Our Activities . . .
W.I.S.E.
members participate in activities beyond our regular meetings. We
organize events, make presentations to other family history and
genealogy groups and make ourselves available to the Colorado genealogy
community. We are a totally independent group, but a member of the
Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies.
Irish Research (Four Classes)
Every Wednesday, from February, 8 - 29,
2012, 1 - 3 p.m.
We will view on-line videos of courses on researching families in
Ireland, narrated by Evva Benson Housley, of the Family History
Library.
We will follow each presentation, ranging from 30 to 40 minutes, with a
discussion of the topic facilitated by experienced W.I.S.E.
researchers. A materials fee of $5 per class will cover the cost of
photocopying handouts. Each class will build on information presented
in previous classes, and attendance at all four is encouraged. The
schedule:
- Feb. 8th - Immigration, part 1: Strategies and
Pre-
and
Post-Famine sources
- Feb. 15th - Immigration, part 2: Ulster and
Scots-Irish
sources
- Feb. 22nd - Church records
- Feb 29th - Civil registration
These classes are for advanced beginning and
intermediate researchers. Participants must possess basic genealogical
research skills, including knowing how to fill out charts and search
the Internet, as well as rudimentary knowledge of Irish history. We
advise that each participant bring a copy of Tracing Your
Irish
Ancestors, Third Edition, by John Grenham. It can be
purchased online through Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com,
and through any other standard retail outlet, and is
recommended for anyone doing Irish genealogical research.
To register, or for information, contact Sandy
Ronayne by email, or call her at
303-750-5002.
These classes are being held in the Gates Room,
on the
5th floor, at the Central Denver Public
Library.
Salt Lake City Research Trip
The
2012 annual group
research trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, is
scheduled for the week of April 15 - 22, 2012. This group research trip
offers our members one of the best opportunities all year to
access genealogical resources that may help you solve some of those
nagging
family history questions. Note:
If you're interested in joining us on our annual trip to Salt Lake, you
can obtain a copy of the registration form by selecting the following
download link:
SLC
Research Trip Information &
Registration Form
Summer Social Outing
The
fourth Saturday in June usually is set aside for an outing to a
historic site in our area. In 2010 we visited the Cherokee Ranch and
Castle in Douglas County. In 2011 (25 June) we took a 45 minute
tour of Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey Distillery, 200 South Kalamath,
Denver, followed by a whiskey tasting and lunch. Stranahan's Distillery
uses a unique combination of pot-still and column-still. They are
expanding and installing a second spirits
still. This is a unique aspect of our British Isles heritage.
Colorado Irish Festival and the
Rocky Mountain Highland Games
We volunteer each Summer at the Colorado Irish
Festival and at the Colorado Scottish Festival and Rocky
Mountain Highland Games, offering information about British Isles
family history and genealogy. Volunteers are at the heart of these
festivals.
W.I.S.E. Annual Seminar
Each
year - or as the opportunity presents itself - we schedule an all-day
seminar on some aspect of British Isles genealogy. On October 15, 2011,
a Scottish genealogical research seminar was presented by Barbara
Baker, AG, of the British reference staff of the Family History Library
in Salt Lake City. It was held at the Central Denver Public
Library.
Holiday Social
We
combine our November and December program meetings on the first
Saturday in December for a social gathering featuring food and drink
from the lands of our ancestors. The event on December 3, 2011,
featuring
Dorothy
Coltrin's transcription of a 1570 Testament (Will) from "secretary
hand" and the recreation of the Acoltrane family of Scotland, was
canceled due to inclement weather. It will be rescheduled for a date in
2012. Members
and guests are invited to bring a British Isles-inspired holiday treat
to share.
Volunteer Opportunities
We are seeking volunteers with an interest in
helping W.I.S.E. build the Denver Public Library Collection by
volunteering to work with collections specialist James K. Jeffrey in
selecting additional books. We have a fund specifically for this
purpose, and Mr. Jeffrey would like suggestions from members. If you
can help, please contact Zoe Lappin
by email.
Colorado Council of Genealogical Socities
W.I.S.E. is a member of the Colorado Council of
Genealogical Societies (CCGS). CCGS has a current project to index the
1885 Colorado State Census. This is a useful activity, especially
because the 1890 U.S. Census was destroyed in a fire; state censuses,
like ours, help to fill in the gap. There is a competition among the
societies, with prizes going to the top indexers.
Also, the CCGS has joined the 1940 U.S. Federal Census Project to help index the 1940 U.S. Federal Census to make it fully searchable on-line. This project will begin on April 2, 2012.
Please consider
joining either of these projects as a W.I.S.E. indexer. You can obtain
details concerning both projects by clicking on the following
link: COCCGS
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