Open forum and planning meeting
The meeting started with sharing special family pictures and related stories from about 8 FHIG members. They ranged from the very sad to the humorous. Several members talked about how they used their pictures for further discoveries of their own family history. In response to a question from one remember, we reviewed how one can use familysearch.org to try and identify non-obvious cousin relationships, often 8th to 12th cousins. There was a discussion and a caution about depositing family history information with county and/or state historical societies. There was a discussion of programming for next year and three potential sessions/presenters were identified. Possible session topics include Roots Tech, the use of Chat GPT, and identifying family history in situations where written family records do not exist.
Open forum and planning meeting
Wed, May 15 2024, 10am
You’re invited to join the final Family History Interest Group (FHIG) meeting for 2023–24 on Wednesday, May 15, from 10 to 11 a.m. via Zoom. This will be an open forum for participants to ask questions related to family history, share insights, talk about recent projects, and suggest topics for 2024–25 FHIG meetings.
We invite all who are interested to share up to two of their favorite family history pictures. Be prepared to answer questions and explain the significance of your photo(s). To share your pictures, email them to Craig Swan at [email protected] by Monday, May 13.
If you are working on a family history project and would like to make a presentation for a meeting next year, please let us know.
—Lynn C. Anderson and Craig Swan, FHIG co-chairs
Upcoming Events
Stephanie Daily will lead the discussion of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by best-selling author Mary Roach when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 17.
The May 20 hike will start at the Historic Lift Bridge in Stillwater and go along the river to the new bridge, cross over and then back on the Wisconsin side, a total of approximately 5 miles. Most of the route is paved. We will eat lunch after at Brian's Bar and Grill in Stillwater. Car pooling will be available.
Climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley joined the U of M faculty in 1978 and has been a weekly commentator on Minnesota Public Radio since 1992. We are honored to welcome him as our guest speaker for UMRA’s May Luncheon Forum and 2024 Annual Meeting. He is always entertaining and informative.
UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club welcomes back, for the second time, author Julie Schumacher, U of M Regents professor of creative writing and English, for a conversation about her novel The Shakespeare Requirement.
We are in for a treat on June 3! Lynn Anderson, will lead us on trails at two parks near her Monticello home. Bring a bag lunch and we will gather in Lynn's yard along the Mississippi River for eating and socializing after the hike.
Get out to the ballpark with fellow UMRA members for the annual U of M Day at Target Field as the Minnesota Twins take on the Oakland Athletics on June 14 at 7:10 p.m.
Please join us at 9:30 on June 17, 2024 for a walk around Lake Como in St. Paul before attending the UMRA Summer Social and Picnic starting at 11 at the Como Pavilion. A perfect opportunity to get in a walk before we gather to celebrate summer.
Picnic under the covered, open-air Como pavilion, gaze at the water, spy some birds, catch up with friends and former colleagues, and meet new members. We’ll have lunch with plenty of time for visiting and then compete in teams as we are challenged by our Quiz master(s)!
Healthy aging, mindfulness, fighting ageism, and more will be the focus of the third annual Age-Friendly University Day to be held on the U of M Twin Cities campus.