Posted by conference on May 23, 2010 under Blog: New Postings, Registration Updates, The Making of Conference 2010 | 
The Ontario Genealogical Society’s Conference 2010 will be a hard one to forget.
Nearly 800 guests attended a record number of sessions, starting with Friday’s awe-inspiring trilogy of advanced lectures by Thomas W. Jones; ending with John Philip Colletta’s hilarious closing address; and peaking in the middle with a standing ovation for banquet speaker, Karolyn Smardz Frost.
In between, we enjoyed scores of fine sessions with speakers from Atlantic to Pacific—and even the other side of the Atlantic—as well as a sold-out Marketplace, an active Research Centre with free databases, expert consultations, special presentations, interesting tours and innovative specialist programs.
We were thrilled to welcome researchers with Dutch, Italian, and Eastern European roots who might not otherwise have discovered OGS. We hope they’ve seen the benefits of being part of a large active genealogical community.
Conference 2010 registrants still have one more week to access the online Syllabus—you’ll need the password that was sent to you by e-mail on Saturday, May 1 (or later if you registered after that.) You’ll even find some additional material from speakers Rick Crume and Alison Hare.
But once the Syllabus comes down on May 31, that will be it, as our rights to display the content expire on that date.
And don’t forget to fill in the online evaluation. If you were a registered attendee or a speaker, you should by now have received e-mail instructions as to how to access the site securely. (The e-mail’s subject line was: “OGS Conference 2010 Evaluation Invitation”.) It will only take a few minutes, and your participation will help next year’s conference organizers.
Thank you to all those who made Conference 2010 such an invigorating experience:
- the speakers who shared their knowledge and insights with such gusto
- the exhibitors who gave us access to more resources
- the sponsors and strategic partners who made the program possible
- the hotel and other suppliers for a seamless event
- the staff at our provincial office who handled registration
- the libraries, archives, and historic sites that hosted tour and research excursion visitors
- our many volunteers for their creativity, enthusiasm, smiles—and hours of work both before and during Conference 2010
And most of all, thank you to all the attendees—old friends and new—who helped spread the word, created the wonderful buzz at Conference 2010, and motivated everyone else.
Posted by conference on May 12, 2010 under Blog: New Postings, Speakers and Program, Tours and Events |
Fun Publicity
We appreciate all manner of publicity for the Conference. But who knew that our work might serve the purposes of body art? Here’s a fun piece recently posted on “Defining Canada”, a website devoted to the books and authors of Dundurn Press, an OGS publishing partner:
http://www.definingcanada.ca/2010/04/23/heritage_hunt/
Boxes of Ancestors
Traditionally at OGS conferences, there has been a Wall of Ancestors where Conference attendees could post a small notice requesting information about their research subjects. At Conference 2010, we’ve developed a new twist: “Boxes of Ancestors”. Complete your ancestors’ names on 3”x5” cards that will be filed automatically. Maybe you’ll find a long-lost cousin. Or maybe someone else will do the same among the cards you enter. For details as to how participate, visit:
http://torontofamilyhistory.org/2010/new-events
After the conference, the cards will be transcribed and made available in the Members Only area of the OGS web site.
Ask a Professional
Need help breaking through that brick wall? Twenty-minute consultations with members of the Ontario Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists (OCAPG) will be available free of charge during Conference 2010. The Chapter has members with experience in many regions and countries of the world. Book your session at the OCAPG desk. For hours and more info:
http://torontofamilyhistory.org/2010/new-events and scroll down to the second item.
Ask The Photo Detective
Photo got you stumped? Ask speaker Maureen Taylor, The Photo Detective. Bring up to three photos (or scans of them front and back) to a 15-minute consultation. It’s also a good idea to bring photocopies or a pad for taking notes. Book your session by contacting Global Genealogy at 1-800-361-5168 or drop by Global’s table at the Conference and book your consultation. The fee is $30.00 per session.
OCAPG Panel Announced
Four expert members of the Ontario Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists (OCAPG), each holding the PLCGS designation, will gather for Session 29 on Sunday morning at 9 am to discuss family-history questions that don’t have a regular forum. Come prepared with your questions about essentials, innovations and delights—or anything else that strikes your fancy. Better still, put them in writing ahead of time.
Here are the accomplished members of the panel…
Sharon Murphy, PLCGS (Moderator)
Sharon Murphy will be repeating last year’s success as moderator of the OCAPG Panel. The founder of TIMELINES Genealogical Research, Sharon is a professional genealogical researcher with 28 years experience and the author of two books; Researching Canadian Vital Statistics Records and Researching Canadian Land Records. She has also designed curricula and serves as an instructor and head of the Canadian Department for the National Institute for Genealogical Studies.
As a long-standing member of OGS, and a past-president of OCAPG, Sharon not only consults with many clients but also acts as a mentor for those starting their own careers in the field. Thoroughly steeped in the world of archival records, Sharon did many years of volunteer work in Bruce and Huron Counties. The Town of Walkerton employed her to create and catalogue its community archives in 1997-98, and she served as a team leader for APOLROD (Association for the Preservation of Ontario Land Registry Office Documents). She counts her biggest genealogical accomplishment as The Reid Family History, Loyal Ties, Volume 1, which she would love to share with you.
Sharon Murphy, PLCGS, TIMELINES Genealogical Research
3 King Street West, Suite 201, Cobourg, Ontario, K9A 2L8
sharon@timelinesresearch.com
www.timelinesresearch.com
Marg Aldridge, PLCGS
Marg Aldridge has built on more than 35 years of genealogical research to create a tremendous run of success in winning some of Canada’s most important awards and prizes for genealogists, including the 2008 OGS Essay Contest winner, the 2007 and 2008 Brian W. Hutchison Genealogical Scholarships and the 2006 Mid-Day Star Award recognizing her genealogical services in the First Nations community.
Marg is a Computer Science graduate of the Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Waterloo and has worked in IT for 25 years. She has also studied at McMaster and York Universities and taught at Humber College. She has recently completed a term as a trustee for the York Region District School Board. She is also a researcher for the Archives of Ontario, a writer, lecturer and an expert on Internet searching and many genealogy software packages.
Marg Aldridge, M.Sc., PLCGS
jamaldridge@rogers.com
Ruth Blair, PLCGS
Ruth Blair is a professional genealogist and lecturer based in Oakville. During the past 25 years, her family-history research has taken her to Ireland, England, Scotland, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. She holds PLCGS designations for Canadian, English and Irish research and she is also an Instructor for the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. For five years she volunteered at the Etobicoke Family History Centre.
Ruth has written two books: Planning a Genealogical Trip to Ireland: the Research Trail in Dublin, which helps the novice research traveller to prepare for a trip and gives advice on using the various repositories in Dublin; and Remembering Trafalgar Township, which commemorated the 200th Anniversary of Trafalgar Township. She also writes the blog “The Passionate Genealogist”.
Ruth is a member of OCAPG and many genealogical societies in Canada, England, Ireland and Scotland.
Ruth Blair, PLCGS, Blair Archival Research]
info@familyhistorysearches.com
www.familyhistorysearches.com and blog.familyhistorysearches.com/
Tammy Tipler-Priolo, PLCGS
Tammy Tipler-Priolo of North Bay is an honours graduate of the University of Guelph with 18 years experience in the genealogical field. She has volunteered for her local Family History Centre for seven years and opened her business, The Ancestor Investigator, in 2000. She is involved with consulting, researching, teaching, writing weekly genealogy articles for www.BayToday.ca and monthly genealogy and biography articles for the Near North Senior and the Gateway Advertiser, as well as publishing, creating and producing genealogy educational workshop tools, attending many seminars and tradeshows to promote genealogy, and lecturing to different groups in Ontario on various genealogical topics.
She is a member of OCAPG, the Ancestry.ca Advisory Board, the Genealogical Speakers Guild, the International Society of Family History Writers & Editors, the Société-Franco Ontarienne d’histoire et de généalogie and the North Bay Public Library Board, as well as OGS.
Tammy Tipler-Priolo, PLCGS, The Ancestor Investigator
info@ancestorinvestigator.com
www.ancestorinvestigator.com
