INFORMATION ABOUT NERGC 2009

NERGC’s tradition of excellence in providing genealogical lectures, seminars and workshops as well as exhibitors’ booths, the Ancestors Road Show, a Society Fair, and luncheons and banquets continues in April 2009 in Manchester, New Hampshire.

The Tenth New England Regional Genealogical Conference, Discovering Family Treasures, will be held April 22-26, 2009 at the Expo Center of New Hampshire and Radisson Hotel in Manchester. National speakers will be Thomas W. Jones, James Hansen, and Megan S. Smolenyak.

Pauline Cusson, Melinde Sanborn, and Allison Ryall will Co-Chair the 2009 Conference, and Program Co-Chairs will be Christine Sweet-Hart and Barbara Mathews.
Watch the NERGC website www.nergc.org ( http://www.nergc.org/ )for updates as they become available.

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION DRAWINGS AT NERGC 2007

Cheryl Patten’s daily appreciation drawing for volunteers drew much interest. Daily winners included Joe Hoefflinger (CAS) who took away the L.L. Bean Flashlight, Bonnie Sweatman (CMGS) who won the L.L. Bean Passport Organizer, Linda Pelletier and Oti Wyatt who won Dunkin Donut Gift Cards, and Cindy Knight-Palazzo who won the L.L. Bean Personal Organizer.

MANY THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO PUT IN HUNDREDS OF HOURS PRIOR TO, DURING AND EVEN NOW IN WRAPPING UP THE CONFERENCE!

SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS AT THE CONFERENCE

During the Conference, the following individuals were recognized for their special contributions to the New England genealogical community:

Rosalie Godfrey
Our special guest, Rosalie Godfrey, was a solid, moving force from the first NERGC planning meeting in 1986 through the initial planning stages of our NGS-NERGC meeting in Providence. She was among the original delegates who conceived, designed, and created NERGC. She performed numerous jobs for NERGC with efficiency, skill, and forethought. Her leadership in helping create NERGC will not be forgotten.

Cherry Fletcher Bamberg
Cherry Bamberg was the recipient of the 2006 Donna Holt Siemiatkoski Volunteer of the Year Award. Since joining the editorial staff of Rhode Island Roots and subsequently becoming its chief editor, Cherry has steadily improved the quality of the publication to the point where today it is among the finest journals published by a genealogical society. Her work to strengthen and grow the Rhode Island Genealogical Society and genealogy in Rhode Island exemplify the very best in volunteer service.

Cheryl Willis Patten
Cheryl Patten was the recipient of the 2005 Donna Holt Siemiatkoski Volunteer of the Year Award. Her efforts on behalf of the Maine Genealogical Society, the New England Regional Genealogical Conference, and genealogy in general have been prodigious. Over a period of many years, she has time and again gone beyond the call of duty to promote and otherwise advocate for genealogical concerns in the state of Maine. Cheryl Patten's life has been dedicated to promoting genealogy in Maine and in every aspect of her career she has symbolized the ideal volunteer.

Joseph V. Camposeo, CMC
Joe Camposeo, the newly elected President of the Connecticut Town Clerks Association, has been the Town Clerk of Manchester, Connecticut eleven years and in 1999 became a Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC). His Family History Days in Manchester were popular with the public and genealogists and have evolved into annual Genealogy Road Shows. He responded to a genealogists’ initiative for better communication between Town Clerks and genealogists by Co-Chairing an Action Group that has served both communities.

SOME COMMENTS FROM COMMITTEE CHAIRS

From Janet Wallace, Hospitality and Queries Chair:
WASN'T IT GREAT????? We are definitely now in the Big League! That Conference was a mighty big mountain to come down from!

From Nancy Pexa, Society Fair Chair:
Everyone deserves a huge thank you for a job well done - Hartford was actually a shining star. All the sessions were appropriate to the setting and occasion. I thank you for letting me be a part of the event. I want to thank everyone who helped make the conference so great. I did not know what to expect, and it was everything I hoped it would be.

From Melinde Sanborn, Distinguished Service Awards Chair:
Although it was part of the Special Award that Rosalie Godfrey didn't have to speak at the banquet where she was our guest (all pleasure, no work), she did spend some time with me reminiscing about the early days of NERGC. It was wonderful to see how much we've grown and prospered through her eyes!

COMMENTS FROM ATTENDEES (TAKEN FROM FULL CONFERENCE EVALUATION FORMS)

Some of the things "liked best":

"This is one of the best conferences that I have attended."
"Excellent job by committee. Well done!"
"Great presentations"
"So many great sessions/topics to choose from."
"Location - easy to do in a day"
"The great facility"
"Easy parking"
"Excellent Convention Center food and staff"
"Chance to visit with old friends"
"Meeting people"
"Friendly volunteers"
"Friendly people, interesting lectures, and lots to look at."
"Syllabus is wonderful"
"Bags are great! I love the square bottom & place for a water bottle."
"It was excellently run. Thanks for all your hard work."

Some of the things "liked least"
"The price of parking"
"Meeting room layout"
"Cold rooms"
"Too much walking"
"Some sessions were crowded."
"Thursday was too long with no break."
"No time for lunch or supper on Thursday."
"Little dedicated vendor time outside sessions"

The 2007 Evaluation Chair and Conference Co-Chairs appreciate all the feedback we received. Summaries and analyses will contribute to a comprehensive report for NERGC’s Annual Meeting. Conference committees and participating societies will get summaries. NERGC will use the feedback to improve the variety of programming, vendors, and resources available; the quality and expertise of its speakers; and the usefulness of the networking and sharing opportunities to make our next conference even better than this one.

CONFERENCE EVALUATIONS UPDATE

Pam Roberts, our Evaluation Chair, reports that this year NERGC expanded its program evaluation model to include individual session evaluation feedback forms for each speaker in addition to the overall conference evaluation. New England CONNECTions drew a diverse audience in age, experience, professional background and interests, and the evaluations have a wealth of comments that will assist us in meeting these diverse needs in the future.

The data from each individual session as well as the data from the full conference evaluation will contribute to an overall conference evaluation report for use not only by NERCG 2007 Chairpersons and Committees but for future planning by NERGC 2009 Chairpersons and Committees.

Preliminary data shows that our NERGC attendees participated in session evaluations at a higher rate than the 25-30% voluntary expected return rate for most audiences. In nearly all sessions, over 50% of attendees filled out at least a portion of the evaluation form and in some cases over 80% of attendees returned forms.

This high representation of opinion increases the likelihood that the data summary for each session is truly representative of the audience attending each presentation. Overall, hour-long speaker sessions were rated "very good" to excellent" with strong agreement that participants learned something new and that expectations and needs were met.

PRELININARY REGISTRATION STATISTICS

Mary Choppa, who did an outstanding job as Registration Chair, has provided an initial breakdown on where attendees came from. While the majority were from New England (including over 300 from Connecticut and 180 from Massachusetts), the conference also attracted attendees from the:

Middle Atlantic States: 65
Southern States: 24
Midwest: 12
Far West: 20
Canada: 4
England: 2

New EnglandCONNECTionsWRAP-UP

Although the final tally isn’t in, preliminary figures indicate over 720
were on hand at the Connecticut Convention Center and Hartford
Marriott Downtown April 25-29 for New England CONNECTions.

The evaluation forms completed by attendees indicate that the quality
of the speakers was among the most highly rated features of
New England CONNECTions, and the Conference Co-Chairs Tom Howard
and Dick Roberts and Program Chairs Allison Ryall and Christine Sweet-Hart
wish to thank each and every one of them for their wonderful performance.

The Co-Chairs also want to publicly acknowledge the tremendous job done
by our hardworking Committee Chairs. To say that you are the greatest would
be an understatement. Without your enormous effort and on-going participation,
Hartford 2007 would have not been the success it turned out to be. We also thank
the many, many volunteers from many organizations (as well as a number
who were unaffiliated with any NERGC society) who contributed countless
hours of volunteer time.

Very special thanks also go to Dick Eastman for making it possible to
check e-mail and perform other tasks on the Web from the Exhibitors' Hall as
well as his special report on the conference, complete with pictures, in his Online
Genealogy Newsletter of April 29, 2007.

He wrote in part, "I just returned from the New England Regional Genealogical
Conference in Hartford, Connecticut. As expected, this was a great conference.
I believe the total attendance was more than 700, not bad for a regional conference
covering only six small states. The event featured presentations by top national and
regional genealogical experts. The Connecticut Conference Center is a first-class facility
although the attendees, lecture rooms and exhibitors' hall only filled a small part of
the available space.

The convention opened under sunny skies on Thursday although I think that was
the last time the sun was seen. The remaining days were overcast with frequent showers.
Those of us who stayed at the nearby Marriott Hotel didn't mind because we didn't need
to go outside. The hotel, restaurant, coffee shops, convention center, and parking garage
were all connected."

For the full story, see http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2007/04/nergc
_2007_wrap.html#more

SUNDAY MORNING SPECIAL SESSION

“Sinners at the Hands of an Angry God” A Portrayal of Reverend Jonathan Edwardswith Rev. Adam Söderberg
Sunday, April 29, 2007 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Sponsored by the Descendants of the Founders of Ancient Windsor

In 1733, a religious revival began in Northampton, Massachusetts and was followed in 1739-1740 by the Great Awakening. During this time, Jonathan Edwards, a Connecticut native—father of twelve, preacher, scholar, missionary, and President of Princeton University—preached his most famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”
Following in the tradition of recent NERGC conferences, Rev. Söderberg will begin the session with a short introduction to Jonathan Edwards and this very famous sermon, and then deliver the sermon in period costume.

UPS SHIPPING AVAILABLE AT CONFERENCE

Need a convenient way to get all your Conference purchases home? The UPS Store is located across from Starbucks coffee shop in the Marriott hotel. Hours: M-F 7:00 A.M. - 6:30 PM and Saturday 8:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M. They offer packing, shipping, receiving, printing and more. Telephone: (860) 656-7386

HELP WANTED!

Occasional help manning a book-selling booth in the Exhibit Hall.

Coverage needed for Thursday afternoon move-in 1PM-3PM and 6PM-7:30PM opening; Friday afternoon 3PM-5PM; and Saturday 1:30PM-3PM.

Duties include set-up, assistance, drawing up sales slips, taking money, helping customers.

PAY - a free registration to the full conference and a discount on almost all books purchased from the booth. Contact Melinde at melinde44@comcast.net
or 603-247-4775.

Slavic Research Special Interest Group Added!

Slavic Research hosted by Matthew Bielawa and Jonathan Shea

"If your family has roots in Eastern Europe then this is the special interest group for you. We will discuss ways to track down and locate your Eastern European ancestors. Join us, make new friends, and exchange tips with other people who share the same interesting heritage as you do."
Special Interest Groups will meet on Thursday, April 26, 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm. Room locations will be posted at the conference.

CONNECTICUT HISTORICAL SOCIETY HOURS DURING THE CONFERENCE

The Connecticut Historical Society Library will be open extra hours until 8:00 P.M. on Thursday, April 26th. The Society officially closes at 5:00 P.M., so visitors coming to use the library after 5:00 will have to ring the doorbell. There will be no admission fee.

April 28th is Connecticut History Day and the Connecticut Historical Society is the site for the day's activities, so the CHS Library will be closed to the public that day.

EVALUATE NERGC 2007 – SHARE WHAT YOU THINK.

Ever wonder if the time filling out an evaluation makes a difference? Who looks at it and what is it used for?

Well, for NERGC 2007, feedback will be summarized and reported at the Annual Meeting and program speakers, conference committees and participating societies will get summaries. NERGC uses feedback to improve the variety of programming, vendors and resources available, the quality and expertise of its speakers, as well as the usefulness of the networking and sharing at special events, in the hallways and while browsing thru the Exhibit Hall. The “Ancestors Road Show”, “Queries”, the “Message Board”, Luncheons and Banquets with speakers all exist partially because of feedback.

Want to see a speaker of your choice in 2009? Do you have ideas for ways the conference could be more family friendly? What caught your eye, why did you come? How can NERGC improve for 2009? THE NERGC 2007 EVALUATION will give each of you a chance to tell us what you thought of the 2007 experience and what you would like to see in the future. Fill out the forms to assure that your opinion will be considered. Watch for the general conference evaluation feedback form distributed in your bag when you register. Fill out the program session forms available in each meeting room and return anywhere you see the NERGC 2007 Evaluation signs.

EXTRA ANCIENT BURYING GROUND CEMETERY TOUR ADDED

Ruth Shapleigh Brown, Executive Director of the Connecticut Gravestone Network, has generously offered to lead NERGC attendees on informal guided tours of Hartford’s Ancient Burying Ground.

The first tour will be on Wednesday, April 25 at 4:30 P.M., just after the Librarian’s Day closes, the second on Thursday, April 26 at 10:00 A.M. To accommodate those unable to attend either pre-conference tour, Ruth has agreed to do a third tour of on Sunday following the conclusion of the Conference.

The Cemetery is located just a couple of blocks from the Convention Center at the corner of Gold and Main Streets, behind the Center Church (First Church of Christ, UCC). Tours will gather at the front gate of the cemetery near the statue of Rev. Stone. Maps, directions, and information about volunteer escorts to the cemetery will be available at the Hospitality table Wednesday (at the Marriott) and Thursday (at the Convention Center).

Those interested in these tours should email Ruth at shapbrown@cox.net (please insert NERGC Cem. Tour on the subject line) indicating which tour they wish to join. Or, for the Sunday tour, stop by Booth #8 in the Exhibit Hall to sign up. Ruth’s knowledge and expertise should not be missed. For more information about the Ancient Burying Ground see www.theancientburyingground.org.

For those needing to drive or wanting to visit the Burying Ground on their own, there is limited metered 2-hour parking on both sides of Gold St. from 8:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. Nickel – 2 minutes. Dime – 4 minutes. Quarter – 10 minutes.

ARE YOU ATTENDING NERGC 2007?

Complete your New England CONNECTions by networking through volunteering.

There is a job for everyone. NERGC is known for quality conferences with low registration fees. In order to keep costs down, increase the services and supports for participants, and to be a warm and welcoming conference, volunteers play a big role. Want to know more about it? Contact Pam Roberts, pamela.roberts@uconn.edu , for all tasks except Ancestor Road Show Support Team, where you should contact Fred Hart at hartfc@aol.com. But don’t delay, the count down is on! There are only a few select opportunities left.

Even when you get to conference and see all the fun had by volunteers, go ahead and stop by the Volunteer Table to chat. There just may be a way for you to get in on the action!

Attention Conference VOLUNTEERS!

Are you signed up to Volunteer? GREAT….

On arrival in Hartford please stop by the Volunteer Table located:
Wednesday in the Marriot Meeting Room Hallway near the Capitol Room
Thursday-Saturday in the “Town Square” Gathering Place on the Ballroom Level of the Convention Center.

Pick up your volunteer packet and check in. Packets will contain your personal volunteer schedule, general instructions, information and resources, specific instructions for tasks, VOLUNTEER IDENTIFICATION (which should be worn anytime you are on “assignment”) and a little thank you.

WI-FI AT THE CONFERENCE

If you have a Wi-Fi equipped laptop or PDA, bring it along. There is free Wi-Fi Internet access available at Starbucks at the Marriott and at Seattle’s Best (formerly Starbucks) at the Convention Center.

In addition, thanks to Dick Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter, you should be able to check your e-mail or perform other tasks on the Web from the Exhibitors' Hall. Dick writes:

“The wireless networking signal should be strongest near booths 55 and 56 although I expect it will cover the entire hall. Look for a wireless network that is broadcasting an SSID of "eogn." You should be able to connect and start using the Internet without entering any user name or password. This free network access is being provided by Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter.”

He adds, “The eogn network is shared so please use it wisely. I encourage you to use the wireless network to check your e-mail and similar tasks. However, please do not start downloading huge files or otherwise saturating the connection. If you are a vendor, please do not use it for customer-facing use but feel free to check your own e-mail whenever you wish. If the connection gets overloaded, I'll be forced to turn it off. If we all use it wisely, more people can benefit.”

For Dick Eastman’s entire blog entry about the conference, see
http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2007/04/
nergc_2007.html

MORE FOOD OPTIONS IN THE AREA

A Dunkin Donuts is located inside the Central Row Cafe, 20 Central Row.

Another Dunkin Donuts, 487 Main St. , is open daily from 5:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. and Saturday from 6:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. Closed Sunday.

Subway, also located at 487 Main St. , is open daily 8:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M. and Saturday from 10:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. Closed Sunday.

Burger King, is at 811 Main St. (corner of Asylum).

The Cornerstone, 529 Main St. Delicatessen, Italian.

Cappucino’s, 427 Main St. , is open weekdays from 7:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. and Saturday from 8:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. It offers breakfast items, soups, and sandwiches.

Peppercorn’s Grill, 367 Main St., is an Italian restaurant open for Lunch Monday - Friday 11:30 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. and for Dinner Monday – Wednesday 4:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M.; Thursday 4:00 P.M. – 11 P.M., and Friday & Saturday 4:00 P.M. – 12:00 A.M.

Emperor at the Linden, an upscale restaurant on the corner of Main St. and Capitol Ave., with the entrance at 2 Capitol Ave. , is open for lunch 11:30 A.M. – 2:30 P.M. Monday – Friday and dinner 5:00 P.M. – 11:00 P.M.

WHAT’S FOR BREAKFAST?

Here are some food options for those not signed up for the Conference’s luncheons and banquets. Here are some breakfast options.

ALL Conference attendees staying at the Marriott will receive a Discount Breakfast Coupon when they register and for each day they are staying at the hotel. It will save six dollars on the buffet breakfast in the hotel restaurant. With the coupon, the buffet is $12.00 person – fast, complete, and a reasonable price. For those without a coupon, the buffet will be available at the regular price of $18.

The Marriott also features a Starbucks. The former Starbucks at the Convention Center recently was converted to a Seattle’s Best.

UPS SHIPPING AVAILABLE AT CONFERENCE

Need a convenient way to get all your Conference purchases home? The UPS Store is located across from Starbucks coffee shop in the Marriott hotel. Hours: M-F 7:00 A.M. - 6:30 PM and Saturday 8:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M. They offer packing, shipping, receiving, printing and more. Telephone: (860) 656-7386

REMINDER FOR SOCIETY FAIR ORGANIZATIONS

Society Fair move-in time is scheduled from 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M. Societies needing to use the loading dock should plan to bring materials in through the dock area between 3:00 and 4:00, the same time as the single-booth Exhibitors, as that is when the dock and elevator will be available. Materials may also be brought through the Convention Center on small 2-wheel airport-style luggage carriers but not on large 4-wheel dollies, etc. Please bring a table cloth or something to cover your materials between the time you finish your setup and shortly before 5:00. The Society Fair will run from 5:00 to 7:00, and break-down is scheduled from 7:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M.

FOR EXHIBITORS PLANNING BOOK SIGNINGS

If you're an exhibitor or author of a book and have plans for book signings during the conference, please email Jimholms@cs.com with time, book title, and author. Table 1 in the Exhibit Hall has been set aside for book signings, and we’ll be publicizing the schedule during the Conference

REMINDERS FOR EXHIBITORS

Move-in time for exhibitors with multiple booths is Thursday from 1:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. Move-in time for exhibitors with single booths is Thursday from 3:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.

All exhibitors selling materials much have a valid Connecticut sales tax number before making any sales, regardless of the number of sales that may be made or the amount of tax that will be collected. Connecticut does not issue temporary permits to vendors.

The Sales and Use Tax Permit must be prominently displayed at your booth during the show. For further information, see the Department of Revenue Services Web page, which describes the tax requirements and provides options for registering, including registering online or contact the Department at 800-382-9463.

REMINDER ABOUT THE FAMILY PHOTOS WORKSHOP

If you are registered for "Identifying and Preserving Family Photographs" with Maureen Taylor and David Mishkin (Session F-218, 1:45 P.M. – 3:45 P.M. on Friday), please remember to bring with you any photograph you would like to discus and/or any questions you have about any of your photographs.

SOME BOOKS BY CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

Diane Rapaport’s first book, New England Court Records: A Research Guide for Genealogists and Historians, was published February 2006 by Quill Pen Press. Her next book, The Naked Quaker: True Crimes and Controversies from the Courts of Colonial New England, will be published in November by Commonwealth Editions.

At New England CONNECTions, Diane will speak on "Tales from the Courthouse in Colonial New England" on April 27, 3:15 pm, and on April 28 she speaks on "Law Library Resources for Genealogists" at 1:45 pm. In addition on April 26 Diane hosts a “Special Interest Group” about Scottish research 7:30 – 9:00 pm.

On 2 July 1663, Elizabeth Seger (sic. ) was indicted for having “entertained familiarity wth Sathan the Grand enemie of God”, and for having “Comitted adultery & hast spoken Blasphemy against God”. In 1679, Samuel Burr brought an action against Martin Moore or slandering “his the Sd Burrs wife in saying she was a witch or words to that effect.” These are among the hundreds of cases transcribed and indexed by Helen Schatvet Ullmann in Hartford County, Connecticut, County Court Minutes Volumes 3 and 4, 1663-1687, 1697.

The book’s index includes subjects such as Card playing, Divorce, Fornication, Lascicious practices, Nightwalking, and Quarreling. Helen will present a lecture "Early Connecticut Court Records Illustrated: Locate Relationships and Local Color in Session" F-217, Friday from 1:45-2:45 P.M.

Vicki S. Welsh’s new book, And They Were Related, Too , traces the ancestry and relates the legacy of Native American slave Cuff Congdon or Condol and his brood, a family of inter-ethnic ancestry whose modern-day representatives are spread across Connecticut, New York and Ohio.

Not merely a scientific presentation of an obscure family tree, the book also chronicles the family’s fight for liberty, citizenship, and respect through centuries amidst the ever-changing face of America. Vicki invites you to discuss Native and African American Genealogy in New England at a Special Interest Group Thursday evening. Bring your Native and African American research problems to discuss and get help with finding sources to pursue the facts of their lives.

FOCUS ON THE ETHNIC TRACK

New England CONNECTions will provide many opportunities for you to discover more about your ancestors who moved to New England, including the following lecture sessions:

General
Janis P. Duffy, A Journey Through Time: Finding Your Ancestral Home (T-104), Thurs. 1:30 P.M. – 2:30 P.M.

African Americans and Native Americans
Eric G. Grundset, African American and American Indian Patriots of the Revolutionary War from New England S-310, 10:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.

Walter V. Hickey, African-American Research: Records of the Freedman’s Bureau 1865-1872 F-205, 8:30 A.M. – 9:30 A.M.

Asian
Edward Isamu Shibata, Ph.D. An Asian-American’s Journey into Asian Genealogy, T-115, 4:00 P.M. -5:00 P.M.

English
Henry B. Hoff, CG, FASG Methods for Identifying the English Origins of American Colonists. F-209, 10:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.

Kathryn Smith Black, Using the British Census, S-317, 1:45 P.M. – 2:45 P.M.

French Canadian
Patty Vigeant Locke, How to Begin to Research Your French Canadian Family, T-109, 2:45 P.M. -3:45 P.M.

Michael J. Leclerk, The Goldmine in Quebec’s Notarial Records, F-104, 8:30 A.M. – 9:30 A.M.

Irish
Donna M. Moughty, Applying for Your Irish Passport: An Introduction to Irish Records S-304, 8:30 A.M. – 9:30 A.M.

Donna M. Moughty, From Rubble and Ruin: Locating Famine Immigrants S-323, 3:15 P.M. – 4:15 P.M.

Dennis J. Ahern, Researching Genealogy in Irish Newspapers, F-221, 3:15 P.M. – 4:15 P.M.

Vincent E. Feeney, The Forgotten Irish of Nineteenth Century Vermont, F-225, 3:15 P.M. – 4:15 P.M.

Palatine
Henry Z “Hank” Jones, Jr. Tracing the Origins of Early 18th Century Palatine & Other Emigrants. F-215, 1:45 P.M. – 2:45 P.M.

Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine
Matthew Bielawa and Jonathan D. Shea, AG Exploring Your Eastern European Roots in New England and Europe, S-329, 4:45 P.M. – 5:45 P.M.

Russian
Allison L. Ryall, Russian Family Research: Basic Tips and Tricks to Locate Them in American Sources. F-226, 4:45 P.M. – 5:45 P.M.

And don’t forget the Special Interest Groups Thursday evening beginning at 7:30 P.M. They include French Canadian Genealogy with Patti Locke, German Research with Leslie Albrecht Huber, Irish Research with Donna Moughty, and Native and African American Research with Vicki S. Welch, and Scottish Research with Diane Rapaport.

Check out the Web page at http://www.nergc.org/2007/specialinterestgroups.htm to see all the Special Interest Groups already scheduled. Have an interest in a topic that’s not there? If you’d like to form your own group – Italian, Russian, Polish, Hispanic, -- it’s not too late. Contact Allison Ryall at allison@allisonryall.com.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

CONNECT TO THE HOLOGRAMS OF YOUR ANCESTORS
Beau Sharbrough will kick off the conference with his vision of Genealogy in 2020 – A Report from the Future , predicting a time when you might get answers from the holograms of your ancestors. Later in the Conference, on Friday from 4:45 P.M. – 5:45 P.M., Beau will speak on Automation Research Assistants: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly as part of the Conference’s Technology track. Beau is a Houston native and received a Philosophy BA from Texas A&M in 1977. His programming career began in 1980. He is presently director of content acquisition at Footnote.com and maintains the RootsWorks.com website. Beau was a product manager at Ancestry.com, and is a former president of GENTECH. He writes regularly on technical topics in family history, with an occasional overdose of humor.

CONNECT TO A NEW TECHNIQUE
Irene P. Lambert, MGA , presents Flushing Out the Inner Character Using Graphoanalysis at Session S-320, Saturday from 1:45 P.M. – 2:45 P.M. Irene, a Master Graphoanalyst, has been analyzing handwriting, teaching, giving seminars, and writing articles since 1987. She has specialized in Genealogy Handwriting Analysis for the past ten years, assisting clients in understanding the personality of their ancestors through the analysis of their handwriting. Irene was named Graphoanalyst of the Year in 2005 by the International Graphoanalysis Society.

CONNECT TO PERSONALITIES FROM THE PAST
John McNiff will do a living history portrayal of Roger Williams (Session T-106, Thursday from 1:30 P.M. – 2:30). John was raised in Warwick, Rhode Island . After college he joined the National Park Service. Presently he is a ranger at the Roger Williams Memorial National Park . His presentations on various historical personalities have always been well-received and appreciated by those in attendance.

Kevin Johnson will be presenting a portrayal of “William Webb: An African-American Civil War Soldier Saturday, April 28 (Session S-330).

Reverend Adam Söderberg concludes the conference with Sunday Morning Special Session S-401, "'Sinners at the Hands of an Angry God': A Portrayal of Reverend Jonathan Edwards."

PROGRAM CHANGES

The workshop Locating Digitized Images Online with Laura G. Prescott (S-301) has been cancelled, due to an insufficient number of registrants. Refunds will be issued to those who had signed up.

Elissa Scalise Powell, CG will now be speaking at session F-213 on Friday from 1:45 - 2:45 PM. Her lecture is entitled "Eating an Elephant: Organizing Large Projects.” Facing a large project is not so intimidating with good planning, the right tools, and thoughtful analysis. Organizational tips for paper and computer will also be discussed. Elissa will be filling in for Christine Sweet-Hart, CG who is unable to attend the conference due to personal reasons.

Christine’s Special Interest Group on newsletters/memory books scheduled for Thursday evening has been cancelled.

The Lady Katharine cruise mentioned in previous posts and E-Zine 14 will not take place.

CONNECT AT THE SOCIALS

The cash bars scheduled during regular conference activities Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings will be extended from 9:00 P.M. – 11:00 P.M. through the courtesy of several Participating Societies.

Thursday’s social will begin at 5:00 P.M. as part of the Exhibit Hall opening and the Society Fair and will continue through the Special Interest Group meetings, concluding with the social by the Central Massachusetts Genealogical Society from 9:00 P.M. – 11:00 P.M.

The Friday and Saturday socials will start with as a pre-dinner event at 6:00 P.M. and after the banquet will go from 9:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M. The Cape Cod Genealogical Society will host the after dinner social Friday night, and Saturday’s after dinner social will be co-sponsored by the Connecticut Professional Genealogists Council, Inc. and the Connecticut Society of Genealogists, Inc.

Buy some drinks at the cash bar and relax, meet, network and CONNECT with your fellow genealogists as we celebrate the end of each day in the common area of the Conference Center.

ANCESTORS ROAD SHOW HOURS ANNOUNCED

If you're looking for help with a sticky research problem or for a foothold on resources in a new geographical area, or with almost any genealogical question at all, the Ancestors Road Show at the Hartford Conference might be just what you need. The Road Show is one of the many benefits of your Conference participation (see page 3 of the Registration Brochure ) and will be open in the rear of the Exhibit Hall from 9:00 A.M. -12:00 noon and from 1:45 P.M. -4:45 P.M. on both Friday and Saturday for advance registration and walk-in appointments as available.

Advance registration for Road Show consultations will also be held on Thursday afternoon from 1:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. at our “Town Square” Gathering Place on the Ballroom Level of the Convention Center, not far from the main Conference registration booths.

AN ALTERNATIVE TO A HOTEL

An E-zine reader writes, “I don't know if it's too late to mention, but for anyone who can't afford a hotel, there is a youth hostel in Hartford. It's part of the Hostelling International USA network. A bed for a member is something like $23 a night and for non-members a few dollars more. I'm booked in there myself as I have been a member for forty years and always stay in hostels when I am on a research trip.

See http://hiusa.org and select CONNECTICUT and the Hartford from the menu options. The hostel is a couple of miles from the conference center.”

HOTEL UPDATE

Some rooms at the Marriott are available but not at conference discounts. Other hotels mentioned in E zines 11 and 12 and are located in and around Hartford.

A NOTE ON PROGRAM LOCATIONS

Librarians Day, Workshops, and Sunday morning’s Special Session S-401, "'Sinners at the Hands of an Angry God': A Portrayal of Reverend Jonathan Edwards," will be held IN THE CAPITOL ROOM OF THE MARRIOTT.

Lectures, the Exhibit Hall, the Ancestors Road Show, and the Society Fair will be held on the “Ballroom Level” of the adjacent Connecticut Convention Center.

Thursday’s Special Interest Groups will be held in the Convention Center Meeting Rooms and in Marriot Conference Rooms.

WHEN AND WHERE TO PICK UP REGISTRATION MATERIALS

Those pre-registered for Librarians Day should check in for Librarians Day only between 8:45 A.M. – 9:30 A.M. at the registration table just outside the Marriott’s Capital Room.

On Wednesday, those pre-registered for the Conference (including Librarians so registered) may pick up registration materials between 3:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. at registration tables near the Marriott’s Capital Room.

On Thursday, those pre-registered for Session T-101, Family History 101 Workshop, may pick up registration materials between 7:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. at registration tables near the Marriott’s Capital Room.

Full registration activities, including walk-in registration, begin Thursday at 10:00 A.M. in our “Town Square” Gathering Place on the Ballroom Level of the Connecticut Convention Center. The schedule is:

Thursday: 10:00 A.M. - 6:30 P.M.
Friday: 7:15 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Saturday: 7:15 A.M. - 1:30 P.M

COMMUTER PARKING LOTS

Parking opportunities away from Hartford for NERGC attendees on a day-by-day basis abound in Connecticut. The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) has a system of 185 lots throughout the state.The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Web page, www.ct.gov/dot , includes a Guide to Connecticut Park and Ride Locations at http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&Q=259406 .

It seems a little awkward to work with, but is worth your while if this topic interests you. It includes a list of all 185 lots in Connecticut, alphabetical by town, a description as to type of each lot and its connecting services, and interactive maps. While some overnight parking is permitted, "long-term" is not (they do not specify their meaning of long-term) and certain vehicles are not permitted in the lot.The DOT Web page also includes links to Express Bus Service, http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&q=305320 and Local Bus Service, http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&q=305318 .

Contact the State Department of Transportation (2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington CT) at 860-594-2141 for additional information, including bus fares and your "landing place" in Hartford, in relation to the Convention Center (you may have to tie in with the free Star Shuttle in downtown Hartford).And another reminder that the "Star Shuttle", a free bus that connects several points within the city, runs every 12 minutes, from 7am to 11pm. This provides ready access from NERGC conference area to nearly all of the highlights in town, without moving your car or trying to hail a cab.

GETTING TO THE HOTEL/CONVENTION CENTER FROM THE GARAGE

If there’s space, a good place to park is on Level 1 (Purple) of the garage. Otherwise, park anywhere, follow the signs to the nearest elevator, and take the elevator to Level 1. Follow the signs to “HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER”. The first set of doors you come to (on the left) takes you into a Convention Center foyer.

To get to the Conference functions at the Convention Center, follow signs for “Ballroom” and/or “Meeting Rooms” and take the escalators or elevator to the Ballroom Level.

To get to the hotel, bear to the right, following signs to the Marriott.

The Convention Center’s main lobby is accessible from Level P1 of the parking garage. Level P5 of the garage tower provides an alternate entrance, along an outdoor walkway, to the Convention Center’s riverside entrance.

STILL MORE ON THE HOTEL/CONVENTION CENTER GARAGE

Driving directions to the Conference are included on page 2 of the Registration Brochure, http://www.nergc.org/2007/program/page2.htm, and additional information was provided in E-zine 15. Here’s some updated/revised information.

Note that one parking garage services both the Connecticut Convention Center and the Hartford Marriott Downtown and that it has two entrances.

HOTEL PARKING
If you’re registered at the Marriott, note that there are two entrances to the hotel lobby, each with its own vehicle “circle”. Check-in time is 4:00 P.M., but if you’re arriving earlier, pull into either of these areas and ask that your bags be held for you until your room is available.

The Grove Street Entrance is closest to the Marriott, to the LEFT of the hotel, and is the best option if you’re a hotel guest. However, it’s not well marked.

If you’re coming over the Founders Bridge, get into the left lane. Turn LEFT onto Columbus Boulevard and stay in the left lane. (You’ll see construction of the new Science Center on the left.) At the stoplight turn LEFT onto Grove St. There is currently no street sign identifying the name of the street, but follow the signs for I-91 North and I-84 West (on the right side of the street) and/or the small signs that say “Parking” and “UPS Store” (on the left side of the street). After the turn, be sure you’re in the right lane.

If you’re coming from the Whitehead Highway, via I-91 North or South, follow Columbus Boulevard past the Convention Center. You then have two options. Between the main parking entrance and Grove Street is a small circular pull-in area for hotel valet parking and an entrance into the hotel’s main lobby.

Or, drive past the Marriott (on your right). Just past the hotel, but not marked, is Grove St. (watch for the “Parking” and “UPS Store” signs). Take a RIGHT onto Grove St.

On Grove St. , at the light, turn RIGHT, following the “Parking” and “UPS Store” signs. You’ll quickly come to the back entrance to the Marriott on your right, where there’s space to pull over and unload bags and/or arrange for valet parking. A revolving door takes you into the hotel’s main lobby.

For self-parking, continue straight ahead and into the parking garage (which has a sign, “Connecticut Convention Center”).

CONVENTION CENTER PARKING FOR OTHER ATTENDEES
If you’re not staying at the Marriott, look for the main entrance to the parking garage, the COLUMBUS BOULEVARD ENTRANCE, (which is near the large Connecticut Convention Center animated sign, to the RIGHT of the hotel). Proceed up the ramp to the ticket gate.

CONFERENCE PARKING OPTIONS

The most convenient parking for the Conference is in the parking garage shared by the Convention Center Convention Center and the Marriott Hartford Downtown.

Hotel Parking Rates
Self-park: $ 3.00 hourly or $18.00 daily
Valet parking: $20.00 daily
Note that valet parking allows you in-out privileges and that in some cases it may be a cheaper option overall than exiting and re-entering under the hourly rate.
Parking fees may be added to your hotel bill.

Connecticut Convention Center Parking Rates
$3.00 first hour
$2.00 each additional hour
$19.00 Daily Maximum
$10.00 early bird special (in before 8:00 AM, out before 6:00 PM)

Alternative Parking
The City of Hartford owns other parking facilities in the area, including parking garages on Morgan Street or Constitution Plaza to the north that are cheaper but less convenient. The Hartford Parking Authority Web page includes a map showing locations of many parking facilities.

And another reminder that the “Star Shuttle ”, a free bus that connects several points within the city, runs every 12 minutes, from 7:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. This provides ready access from NERGC conference area to nearly all of the highlights in town, without moving your car or trying to hail a cab.

PRE-REGISTRATION IS OVER, BUT WALK-INS ARE WELCOME

Pre-registration for New England CONNECTions has closed, but even if you didn’t pre-register, it’s not too late to join us for most parts of the conference.

Walk-in registrations for lectures (but not meals, workshops, or registrations for Librarians Day) will be available at the Conference (full conference $125 or single day $85). And remember that the Exhibit Hall and many Thursday evening activities including the Society Fair and Special Interest Groups are open to the public without charge!

PROGRAM CHANGE FOR SESSION F-213 ON FRIDAY

Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, will now be speaking at session F-213 on Friday from 1:45 - 2:45 PM.

Her lecture is entitled "Eating an Elephant: Organizing Large Projects." Facing a large project is not so intimidating with good planning, the right tools, and thoughtful analysis. Organizational
tips for paper and computer will also be discussed. Elissa will be filling in for Christine Sweet-Hart, CG who is unable to attend the conference due to personal reasons.

MAINE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY ANNOUNCES 2007 CONFERENCE

"Footprints in Time: Discovering Your Ancestors’ Lives" will be held on Saturday, September 22, 2007, at the Bangor Civic Center, Bangor, Maine.

This one-day conference features nationally-acclaimed speakers: author and "Genealogy Guys" podcaster George G. Morgan and photo expert Maureen A. Taylor. The day includes a wide variety of sessions for all levels of experience, as well as a research room with a wide variety of resources. For all the details, check out the conference website at www.maineroots.org or stop by Booth 20 and pick up a brochure at Maine Genealogical Society’s table in the Exhibit Hall.

STILL MORE ON WHAT TO DO AND WHERE

For a "what to do, and where" during your non-conference hours, please visit the web site of GREATER HARTFORD CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU (GHCVB). Here you will also find opportunities for exploration by those who are in Hartford with you, yet not attending the conference. Their Web site has a myriad of things to consider.

See: http://www.enjoyhartford.com/index.cfm

A CELEBRATION AT THE OLIVER ELLSWORTH HOMESTEAD APRIL 29

The Abigail Wolcott Ellsworth Chapter, NSDAR invites you to visit the home of one of Windsor’s notable 18th century sons, Oliver Ellsworth and his wife Abigail Wolcott.

Elmwood, built for Ellsworth by Samuel Denslow and later expanded by Thomas Hayden, has furnishings from the Ellsworth and Wolcott families as well as wonderful antiques period to Oliver’s life there.

Located at 778 Palisado Avenue in Windsor, Connecticut, it will be open on Sunday, April 29, 2007 to celebrate the 262nd anniversary of Oliver Ellsworth’s birth. Tours, special exhibits, and refreshments will be available from 10:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M. All are welcome to celebrate the life of this remarkable American. For additional information and directions, stop by the CT DAR booth, Booth 6, in the Exhibit Hall.

OPEN HOUSE AT WINDSOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY APRIL 29

The Windsor Historical Society will hold a special Open House on Sunday April 29, 2007 from 1 until 4 pm. The Society is particularly inviting the attendees of the NERGC Conference to visit and become acquainted with the resources in the research library.

The collections include books, manuscript collections, cemetery records, regional and state histories, town reports, local newspapers, school yearbooks, city directories, and maps which relate to the town of Windsor and its people.

Visit Connecticut’s oldest English settlement, tour two historic homes, and explore the exhibition gallery.

The Windsor Historical Society, located at 96 Palisado Ave., Windsor, CT, preserves and interprets over 370 years of Windsor’s history. For more information and directions please visit the WHS website at http://windsorhistoricalsociety.org or stop by their table at the Society Fair between 5:00 and 7:00 on Thursday, April 26.

SPECIAL HOURS AT GODFREY LIBRARY IN MIDDLETOWN

We are happy to inform you that Godfrey Memorial Library will also have extended hours for researchers! The library will be open from 9:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. on April 25, 26, and 27 and from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on April 28th. Please stop by and visit!

For more information about Godfrey, including directions, visit Booth 1 and 20 in the exhibit hall or go to www.godfrey.org

STATE LIBRARY ANNOUNCES SPECIAL HOURS

For coming to Hartford early for the New England Regional Genealogical Conference (April 26-29 at the Connecticut Convention Center and the Marriott Hartford Downtown) and others wanting extra research time, the State Library’s History and Genealogy Unit will remain open until 8:00 P.M. on Wednesday, April 25th.

There will be an extra retrieval of archival and special collections material at 6:00 P.M. And to sustain researchers in their endeavors, light refreshments will be served from 5:30 -6:30 P.M. in Memorial Hall of the Museum of Connecticut History. For those not familiar with the History and Genealogy Unit, orientation tours will be held on the same day at 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 and 5:30 P.M.


The Library will be open regular hours Thursday and Friday, April 26th and 27th from 9:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. and on Saturday, April 28th from 9:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M.

For more information about the History and Genealogy Unit’s resources and services, see the History and Genealogy Web page www.cslib.org/handg.htm and the State Library’s Research Resources page www.cslib.org/faq.htm

OTHER THINGS TO DO IN AND NEAR HARTFORD

A visit to Connecticut would be incomplete without exploring the historic sites that it has to offer. To read about featured sites within walking distance of the Convention Center and Marriott Hotel, see the New England Regional Genealogical Conference E-zine at http://www.nergc.org

Here is a sampling of other institutions and activities you can "CONNECT" to in and near of Hartford.

STORYCORPS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT IS IN HARTFORD
At Hartford’s historic Old State House, just one block away from our conference site, you will find a most appropriate event being held. A nationwide oral history project called StoryCorps will be holding personal interviews where participants tell about important personal events in their lives April 5 through Saturday, April 28. You can be a part of America’s largest oral history project ever. Interview a relative, a co-worker, a mentor - and capture voices, memories, and stories. StoryCorps facilitators work with you to record your conversation for the Library of Congress and future generations, for public radio, and for yourself. Reservations are being accepted on a first come, first-serve basis starting March 22.

At the end of this project, all sessions will be archived and housed at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. For further details, please visit www.courant.com for the April 4th article, page D-1 (or search StoryCorps to see several recent articles). For booth hours and more information, go to http://www.wnpr.org/storycorps.asp

SIGHTSEEING TOUR COMPANY ALTERNATIVE
Besides the Connecticut River Cruise tentatively scheduled for Friday April 27 (See the last E-zine for details) NERGC visitors might be interested in a tour run by the Heritage Trails Sightseeing Tours Company. Each of their tours has a historical theme and folks with ancestors in the Hartford/Farmington area might find a tour a wonderful addition to their NERGC experience and family research activities. Those interested should visit the company website http://www.charteroaktree.com and make arrangements directly with them.

HARTFORD’S ANCIENT BURYING GROUND CEMETERY TOURS

NERGC is pleased to announce that Ruth Shapleigh Brown, Executive Director of the Connecticut Gravestone Network, has generously offered to lead early NERGC attendees on two informal guided tours of Hartford’s Ancient Burying Ground!

This venerable cemetery is the oldest landmark left in Hartford. It is the center of where the first settlers gathered to plan their community, build their church and bury their dead. A connection with practically all colonial families that lived in or came to Connecticut can be found in the history of this oldest burial ground.

Ruth’s tour will acquaint you with some highlights of Hartford’s history, the people and their genealogies as well as introducing some of the colonial stone carvers. If you are wondering why there are no gravestones for people who died in 1632, you need to join one of the tours!

The first tour will be on Wednesday, April 25 at 4:30 P.M., just after the Librarian’s Day closes, the second on Thursday, April 26 at 10:00 A.M. The Cemetery is located just a couple of blocks from the Convention Center at the corner of Gold and Main Streets. Tours will gather at the front gate of the cemetery near the statue of Rev. Stone.

Maps and directions will be available at the Hospitality table Wednesday (at the Marriott) and Thursday (at the Convention Center).

Persons interested in these tours should email Ruth at shapbrown@cox.net (please insert NERGC Cem. Tour on the subject line) indicating which tour they wish to join. Ruth’s knowledge and expertise should not be missed.

For more information about the Ancient Burying Ground (Gold Street and Main Street) see www.theancientburyingground.org

TRAVEL ALERT FOR THOSE FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S.

Don’t get stuck halfway to NERGC! Conference attendees traveling by air to/from United States to attend NERGC are advised to double check what documentation they must carry to be admitted into U.S. under the new passport regulations, effective 23 January 2007.

Please check with your travel agent, or the U. S. Dept. of State.

HOSPITALITY LOOKS AT COMMUTER PARKING LOTS IN CONNECTICUT

Parking opportunities away from Hartford for NERGC attendees on a day-by-day basis abound in Connecticut. The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) has a system of 185 lots throughout the state.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Web page, www.ct.gov/dot , includes a Guide to Connecticut Park and Ride Locations at http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&Q=259406 . It seems a little awkward to work with, but is worth your while if this topic interests you. It includes a list of all 185 lots in Connecticut, alphabetical by town, a description as to type of each lot and its connecting services, and interactive maps. While some overnight parking is permitted, "long-term" is not (they do not specify their meaning of long-term) and certain vehicles are not permitted in the lot.

The DOT Web page also includes links to Express Bus Service, http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&q=305320 and Local Bus Service, http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&q=305318 . Contact the State Department of Transportation (2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington CT) at 860-594-2141 for additional information, including bus fares and your "landing place" in Hartford, in relation to the Convention Center (you may have to tie in with the free Star Shuttle in downtown Hartford).

And another reminder that the "Star Shuttle", a free bus that connects several points within the city, runs every 12 minutes, from 7am to 11pm. This provides ready access from NERGC conference area to nearly all of the highlights in town, without moving your car or trying to hail a cab.

MORE ON THE HOTEL/CONVENTION CENTER GARAGE

Driving directions to the Conference are included on page 2 of the Registration Brochure, http://www.nergc.org/2007/program/page2.htm , and parking options were included in the New England Regional Genealogical Conference E-zine 14. See: http://www.nergc.org

Note that one parking garage services both the Connecticut Convention Center and the Hartford Marriott Downtown and that it has two entrances.

The GROVE STREET ENTRANCE is closest to the Marriott, to the LEFT of the hotel. If you’re registered at the Marriott, you can pull into the hotel registration area before proceeding to the garage. Check-in time is 4:00 P.M., but if you’re arriving earlier, you can ask that bags be held for you until your room is available. After dropping off any bags, proceed to ticket gate and follow signs to the hotel end of the parking garage.

If you’re not staying at the Marriott, look for the main entrance to the parking garage, the COLUMBUS BOULEVARD ENTRANCE, (which is to the RIGHT of the hotel). Proceed up the ramp to the ticket gate.

The Convention Center’s main lobby is accessible from Level P1 of the parking garage. Level P5 of the garage tower provides an alternate entrance, along an outdoor walkway, to the Convention Center’s riverside entrance.

DO YOU WANT TO HELP?

There are still some unmet needs for volunteers! But it is not too late for you to help us fill those needs. The tasks are well defined, with easy directions: some involve sitting, some involve standing, and some involve walking to guide others or to deliver or collect things. Take a break, sit a spell, or fit into your schedule a walking break.

Contact Pam Roberts (Pamela.roberts@uconn.edu ) for up to date information about ways you could help with general volunteering tasks or contact Fred Hart (hartfc@aol.com ) to inquire about existing volunteer needs for the Ancestors Road Show.

ATTENTION PRE-SCHEDULED VOLUNTEERS

Are you one of the more than one hundred volunteers scheduled to help make NERGC 2007 the best conference yet? Don’t forget to stop by the Volunteer Welcoming Table on Wednesday, located in the Marriott Meeting Room hallway outside of the Capital 1, 2, and 3 space, and on Thursday through Saturday on the "balcony" pre-function area outside the Exhibit Hall on the Convention Center’s Ballroom Level.

Pick up your volunteer packet with all the information needed to make your volunteer time fun and easy. As conference time nears, don’t hesitate to contact Pam Roberts, Volunteer Committee, Pamela.roberts@uconn.edu or 860 429-8751 (evening best) with questions or concerns.

NERGC VOLUNTEERS: A TRADITION OF “HELPING”

Every one of the participants at NERGC 2007 in Hartford is likely to interact at some point with one of the over one hundred volunteers scheduled to assist. Volunteers will point the way to rooms, getting you going in the right direction, greet you at luncheons and banquets, help you mix and network during socials, host sessions including introducing speakers, encourage your participation in session and conference evaluations, get you efficiently through registration, help you with local resources, answer your questions, and assist you in multiple ways.

So, watch for the NERGC 2007 Volunteers - we’ll be there to help you!

UPS SHIPPING AVAILABLE AT CONFERENCE

Need a convenient way to get all your Conference purchases home? The UPS Store is located across from Starbucks coffee shop in the Marriott hotel. Hours: M-F 7:00 A.M. - 6:30 PM and Saturday 8:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M. They offer packing, shipping, receiving, printing and more. Telephone: (203) 589-5571.

DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THE ENTIRE CONFERENCE?

If you (or a friend) don’t have time for the entire conference ($125), single day registrations are available at $85 per day.

Also, while admission to most conference activities requires a fee, some activities will be open to the general public without charge. On Thursday, April 26 from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M., there will be a "Society Fair" showcasing genealogical and historical organizations from all over New England will provide information about their organizations. Participating societies include the Middlesex Genealogical Society of Darien, the Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut, and the Naugatuck Valley Genealogy Club among many others.

Open Thursday, April 26 from 6:00 to 7:00 P.M. and on Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28 from 8:20 A.M. until 5:00, the Exhibit Hall will be open to the public without charge. Exhibitors from across the U.S. and Canada will offer a wide array of genealogical products and services. Folks will be able to purchase books and resources, chat with exhibitors, including the Connecticut Ancestry Society, with expertise they’re willing to share, and find out more about genealogical and lineage societies. To see a floor plan of the Exhibit Hall and a complete list of exhibitors, go to: http://www.nergc.org/2007/exhibithall.htm

CONFERENCE FINISHERS: SATURDAY NIGHT & SUNDAY MORNING

If you're not already signed up, please note: there is still room at the Connecticut Society of Genealogists’ Banquet on Saturday evening, with Henry "Hank" Jones as our speaker.

At the 9:00 A.M. program Sunday morning, the Rev. Adam Söderberg portrays Rev. Jonathan Edwards during the 1700's Great Awakening period in New England.

Staying for these "conference finishers" allows you to begin your return home in the daylight hours, having completed the full conference program. As is normal, please contact NERGC Registration for the Banquet, and your choice of hotels directly for your room.

LIBRARIANS’ DAY

There is still room in our special pre-conference program for librarians, library trustees, and friends of libraries on Wednesday, 25 April 2007, at the Hartford Marriott Downtown. The cost is $35 and includes lunch compliments of ProQuest Information and Learning.

See the schedule at http://nergc.org/2007/librariansday.htm for additional information.

HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS TO IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS

In addition to the lecture sessions, a variety of special workshops are being offered at the Conference. Each workshop is 2-3 hours in length and requires an additional fee. Please read the descriptions to understand additional requirements. Workshop space is limited. Make your choices on the NERGC registration form.

Family History 101
On Thursday, April 26, Marcia Melnyk will present Family History 101, a Beginner’s Primer to Genealogy. After outlining ways to get started, she’ll provide information on recording data, separating fact from fiction, and accessing places to locate records. Cost of the workshop is $35 and includes a copy of Marcia’s book, Family History 101.

Hands-On Workshops to Take Your Computer Skills to the Next Level
Digital images, whether of photographs or documents, are increasingly useful and important to compiling and preserving any family history. Two workshops planned for this NERGC conference should help a wide range of computer-using genealogists take their skills to the next level.

Capturing images worthy of archiving is the first step in the process. The first of these, Working with Digital Images from Scanning and Storing to Basic Editing by Emery Roth on Thursday afternoon from 3:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. (Session T-113, $30) is designed to demystify issues related to resolution, file format, and the scanning process so that participants will be certain that the images they capture today will be useful for their needs tomorrow. Participants will work with their own images and scanners so light and portable that they can easily become part of every researcher's travel kit when they visit libraries or relatives' homes. After learning how to get the most from these scanners, participants will take their scanned images into Photoshop Elements for a bit of basic image editing. Finally, they will learn about several software programs designed to help in organizing and cataloging images.

Once captured, there is much one can do to enhance the quality of old (or new) images. The second workshop Enhancing and Repairing Digital Images in Photoshop Elements, presents Enhancing and Repairing Digital Images in Photoshop Elements on Friday morning from 8:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. (Session F-201, $35). This is designed to get you started in Photoshop Elements or to take basic Photoshop skills to the next level. Do you have old photographs that have become badly faded? Are some of your images disfigured by scratches, tears, folds, or mold? Do you have old metal images or daguerreotypes with tones that look unnatural? Is there an insignia, locket, or other detail in an image that you want to see more clearly? Are those 1950s color photos looking a little too yellow? Photoshop Elements is a powerful tool that can draw more out of an old photo than you knew was there, and it can enable you to make repairs that you might previously paid hundreds of dollars to have a professional do. You will practice using a wide range of Photoshop tools of special value for genealogists. Those who are already using Photoshop but have not yet worked with "levels" will appreciate the flexibility and control offered by this valuable feature of the software. Those who are new to Photoshop may benefit from the two-day experience of taking both workshops.

Participants must bring their own USB equipped laptop with CD drive and with a copy of Photoshop Elements installed. Though the conference program calls for participants to have Photoshop Elements version 4, Photoshop Elements version 5 will also work.

Identifying and Preserving Family Photographs
David Mishkin and Maureen Taylor's Photography Workshop Identifying and Preserving Family Photographs (Friday afternoon 27 April from 1:45-3:45 PM) is limited to 30 participants and is filling quickly. Learn to identify family photographs by researching photographers, dating costume clues, and comparing facial characteristics. Cost of the workshop is $30.

MORE CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

New England CONNECTions features something for everyone, with eight separate lecture tracks available during the Conference:

o Ethnic Genealogy
o Federal Records at the National Archives
o Genealogical Techniques
o New England Research
o Records & Sources
o Skills & Methodology
o Technology
o Writing & Documents

See the full conference brochure at http://www.nergc.org/2007/program2007.htm

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Patricia Law Hatcher, FASG, is a professional genealogist specializing in problem solving, whose articles have appeared in over a dozen publications. She is the editor of the New York Genealogical & Biographical Record, editor of The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine; and consulting or contributing editor to Newbury Street Press, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, and the Maine Genealogist. Pat is the author of Researching Your Colonial New England Ancestor, Locating Your Roots: Discover Your Ancestors Using Land Records, and Producing a Quality Family History. She is a former trustee of the Association of Professional Genealogists and in 2000 was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists. A popular lecturer and instructor, she has spoken at many national conferences and institutes.

At New England CONNECTions, Pat will do presentations on Friday morning, Session F-202 (8:30 A.M. - 9:30 A.M.), on The Language of Land and Saturday morning, Session S-309 (10:00 A.M. -11:00 A.M.), on Producing a Quality Family History. At the Friday evening’s banquet, F-230, sponsored by the New England Historic Genealogical Society, she presents Pat Tells All: Who Did What for Whom, sharing the hidden secrets of genealogical successes.

HOTEL UPDATE

Some rooms at the Marriott are available but not at conference discounts.
See: http://marriott.com/hotels/travel/bdldt-hartford-marriott-downtown/

Other hotels mentioned in New England Regional Genealogical Conference E-zines 11 and 12 are located in and around Hartford. See: http://www.nergc.org

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION UPDATE

Registration Chair Mary Choppa reports that nearly 600 have already registered for New England CONNECTions, exclusive of speakers and exhibitors.

Although pre-registrations for the conference after 1 April are considered walk-ins, if you have yet to register, we anticipate no problems in registering for the conference, meals, or workshops if you act right away. However, it is possible you will not receive a printed syllabus, conference pin, or bag if you delay much longer. For registration information, go to http://www.nergc.org/2007/program2007.htm.

Also a reminder that cancellations postmarked before 10 April are subject to a $15.00 processing fee. No refunds are available after 10 April 2007.

Extended Hours at Godfrey Library!

The Godfrey Memorial Library will be open from 9 AM to 8 PM on Wednesday, April 25, Thursday, April 26, and Friday, April 27; and on Saturday, April 28, from 9 AM to 1 PM.

More things to do in Hartford

Guided tours of the Ancient Burying Ground will be offered for those attending the Conference. Meet inside the Main Gate: Thursday at 10AM, Sunday per RSVP. Wednesday hours to be announced.

Contact Ruth Shapleigh-Brown: shapbrown@cox.net

The Ancient Burying Ground, Gold Street and Main Street, Hartford.
Hartford's oldest historic site, and final resting place of many Founders. View gravestone art and history from the mid-1600's to the early 1800's. For more information see:
http://www.theancientburyingground.org

DOING GENEALOGICAL WORK IN CONNECTICUT: FACTS AND REALITIES

In conjunction with your trip to Hartford for the Conference, you may find opportunities to visit repositories where a great many family records are located.

To get to vital records for the 19th century, think of the Connecticut State Library first. (http://www.cslib.org ) They have probate, land, church and vital records and much more for all of the towns in Connecticut. The Library is only a mile away from the hotel.

The Vital Records Office at the Connecticut Department of Public Health, 410 Capitol Ave., ( http://www.dph.state.ct.us/PB/HISR/Vital_Records.htm ) maintains a statewide registry of all births, marriages, civil unions, deaths and fetal deaths which have occurred in Connecticut since July 1, 1897.

The Hartford Bureau of Vital Statistics , in City Hall, is within walking distance of the hotel and Convention Center. (http://www.hartford.gov/health/vitalrecords/vitalrecs.htm )They do not do searches but will provide documents.

If you plan to go to cities or towns for 20th century vital records, only birth records access is restricted by law to members of one of the incorporated genealogical organizations listed on the Connecticut State Library website ( http://www.cslib.org/list.htm ). Several of these groups will be exhibitors at the Conference. However, note that even though the law does not require it, some Town Clerks expect a membership card from one of these organizations for ALL vital records access.

HARTFORD EATERIES AND NIGHTSPOTS FOR YOUR OFF-CONFERENCE HOURS PLEASURE

There are Starbucks cafes in both the Convention Center and the Marriott. The Starbucks in the Marriott Lobby is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers gourmet coffees, a full pantry with retail shop, and wi-fi.

The Marriott is also home to Vivo, also open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and offering meals with an Italian & Mediterranean theme featuring fresh foods, open kitchen & Italian wine bar.

The Arch Street Tavern, 85 Arch Street, is open Monday - Thursday from 11:30 AM to 1 AM, Friday from noon to 2 AM, and Saturday from noon to 2 AM. Close to the Convention Center, it offers soups, salads, and sandwiches as well as a selected dinner menu.

There are a number of fast food restaurants, including Burger King, near the Old State House and a Museum Cafe at the Wadsworth Atheneum, 600 Main Street.

For a more detailed list of just about every restaurant in downtown Hartford and its wider area, please go to the NERGC web site , www.NERGC.org, where we will have posted the GHCVB’s “Hartford Dining and Entertainment Guide”.

We’ll also have copies at the Hospitality Area of the Conference, along with sample menus from several of the restaurants. Once you get to the Conference, your NERGC registration packet will contain many of the pamphlets and lists offered on the Bureau’s web site, one of which will be the full "Visitors Guide”.