Special Interest Groups Online at GFO

 What a full day. I did two genealogy meetings, one with a Virginia Special Interest Group and the other with a German Special Interest Group. SIGs have been happening for a long time at the Genealogical Forum of Oregon. Since spring they do meetings through ZOOM. They average anywhere from about ten to about thirty participants. I am very thankful to be able to spend time with other genealogists. The best part is they are free. One does need to request access, show up a few minutes early and let the show begin. Some have organized presentations and discussions and others are open dialogue chats. They happen at various times. The past few months I have participated with about ten groups. It can be hard to chose when there are more than one at the same time. So, check them out. For those at GFO google them for their web page and then look at the calendar. Free is a very good deal!

Ruth Chauncey Bishop

 In honor of Ruth Chauncey Bishop - 16 April 1945 to 28 May 2015

Her Biographical Sketch updated 2007:

Ruth C. Bishop is an avid genealogist, as well as a friend to the community. She graduated from Pacific University with a B.A. in sociology, and has advanced degrees in computer programming and accounting. While in school she worked for the yearbook, and from that experience her hobby of photography escalated into wedding photographer and other activities. She was very active until 1974, when serious back surgery and the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis slowed her only slightly. Ruth has a great sense of humor and is fun to be with. Her upbeat attitude is an inspiration to all who know her. She has even ridden on elephants and in hot-air balloons!

The Genealogical Forum of Oregon Special Interest Groups

Today the Genealogical Forum of Oregon was a beehive of activity. A wide variety of genealogical researchers were present the entire time, from 10 am to 3 pm. For the first two hours the Virginia Interest Group held the attention of the fifteen attendees. Two, Dawn and Linda, made the two hour drive from Eugene to attend. Judi Scott presented information on Revolutionary War ancestors and locating their military and land records. It was my first time attending this group and even though I do not have Virginia ancestors, many people that I work for do.

A Serendipity Day

This morning my first stop was reading emails, while forestalling the plan to go out of the house. The cloudy gray skies were not very inviting. My plan was to take a friend to the Genealogical Forum of Oregon, in Portland, about ten miles from where we live. While reading, there was a post shared by Randy Seaver that mentioned a blog post written by Dawn Watson entitled, "Perfecting Society Publications." As one of the editors for the GFO publication, The Bulletin, this intrigued me. The article is impressive, and it really speaks to the heart of an editor. Many editors not only compile publications, but also write articles or columns. This is a serendipity moment for me, as it validates the volunteer work that we do. The article can be found at:
Digging in the Roots - A Genealogical Odyssey
http://genealogical.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/perfecting-society-publications/#comment-1217

Helping Others Find Answers by Writing Articles

In 2009 I joined the editorial team of The Bulletin, the quarterly for the Genealogical Forum of Oregon. This is a way that I can contribute as a volunteer and work mostly from my home. One of the best benefits is that I have access to a large library with check out privileges for material for the articles that I write.