What we did over summer vacation: UGA is blossoming

I've been working alot at my job as Vice President of the Utah Genealogical Association this summer too. UGA is coming into a Renaissance with alot of exciting happenings going on. I'm so enjoying my duties there and the associations I get to have. I've learned 200% more this year about myself as a genealogist by becoming more involved in UGA.

Here are some of the goings on: (with thanks to A.C. Ivory for his contributions to the newsletter.)

• Fall Membership Meeting

Come join us for a fun night filled with food, fun, and friends! The annual membership meeting will be held October 19, 2010 at 7pm at The Gathering Place in Gardner Village (1100 West 7800 South, West Jordan, UT).
We will be launching our brand new UGA Virtual Chapter! Tickets are available for purchase on the UGA website. Plates are $25 per person with a choice of either Gardner Chicken, Pan Seared Salmon, or Vegetarian/Special Needs Meal.

• Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy

Planning for the well-respected SLIG conference is underway and the conference is filling faster than it did last year so you'll want to get signed up right away. (Kudos to Dean Hunter and Adele Marcum and their team). The 2011 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy will be held 10-14 Jan 2011 in Salt Lake City, Utah at the downtown Radisson Hotel located at 215 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah.

2011 SLIG Course Descriptions.
2011 SLIG Evening Course Descriptions.
2011 SLIG Course Instructors.

SLIG Course Registration fees: $320 by 30 October 2010, thereafter $345. UGA members will receive a coupon for member pricing. All coupons used by members will be verified by membership staff. Includes course materials, an orientation breakfast and the Friday night banquet. Evening classes and additional dinner tickets are extra. To register, click here.

Hotel: SLIG participants are encouraged to stay at the Radisson Downtown using the "UGA" promotional code after selecting the arrival/departure dates. Discounted rooms are limited so be sure to sign up soon!

For more information, visit the UGA Website.

• Publicity

And speaking of the website, the publicity committee is going strong consolidating UGA's branding and social networking avenues. They've designed a beautiful new logo and branding look, and the board recently approved the move of all UGA internet interests being registered under UGAgenealogy and the new tagline of Education*Networking*Preservation to express what we do. Kudos to Heather Henderson and her team.

Conferences
If you missed us at the Sandy Family History Expo last week, come see us at the following conferences that are coming up!

1. Ogden Family History Conference September 11, 2010 Weber State University
2. ICAPGEN Conference October 22-23, 2010 Salt Lake City Downtown Radisson Hotel

UGA Is Going Social
You might have noticed within the last week that UGA has a new Facebook page. Along with a new Facebook page UGA is going to be rolling out with a whole new line of social media including Twitter, GenealogyWise, and many more. Be sure to watch the newsletter and on Facebook for further announcements.

UGA Membership Survey
UGA will be sending out a short survey to the members this week and we would really appreciate it if you would take a few minutes to help us understand our members and what they want to help them with their genealogy research. If you don't get one--you need to sign up to be a member. We want to know what you are looking for in a genealogy society and we want to be there to fill that need.

• Education

The Education Committee has been working on a Virtual Chapter that will be launching later this year as well as an Intermediate Genealogist Education Program. We will soon have a virtual delivery system that will not only facilitate the virtual chapter and education program, but also long distance meetings and chapter speakers. Kudos to Barry Ewell and his team.

• Crossroads

The UGA Crossroads Journal is being polished up and ready to be sent. If you haven't seen a copy of this beautiful, well respected journal, you're missing a great resource on genealogy best practices, Utah history and the happenings of the genealogy community. Yours truly has a fun new article in it that is a precursor to some lectures I'll be presenting next year. But you'll have to subscribe to get it. Kudos to Christy Fillerup for all her hard work and to the committee for their great publication.

• Get Involved!

Are you interested in getting more involved with UGA? UGA is looking for a Historian as well as Membership/Chapter Committees. For more info, contact me.

• Chapter Meetings

The Salt Lake Chapter is starting again to have monthly meetings. Be sure to keep an eye out for upcoming meeting dates on the newsletter, facebook, and the blog! If you are interested in starting a chapter meeting in your area, contact Christy at christy.fillerup(at)gmail.com. A chapter is also being organized in Cedar City. To join contact Pamela at pdchatfield(at)gmail.com