And the Winner is..............

This year NGS held the first ever Conference Challenge. Click here to read complete details. We had Drew Smith co-host of the Genealogy Guys Podcast, author of Social Networking for Genealogists, FGS director, and president of the Florida Genealogical Society be the judge.

According to Drew, we had several wonderful entries but one entry caught his attention.

Linda Russell .... Congratulations! Thank you for sharing and we hope you enjoy your free registration to the NGS 2012 Family History Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.

 

And the Winner is..............

NGS 2011 Family History Conference - In Pictures

Since Blogger was down for a few days I was not able to post pictures as frequently as I would have liked. I have embedded below a snapshot of the conference week. Thank you Carol Laferty, Scott Stewart, and Trish Hackett Nicola, CG for your wonderful image contributions.

NGS 2011 Family History Conference - In Pictures

AfriGeneas at the NGS 2011 Family History Conference

This video clip was made 13 May 2011 at the NGS 2011 Family History Conference. Bernice Bennett talks about "Tracking the Homestead Records of a Group of American African Americans in Livingston Parish, Louisiana".

Thank you Bernice for sharing!

Courtesy the AfriGeneas channel on YouTube.

AfriGeneas at the NGS 2011 Family History Conference

Conference Program Survey

We value your feedback. Please take a moment and answer the questions below and improve the value of the educational sessions at our annual conference. Visit http://ngs2011.questionpro.com/.  

Conference Program Survey

Monetizing your Genealogy Expertise with a Blog/Website

Friday Room F319 Club North 9:30am - 11am

Do you have a blog or website or want to create one?

Mark Olsen of FamilyLink.com will be teaching you how to make money using your specific Genealogy Expertise.

If you have unique knowledge pertaining to a particular topic/niche such as particualar area, record type,

Language, Church, History, Surname or your own family stories this class is for you.

If you have a blog or website you can make money either as your main income or on the side.  Have you heard of affiliate marketing but don't know where to start?In this question and answer session Mark will show you what he has learned as an affiliate, affiliate manager and professional online marketer.

From a few extra dollars a month to thousands of dollars each month you can monetize your expertise.

Monetizing your Genealogy Expertise with a Blog/Website

Ancestry.com Feedback Sessions

Wed, May 11,  & Friday, May 13,  in meeting room; Ideation

Give Ancestry feedback on some new concepts during NGS.  If you are interested in sharing your discoveries with your family, simplifying how many passwords you have to remember, or helping others get started with genealogy, we would like your input.

Sign up here http://tinyurl.com/3ggmkjq

Ancestry.com Feedback Sessions

Day 4: A Day in Pictures

Color Guard

Marguerite Bishop

Opening Session Entryway

Bagpipes

Buzzy Jackson - Opening Session

Volunteers. We love you!

Opening Session

Connie Trossbach - Day 1 Drawing Winner with Illyce Mac Donald, NGS Membership Director

Photos coutesy Trish Hackett Nicola, CG

Day 4: A Day in Pictures

Archives.com Grant Program

In today’s opening session, NGS platinum sponsor Archives.com announced it will make a special $1,000 dollar grant award to one conference attendee! The Archives.com Grant Program funds important individual and communal initiatives that contribute to the promotion and advancement of family history research and historical preservation.  Archives makes a monthly award from their website, but has decided to go one step further and make a special grant award here in Charleston!

Are you working on or planning a family history project that needs an extra boost to get off the ground? If so, Archives encourages you to apply. Past winners have been both individuals and organizations who have taken on unique and challenging family history projects. Your project could be: restoring damaged photos, digitizing historical material, organizing a community event, or anything in between.

Here’s how it works. If you’re an NGS attendee, stop by Archives.com booths #229 and #231 to pick up an application. You can turn this hard-copy application back in to them during Exhibit Hall hours no later than 11am Saturday, May 14th.  The lucky winner will be announced Saturday afternoon.

The Archives.com  Grant recipient will receive a $1,000 dollar award to fund their project, and a feature on the Archives.com website.  

Thank you to Archives.com for this generous gift! Visit them at booths #229 and #231 to apply and learn more.  

Archives.com Grant Program

Trolley Schedule

The Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and Absolutely Charleston have kindly provided trolley services that will from the convention hotels to the convention center. Hours of operation are as listed below.

Wednesday, 11 May   6:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m.
Thursday, 12 May       7:00 a.m.–10:30 p.m.
Friday, 13 May           7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
Saturday, 14 May       7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.

Each trolley has a capacity of 34 and trip time is anticipated to take between 15-25 minutes depending on traffic and the number of people looking to ride the trolley. Please factor in travel time to the convention center when planning your day.

Trolley Schedule

Day 3: Exhibits Set-up, Attendee Check-In and On-Site Registration Opens

5:00 a.m. wake up call dragged me out of bed and then I had a nice chat with my mom in Germany. My day was off to a wonderful start. I reviewed my schedule for the day over a cup of steaming hot coffee in my room and made a mental note.... need caffeine- a long and exciting day ahead!

7:00 a.m. Registration for the Research Trip to the South Carolina Archives begins in the lobby of the Embassy Suites. Delivered registration materials ... check!
7:45 a.m. Attendees depart for Librarians' Day.
8:00 a.m. Attendee Check-In begins for the BCG Education Fund Workshop in Meeting Room 10-13.
8:15 a.m. Check in with Valley Expo on Exhibit Hall setup. Boy..... they are super efficient and I have enjoyed working with them over the years. Thank you Cynthia Kutz!
10:00 a.m. Exhibitor Registration begins and the exhibit hall begins to take form.
11:00 a.m. Attendee check-in and on-site registration setup complete.
12:00 noon Attendee check-in and on-site registration begins. Registration was smooth. We had 27 on-site registrations today and our attendee check-in volunteers did a wonderful job ... An absolute success....
3:30 p.m. Lunch at the Embassy Suites .... Another meal recommendation Prime Rib Bites. An appetizer selection on the menu featuring prime rib, mashed potatoes, asparagus, and horse radish sauce.... I am sure I will repeat this order before the end of the week.
5:00 p.m. Exhibit setup is complete and we have a beautiful hall waiting for all of you attendees to visit tomorrow.
7:00 p.m. Registration closes and I stagger over to the Embassy Suites to enjoy the last half hour of the Manager's Reception.

An eventful day and I look forward to tomorrow.

Reminder: The opening session begins at 8:00 a.m. and is in the Performing Arts Center. Till tomorrow!

Day 3: Exhibits Set-up, Attendee Check-In and On-Site Registration Opens

Where to Park

Parking at the North Charleston Convention Center is $5 per day and parking lot E has been assigned to the NGS 2011 Family History Conference.

To get to parking lot E from inside the Convention Center, walk past Exhibit Halls A, B, and C and exit through the doors at the far end of the corridor.

Where to Park

Day 2: It's all about the volunteers

I woke up with a slight headache this morning of  9 May 2011 and wondered if I should even get out of bed! A few alarm snoozes and alerts later, I was finally up and out the door. Had a quick breakfast with the my colleague, Erin and headed over to the convention center....

Meeting room One.....a long day ahead. Bags to be stuffed, signs to be put out, and more!

9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. - Our wonderful volunteers organized by SCGS assisted us in stuffing the bags and having them ready for our attendees to pick up beginning noon tomorrow. I will post the pictures tomorrow morning. A big thank you to all the volunteers who helped us out today. I am not sure what we would do without your help!

Those who can, do.  Those who can do more, volunteer.
-Author Unknown

A gorgeous day outside and we head to Mustard Seed for dinner. I highly recomment the fried green tomatoes with crab cakes.... an appetizer on the menu but definitely a meal I cherish and recommend!

Thank you Sunni, Ruth, Illyce, Susan and Erin for your wonderful company.

Signing off..... More updates tomorrow.

Day 2: It's all about the volunteers

Welcome to the NGS Conference Challenge where you can win a FREE registration for next year’s family history conference!

The rules are simple—go to the location of each of the clues below, take a picture of yourself with the clue or at the clue location, then tweet or e-mail us your photos, which must be sent in a single e-mail.

Two ways to play:
1. TWEET your photos with the #ngs2011hunt hashtag and include what number clue you are on.
2. E-MAIL all your photos in one e-mail to us at ngs2011hunt@ngsgenealogy.org. Put ngs2011hunt in the subject line.

Those who complete each task and submit their photos by Saturday, 14 May, at 10:30 a.m. will be automatically entered to win a free registration for the NGS 2012 Family History Conference!

The most creative and innovative entry will be selected by our esteemed judge. Our prominent judge will be kept hush-hush ..... but will be revealed when the winner is announced.

CLUES:
1. This isn’t your normal playground. Take a picture with an attendee wearing a kilt!
2. A picture of yourself at dinner with a fellow genealogist.
3. Checking out one of our hottest publications or education releases at the NGS booth.
4. Volunteer wearing an ASK ME button.
5. A picture of yourself with an exhibitor whose company name has an "I" or "T" in it.
6. Geeking out a lecture in the GenTech track.
7. A picture of yourself with the largest family tree you can find at the conference.
8. A picture of the person with the most ribbons on their badge (show the ribbons).
9. A picture of yourself with one of the NGS board members.
10. A picture of someone who appeared in one of the NGS videos.

The winner will be announced at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, 14 May, at the NGS booth located in the Exhibit Hall booth #201. Winners must be present!

Sorry, NGS staff, exhibitors, and NGS board members are not eligible to win.

Day 1: Destination Charleston

Dulles International airport was more crowded than usual but I braved the check-in and security lines and hurried over to gate A3C for United Airlines flight 5714 to Charleston. An on-time departure, slightly bumpy flight, and an hour later it was touch down .... smooth landing!

Weather... a gorgeous 84 degrees.... definitely more humid than the DC metro area.... but I am not complaining ... yet.

I picked up my checked in bags and called the hotel (Embassy Suites) where I am staying for the week. I was instructed to head out the doors from the Baggage Claim area, walk across to the center lane, and await the complimentary airport shuttle 20 feet in front of the taxi stand. A short wait later I was sitting comfortably in a shuttle headed to the hotel. Be sure to call the hotel you are staying at to check if they offer complimentary airport shuttles. Check-in was smooth, no lines, and my shuttle driver was kind enough to bring my bags up to my room.

Off to dinner I go.... BBQ was the cuisine of choice and the restaurant Jim & Nick's. Nice restaurant and good BBQ, not the best I have ever had but the corn bread brought to the table before the meal was definitely to die for.

A good day now on to conference preparation starting tomorrow. Time to get some shut eye.

Waiting to see y'all soon! 

Day 1: Destination Charleston

Charleston

Here in the dusky quiet of the streets
Lies a forgotten age
Wrapped in the mellow dimness of the past—
Written on yellowed page.
Here are the musty chronicles of years,
Inscribed by the hand
Of those who passed some centuries ago—
Into another land.
Here, in the past—time immemorial—
Brave men have stood apart
Holding the heritage of ages gone
A people of vibrant heart.

by Ellen Chantal Brown, Ashley Hall, class of 1939
Permission to use the poem given by Ashley Hall

Miss Ann Hill, a student from Ashley Hall, will be the a cappella soloist at the Opening Session on Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m.

Charleston

A Garden Report - From your Conference Chair

We are having an exceptional spring in South Carolina. It has been cool and dry. The roses and bottlebrush were the prettiest I can remember, and you will see a few remaining in and around Charleston. Many of the storms you have seen on the news have gone north and missed Charleston. The gardenias are in bloom and the Magnolia's are just about to bloom providing you a perfect welcome to Charleston and the Lowcountry.

A Garden Report - From your Conference Chair

Charleston.... Here we come!

Weather
Coming from the Washington DC metro area, where we went from winter, to spring, to winter, to summer and now back to a warm day with blustering winds..... I cannot wait to get to sunny Charleston. Hope to see y'all there too!

Here is a snap shot of the weather in Charleston next week. Be sure to carry an umbrella to brave those isolated thunderstorms and keep watching http://www.weather.com/ for updates.

Clothing
Dress in layers. Most likely, some areas of lecture rooms, or the exhibit hall, will be cold – other areas will be warm. 

Wear comfortable shoes and clothing. You will do lots of walking as well as sitting.

Those going to the banquet, will find there is a wide range of attire; formal dress is not necessary.

Where to eat?
In addition to luncheons, there will be a concession stand in the exhibit hall, and a concession stand in the lobby of the convention center that will be open for breakfast only. Hours of operation are as listed below.

Lobby
Daily 7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m.

Exhibit Hall
Wednesday,  9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Saturday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Beer and Wine Concession
Thursday Night Only
5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.

Enjoy the Exhibit Hall extended hours on Thursday!

Charleston.... Here we come!

Family History Skills

If you have always wanted to research your family but don't know where to begin, the conference will feature a Family History Skills track for people new to genealogy or others who desire to broaden their research skills. This special twelve-lecture track will instruct you on how to research vital records, census, cemeteries, obituaries, city directories, printed genealogies, and county histories as well as how to organize your research and prepare a timeline.

Full conference registration is available onsite with a discount for National Genealogical Society members.  Single day registrations are also available. Program and registration details can be found at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/conference_info.

If you don't have time to attend the full conference, a one-day session, "Genealogy 101," will be offered on Saturday, 14 May 2011, from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. This hands-on workshop will review both printed and electronic sources for family history research and will cover essential record groups, how to determine an immigrant ancestor's origins, and how to uncover the facts behind those family stories. You can register onsite but space is limited so arrive early to secure a spot.
An exhibit area with more than one hundred exhibitors will be open and free to the public Wednesday through Saturday, 11–14 May, and will include the latest in genealogical software, online research providers, and DNA testing services.

Family History Skills

Ancestry.com Feedback Sessions

Wed, May 11,  & Friday, May 13,  in meeting room; Ashley

Give Ancestry feedback on some new concepts during NGS.  If you are interested in sharing your discoveries with your family, simplifying how many passwords you have to remember, or helping others get started with genealogy, we would like your input.

Sign up here http://tinyurl.com/3ggmkjq

Ancestry.com Feedback Sessions