Annual Business Meeting and Buffet Lunch – Saturday, January 11, 2014

President Jeffrey Vaillant

Saturday, January 11, 2014
12:00 p.m. - Potluck buffet and social hour
1:00 p.m. - Annual Business Meeting

California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, CA 94612

The bylaws of the California Genealogical Society specify that the regular January membership meeting shall be the Annual Business Meeting "at which time the annual budget shall be adopted and all appropriate business presented."

Last year Diana Edwards and Linda Okazaki shook things up and organized a potluck buffet lunch and social hour before the meeting. It was so successful that members lunch together and socialize for an hour before every quarterly membership meeting.

The January potluck buffet is being planned by Diana Edwards, Kathie Heller, and Diana Wild. Members are invited to join the festivities and bring a dish to share. Beverages will be provided. The reception will start at 12:00 p.m. in the Education Center.

The Annual Business Meeting will start promptly at 1:00 p.m. President Jeff Vaillant will preside.

Agenda items include:

• treasurer's report and presentation of results of the review of the investment portfolio and financial records by Edie
• presentation and approval of the society budget
• consideration of the change to the bylaws
• report from the nominating committee by Karen Lemelin
• election of new board members
• brief committee reports
• remarks from the president

The Annual Business Meeting is always well-attended. See you there!


Photograph by Kathryn Doyle, Oakland, California, 1/12/2013.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Encore Presentation! On the Road Again: Practical Tips for Successful On-Site Research

Saturday, December 7, 2013

10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, CA 94612

A research trip to one's ancestral home can be extremely rewarding, but also may present many challenges. Join Pam Brett for an encore presentation of her class on successful on-site research. Pam will share practical tips on how to plan an on-site research trip to achieve your research goals and to bring home a new understanding of the lives of your ancestors.

Register online.

This class is limited to thirty participants and is a free benefit of membership. Non-members fee is $20.00 (non-refundable) and can be applied towards membership on the day of the class.

Preregistration is required. Walk-ins will not be admitted. Registration confirmations will be sent to the first thirty registrants. Additional names will be collected and placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.

Pam Brett has been interested in genealogy for nearly forty years since she began filling in the family tree of her first-born child’s baby book. Raising two daughters and working as a public health social worker left little free time until 1999 when she began her family research in earnest.

Brett's ancestors were mobile which led to research in thirty-one states and the District of Columbia. She loves doing on-site research in the States "where there are many challenges but the rewards are priceless."

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

eNews November 2013, volume 7, number 11

The November 2013 eNews, volume 7, number 11, has been published and emailed to members and friends. As always, the eNews features timely information about the California Genealogical Society and our upcoming events. Each edition also includes "Suggested Links From the Blogosphere" and a photo feature: "California Ancestors."

This month we honor the Swedish ggg-grandparents of member Carolyn Mattos Sakkis.

John Knutson Leave and Clara Gustava Swenson

Past issues of the eNews are available at the eNews archive.

The December 2013 issue will be emailed on November 30, 2013. To receive a copy, please join our mailing list.

California ancestor photograph courtesy of Carolyn Sakkis.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Must Reads: Their Roots Are Showing on the Sports Page

Their Roots Are Showing Celebs: Tim "Herb" Alexander, Natalie Coughlin, and Billy Beane

In case you missed the sports section of the October 30, 2013 San Jose Mercury News or Contra Costa Times be sure to read Dan Brown's review articles of Their Roots Are Showing!

Oakland A's Billy Beane's Crazy Family Tree: Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Hillary Clinton

Olympian Natalie Coughlin's Gene Pool: American as Americans Get

Thanks, Dan! 

Photograph courtesy of Ron Madson and Jason W. Madson.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

What a Show!

Kathie Jones, Therese Hart-Pignotti, Todd Armstrong, Tim "Herb" Alexander, Billy Beane, Natalie Coughlin, Shannon Reese, Linda Okazaki.

Congratulations to Therese Hart-Pignotti and her event committee who are finally able to catch up on sleep. Their Roots Are Showing was a smash hit. A special "thank-you" to our guest celebrities: Tim "Herb" Alexander, Natalie Coughlin, and Billy Beane.

Therese agrees the night was an overwhelming success and reports: "The celebrities were all very grateful and happy. It could not have gone any better!"

Our event photographers, Ron Madson and his son Jason of The Adelaide Gallery, are processing over 800 photographs but sent me one to post here and over on our Facebook page.

I'll have a LOT more about the night. Stay tuned.


Photograph courtesy of Ron Madson and Jason W. Madson.


Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.