TOM HOWARD RECEIVES VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD

(Tom Howard, left; Richard Roberts, right)

In recognition of outstanding service to a member society and the field of genealogy, over and above what he was elected or appointed to do, the New England Regional Genealogical Consortium, Inc. honors

THOMAS F. HOWARD

with the

2008 Donna Holt Siemiatkoski

Genealogy Volunteer of the Year Award

CONGRATULATIONS, TOM!

ONLINE OPTION FOR FULL CONFERENCE EVALUATION

Try our new online version of the full conference evaluation by going to www.nergc.org/2009 and click on "Conference Evaluation." Stop by the Volunteer/Evaluation table to try the new online version before you leave, or enter your feedback at home at your leisure. DEADLINE for online entry is May 10.

Of course, using the more traditional paper copy that was distributed in your conference bag is also a great choice. Drop off paper copies of the Full Conference Evaluation Survey at the Volunteer/Evaluation table and other labeled boxes today or Sunday morning.

SESSION EVALUATIONS

Remember, your feedback is important to us! Keep those Speaker Session and Workshop Evaluations coming. Pleae use one sheet for EACH speaker. Check the session number/name at the top of the form so we can input the data accurately!

UPS SHIPPING AVAILABLE

Don't forget that you can ship your treasures home. The UPS Store will be in Booth #507 and #509 all day Saturday for your convenience.

ATTENTION VETERANS!

Stop by the Hospitality Desk to receive your U.S. Flag, or see Donna Walcovy. Put it on your name tag! Thank you for your service!

SATURDAY'S CEMETERY RESEARCH WORKSHOP

S-307 - Donna Walcovy. Those who signed up for the Cemetery Research Workshop should meet Donna at 8:30 a.m. at the Valley View Cemetery on the corner of Valley and Pine Streets.

Directions: Turn right as you leave the hotel, and at the third traffic light turn left onto Valley Street. Walk up the hill to the corner of Valley and Pine Streets.

Dress in comfortable clothes that you do't mind getting a wee bit dirty.

SCHEDULE CHANGES FOR SATURDAY

3:13 p.m. - S-324. Meldon Wolfgang and Michael Leclerc will be replacing Nancy Lauer's session on occuptations with "Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off To Work We Go: Jobs, Trades and Professions, or Your Ancestor's World of Work."

4:45 p.m. - S-329. Marian Pierre-Louis - "Looking After the Poor: Finding Your Ancestors in New England Poverty Records," replacing Eric Smith's topic.

SCHEDULE CHANGES FOR FRIDAY

3:15 P.M., F-225. Lucie Lewis -- "League of Nations True or False," replacing Eric Smith's topic.

4:35 p.m., F-228. Colleen Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., will be presenting "Unraveling a Hoax: Using Genealogical Research Skills to Find the Truth About the Wolf Girl," in pace of Sharon Sergeant.

4:45 p.m., F-231. Charles Martin will substitute for his wife Leona Martin presenting "Discovering My Black Loyalist and Multicultural Canadian Ancestry.

THANK YOU TO CONFERENCE VOLUNTEERS

Thank you to all Thursday's and Friday's conference volunteers. We can't do it without you.

If you are volunteering Friday or Saturday, please pick up your Volunteer Packets.

Additional volunteers may still be needed. If you can spare an hour or two during the conference and would like to get involved with NERGC, please ask at the Registration Desk.

OVERFLOW ACCOMODATIONS

If you still need accomodations, check with the Radisson, our host hotel. Some last minute cancellations have made openings available throughout the conference, and they will honor the $127 per night registration if you identify yourself as part of the NERGC conference.

NERGC 2009 IS UNDERWAY!

Today volunteers were busy stuffing bags with registration materials, the Conference decorator was busy setting up the Exhibit Hall, many of those registered for the Conference began to arrive in Manchester, activities got underway with the "Accent Your Research" workshop, and the American-Canadian Genealogical Society Library was packed! The full Conference schedule gets under way tomorrow. All we need is you!

CONFERENCE FINISHERS - SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING

Staying ‘round for the “conference finishers” allows you to begin your return home in the daylight hours, having completed the full conference program. This year’s activities include:

SATURDAY SOCIAL HOUR AND CASH BAR, 6:00 – 7:00

SATURDAY BANQUET
If you're not already signed up, please note: there is still room at the Banquet on Saturday evening, featuring Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak’s “Mini Film Festival” and sponsored by the New England Chapter, Association of Professional Genealogists. However, you must register by April 17. Megan will share clips from a variety of documentaries and TV shows she has been part of and her behind-the-scenes experiences.

SUNDAY MORNING CLOSING SESSION
Sunday morning’s closing session will feature a Continental self-serve breakfast from 8-10 in Salon A. A Conference Badge is required for access. Come celebrate new-found friendships and knowledge with other conference attendees and speakers as our thank you for attending NERGC 2009.

CUTOFF FOR PURCHASING MEALS IS FRIDAY, APRIL 17

The cutoff for registration for meals for the Conference is Friday, April 17. If you haven't yet registered for the Conference and are hoping to attend luncheons and/or banquets, or if you've already registered for the Conference but did not sign up for meals and want to add them, you must do so by Friday as we need to provide the final count to the hotel.

If you haven't registered yet, the Conference Registration Brochure is available in PDF format on the NERGC Web page, www.NERGC.org. Print out or bookmark the brochure and plan your conference experience. Then, take advantage of our Online Registration Service. You’ll be guided through five screens to register for the Conference. (Please use a separate registration for each person attending the conference. If you have a companion who wishes to join you for meals only, you will be able to order additional meals within your registration if done so by April 17.)

Or, if you already registered online want to add meals, you can do so by accessing your registration through your email address login or your confirmation number. You can then add the items desired and proceed through checkout as you did originally. Only the additional charges will be added to your invoice.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR LIBRARIANS/TEACHERS DAY IS APRIL 20

Registration for the April 23 Librarians and Teachers Day (LTD) at the New England Regional Genealogical Conference in Manchester, New Hampshire is open only until Monday, April 20. Because the hotel needs an attendance number for the luncheon, provided through the generosity of ProQuest, we will not be able to accept late registrations or walk-ins. So, if you haven't registered yet and wish to, now is the time! For more information, visit the Conference web page at www.nergc.org

We will have certificates for continuing education units (CEUs) available for any attendees who need them. Everyone registered for LTD will receive an additional confirmation email by Tuesday, April 21. We look forward to seeing many of you on Thursday morning!

Laura Prescott
LTD Chair

HANDOUTS FOR FREEBIE TABLE

A reminder to genealogical organizations across the nation that if you have material (membership brochures, product sales info, or meeting and event calendars for the next year or two) that is appropriate for handouts at the New England Regional Genealogical Conference to follow the shipping instructions below:

Send to: NERGC 2009/Pauline Cusson
c/o ACGS
P.O. Box 6478
Manchester, NH 03108-6478

All material must be received in Manchester by April 20th.

50/50 SILENT AUCTION IDEAS

Ever buy that really interesting book and get it home only to discover you already have it? What about all those ancestors you used to descend from? Maybe you bought the 800-page genealogy for that surname, and now you don't care. Has your research moved on to another part of the U.S., and now you've got three linear feet of local histories you don't use? These are classic items to put in the 50/50 Silent Auction at NERGC 2009.

Consider other things, too. Are you an excellent researcher on Irish, Jewish, colonial English, African, or just plain tough problems? Are you making frequent treks to distant archives and wouldn't mind doubling up your research to split costs? Make a statement of your research skills or a research location you are willing to scour - everything from look-ups to detailed analyses of old tax lists. Auction off a block of time, access to a source, or a lecture for a local group.

Are you a member of a deserving genealogical organization that could use some extra money? Individuals can put in items "For the Benefit Of" such a group. Some NEAPG chapter members are auctioning books and services - half the proceeds will go to NEAPG, the other half to NERGC. You can do the same for your own organization(s).

Procedures were outlined in the previous post.

50/50 SILENT AUCTION

NERGC is presenting its first silent auction this year. Fifty percent of the winning bid goes to the original owner of the item(s). The remaining 50% will go to NERGC.

The auction will begin Friday morning when the Expo Center opens. Friday afternoon the auction will close and winning bidders may pick up and pay for their items. Saturday morning a new auction will begin. If your item(s) received no bids Friday, they will be automatically entered in Saturday’s auction. Check the daily Newsletter at the conference for details and times.

You can bid online or in person at the Expo Center during the auction. Items will be displayed on tables in the 50/50 Silent Auction area next to the Ancestors Road Show.

All online bidders need to be registered prior to bidding. Those attendees wishing to bid may use their registration number as their bidding ID. For those who cannot attend, you will need to email the 50/50 Silent Auction coordinator, Drew Bartley, at drew@yourgenealogist.com. This is also the email you will use to place all bids online. To receive an online bidder’s ID, please email your name, organization (if appropriate), mailing address, email, and a phone number where you can be reached.

All items or services received in advance of Friday’s auction will appear in Lot #1. Links to downloadable pdf files will be provided online for as many items as possible. These links become live at the date and time to be announced. Each file will contain a description of the item, its number, and a minimum bid for that item.

Bids that are sent via email to drew@yourgenealogist.com should have the following:

Name of item
Item number
Your ID number
Minimum bid
Maximum bid

For those bidders not present, this will be the procedure. If you bid a range, the lowest bid in a rounded dollar amount will be bid on your behalf. If there is a competing bid, your bid will be increased to $1 over the previous bidder up to your designated maximum. If you are the winner, we will ship your item(s) to you with the bill for the item(s) and the cost of shipping and handling.

Place all online bids to drew@yourgenealogist.com

Bring Your Items to the Auction!

Anyone wishing place material or services in Friday and/or Saturday’s auctions should contact Drew Bartley at drew@yourgenealogist.com and arrange to have the items or certificates (for things like hours of research time) at the Expo Center by Friday and/or Saturday morning. Items, groups of items, or services should have a retail value of at least $10. Minimum bids suggested by the original owner should be no lower than $5. The original owner will receive half of the winning bid and NERGC the other half. Payments by attendees should be made at the end of the auction when picking up your new items or certificates for services such as research hours. Payments by remote bidders should be made by check payable to NERGC, Inc., and sent to our Treasurer at the address provided on your bidding ID.

ANCESTORS ROAD SHOW UPDATE

ANCESTORS ROAD SHOW appointments can now be scheduled via e-mail. Check the ROAD SHOW link on the NERGC website http://www.nergc.org/2009/roadshow.htm for instructions. All consultants, with a description of their areas of expertise as well as their ROAD SHOW time slots, are posted. Sign up now to get your first choice of consultant.

YOU CAN STILL ADD LUNCHEONS, BANQUETS, AND WORKSHOPS

If you've already registered for the Conference but you weren’t sure about meals or workshops, it's not too late to add them! If you registered online, you can access your account and add items. If you registered manually, send an email to mchoppa@myfairpoint.net explaining what you would like to add to your registration.

NOT REGISTERED YET? HERE'S HOW

Over 620 have now registered for the Conference! Still, there’s plenty of room for more! Although the Early Bird registration deadline has passed, at $135 Discovering Family Treasurers remains a bargain when compared to the registration fees of other conferences.

The Conference Registration Brochure is available in PDF format on the NERGC Web page, www.NERGC.org. Print out or bookmark the brochure and plan your conference experience. Then, either

Fill out the Registration Form on page 12 of the brochure and mail it with your check to: Mary Choppa, NERGC Registration, 131 Concord St., Nashua, NH 03064.

OR

Take advantage of our Online Registration Service. You’ll be guided through five screens to register for the Conference. (Please use a separate registration for each person attending the conference. If you have a companion who wishes to join you for meals only, you will be able to order additional meals within your registration.)

If you prefer, you can still obtain and use a traditional printed Conference Registration Brochure. Brochures have been distributed to Participating Societies and to many local libraries, museums, and senior centers.

WHEN AND WHERE TO PICK UP REGISTRATION MATERIALS

For those who have pre-registered for the Conference, registration will start at 7:00 a.m. Thursday morning in the lobby area near the hotel ballroom. At that time you can pick up your nametag, syllabus (CD or printed) and meal tickets.

If you haven't signed up yet, there will also be a place for walk-ins to register. Keep in mind though that you should pre-register if you want to attend a meal or workshop.

Registration schedule:
Thursday, April 23, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Friday, April 24, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 25, 7:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.

If you are registered to attend one of the Accent Your Research ACGS workshops on Wednesday, check in for the workshop just prior to the scheduled start time.

THE EXCITEMENT ON FaceBook IS GROWING

Over 50 FaceBook members have confirmed that they’ll be attending the Conference. You can add yourself as well. Get to know other attendees and write on the NERGC ‘wall’. Discover pages of photos from past Conferences. Want to register for NERGC? There is a link on the FaceBook page that will take you to the NERGC site for registration information. To access these features, you must be a registered user of FaceBook (www.FaceBook.com); registering for FaceBook is free. To find the NERGC event listing, type ‘NERGC’ into the FaceBook search box.

OVERFLOW ACCOMODATIONS AVAILABLE AT HILTON GARDEN INN

The Hilton Garden Inn, 101 Commercial Street, Manchester, New Hampshire, is our overflow hotel, three blocks from the Conference site. It will honor $125 night registrations if guests self-identify as part of the NERGC conference. A link directly to the Hilton Garden Inn's booking page from the NERGC web page will be coming soon. A free shuttle is available through the Hilton for those who wish to go to local destinations.

AN UPDATAE FROM THE REGISTRATION CHAIR

With six weeks to go, over 500 have registered for the Conference! Still, there’s plenty of room for more! Although the Early Bird registration deadline has passed, at $135 Discovering Family Treasurers remains a bargain when compared to the registration fees for other conferences. If you haven’t already registered, review the Registration Brochure and other information about the conference at http://www.nergc.org/ and send off your registration today!

REMINDER: EARLY BIRD DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 28

A reminder that the NERGC "Early Bird" deadline is almost here. To qualify for the “Early Bird” Full Conference rate of $110, your registration must be received or postmarked by February 28, 2009. After that, the price goes up to $135. The Conference Registration Brochure is available in PDF format on the NERGC Web page, or take advantage of our Online Registration service. Don’t delay! Visit http://www.nergc.org/ and register today!

DISSEMINATING GENEALOGICAL INFORMATION

NERGC planners are pleased to announce the availability of display tables for Genealogical and Historical society brochures from across the nation. We wish to fulfill one of our missions to disseminate genealogical information. If you have material (membership brochures, product sales info, or meeting and event calendars for the next year or two) that is appropriate for handouts at this conference, please follow the shipping instructions below:

Send to: NERGC 2009/Pauline Cusson
c/o ACGS
P.O. Box 6478
Manchester, NH 03108-6478

All material must be received in Manchester by April 20th and not before April 1, 2009.

SOMETHING NEW: THE NERGC SILENT AUCTION

NERGC 2009 will hold a 50/50 Silent Auction on Friday, April 24 and on Saturday, April 25 in the Expo Center during our conference. Owners of the items or services to be auctioned will receive 50% of the winning bid, with the remaining 50% going to NERGC.

Items or services should have a genealogical connection - for instance, a block of hours of genealogical research or analysis; genealogical books or cds (check your duplicates!); memberships in your genealogical organization; registrations to your next conference; pins from past conferences, etc.

The minimum retail value of each offering or combination of items must be $10. A full description of rules will appear in an upcoming E-zine. Take this opportunity to support NERGC and clear some shelf space or flex some research muscle! Only NERGC registered attendees can put things in the silent auction, but bidding will be possible in person and online for everyone who applies (free) for a bidding number.

RHODE ISLAND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY BUS TRIP TO NERGC

The Rhode Island Genealogical Society is arranging for a bus to make a one day trip to Manchester. It will be Saturday, April 25th, leaving from Warwick early in the morning and returning the same day. The cost is $22.00. Each person will be responsible for the one day admission fee, and all meals. Anyone interested may contact Helen Smith at AAA in Wakefield, RI; 401-789-3000 or E-mail: hhsctc@aol.com

RIGS has encouraged full participation for all members who can. However, due to work, lack of funds, or time other constraints, the bus permits members to experience the NERGC Conference with minimum driving expense and an opportunity to take part, if even for only one day. RIGS will also be having a booth in the Exhibit Hall, and those attending are encouraged to visit the exhibits and take part in any of the activities on that day.

LIBRARIANS AND TEACHERS DAY AT NERGC 2009

There will be a Librarians and Teachers Day on Thursday, April 23, at the New England Regional Genealogical Conference in Manchester, NH. The flyer for this special day is now available on the NERGC 2009 home page at http://www.nergc.org/2009. We invite you to download a copy to post in your libraries, distribute to other librarians and teachers, and encourage you to spread the word by sending the link to others.

There is a nominal charge for the day, and a reduced rate for the remainder of the conference if you register before February 28. Lunch is provided, courtesy of ProQuest. More information is available at http://www.nergc.org/2009/libteachday.htm.

REGISTER TODAY FOR NERGC 2009

A reminder that the NERGC "Early Bird" deadline is only two weeks away. To qualify for the “Early Bird” Full Conference rate of $110, your registration must be received or postmarked by February 28, 2009. After that, the price goes up to $135. The Conference Registration Brochure is available in PDF format on the NERGC Web page, or take advantage of our Online Registration service. Don’t delay! Visit http://www.nergc.org/ and register today!

PLACE A QUERY IN THE NERGC SYLLABUS!

Discovering Family Treasures continues the tradition of printing genealogical queries in the NERGC Syllabus. The several hundred who attend will see your question, and hopefully solve your brick wall(s).

Cost remains the same as in the past - $5 per query, or three queries for $10. (Maximum of 50 words in each query.) You do not have to attend the conference to submit queries, and there is no limit to the number of queries you may submit.

Please type or print each query on a separate 8.5” x 11" sheet of paper. Preferred format asks you to use standard abbreviations, and have your dates written as 27 July 1927 (counted as one word). Show birth; death; marriage - in that order - with location of event shown before date, and all known information stated before the question is asked. Editor reserves the right to edit for space and/or clarity, without changing thought. Remember to include your contact information; name, address; Email.

SAMPLE QUERY: JONES Mehitable b. Hartford CT abt 1790, m. Middletown CT 23 Mar 1823 to BUSHNELL, John, b. Hartford or Wethersfield, CT c. 1785. Need bdt., par of John. Janet Johnson; 50 Round Tree Road; Mashpee, MA 02649 or JJ@aol.com.

Mail entries with check to Query Column; 40 Round Hill Road; Wethersfield CT 06109-2519. Entries must be postmarked by 28 February 2009. Please enclose a check payable to NERGC QUERIES. For additional information on queries, Email: http://ssomail.charter.net/do/mail/message/mailto?to=Query-Column%40att.net or visit the NERGC web site at http://www.nergc.org/.

Janet Horton Wallace; Queries Chair

A CONFERENCE BONUS: THE ANCESTORS ROAD SHOW

One of the benefits to conference-goers is a free consultation at the Ancestors Road Show. A list of all volunteer consultants for the Road Show can now be found on the Ancestors Road Show section of the NERGC website. Over 36 experienced genealogists will be available to talk with you about your research needs.

Consider your problem areas, write a brief synopsis of your research question or subject to be addressed including the what, where, who and when. Then check the list of genealogical specialists which include many conference speakers and see who might be able to help you.
Instructions for pre-conference sign-ups will be posted on the Ancestors Road Show page by mid March. Make plans to take part in this popular conference activity.

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Special Interest Groups, to be held on Thursday, April 23 from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m., will offer participants an opportunity to get together with others with similar interests and discuss ideas for genealogy research on a certain topic. If you’re interested in hosting one of these informal groups, contact Leslie Huber.

DON'T MISS THE LUNCHEONS AND BANQUETS

Attendees of past NERGC conferences provided feedback showing that the sharing, socializing, and networking that occurs at the meals was one of the most meaningful parts of the Conference. Don’t miss the opportunity for convenient, delicious meals, socialization, and networking with other participants. Choose from a Regular Luncheon at $26.00 or one of the intimate Hosted Luncheons, where you can converse with professionals such as Megan Smolenyak, Marcia Melnyk, and Dan Lynch. And no one will be disappointed with the informative and entertaining speakers featured at this year’s banquets! Each banquet is $40.00.

See the “Social Activities” section of your Conference Registration Form to reserve your spot!

“EARLY BIRD” REGISTRATION ENDS FEBRUARY 28

To qualify for the “Early Bird” Full Conference rate of $110, your registration must be received or postmarked by February 28, 2009. After that, the price goes up to $135. Don’t delay! Register today!

The Conference Registration Brochure is available in PDF format on the NERGC Web page, http://www.nergc.org/. Print out or bookmark the brochure and plan your conference experience. Then, either

Fill out the Registration Form on page 12 of the brochure and mail it with your check to the address at the bottom of the form

OR

Take advantage of our Online Registration service. You’ll be guided through five screens to register for the Conference.

If you prefer, you can still obtain and use a traditional printed Conference Registration Brochure. Brochures have been distributed to Participating Societies and to many local libraries, museums, senior centers.

ONLY 30 RADISSON ROOMS REMAIN FOR NERGC 2009

NERGC Manchester 2009 has met and exceeded its Radisson hotel reservations block and is asking for more rooms to accommodate the demand. More than 560 room nights have been sold. Only about 30 additional rooms are still available, so register soon at 603-625-1000. Be sure to mention our conference to get the conference rate. The Radisson is the only hotel physically attached to the Exhibit Hall and the conference meeting rooms. It is also the shortest walk to the cemetery where Donna Walcovy will be conducting her preservation workshop.