Archived News - October 2012

ISGS News - Monday, October 29, 2012
 
Awards Announced At ISGS Annual Conference in Rockford, IL
 
October 29, 2012 – Springfield, IL. On Saturday, October 20, 2012, five individuals were honored by the Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) with awards for their outstanding achievements in the field of genealogy. ISGS presented the awards at the its annual conference – Family History In Profile – in Rockford, Illinois:

ISGS President Janice Fritsch and Rita Welsh
 
 
Mrs. Rita Welsh – Special Recognition
Oregon, Illinois
Mrs. Rita Welsh is a retired librarian for the Lee County Genealogical Society. Her wonderful memory for the local, and not so local, facts has made her invaluable to researchers who visited the library in search of their “roots.” Rita was an outstanding example of loyalty, efficiency and willingness to do all she could to help people find their needed information.

 
Janice Fritsch and D. Patrick Gorman
 
 
D. Patrick Gorman - Community Service Award
Dixon, Illinois
D. Patrick Gorman has helped military veterans from all over the world with their research, from the Civil War era through and including World War ll. He has even searched for and found records for many foreign citizens who enlisted and fought for our country. He has been instrumental in obtaining and having markers placed for many veterans even though they may be buried in their homeland.
 
Sheryl Prange, Janice Fritsch, and Merrill Prange
 
 
Merrill and Sheryl Prange - Community Service Award
Fults, Illinois
Merrill and Sheryl Prange have worked on 12 different cemeteries over the past 15 years, that no one else wanted to take care of. The cut the brush, mow the grass, and repair headstones. Each time they tackle a new cemetery, they type up an index of the stones and share them with the county genealogy society. They are not paid to do this, it is all done out of the goodness of their hearts.
 
Janice Fritsch and Thomas MacEntee
 
 
Thomas MacEntee - Volkel Medal of Honor
Chicago, Illinois
Thomas MacEntee is a genealogy professional specializing in the use of technology and social media to improve genealogy research and as a way to connect with others in the family history community. He is also the Webmaster for ISGS. Utilizing over 25 years of experience in the information technology field, Thomas writes and lectures on the many ways in which blogs, Facebook, and Twitter can be leveraged to add new dimensions to the genealogy experience.

According to Janice Fritsch, ISGS President: “Every year ISGS honors members of the genealogical community who have given beyond the ordinary and this year is no exception. Thank you to those who submitted nominees for an ISGS award and congratulations to all the award winners!”
 
ISGS News - Saturday, October 27, 2012
 
Purchase a Flip-Pal mobile scanner and Support ISGS!
 

The Illinois State Genealogical Society is a proud affiliate for the Flip-Pal® mobile scanner which means that when you purchase a Flip-Pal or one of the many accessories, you help support the programs and mission of ISGS. Visit http://flip-pal.com/ISGS to purchase a Flip-Pal.

A Special Coupon for ISGS Members and Fans

At our recent Fall Conference in Rockford, we had a Flip-Pal on display at the ISGS table for attendees to test drive as well as brochures with a special coupon worth 10% off the purchase of a Flip-Pal mobile scanner. We're excited to share this coupon with you whether you're a member of ISGS or just a fan!

Use code ISGS now through December 31, 2012, during the check out process and you'll save 10%!

Still More Ways to Support ISGS . . .

Did you know that you can shop at a variety of genealogy vendor websites using these links and also support ISGS?  The Shop and Support ISGS program lets you make purchases at Ancestry.com, FamilyTree DNA,  Legacy Family Tree, Shop Family Tree and more!
 
ISGS News - Wednesday, October 17, 2012
 
Upcoming Webinars - November 2012
 

On Tuesday, November 13, at 8 PM Central, George G. Morgan, will present, Sidestep Genealogy, designed to help you identify alternative paths to take in your research and hopefully break down those brick walls. To attend this webinar, register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/559302166.

Last week's webinar, Jumping Over Hurdles in German Research, presented by Leslie Albrecht Huber, is now available to ISGS members in the Members Section of the ISGS website (http://ilgensoc.org/members.php).

Upcoming Webinars

For the complete list of upcoming webinars, visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=234.

And don't forget to spread the word by printing out a few copies of our webinar flyer to hand out at your local society meetings. The flyer can be accessed at http://ilgensoc.org/upload/menu/2012webinarbrochure.pdf.

Please direct any questions to the ISGS Education Committee at isgseducation@ilgensoc.org.
 
ISGS News - Tuesday, October 9, 2012
 
ISGS Volunteer Alert!
 
As we approach 2013, ISGS’s open positions list has grown due to various life changes we all experience, including a death in our “family,” and the creation of new positions. ISGS fully supports its board members serving in capacities that interest them, which can necessitate moves to new committees, leaving vacancies.

Please consider helping ISGS achieve its mission to preserve and disseminate Illinois historical and genealogical materials, and to educate and aid those researching their ancestry.

  • ISGS 2012 Fall Conference Volunteers: The ISGS Fall Conference will be held October 19th & 20th at the Clock Tower Inn and Conference Center, Rockford, IL. Volunteers will help with monitoring sessions, the Youth Workshop, and other essential tasks. Save these dates, and please let us know if you can lend a hand and be a part of our great conference team! Contact Tammy Spearie, isgsvolunteers2012@gmail.com.
  • Church Records Committee Chair: The Church Records project identifies Illinois church repositories by denomination and assembles files containing church history and record access information. Contact Susie Pope, isgs2ndvp@ilgensoc.org.
  • Newsletter Editor: The Editor of the ISGS Newsletter receives articles and information for publication via email, and produces a newsletter six times a year (bimonthly). Experience with page layout design and writing/editing is desirable. Contact Susie Pope, isgs2ndvp@ilgensoc.org.
  • ISGS Quarterly Design and Technical Editor: The Design and Technical Editor works with the Quarterly Editor to produce a polished publication. A working knowledge of design and layout principles and the use of Adobe InDesign is desirable. Contact Judy Milde, Editor, isgsquarterly@ilgensoc.org.
  • Membership Promotion Committee Chair: This committee promotes membership with renewal notices and other communications and maintains the membership list. Contact Janice Fritsch, isgspresident@ilgensoc.org.
  • Youth Creative Contest Coordinator: The Education Committee would like to implement an annual youth creative contest in 2013. The contest will have three categories (writing, artwork, and photography) and three age group divisions. The Coordinator will fill in the details, and help to implement it. Contact Julie Tarr, isgseducation@ilgensoc.org.
  • Writers: Part of the ISGS mission is to educate its members and the public. The Education Committee needs volunteers interested in sharing their knowledge by writing educational articles and guides. We have a lot of ideas on the table, but we need your help to make them a reality. Contact Julie Tarr, isgseducation@ilgensoc.org.
  • Website Committee Chair: (This is not a webmaster position) This position monitors the ISGS website for errors, ease of use, etc. and notifies the Webmaster of any needs. Contact Susie Pope, isgs2ndvp@ilgensoc.org.
  • Website Indexing Committee: Indexing projects are based on member submissions, ISGS holdings or other resources. Volunteers will scan images, and upload images and/or data to be indexed. Let us know if you would like to be involved! Contact Susie Pope, isgs2ndvp@ilgensoc.org.
  • Honors & Awards Committee Chair: The chair solicites nominations from individuals and societies for each of the ISGS annual awards. The nominations are discussed in committee and finalists are presented with awards in the fall. Contact Susie Pope, isgs2ndvp@ilgensoc.org.
  • Illinois Society Liaison Chair: The chair communicates with associate societies, and coordinates the annual Roundtable Events which are hosted by local societies. Contact Janice Fritsch, isgspresident@ilgensoc.org.
  • Long-Range Planning Committee Chair: This committee considers plans for the improvement of the Society. They solicit suggestions from the membership, make regular reports to the Board, and present projects for action. Contact Janice Fritsch, isgspresident@ilgensoc.org.
ISGS News - Friday, October 5, 2012
 
ISGS Office Closed Monday, October 8, 2012
 


 
The ISGS Office will be closed on Monday, October 8, 2012, in observance of the Columbus Day holiday.

The office will be open from 10am to 1pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012. Regular hours will resume on Thursday, October 11, 2012.
 
 
ISGS News - Wednesday, October 3, 2012
 
October 2012 Webinar – Jumping Over Hurdles in German Research
 

In honor of German-American Day, which is observed annually in the United States on October 6, we will have Leslie Albrecht Huber present Jumping Over Hurdles in German Research for our October webinar. Even though the focus is on German genealogy research, many of the concepts could be applied to other ethnic groups.

Date: Tuesday, October 9, 2012, 8:00 pm Central

Description: Has your German research run into a hurdle? Find out how to jump over some of the most common hurdles such as immigration, access to records, language, and handwriting.


Presenter: Leslie Albrecht Huber

Leslie Albrecht Huber is a genealogy freelance writer and speaker who specializes in German research and in writing family histories. She has published over 100 articles in a variety of publications including The History Channel Magazine, Family Chronicle, History Magazine, Family Tree Magazine. She has spoken about genealogy research on Good Morning America, National Public Radio, and at libraries, museums, and conferences across the country.

Register: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/309951654

Recordings and Syllabus Also Available

For ISGS members who cannot attend on October 9th, a recording of the webinar, along with the syllabus, will be made available in the Members Section of the ISGS website at http://www.ilgensoc.org. If you're not already a member of ISGS, visit Join ISGS! for more information.
 
ISGS News - Monday, October 1, 2012
 
ISGS Newsletter Now Available - September/October 2012
 
 
The September/October 2012 issue of the ISGS Newsletter is now available to both ISGS members and non-members.

Visit the ISGS website at http://www.ilgensoc.org and click ISGS Newsletter to download the current issue (in PDF) and to view past issues going back to January/February 2008.

© 2012, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society