October is Family History Month!

Welcome to Family History Month! As the days get shorter, wetter and cooler, it's time to return our attention to family history. What projects have you got lined up to accomplish this month? What topics do you need to learn more about? What "brick walls" do you need to get over, under, around or through?

If you haven't completed your research into your military ancestors, by all means plan on attending the SGS Fall Seminar on Saturday, October 22nd. In honor of the 150th anniversary of the start of the US Civil War, the entire day will focus on U.S. MILITARY RECORDS. The full list of presentations and registration materials are available on our website at http://seattlegenealogicalsociety.org/content/2011-fall-seminar-schedule. Note that the registration deadline is Oct. 14th for "regular price" and lunch orders. This year you can register online and pay through PayPal if you'd like. The links are on our website. Please invite your friends, as our seminars generate essential revenue for SGS.

SGS will also be holding a special LIBRARY OPEN HOUSE this month on Sunday, Oct. 16th. Do you have friends, cousins, or neighbors who might be interested in getting started on their family trees? Help SGS attract new members by inviting them to stop by on Oct. 16th. We'll have experienced researchers available to help them fill out family group sheets and ancestor charts, as well as experienced desk volunteers to provide tours of the SGS library. If you'd like to help, please email Michelle at sgsvolunteers@gmail.com.

There are several special giveaways going on right now in honor of Family History Month. Ancestry.com is giving away a prize each day through Oct 15th in honor of their 15th anniversary. You need to register each day at http://www.ancestry.com/15anniversary to be eligible. Family Tree Magazine is also offering daily drawings in their "Daily Deal & Giveaway" at http://www.familytreeuniversity.com/daily-deal-giveaway. Our own Director of Volunteers won today! If you're a fan of geni.com, they're giving away one-month "pro" subscriptions each day this month. You can check out their contest at http://www.geni.com/blog/celebrating-family-history-month-370597.html.

October is also Archives Month. While SGS has lots of archival material, it's not very accessible or organized, but we're trying. There's an Archives Fair at the downtown Seattle Public Library this Wednesday, Oct. 5th and again on Oct. 29th. Find out more at http://archivaladvocate.wordpress.com/seattle-archives-month-2011/activities/ You'll also note that there are free archival training sessions at the Puget Sound Archives and at NARA this month. Learn more at http://www.dahp.wa.gov/blog/2011/09/free-workshop-the-basics-of-archives-2/.

And if that isn't enough, Thursday, Oct. 6th, has been declared the inaugural "Day of Digital Archives" (See: http://upfront.ngsgenealogy.org/2011/09/day-of-digital-archives-october-6th.html ) What are you doing to celebrate?