To register for an event or for more information, click the link for any event. All times are Pacific Time.
Questions? Email [email protected]
One of the benefits of a CGS membership is the opportunity to network and meet with other genealogists. Last year, our Membership Committee, under the leadership of Jane Lindsey, piloted in-person meetings for several regional areas. They were met with enthusiasm.
Members gather together in homes, public libraries, cafes and even community rooms in condominium units. A facilitator leads the discussion as members share research topics, common interests, new resources discovered in an informal setting. Friendships have developed along with partnerships in resources and a better understanding of the many benefits available to CGS members. Members who have attended, frequently ask when they will be meeting again.
In February and March, six new Member Regional Gatherings have been launched. We will begin having a section in the Friday Next Week blog posts to remind you of these, but please mark your calendars.
• Martinez: March 20
• Lamorinda: April 8
If interested in one of these or another Regional Gathering in your area, please contact Kim Farnham-Flom (mailto:[email protected]).
San Francisco Special Interest Group (SIG)
San Francisco has so many nuances to genealogical research that it helps to know an expert. Join this SIG to meet several! It doesn’t matter if you are new to genealogy or an old hat, find your family story in the City of Love.
When: Saturday, March 15, 2025 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Where: Virtually via Zoom
Cost: Free to CGS members
How to Register: Contact [email protected]
Family Tree Maker Special Interest Group (SIG)
Are you using the popular Family Tree Maker software to keep track of your genealogy findings? Are you new and looking for a program to use? Are you just wanting to know more about it? Join this great SIG for a plethora of topics this January, including a new release, and all things cemetery, including citations (which some may find more frightening than a cemetery!).
When: Saturday, March 15, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Where: Virtually via Zoom or in person at the CGS Library
Cost: Free to CGS members
How to Register: Register through the FTM-SIG website (https://ftm-sig.org/index.html)
Special Event:
Excel for Genealogists
Live online via Zoom or members may view recording on our website.
Stewart loves spreadsheets! He uses spreadsheets at work every day as an IT Manager. He is an expert in Microsoft Excel using it in genealogy quite frequently. Laying out all the data in Excel can help researchers see gaps in knowledge or correlations between data points. Breakthroughs can easily happen by visualizing data in spreadsheets. Stewart shows many examples of his use of spreadsheets to track newspaper clippings, a vital records catalog, tracking ancestor addresses over time, and tracking whole families over many censuses. Stewart will teach how to use Excel filter, sorting, color coding, calculations and many other functions.
Spreadsheets are fun!
This event is presented live. Some events may be recorded for CGS use.
When: Saturday, March 22, 2025 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free for Members
How to Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/excel-for-genealogists-registration-1210148419499
Helpful Links
Events: https://www.californiaancestors.org/events-and-education/
Special Interest Groups: https://www.californiaancestors.org/special-interest-groups-for-members/
Calendar view: https://www.californiaancestors.org/cgs_calendar/
Recordings for Members: https://www.californiaancestors.org/videos_for_cgs_members/
Tips & Talk: Oakland FamilySearch Center Family History Classes: https://www.familysearch.org/en/centers/oakland_california/classes
MAR
2025