Student Genealogy Grant pays tribute to these interests by awarding the annual cash grant to a young genealogist attending the SCGS Jamboree, Southern California’s premiere regional genealogy conference,” notes Denise Levenick, committee chair and Freeman’s daughter.

“We are especially grateful to Jamboree for providing a three-day conference registration to the grant recipient,” she adds. “SCGS is truly a leader in conference organizations by encouraging youth involvement in genealogy through the popular Kids Camp program and now through the student grant project.”

Past recipients of the award include Elyse Doerflinger (Lomita, California), A.C. Ivory (Salt Lake City, Utah), and Anthony Ray (Palmdale, California).

Funding for the cash award is provided by the family grant program; Jamboree registration is provided by the conference.

Complete details and application materials are available at The Family Curator, Suzanne Freeman Student Genealogy Grant http://www.thefamilycurator.com/swf-grant. Follow Grant News at www.thefamilycurator.com. Application deadline is 18 March 2013 midnight PST.

For More Information Contact: Denise Levenick, swfgrant@gmail.com.

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FROM:  Suzanne Winsor Freeman Grant Committee,
Denise May Levenick, Chair
swfgrant@gmail.com
www.theFamilyCurator.com

Suzanne Winsor Freeman Obituary: TheFamilyCurator.com
###

2013 Genealogy Jamboree Speakers Announced

The faculty of the 2013 Genealogy Jamboree is comprised of many of the most respected, knowledgeable and well-known professionals on the today's speaking circuit. Many are long-time members of the Jamboree family, while others are first-timers at our conference or who haven't been with us for several years.

Headline presenters include:
 
John Philip Colletta PhD, FUGA - John Philip Colletta, Ph.D., has been lecturing on topics of genealogy nationally for 27 years. A faculty member of IGHR, SLIG, and Boston University’s genealogy program, he has authored many articles, manuals on passenger arrival records and Italian research, and a narrative family history, Only a Few BONES. See www.genealogyjohn.com.


Lisa Louise Cooke - Lisa Louise Cooke is the producer and host of the Genealogy Gems Podcast, an online genealogy show at www.GenealogyGems.com and in iTunes. She is the author of the books How to Find Your Family History in Newspapers and The Genealogist's Google Toolbox, producer of the DVD series Google Earth for Genealogy, an international lecturer, and frequent magazine contributor.

Cyndi Ingle Howells - Cyndi Ingle Howells is the creator and owner of the award-winning website Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet, a categorized index to more than 315,000 online resources. Cyndi, a genealogist for more than 31 years, is an internationally known guest lecturer for various genealogical society conferences, and seminars.

Thomas MacEntee - When he’s not busy writing blog posts, organizing the 3000+ members of GeneaBloggers, teaching online genealogy webinars and more, Thomas MacEntee is busy in his role as “genealogy ninja.” Stealth is not easy, but he manages to get the inside track on emerging technologies and vendors as they relate to the genealogy industry.

Leland K. Meitzler - Leland K. Meitzler founded Heritage Quest in 1985. He currently operates Family Roots Publishing Company, writes daily at GenealogyBlog.com, edits the twice-weekly Genealogy Newsline and conducts the annual Salt Lake Christmas Tour (now in its 29th year), and speaks nationally, having given over 2000 lectures since 1983.

Timothy Nathan Pinnick  - Tim Pinnick is a national lecturer with more than 27 years overall research experience including all the major U.S. repositories, author of “Finding and Using African American Newspapers” released May, 2008, former board member of APG and FGS, instructor in the African American track at the summer Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research.

Judy G. Russell JD, CG - A Certified Genealogist with a law degree, Judy G. Russell (The Legal Genealogist) writes and lectures on topics ranging from using court records to understanding DNA testing. A 2010 Walter Lee Sheppard Jr. prizewinner and trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, she has written for the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and the National Genealogical Society Magazine.

Craig R. Scott CG - Craig Roberts Scott, M.A. (HRM), is the CEO and President of Heritage Books, Inc., a genealogical publishing firm with over 4,900 titles in print. A professional genealogical and historical researcher for more than twenty-eight years, he specializes in the records of the National Archives, especially those that relate to the military.  A nationally known lecturer and educator, he coordinates the Advanced Military Course at Samford IGHR and teaches in the Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis course, the Writing and Publishing for Genealogists course and the Virginia Course. He was given the APG Grahame T. Smallwood Award of Merit in 2008 and the UGA Silver Tray Award in 2009.

Paula Stuart-Warren CG, FMGS, FUGA - Paula specializes in Midwestern research, unique resources, major United States repositories, and Midwest and Plains Indians. She lectures nationally and coordinates the course at the annual Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. Paula served six years on the Minnesota Genealogical Society Board and is currently on Board of Directors of the Federation of Genealogical Societies. She is the author of Your Guide to the Family History Library and Minnesota Genealogical Reference Guide and of numerous articles on various research facilities and types of records.

Jean Wilcox Hibben, PhD, CG - Jean is Board-Certified with a doctorate (folklore) and MA (speech communication). She has been doing family history for over 35 years and is on the Board of Directors of APG, Director of the Corona Calif. Family History Center, and national speaker and writer. Website: www.circlemending.org.

D. Joshua Taylor MA, MLS.  D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS is the Business Development Manager – North America for brightsolid online publishing, the creator of findmypast.com, and a nationally known and recognized genealogical author, lecturer, and researcher. Active in the genealogical community, Joshua is the President of Federation of Genelaogical Societies.

Angela Yvette Walton-Raji B.A., M.Ed. - With over 25 years of genealogical experience Angela Walton-Raji is known nationally for her work on Native American & African American family history, her Civil War research, and her devotion to teaching genealogy skills to beginners. A founding member of Afrigeneas.com, she hosts a weekly genealogy podcast, 3 blogs, and continues to research and teach.

Other speakers on the Jamboree faculty include the following individuals. Additional speakers may be added; updates to this post will be made as necessary.

Bruce Buzbee (RootsMagic)
Peter Drinkwater (Fold3)
Arlene H. Eakle PhD, FUGA
Bennett Greenspan (Family Tree DNA)
Daniel Horowitz (MyHeritage)
Janet Hovorka, MLIS (FamilyChartmasters)
Richard L. Humphrey
Thomas J. Kemp (GenealogyBank)
David Allen Lambert (NEHGS)
Denise May Levenick
Nancy E. Loe, MA, MLS
Philipp Mayer
Rhonda R. McClure (NEHGS)
Kory L. Meyerink MLS, AG, FUGA (ProGenealogists)
CeCe Moore
Connie Moretti
Dave Obee LLD
Geoff  Rasmussen (Legacy Family Tree)
James George Ryan PH.D.
Paula Angela Sassi C.M.G.
John P. Schmal
Lisa Schumacher
Eric W. Siess PhD
Nicka J. Smith
Denise Spurlock
Tom Underhill (Creative Continuum)
Pamela Weisberger


The 44th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree will be held in Burbank, California, June 6-9, 2013.

Please note: The Jamboree website will be online soon. We appreciate your patience.
You can register online for Jamboree on the SCGS website.

"Family History and DNA: Genetic Genealogy in 2013" Conference Announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 4, 2013

The International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) and the Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) announce an innovative, important one-day DNA conference, “Family History and DNA: Genetic Genealogy in 2013,” to be held June 6, 2013, in conjunction with the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree.

The featured speaker is Dr. Spencer Wells of the National Geographic Genographic Project, who will review the Genographic Project. Other speakers presenting state-of-the-art uses of DNA in the search for ancestors include The Genetic Genealogist Blaine Bettinger, JD; Tim Janzen, MD; The Legal Genealogist Judy G. Russell, JD, CG; Your Genetic Genealogist CeCe Moore; DNA Testing Adviser Richard Hill, MBA; and Katherine Hope Borges, the director of ISOGG. Additional speakers will be announced soon. Also participating in the day-long seminar will be representatives from the major commercial DNA organizations – FamilyTreeDNA, 23andMe, and AncestryDNA. Separate tracks will be targeted for beginners and advanced genetic genealogists.

One-on-one consultations will be available during the final hour of the day. Help is available to interpret results and to use the various testing organization websites and resources. This personal assistance will help even the most inexperienced family historians apply genetic genealogy as another tool in their research toolbox.

What makes this event so special? “This is the very first genetic genealogy conference that is independently produced by societies such as ISOGG and SCGS,” explained CeCe Moore, the conference co-chair. “I have dreamed of an ISOGG-sponsored genetic genealogy conference for a long time, and I am thrilled to be working in cooperation with the SCGS Jamboree on this inaugural event. Holding the conference in conjunction with the Genealogy Jamboree helps us reach many family historians who would otherwise not be able to attend.”

 “We are so excited about breaking new ground in genetic genealogy gatherings,” said SCGS president Alice Fairhurst, who also leads the society’s DNA interest group and has been actively applying DNA in her own genealogy research. “As more family historians have DNA tests, genetic genealogy is becoming more valuable in the search for ancestors and living relatives.”

Online registration for “Family History and DNA: Genetic Genealogy in 2013” opens on Friday, January 4, 2013.  The conference will be held at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport, 2500 Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA. Early-bird discounted registration is $175 for SCGS members and $195 for nonmembers. Prices increases after 30 April 2013.

The Southern California Genealogy Jamboree will be held at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank on June 7-8, 2013. It is produced by the Southern California Genealogical Society, 417 Irving Drive, Burbank, CA 91504, phone 818-843-7247.

Further information can be found at www.scgsgenealogy.com and http://genealogyjamboree.blogspot.com.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Contact Paula Hinkel at phinkel@pacbell.net

Genealogy Jamboree 2013 - Reserve Your Hotel Room at the Marriott

The Los Angeles Marriott Burbank, the home of the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree for the past few years, is again welcoming us to their beautiful venue for 2013.

Rates are $155 for one or two people; $170 for three people; and $185 for four people. For those of you from outside the LA area, these rates may sound high. However, comparative room rates in June would be an additional $100 or more per night, depending on the venue and location. Parking is $10 per night (no change from 2008) and guests will be charged for in-room internet.

Reservations must be made before May 5 in order to receive the discounted rate; however, rooms may be sold out before that time. We suggest that you move quickly to make your reservation.

Reservations are open now and can be made online at the Marriott website. You may also call the Marriott directly at 818-843-6000 and mention the event code JAMJAMA.

Please keep the following in mind as you consider your lodging needs:

Book Your Reservation Through the Jamboree Room Block

SCGS has contracted with the Marriott to guarantee a number of rooms for the Jamboree weekend.  This guarantee is called the "Jamboree room block."  We strongly urge you to make your reservations, either through the link above or by calling the number above, to ensure you are identified as a Jamboree guest.

It may be tempting to use other reservation services or AAA or senior discounts to save a few dollars. Please note that if you do so, you run the risk of not having a room and being moved to another hotel. The SCGS rooms are guaranteed to be available for our guests when they arrive. That guarantee is not in effect for those who make reservations through any other means, and Jamboree and SCGS can do nothing to help. This was a lesson hard learned last year, and we don't want anyone else to be affected.

Save Money and Make New Friends

SCGS offers a roommate matching service for those who wish to reduce lodging expenses. If you are interested in such an arrangement, please send an email to Dorothy at jamboree@scgsgenealogy.com. Subject line should be Roommate Connection. In the email, include your name, dates of attendance and email address. Tell a little yourself: gender, late/early riser, party girl or robe-and-slippers type or suffering from allergies.

The Marriott Says, "2013 Will be Better"

Last year's attendees will probably remember that the Marriott was fully booked and that an entertainment client shared the venue with us. The Marriott assures us that the client will not be there in 2013, and we should not have the room capacity issues we had last year.

Yeah!!

Watch This Space!

December brings with it so much rush. The rush of holiday parties, shopping, cards, visiting, you name it. Rush to get the good eggnog before it's all gone. Rush to get all the medical and dental work finish before deductible returns to your vocabulary.

Take a breath and relax.

In your spare time (you know, between 2:39 and 3:07 a.m.), keep an eye out for major announcements on the SCGS and Genealogy Jamboree blogs. BIG news coming your way regarding 2013.

Make it easy on yourself:  Sign up to receive emails delivered straight to your inbox, or follow our RSS feed.

And have some eggnog. The good kind.

Announcing the 2013 Genealogy Jamboree Call for Proposals

The Southern California Genealogical Society announces a Call for Proposals for the 44th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree, to be held at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel, Burbank, California, Thursday through Sunday, June 6 through 9, 2013. Thursday will be a day of hands-on workshops.

Proposals for the 2013 Jamboree Extension Series webinars are also covered by this Call for Proposals. The very popular webinar series features sessions on the first Saturday and the third Wednesday of each month.

The theme of the 2013 Jamboree is "Travel the Path to the Past."  When it comes to genealogy,  travel can have several meanings. Travel thousands of miles to a distant homeland, or drive to a courthouse in the next county. Travel to earlier generations with just a few keystrokes, or by touching treasured artifacts, or straining to read faded ink on a long-forgotten document.

We look forward to receiving proposals for a variety of topics. We will be taking an in-depth look at the use of military records.

Special note to Samford attendees: Your schedule may conflict with attendance at Jamboree. Don't let that prevent you from submitting proposals. We will work with our speakers' travel schedules to permit appearances at both events.

The deadline for submission of proposals is October 21, 2012. Selected speakers will be notified by November 30, 2012, and contracts will be issued on January 1. What a great way to start the year!

Submission of proposals is done online through the Speaker Portal. Speakers are encouraged to download the submission guide to prepare the information in advance.

Please contact Vicki Hilb, Program Chair, at SCGSJamboree@gmail.com if you have questions. We look forward to hearing from you!

Download the Call for Proposals document

Download a hard copy of the Proposal Submission Guide

Enter your proposals through the Speaker Portal


Paula Hinkel, Co-Chair
Southern California Genealogy Jamboree
Southern California Genealogical Society
417 Irving Drive
Burbank, CA 91504
818.843.7262