Happy Summer!
SKCGS Members will find the playback access code for [Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal’s presentation at the end of this email. *if you expected to find the code but do not see it, your SKCGS Membership has expired. Renew on our website: https://www.skcgs.org/support-skcgs/membership
David Spangler has offered to take on the role of President, and the Board will officially appoint him at the May board meeting to finish out the current term. We’re grateful for his willingness to lead.
Since no one was nominated for Vice President or Secretary before nominations closed, the Board plans to appoint Valorie Zimmerman as Vice President and Tracy Arnold as Secretary beginning June 1, 2026. Thanks to all our new and continuing leadership.
Stay connected! Get updates on our virtual and in-person events, plus the latest genealogy news and tips, by subscribing (free) to the online group at https://skcgs.groups.io
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PROGRAM UPDATES
All meetings are online except the in-person Research Group and Genealogy Help at KCLS Auburn, Federal Way, and Renton Main library branches.
Live transcription (captioning) is available during our Zoom meetings by request.
Online meeting participants need to register for SKCGS Zoom meetings. Upon registration, Zoom will send a confirmation email with instructions on joining the meeting. https://www.skcgs.org
MAY to Early JUNE 2026 MEETINGS & EVENTS
All meetings are Pacific Time (PT) zone
Register at https://www.skcgs.org for all meetings unless otherwise stated.
Friday, May 1, 12:30–2:30pm PT: German Interest Group (EGS)(Online). Topic: “Locating Records from Poland Online” by Julie Roberts Szczepankiewicz. Visitors welcome and more information at https://gig.eastsidegenealogicalsociety.org/. Registration required: https://tinyurl.com/rp2zubuw.
Finding records from Poland for genealogical research is a critical step in exploring our Polish ancestry but Poland’s complex history and the language barrier can be confusing. After a brief overview of Poland’s changing borders and their impact on the languages in which historical records were created, Julie will explain the process of identifying one’s ancestral village and illustrate the use of gazetteers to determine the parish and civil registry offices. She will introduce key websites for locating historical records online and offline, with an emphasis on sites that offer indexed records and digital images. Julie will suggest strategies to help you get around the language barrier, and demonstrate how you can trace your Polish ancestry from the comfort of your own home. Julie Roberts Szczepankiewicz is a genealogist, writer, and speaker with nearly 30 years of experience in researching her family’s origins in Poland, Germany, the U.S., and Canada
Saturday, May 2, 10–11am PT: Family Tree Maker User Group (Online). Topic: General Q&A for the Family Tree Maker Program. Join our free SKCGS FTM email list for meeting reminders and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/FTMUG
Tuesday, May 5, 2pm PT: SKCGS Board Meeting. All interested Members are invited to; write Board@skcgs.org for the Zoom link. Note the new meeting time.
Monday, May 11, 1–2pm PT: Genetic Genealogy/DNA Interest Group (Online).Topic: Proving your Family Tree with DNA Evidence. See DNA in Action 1 of 6: Proving Your Pedigree with DNA: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/dna-in-action-1-of-6-proving-your-pedigree-with-dna.We are genealogists who use DNA data as part of their research. Join the free email group for meeting notices and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Genetic-Genealogy
Wednesday, May 13, 2–3pm PT: WikiTree Users (Online). Topic: Powering Wikitree with your DNA data, easily & safely. Start here: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:DNA. Wikitree Users collaborate to create the best collaborative tree on Earth. Join our free online group: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Wikitree-SIG.
Thursday, May 14, 11am–1pm PT: Genealogy Help with SKCGS at Renton Main Library (In-person) Genealogy questions? SKCGS offers one-on-one help with a volunteer. 100 Mill Avenue S, Renton, WA.
Friday, May 15, 1–3pm PT: Research Workshop. SKCGS Members only. In-person research at the Kent FamilySearch Center: 12817 SE 256th St, Kent, WA. RSVP in advance to Winona Laird (206-818-7610)
Saturday, May 16, 10–11:15am PT: SKCGS Speaker Series (Online): Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal “Research at the library…without leaving home!”
Looking for books about your family history? You may be able to find them without leaving the comfort of home! Millions of books have already been digitized and are free to use and download to your personal library. Learn where to find the best digital book collections, how to search them strategically, and how to save your finds for later reference.
Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal, Certified Genealogist®, is a researcher, writer, educator, and national genealogical speaker. Her specialties include methodology, technology, and online research resources. Since 1987, Elizabeth has made it her goal to research, share, and preserve her family stories. She is a co-host of the Branching Out Genealogy Podcast (https://branchingout.show) and the author of the family history lifestyle website Heart of the Family™ (https://www.thefamilyheart.com). Her mission is to help others make the past part of their present.
Meeting opens at 9:30 am PT for social time.
Monday, May 18, 1–2:pm PT: Tech User Group (Online).Topic: What’s the Process? Analyzing & improving work flows. Are you using new tools, new sites, AI, or some nifty gadgets to make your research more fun, accurate, or more foolproof? The Tech User Group share knowledge and learn about technology tools, media, apps and websites. Join our free email group for meeting information and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/TUG.
Thursday, May 21: Genealogy Help with SKCGS (In-person) Genealogy questions? SKCGS offers one-on-one help with a volunteer.
- 11am–1pm PT: Auburn Library, 1102 Auburn Way S, Auburn, WA
- 2 – 4pm: Federal Way Main Library, 34200 1st Way S, Federal Way, WA
Tuesday, June 2, 2pm PT: SKCGS Board Meeting. All SKCGS Members invited; write to Board@skcgs.org for Zoom link. Note that the time has changed.
Friday June 5, 12:30–2:30pm PT, German Interest Group (EGS)(Online). Topic: “Striking Gold: Using Cluster Research to Identify an Unknown Father by Dana Palmer, CG®, CGL® Visitors welcome and more information at https://gig.eastsidegenealogicalsociety.org/. Registration is required: https://tinyurl.com/432j5fvu
Blended ethnic families can be tough to trace. Be successful finding your German ancestor’s parents by using cluster research techniques and free online tools. This case study presentation will show how an unknown father of a German Catholic family who lived in Cincinnati was found by searching for others with the same name who were living in the same location and belonged to the same church.
Discussion will show how analyzing church records, obituaries, cemetery and other records led to the discovery of the unknown father and his origins in Germany. This is a great example of using cluster research to find elusive ancestors.
Presenter: Dana Palmer, CG®, CGL.® Dana specializes in Midwestern research, lineage society applications, and publishing family books. In addition to her client work, she is part of the Mayflower Silver Books team, and lectures at RootsTech and the National Genealogical Society (NGS) conferences. Her book Ultimate Guide to Mastering Family Search was released in print and digitally in November 2025.
Saturday, June 6, 10–11am PT:Family Tree Maker User Group (Online). Topic: General Q&A for the Family Tree Maker Program. Subscribe to the free SKCGS FTM email list for meeting reminders and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/FTMUG
Monday, June 8, 1–2pm, PT: Genetic Genealogy/DNA Interest Group (Online). Topic: What’s New at Gedmatch? See Getting Started with GEDmatch Tier 1 Tools | One-to-Many Essentials & Match Strategies: https://youtu.be/8sgPRq_9ud0?si=3uWYnUC4U7AEOWjl. We are genealogists who use DNA data as part of their research. Join the free email group for meeting notices and discussion: ttps://skcgs.groups.io/g/Genetic-Genealogy
Wednesday, June 10, 2–3pm: WikiTree Users (Online). Topic: Tools to improve your WikiTree profiles and move your research forward. Wikitree Users collaborate to create the best collaborative tree on Earth. Join our free online group: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Wikitree-SIG.
Thursday, June 11, 11am–1pm PT: Genealogy Help with SKCGS at Renton Main Library (In-person). Genealogy questions? SKCGS offers one-on-one help with a volunteer. 100 Mill Avenue S, Renton, WA
Monday, June 15, PT: Tech User Group. Topic: Firm foundation for trees: Research notes. Strategies to create notes you will use, accessible everywhere. The Tech Users Group share knowledge and learn about technology tools, media, apps and websites. Join our free email group for meeting information and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/TUG.
June 20, 2026: Steven W. Morrison, MPA presents “Digging Up New Dirt – Part 1: Unearthing the REAL New England Immigrant; Part 2: Finding, Proving, and Publishing“
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SKCGS Speaker Series: Monthly on the third Saturday, 10am. F
- September 20 2025: Roxanne Lowe “Write Your Own Obituary”
- October 18 2025: Craig K Gowens “The Border Reivers: The Beginnings of America’s Scotch-Irish”
- November 15 2025: Mags Gaulden “WikiTree’s DNA Features, With A Splash of mitoYDNA.org”
- January 17 2026: Mary Kircher Roddy “Putting Your Learning to Work: Getting the Most From an Educational Opportunity”
- February 21 2026: Robyn N. Smith “Cluster Research: Using Other People to Find Your People”
- March 21 2026: Winona Laird “Publish Your Story using AI and Kindle Direct Publishing”
- April 18 2026: Robbie Johnson “Writing for Relatives 101-–From Research to Family History”
- May 16 2026 Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal “Research at the library…without leaving home!”
- June 20 2026: Steven Morrison Part1, “Digging Up New Dirt: Unearthing the Real New England Immigrant” AND Part 2, “Finding, Proving and Publishing”
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SOUTH KING COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY