VGS Genealogy News & Events
Victoria Genealogical Society
No. 161 - May 6, 2024 |
Distributed free of charge to interested subscribers and former members. | There Has Never Been A Better Time To Join The Victoria Genealogical Society (VGS) | The VGS is proud to offer annual memberships to suit a variety of needs and interests. Memberships are effective from June 1 through May 31 of next year.
We are pleased to announce an exciting new benefit to all new members. The offer to purchase deeply discounted DNA Kits, including a supporting workshop, will be available to active VGS members during the month of July, 2024.
| Recent Testimonials
The Road Ahead for Genealogy presented by Dave Obee
I wanted to thank Dave Obee for a very informative and memorable talk. The handouts are very helpful as well. It was the first time I visited the Park. It was very striking (I was amazed at the beauty of the trees) and the Chapel venue itself was unique and visually appropriate somehow for the session...even to the detail of the swinging microphone!
Diana, VGS Member
DNA Seminar
I had the opportunity to attend the DNA Seminar this last Saturday. I was a little concerned as this was my first on-line seminar. I was not disappointed. I have been working with my DNA reports for many years, but realized I have not been making the most of my DNA reports nor have I been organizing it effectively. It was a fast paced day but ran smoothly thanks to Mark Thompson and the 4 incredible presenters.
Lois, VGS member
Rumrunners in Victoria in the 1920's presented by Kate Humble
What an awesome presentation! Kate has an amazing ability to engage and entertain through the stories of another time.
Mark, VGS member
| | For more information or registration visit REGISTER HERE | | For more information visit Victoria Highland Games |  | Upcoming Events
Updated Events List with New Additions
Speakers Event: Evening Social with Speaker Presentations
Date: Thursday, May 9, 2024
Time: 7 PM until 9 PM PT
Location: via zoom and in person at Norway House, 1110 Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2Z7
For more information or registration visit REGISTER HERE
Information Booth: Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, May 18 & 19, 2024
Time: 9 AM until 5 PM PT
Location: Clan Tents area, Topaz Park, Victoria, BC
Drop in. No registration required.
Speaker Presentation: Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival
Presenter: Lois Chamberlain Thompson, VGS
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, May 18 & 19, 2024
Times: 11:00 AM until 11:50 AM PT
Location: Heritage Hub, Topaz Park, Victoria, BC
Drop in. No registration required.
Workshop: Tracing Descendants of British Home Children
Date/Time: Saturday, June 8, 2024, 10 AM until 12 PM PT
Presenter: Lois Chamberlain Thompson, VGS
For more information or registration visit REGISTER HERE.
To review more details of these events and more, go to our Events Calendar.
| The Joys of Joining a SIG
I facilitate two Special Interest Groups. One is Family History 101 and the other is Eastern Europe.
Family History 101 started as a group to help people get started on their genealogy. All were welcome, the newbies, people who had “lost their way” and the curious. This started out as a weekly meeting, but soon morphed into a monthly SIG. We have a steady group and have drop-ins. We always welcome members with new problems or as I like to call them, new adventures.
Eastern Europe started up again last September. With the war in Ukraine, people have begun to re-think their ancestry. DNA has given us all a wider scope for our searches. This group tries to dig deeper into their heritage. There are lots of problems with languages, shifting borders, wars, finding documents.
Both groups are very interactive, helping each other. We all bring something different to share with others. We always look forward to meeting new people. Any VGS members that would like to join us are welcome to attend.
Learn more about all special interest discussion groups at SIG
- Sarah Hamster, SIG Leader | VGS Social Media Accounts Update
See what's happening in the VGS neighbourhood. Join the discussion with just a click. Register for events with just a click. And so much more....with just a click.
Don't forget to "like" our events posts and "share" them with friends.
VGS FaceBook private group with over 400 members to help you with your genealogy related questions; join the discussion at VGS Facebook Group
VGS FaceBook public page: click Follow (currently 548 followers) for event notices and other VGS news at: vicgs
VGS Instagram: click Follow (currently 170 followers) for event notices with a twist at: victoriagenealogicalsociety
VGS X (formerly Twitter): click Follow (currently 775 followers) for genealogy news from VGS and our friends: vicgenealogy
Free accounts with these social media sites may be required.
| New to Genealogy Research?
3 Steps for Beginners
The VGS offers several benefits of membership for those new to genealogy research and for those who would like to brush up on their skills. Check these 3 easy steps below:
Step 1 - The Centre. If you haven't already visited our Genealogy Learning & Research Centre, we recommend you do. It's a great place to start and our friendly and experienced volunteers are available to help you with your questions and show you the basic research tools, techniques and resources. For a modest fee volunteers can provide various personal research services which can be viewed at RESEARCH SERVICES. The Centre is located in Royal Oak Shopping Centre and is free for members. Non-members are welcome and their first visit is free with a nominal fee of $5 for subsequent visits. Free parking, free wifi, free computers, a large library collection, and access to Ancestry library edition. Check our LOCATION page for open hours.
Step 2 - Family History 101 and CSI SIGs are a great place to start. After becoming oriented to genealogy research at the Centre, members often find it a smooth transition to join a discussion group that focuses on their area of research. We call these Special Interest Groups or SIGs for short. Currently there are 9 SIGs that meet regularly either by zoom, in person or in combination. Our most recently added SIG was designed for those who are new to genealogy. It's called Family History 101, which was introduced last season and proved to be very popular. Our CSI SIG (Crowd Sourced Information) is a chance to do research with others, hands on. Once you get basics in the Family History 101 and CSI SIGs you may want to start signing up for one or more of the other SIGs. They are all free to members. Click on SIGs to learn more about them.
Step 3 - Workshops, Seminars and Speaker Events. Another benefit of membership is the price breaks for our regular workshops and seminars, and access to our monthly Speaker presentations. These events not only offer the opportunity to learn about a topic, but they also provide members the opportunity to meet other members who may be researching in the same geographic area or the same surname. These are important networking opportunities and often prove useful in breaking down research brick walls. To learn more, go to our Events Calendar
We believe that by following these 3 steps you will have the opportunity to learn about the genealogy research tools and techniques more quickly than by reading or surfing the web. For membership details, please go to Membership Options | |
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Home Page: Victoria Genealogical Society | | | Visit our VGS Website often to get updated information about us and our upcoming events.
| Copyright © 2023 Victoria Genealogical Society, All rights reserved.
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