THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News 24 May 2017

For more information visit www.gfo.org, contact us at info@gfo.org, or call our library at 503-963-1932. We love hearing from you!

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider for May 2017, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy HERE. NOTE: The Insider issues are now located under the “Learn” –> “Our Publications” menu at our new website (still gfo.org).

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

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Have You Saved Your Seat for the June 4th Workshop?

REGISTER for the CENSUS WORKSHOP

Don’t miss GFO’s upcoming Half-Day Workshop in just a couple weekends.
A full morning of learning the full scope of what you can glean from census records!
That’s right, folks. We’re Digging Deeper into Census Records!!
WHERE: GFO Library (map)
WHEN: Sunday, June 4th, 9:30am – noon
WHO’s THAT NOW?? Speaker Kate Eakman

Join speaker Kate Eakman for this amazing chance to learn all about “DIGGING DEEPER INTO ENGLAND, IRELAND, SCOTLAND, & THE U.S. CENSUS RECORDS”.

Tiny turtle eggs not included. Ahhhhh!!!!

Continue reading →

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News 17 May 2017

For more information visit www.gfo.org, contact us at info@gfo.org, or call our library at 503-963-1932. We love hearing from you!

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider for May 2017, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy HERE. NOTE: The Insider issues are now located under the “Learn” –> “Our Publications” menu at our new website (still gfo.org).

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

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It’s GFO’s GenTalk This Saturday, May 20th, at 2pm

Don’t forget this month’s Free (don’t be silly! they’re always free) GenTalk!
WHERE: The GFO Library
WHEN: Saturday, May 20th, at 2 – 4pm
WHO: Author Zita Podany

Zita Podany will be presenting her book Vanport which is part of the Images of America series.

Zita is a longtime Portland resident with a wonderful new perspective on the history of this area that was lost so suddenly to raging flood waters on May 30, 1948.
Remember! All the GFO GenTalks are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC so bring your history-lovin’ friends and family.

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Call For Volunteers – Are ya feelin’ helpful? Are ya?!

The GFO needs your help and expertise in the following areas:
1. Fall & Spring Seminar Raffle Coordinator – This is a position for someone who loves organizing all the STUFF that we get as donations for the raffles we hold at each of our semi-annual seminars.

2. Tours Coordinator – We need someone who can be the point person to receive requests for tours of the GFO Library, and who can then communicate the subsequent needs for tour guides and research assistants with our Volunteer Coordinator, Cathy Lauer.

3. Marketing Committee Chair – This has been a vacancy for some time. We need someone who is willing to put himself or herself OUT THERE to promote all things GFO. This position would include coming up with a marketing strategy and looking for ways to advocate for GFO within the genealogical community. You know you want to!

4. Obituary Editor – We need a person to coordinate the writing/editing and polishing of obituaries for our GFO members and friends as needed (usually two per quarter). Some interviewing skills recommended.
Click HERE to submit a volunteer form or to request more information. We can’t wait to hear from you!

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Birds do it, Bees do it, Every Generous Fred Meyer Shopper Does it!

Donate to the GFO while you shop?? That’s crazy!
Just link it! Linking your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to the GFO will automatically send a donation from good ol’ Freddy’s to the GFO, with no reduction in Rewards benefits to you. Click HERE to just link it!

How does this happen? This is part of Freddy’s very own “Community Rewards” program for sending separate corporation donations to non-profits and the like.

What if I don’t have a Fred Meyer Reward Card? Ask your local Fred Meyer checkout assistant for a Rewards Card application next time you’re at the register!

Won’t you help us get to 100? If 100 GFO members link their Freddy’s cards and continue to use them, the GFO could receive over $1,000 per year. Well!!?? What are we waiting for??

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Remembering Those Who’ve Gone Before…

The GFO Bulletin is Calling for Stories!
Next year is the 100th anniversary of the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 and 1919.

The GFO is putting out a special call for articles having to do with the Spanish Flu for March 2018 Bulletin. Stories (500-5,000 words) about the Spanish Flu or how the Spanish flu touched their family.

The Bulletin Editorial Group invites readers to submit articles, essays, and other articles for publication in the Bulletin.

We look for articles that are of interest to members of the GFO and those that encourage the sharing and research of family history. We appreciate articles about families with Northwest connections, but welcome articles with other geographic focuses.

Possible topics include:
· memoirs
· personal essays
· problem-solving articles
· research articles
· source guides
· articles on family history travel
· how-to articles
· using technology
· transcriptions or extractions from original sources, i.e. Bibles

More info can be viewed here: http://gfo.org/learn/our-publications/gfo-bulletin.html

The submission deadline for the March 2018 Bulletin is January 1, 2018. Submissions should be sent to bulletin@gfo.org.

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This Week at the GFO…

SATURDAY, MAY 20th
GenTalk 9:30 – 11:30am

Nestled in the floodplain between North Portland and Vancouver, a housing project was built to help house World War II shipyard workers. Its very name, Vanport, is derived from Vancouver and Portland.

When the United States entered the war, the demand for ships and for workers to build those ships became a huge priority. Workers were recruited from all corners of the United States. Portland had a serious lodging shortage, so much so that these workers lived in cars, tents, parks, and whatever shelter could be found. Vanport, built in a little over a year, was a city that did not sleep.

In its heyday, Vanport was the second-largest city in Oregon with a population of over 40,000 residents. But on May 30, 1948, it was a city that disappeared.

This Saturday at the GFO, come hear Zita Podany discuss her book, Vanport, which is part of the Images of America series by Arcadia Publishing, celebrating the history of neighborhoods, towns and cities across the country.
SUNDAY, MAY 21st
Library Work Party 9am – noon

There’s another work party at the GFO library this Sunday for those of you who can make it! There’s lots to do and we’d love to have your help. Doors open at 9am and work usually wraps up around noon. Come for as long or as short as you can. Any time you can share is so invaluable. Hope to see you there.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 24th
Open Late Wednesday Night 9:30am – 8pm

Did you know the GFO Library is open late every Wednesday!? What’s that? You have after-dinner research you want to do or late-evening assistance finding information within one of GFO’s online database subscription sources? NO PROBLEM!! We’re open till 8pm every single Wednesday of the year, barring catastrophes, natural disasters, and holidays.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News 10 May 2017

For more information visit www.gfo.org, contact us at info@gfo.org, or call our library at 503-963-1932. We love hearing from you!

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider for May 2017, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy HERE. NOTE: The Insider issues are now located under the “Learn” –> “Our Publications” menu at our new website (still gfo.org).

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

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GFO’s May 2017 GenTalk Presents “Vanport” with Zita Podany

Saturday, May 20th, at 2 PM at the GFO!
This is a GenTalk you’re not gonna wanna to miss. Author Zita Podany will be presenting her book Vanport which is part of the Images of America series.

Zita is a longtime Portland resident with a wonderful new perspective on the history of this area that was lost so suddenly to raging flood waters on May 30, 1948.
Remember! All the GFO GenTalks are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC so bring your history-lovin’ friends and family.

Continue reading →

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News 3 May 2017

For more information visit www.gfo.org, contact us at info@gfo.org, or call our library at 503-963-1932. We love hearing from you!

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider for February 2017, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy HERE. NOTE: The Insider issues are now located under the “Learn” –> “Our Publications” menu at our new website (still gfo.org).

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!
We’ve recently received a lot of questions from our wonderful members asking when their membership expires and how they can track this.

In response, we’re now providing your membership information right here with our weekly e-news blasts. If you want to forward our weekly e-news blasts to a friend, you can also delete your personal information before forwarding the message.

Continue reading →

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News 26 April 2017

For more information visit www.gfo.org, contact us at info@gfo.org, or call our library at 503-963-1932. We love hearing from you!

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider for February 2017, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy HERE. NOTE: The Insider issues are now located under the “Learn” –> “Our Publications” menu at our new website (still gfo.org).

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!
We’ve recently received a lot of questions from our wonderful members asking when their membership expires and how they can track this.

In response, we’re now providing your membership information right here with our weekly e-news blasts. If you want to forward our weekly e-news blasts to a friend, you can also delete your personal information before forwarding the message.

Continue reading →

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s
Wednesday Evening
E-News
19 April 2017

For more information visit www.gfo.org, contact us at info@gfo.org, or call our library at 503-963-1932. We love hearing from you!

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider for February 2017, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy HERE. NOTE: The Insider issues are now located under the “Learn” –> “Our Publications” menu at our new website (still gfo.org).
Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

We’ve recently received a lot of questions from our wonderful members asking when their membership expires and how they can track this.

In response, we’re now providing your membership information right here with our weekly e-news blasts. If you want to forward our weekly e-news blasts to a friend, you can also delete your personal information before forwarding the message.
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GFO Presents…a whole new Special Interest Group!

TOPIC: Mexico, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California

Do your ancestors hail from one of these southern areas?

We’d love to hear from you regarding what you’d like to have as part of the new Special Interest Group (SIG) that’s being put together right now!

If this is a SIG for you, email sw@gfo.org to give your hopes and dreams for the group to us!!
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There’re a few seats left at GFO’s Spring Seminar!
REGISTER for SATURDAY’s SEMINAR

WHO? WHO?!! WELL, IT’S ALL COLLETTA, ALL SATURDAY, APRIL 29TH

Online registrations, in-person registration at the GFO Library, or mailed registration. Whatever way is easiest for you!

When APRIL 29TH, 10am – 4:30pm

Where THE MILWAUKIE CENTER (sponsored by the GFO)

Who JOHN PHILIP COLLETTA

What OUR ANCESTORS FROM OVERSEAS

How It’s so simple! Just click HERE to register right now online.
Please note, the remaining Saturday Seminar spots are goin’ fast. Click HERE to register your seat!

John Philip Colletta is a faculty member of the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. For twenty years, he worked part-time at the Library of Congress and taught workshops at the National Archives. This is a speaker you definitely don’t want to miss!
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GFO’s April Star – Doris Cruickshank

The GFO has many damaged books that need rebinding. Our efforts to repair and rebind were far too expensive—until Doris introduced us to the Trappist Abbey Book Bindery in Carlton. She regularly transports books to and from the Book Bindery, and has generously donated to the cost of the rebinding some of the volumes. Doris also tracks books listed in the Library catalog, so we know where they are.

Doris has led the effort of organizing and cataloging GFO’s flat maps (previously boxed and in storage) so patrons can use them.

Many thanks, Doris!!
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DID YOU KNOW??? There are 3 (count ’em, folks!) ways to find the GFO calendar on our new website!

Let’s count the ways….
1. The small blue rectangular button at the top right-hand corner of any of the gfo.org webpages, titled appropriately “CALENDAR.”
2. Some scrolling action to the middle of the main gfo.org webpage reveals a lovely circular picture in the middle of the screen, titled “EVENTS.”
3. Some additional scrolling, for the really ambitious, to the very very bottom of any of the gfo.org webpages gives you a bright sky blue band with “Calendar” at the bottom of the sitemap menu on the right-hand side. Again WAY at the bottom, so if you can’t scroll anymore, you’re in the right place!

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SATURDAY, APRIL 22nd

Advanced DNA 9am – noon

Tim Janzen will present information on Visual Phasing in the context of chromosome mapping. If you are interested in reading about this topic prior to the meeting, please read some of Blaine Bettinger’s blog posts on the topic which may be found here.

Please download, print and bring to class any attached handouts and the evaluation form which can be found here.

The DNA Interest Group is facilitated by Emily Aulicino (e-mail: Aulicino@hevanet.com). Presentations cover all aspects of Genetic Genealogy beyond the basic levels.
SUNDAY, APRIL 23rd

Library Work Party! 9am – noon

There’s another work party at the GFO library this Sunday for those of you who can come. There’s lots to do and we’d love to have your help. Doors open at 9am, as usual, and work usually wraps up around noon. Some people come for just an hour or stay into the afternoon. Any time you can share is valuable. Hope to see you there.

Family Tree Maker Beginning Class 1 – 3pm

This is a beginners class for Family Tree Maker users and for those considering a purchase. Whether you are considering a move to Family Tree Maker, just starting to use it, or have been using it for years, you will find value in the special interest group focused on Family Tree Maker genealogy software. Hope to see you there at this quarterly meeting.
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©2017 Genealogical Forum of Oregon | 2505 SE 11th Ave., Suite B-18, Portland, OR 97202
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THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News 12 April 2017

For more information visit www.gfo.org, contact us at info@gfo.org, or call our library at 503-963-1932. We love hearing from you!

For a complete GFO CALENDAR click here.

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider for February 2017, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy HERE. NOTE: The Insider issues are now located under the “Learn” –> “Our Publications” menu at our new website (still gfo.org).

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!
We’ve recently received a lot of questions from our wonderful members asking when their membership expires and how they can track this.

In response, we’re now providing your membership information right here with our weekly e-news blasts. If you want to forward our weekly e-news blasts to a friend, you can also delete your personal information before forwarding the message.

***

Atlas of Historical County Boundaries?? It’s back!

The Newberry Library is pleased to announce that their interactive online maps resource is back up for use. AND they’re even bragging some pretty exciting new features for users:
▪ view a base layer map that allows an overlay of boundaries on top of cities, towns and other geographic features
▪ zoom in and out of maps for the level of detail desired
▪ select a date of interest from a drop-down box with all border change dates for that state
▪ view information about border changes in a hover box that changes as users hover over different counties
▪ expand the map view to full screen

To view (and to interact with!) the maps with all their new bells and whistles, click HERE.

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Don’t forget the GFO’s Spring Seminar! Sat. April 29th

REGISTER for SATURDAY’s SEMINAR

There are still PLENTY of seats available for the Saturday Session!!
Online registrations, in-person registration at the GFO Library, or mailed registration. Whatever way is easiest for you!

When APRIL 29TH, 10am – 4:30pm

Where THE MILWAUKIE CENTER (sponsored by the GFO)

Who JOHN PHILIP COLLETTA

What OUR ANCESTORS FROM OVERSEAS

How It’s so simple! Just click HERE to register right now online.
Please note, the Saturday Seminar is NOT sold out yet. Click HERE to register your seat!
John Philip Colletta is a faculty member of the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. For twenty years, he worked part-time at the Library of Congress and taught workshops at the National Archives. This is a speaker you definitely don’t want to miss!

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Call for an especially EXCEL-lent volunteer!!

The GFO’s Data Extraction extraordinaire, Loretta Welsh, has recently released another cry for HELP!
Would you like to make a difference in genealogical and historical research across the continent?

We need an excel-genius to help consolidate Loretta’s multiple indexes currently wandering around in various excel documents, and then to format the resulting consolidated file before it can be sent for publication.
If this interests you, please contact Loretta at dataextraction@gfo.org.

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Thank Goodness for Good Indexing!!

Good News!
The Oregon Marriage CD volumes 1, 2, 3, and 4 have been revised. They are now in PDF format, available on CD, USB drive, or as an electronic file you can receive by email. Any or all of the four volumes may be acquired through the following:
▪ Order at our library from the receptionist.
▪ Order by check payable to GFO and send to GFO – Oregon Marriages, 2505 S.E. 11th Ave., Suite B-18 Portland, OR 97202-1061.

Each volume is $10.00, please specify CD/USB/Email. Please add $2 for shipping each CD or USB. If you would like more information or want to pay with PayPal, send an email to research@gfo.org.

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Did you hear?? Legacy Family Tree Webinars hits the Big 5-0-0 this week.
The 500th webinar in its series of marvelous presentations on just about every aspect of genealogy you can imagine will be given this week.

And in recognition of hitting that milestone, Family Tree Webinars is offering free access to all 500 recorded presentations for the entire weekend. The free period starts on Friday and runs through Sunday evening.
To access the magic, go to www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com and browse or search for any topic or presenter and enjoy!

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This Week at the GFO…

SATURDAY, APRIL 15th
Genealogical Problem Solvers (GPS)  9:30 – 11:30am

GPS is a monthly support group where we help each other find information about a family line. We will learn to do a reasonably exhaustive search and develop research plans. The focus will shift depending on the needs of the group. Several experienced researchers have volunteered to help. Beginners and intermediate researchers are encouraged to submit problems to work on. For more information contact Katie Daly at GPS@gfo.org.

Italian Group noon – 2pm

Ciao to everyone interested in Italian genealogy research. This is a great opportunity to learn, share, and enjoy others with a common interest. Italian genealogy research in the Portland area now has a home. Come join our group. Facilitated by Keith Pyeatt.
SUNDAY, APRIL 16th
EASTER HOLIDAY CLOSURE!! Please, please, please! We beg you! Go out and enjoy some colorful eggs and bunnies with family and friends! We’ll see you Monday, April 17th, from 9:30am.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19th
Learn & Chat 10am – noon

Join us to talk about your genealogy questions and help provide support to others. Facilitated by Jean Quan.

DNA Q&A 1 – 3pm

Lisa McCullough leads a discussion on various DNA related subjects, with each meeting focused on a particular subject. General questions are welcome at the end of each planned discussion.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News 5 April 2017

For more information visit www.gfo.org, contact us at info@gfo.org, or call our library at 503-963-1932. We love hearing from you!

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider for February 2017, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy HERE. NOTE: The Insider issues are now located under the “Learn” –> “Our Publications” menu at our new website (still gfo.org).

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!
We’ve recently received a lot of questions from our wonderful members asking when their membership expires and how they can track this.

In response, we’re now providing your membership information right here with our weekly e-news blasts. If you want to forward our weekly e-news blasts to a friend, you can also delete your personal information before forwarding the message.

***

Labelers Needed for Sunday’s Library Work Party!

Sunday, April 9th, at the GFO, 9am – noon
We’re planning another amazing and busy Library Work Party this coming Sunday.

Our focus will be on getting a mounting plethora of new book labels on the Washington state collection.

All those interested should come out to lend a hand to our President, Laurel Smith, and the other library volunteers! We’d be so excited to see you, and to share with you the ins and outs of this whole re-labeling project.
As always, thank you for all you do in support of the GFO Library!

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Don’t forget the Colletta Spring Seminar! Sat. April 29th

REGISTER for SATURDAY’s SEMINAR

There are still PLENTY of seats available for the Saturday Session!!
Online registrations, in-person registration at the GFO Library, or mailed registration. Whatever way is easiest for you!

When APRIL 29TH, 10am – 4:30pm

Where THE MILWAUKIE CENTER

Who JOHN PHILIP COLLETTA

What OUR ANCESTORS FROM OVERSEAS

How It’s so simple! Just click HERE to register right now online.
Please note, the Saturday Seminar is NOT sold out yet. Click HERE to register your seat!
John Philip Colletta is one of America’s most popular genealogical lecturers. Knowledgeable, experienced and entertaining (what a genealogical catch!), he is a faculty member of the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. For twenty years, he worked part-time at the Library of Congress and taught workshops at the National Archives.

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Dual Citizenship Allowance?? When did this start?

We recently received a patron question about U.S. regulation regarding these two topics and how they interact.
A great resource on these topics can be found HERE.

The specific question was when the U.S. government began allowing dual citizenship so that people originating in another country would not have to renounce their citizenship from their native land?

So when did all this get sorted as far as the U.S. allowing dual citizenship for naturalized immigrants?

Here’s an article about the history of the issue across both Europe and in regards to the U.S. law and practice.

Further specifics, and at the heart of answering the when question noted above from our patron last week, can be found via a look at the U.S. Supreme Court’s Afroyim v. Rusk ruling in 1967.

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Portland’s African American Heritage Project…

Rutherford Home, 1920, 833 NE Shaver, First home of the NAACP Credit Union.

The Architectural Heritage Center is currently welcoming submissions of photos, stories, or other documentation that may aid in the documentation of African American historic resources. To share your information, please contact Stephanie Whitlock, AHC Executive Director (stephanie@visitahc.org, tel. 503-231-7264) or Cathy Galbraith, MPD project lead (tel. 503-543-6813).

A community open house will be held on April 29, 2017 to collect additional stories and share progress on the project. To keep informed of this event and receive other information about this project, sign up for the AHC newsletter and follow them on Facebook.

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This Week at the GFO…

SATURDAY, APRIL 8th
Illinois Group 9:30 – 11:30am

The Illinois Interest Group is open to all interested researchers. Just drop in and share the workshop when you can and when you are interested.

At all the meeting times you will receive handouts and/or work sheets for each topic we cover. We focus on the state of Illinois, but the research techniques can be used on all states. This is the thirteenth year that this group has been meeting. The group leaders are Kristy Gravlin, call 630-621-5166 or email hannah @teleport.com, and Harlene Patterson.

Writers’ Forum 1 – 3pm

This is a peer group of genealogists, who meet to learn about writing, and to share our writing with each other. Peggy Baldwin facilitates this group and can be reached at peggyrbaldwin@gmail.com or 503-916-9410.
SUNDAY, APRIL 9th
Library Work Party 9am – Noon

There will be lots to do this Sunday at the GFO’s Library Work Party! This weekend we’re focusing on getting the Washington state books and other items outfitted with brand new labels! We’d love to see you there!! Any time you can spare is always a tremendous help.

Get Acquainted With… 1 – 3pm

This week’s topic is…the GFO’s brand new website! Learn about navigation, new features, and the wealth of resources available to you. Presented by Laurel Smith.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12th
Photoshop Elements 1:30 – 2:30pm

Join us to learn the basics of Photoshop Elements software to preserve, repair and present family history. Through the course of these meetings, held on the second Wednesday of each month, we will learn how to scan and organize photographs so they can be presented in your family history documentation, or displayed in your family décor. Taught by Sarah Holmes.

Get Acquainted With… 6 – 8pm

Missed the Sunday session? No problem at all!! This week’s topic continues to be all about the GFO’s brand new website! Learn about navigation, new features, and the wealth of resources available to you. Presented by Laurel Smith.