Jamboree 2017; Day 3

Sunday, 11 June 2017

 Last day! I hate the last day of conferences, plus I must drive two hours south to get home. Because of that, like last year and the year before, I skipped the last session, which I really wanted to attend! It was called, “Using the Bureau of Land Management Tract Books” by Michael John Neill. Well, at least I have the syllabus. Today, I attended another breakfast with Janet Hovorka of Family ChartMasters. Her talk was called, “Saving What’s in Your Attic” and was very helpful and informative talk of preservation. Later in the morning, I got a one on one with Diane Richard concerning some questions I had with my North Carolina ancestors. She was extremely helpful and even offered to email me some info on record repositories concerning the two counties I was interested in. Jamboree 2017 was definitely another success this year! I learned a lot, met new friends, saw old friends, and had a great time. I will be back in 2018!

Today’s classes I attended:

·       Breakfast: “Saving What’s in Your Attic” – Janet Hovorka, MLIS.

·       “Two States, Multiple Counties – What’s a Border?” – Diane L. Richard.

·       “Did Your Ancestors Own Slaves?” – Janice Lovelace, PhD..

  Here are some pictures from this day: 

Mark Olsen of  Mackiev Software donated these for my society!

Diane L. Richard - All things North Carolina!

Thanks for the pic Janet Hovorka! Love my DNA chart!

Thanks to SCGS and Jamboree! You guys are the best!!!

Official photo from the NextGen Genealogy Network meet-up.

Thanks again to all the wonderful people who put Jamboree together. You guys do so much work all year round to make this happen. A special thanks to Lise Harding and Kathy Holland - the social gurus of Jamboree - You guys rock!

See you next year!

Jamboree 2017; Day 2

Saturday, 10 June 2017

 I started off by going to a breakfast sponsored by FamilySearch and featuring Michael Provard speaking about some lesser known search techniques on FamilySearch’s website. Mr. Provard was very knowledgeable and a down to earth speaker. Off to classes next with George Morgan and Gena Ortega. Just before lunch I attended a panel discussion on young genealogists and your local society. The panel brought up some interesting questions concerning how young genealogist feel when they attend a local genealogical meeting with mostly retired-age people. That was followed by most of the panelist having lunch together with the NextGen Genealogy Network, which I am a founding member.

 The afternoon consisted of three more classes with Drew Smith, DoctorMichaelLacopo (inside joke), and Miss Peggy Lauritzen. The day was capped off with a dinner banquet with the Reverend David McDonald. Before he went on, Denise Levenick presented the “Suzanne Winsor Freeman Memorial Genealogy Grant” to a young genealogist from Utah, Mindy Jacox. Next, Rev. Dave went on with his presentation, “If I’da Known the Future, I’da Got Here Sooner”. I believe I heard this before, probably at SLIG, but to hear it again blew my doors off! I am glad we have him in the genealogical community.

Today’s classes I attended:

·       Breakfast: “Using FamilySearch to Hunt Your Heritage: Advanced Research Tips” – Michael Provard.

·       “Extend Your Research Using Digital Special Collections” – George G. Morgan.

·       “Wives, Girlfriends, Widows, Exes and Mistresses: Documenting Women” –Gena Philibert-Ortega, MA, MAR.

·       Panel: “The Next Generation: Young Genealogists and Your Society” – Melanie Frick, MLS, Lisa Medina, Deborah Sweeney, Eric Wells (Construction Master), Paul A. Woodbury, Randy Whited.

·       “Your Ancestor’s FAN Club: Using Cluster Research” – Drew Smith, MLS.

·       “She Came from Nowhere… A Case Study Approach to a Complex Genealogical Problem” – Michael D. Lacopo, DVM.

·       “Away, I’m Bound Away… Migration into the Shenandoah Valley” – Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG.

  Here are some pictures from this day: 

In the morning with Michael L. Strauss, AG.

Michael Provard at the FamilySearch breakfast.

George G. Morgan's sold out class!

The guys behind the live stream.

Getting ready for Gena Ortega's class.

Panel discussion led by Melanie Frick.

Paul Woodbury, Randy Whited, and Lisa Medina.

Eric Wells and Deborah Sweeney.

Melanie Frick did a great job with all the questions!

The NextGen Genealogy Network get together.

Mary Roddy and Miss Peggy.

TNGGN lunch.

Drew Smith gave a great presentation today!

The Linkpendium gurus - Wolf & Karen Leverich!

Dr. Michael Lacopo - Always takes a great photo!

Drew Smith popped into the Genealogy Gems booth.

Peggy Lauritzen's presentation on the Shenandoah was excellent!

Dinner banquet.

A present for my dad from Jane Van Tour. He loved them!

Mindy Jacox with Denise Levenick.

Rev. David McDonald - Awesome!

Jamboree 2017: Pre-Conference

Thursday, 8 June 2017

 Took off from work about noon to drive from Escondido to Burbank (about a two-hour drive) to attend the 48^th. annual Genealogy Jamboree put on by the Southern California Genealogical Society (which I have been a member for almost six years now). This year I didn’t attend the Genetic Genealogy conference, which started earlier this day, due to the fact that I am still catching up on all the classes I took from the past two years.

 After checking in, I walked around checking out the set up in the convention center foyer and looking for friends. I saw Trish Stannard and Elyse Morales (better known as Elyse Doerflinger in the gen world) sitting by the big windows in the Marriott lobby. I crashed their little party and ended up chit chatting for the next hour with them. Elyse was getting hungry and so we decided to have an early dinner at the Daily Grill inside the Marriott.

 After dinner, I went to get checked in and pick up my syllabus. On the way back I saw many friends from all over the country and some international too! I get so excited when I see all my genealogy friends. “Didn’t I just see you in Raleigh?”, “Weren’t you at SLIG?”, and “I haven’t seen you since RootsTech in 2012”. Jamboree is like the big conference in my backyard and I always feel the most comfortable and relaxed there.

  Here are some pictures from this day:

8-month pregnant  Elyse and I comparing. LOL

I spied Ron Arons & Gena Ortega in the Daily Grill.

Elyse & Trish at dinner in the Daily Grill.

The new hip place for GeneaBloggers at the Marriott.

The impromptu gathering. Hi, Drew! 

Thomas MacEntee's stylish sneakers.

Bedtime for Bonzo.

Great weather forecast, despite some "June Gloom".

I love the new digital signs Marriott has everywhere!

Jamboree conference materials. I bought the DNA syllabus too!

My swag... Gotta represent!

My view from the room for the next 3 days!