Maybe it’s the years of dreading the start of school, but I always begin to fear the rapid decline of summer once school sales start in July. I know it also has to do with my advancing age, the time I have is always shorter than the list of things I want to do with that time. Therefore, my mind is beginning to spin with the things I want to do before winter hits Maine.
Summer is a great time to visit ancestral hometowns and cemeteries, get out to libraries and other repositories. There are also local conferences and workshops to consider. Remember to call ahead when possible to be sure about hours, parking, or unexpected events that may prevent you from using a facility. I have occasionally made a visit during normal hours to a facility, only to find it closed due to repairs, a special event or an emergency, so knowing the hours a place is open is not a guarantee. Remember also that if you wish to access special collections, many repositories need hours or sometimes weeks to get delicate original records from wherever they are safely housed, so appointments must be made well in advance.
As for local conferences and workshops, there are a few in September and October.
September 1st is the pre-registration deadline for the Maine Genealogy Society’s (MGS) Fall Conference, which will be held in Brewer, September 13th. Pre-registering saves you time the day of the conference and gives you a better chance of getting your first choice workshops. The conference keynote speaker poses the question of whether complex genealogical questions can be answered solely online. To which I answer, “If you are very lucky!” Dr. Thomas Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, certified genealogist will take us through a case study to show what works and what does not. Afterward, there are six breakout sessions during the remainder of the day (choose 3) a lunch break, and the annual meeting. You can purchase the meal available there at Jeff’s Catering, bring your own, or make a quick dash elsewhere.
More information about the breakout workshops is available online: http://conference.maineroots.org/ or you can contact Celeste Hyer at 69 Loop Road, Otisfield, ME 04270-6456. The conference is $50 for non-MGS members ($40 for members), and the luncheon is $15.
The LDS Family History Center on Grandview Avenue in Bangor is offering two, free workshops in October. I will be presenting the first, which will be a repeat of my spring Wassebec presentation on “Irish Genealogy”, Saturday, Oct. 11th from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. The second October workshop is “Beginning Genealogy” presented by Sandra Burke and Mary Banfield, sponsored by the Penobscot Genealogical Society. If you have not yet visited the FHC in Bangor, this would be an excellent opportunity.
Whether you are attending a sponsored workshop or a self-guided tour of the old hometown, remember to prepare yourself accordingly. Think about what you hope to gain from the experience, and how best to make that happen. What information from your family tree do you need with you? Will you need a camera, cash or other supplies? Good preparation will make your outing more enjoyable and more rewarding!
Columnist Nina Brawn of Dover-Foxcroft is a longtime genealogy researcher, speaker and teacher. Reader emails are welcome at ninabrawn@gmail.com. Her semimonthly column is sponsored by the Aroostook County Genealogical Society which meets the fourth Monday of the month except in July and December at Cary Medical Center’s Chan Education Center at 6:30 p.m. Guests are always welcome. FMI contact Edwin “J” Bullard at 492-5501.
