BLOGIVERSARY

ELEVEN YEARS

Today marks the eleventh anniversary of this blog.

Over the years it has changed direction and this year all of my posts have been about RootsTech.

The first part of next year will probably be the same as February is not far away. 

Today I want to update you on the other keynote speakers which have been announced and the sessions which those of us not at RootsTech 2019 can watch live.

The Keynote speaker for Thursday, February 28, 2019 is the  Emmy Award-Winning Actress Patricia Heaton.

The Keynote speaker for Saturday, March 2, 2019 is the Well-known Ukulele Master Musician Jake Shimabukuro.

See my previous post for the keynote on Friday, March 1, 2019.

The schedule for the live streaming is out and you can check it out here

I also want to highlight another event which is purely online.

This takes place January 11-14, 2019.

Are you a member of WikiTree?

Have you got images you could add to your WikiTree profiles?

Are you going to join in with the first Scan A Thon?

Want to find out more take a look here.

If you want help with ideas on how to scan or what to scan then look out for my upcoming post at  GeneaBloggersTRIBE

RootsTech 2019 Salt Lake City Keynote Speakers

Who is lined up?

If you want to know who will be on the main stage at RootTech SLC next year then take a look.

Steve Rockwood is a familiar face who I got to speak to last year. It appears that we may share a common ancestor as I have relatives who were mormon pioneers.

However, I was not familiar with the Friday keynote speaker having not seen the film based on his story.

Have a look here to find out more about him.

RootTech 2019 Salt Lake City Video Contest

Would you like to win in a trip

for two to your ancestral homeland!

I am fortunate that I can visit the locations where my family have lived as I have not found anyone who was an immigrant.

However other relatives have emigrated to countries across the world. If you are a descendant of someone who was an immigrant you may be living thousands of miles from where they were born.

If you were to win this contest that trip to their homeland could become a reality.

My husband's ancestor lived in this house which we visited.

What does Connect. Belong. mean to you?

Tell your story, and share how you connect and belong through video.

Submit your entry on this page.

RootsTech 2019 SLC Registration Winner

And the winner is?

Before I announce who has won let me share something which my winner and anyone going or even watching online needs to have on their smartphone.

You can find out more about the app here.

The app will help you to navigate the event and connect with others. Also check out this video series called Roads to RootsTech.

My winner this year said that going to RootsTech would be a dream vacation for her. She also said that "I have always loved family history and learning, but I know that there are so many new tools I do not know about". 

She plans to stay with family so this will also be a chance to catch up with them which is a real bonus.

This will be her first attendance at a RootsTech conference and I hope she has a great time.

Her name is Jeanne Lunt.

As I am unable to attend in person this year can I ask that everyone makes her welcome and if you know me say hello from me.

RootsTech 2019 News

With RootsTech coming to London in October 2019 preparations are well underway. Last week the call went out for those who may be planning to attend. If you think you could be a Presenter or would like to be an Ambassador here is your chance Sign up to be a Presenter or Ambassador here.

If you read my previous post regarding RootsTech 2019 you will know that I am an Ambassador and have a free pass for one lucky person.

If you are planning to attend RootsTech 2019 in Salt Lake City and would like the opportunity to win a free registration only (you pay for your own accommodation and transport ). Then follow this link, to answer a couple of short questions about why you would like to attend and whether this would be your first RootsTech conference, leave your name and contact email. (as last year all information will be deleted after the winner has been drawn other than that required to maintain contact with the winner) If you are a winner, but not a blogger, I will be happy to publish your feedback from the event, particularly if it was the first time you were able to attend. 
Good Luck everyone.
I will be closing the entries on Monday 19th November 2018 at 12:00 GMT/UTC.
Winner will be announced later that same day.

RootsTech 2019

RootsTech 2019 News

I am a bit late with some of this news but will include the links here just in case you have not seen them elsewhere.

I will be continuing my series about my experience earlier this year at RootsTech 2018 so keep an eye on the blog for more.

If you have never managed to attend this conference and wonder why others continue to attend every year then take a look at this page.

If you want more information or alternative pricing take a look here.

The earlybird pricing ends next week (12 October) so make sure you get in and register soon if you don't want to miss out on a good price.  

As I am a RootsTech Ambassador for the second year I will have a free pass for one lucky person. If you have already registered and win you will get a refund so don't delay your registration.

Finally as I am attending 3 conferences in the UK in 2019 I am not expecting to make it to the Salt Lake event this year. 

However, if you want a RootsTech experience and cannot make it to the United States one of the events I will be attending is RootsTech London which is in October next year (so you have a whole year to save up for it).

If you have ancestors from the UK you may want to make this a family trip in more ways than one.

Salt Lake City Trip - Day1

Welcome to the first of my posts from Salt Lake City where I am connecting with Genealogy friend old and new gathering for this years RootsTech Conference which started on Wednesday, 28th February 2018.

 

Pre-flight breakfast at the airport

                                                                                       

The plane from Manchester, England to New York

This first day got off to a great start I met up with Tahitia McCabe, Roger Moffat and his wife Lisa Christensen at breakfast and we had a great geneachat.

Next, I joined in with the weekly webinar Mondays with Myrt which was broadcast live from the third floor of the Family History Library,

Laura Hedgecock, Jill Ball and Hilary Gadsby.

Photograph courtesy of Jill Ball aka GeniAus

We discussed the GeneaBloggers Tribe and explained more about what some of us do. Jill and I, assisted by Laura, are responsible for highlighting newly registered blogs with a Welcome post. Laura is responsible for ensuring the Welcome post gets on the website and schedules the post, each new member receives a notification that their blog will be highlighted on a particular day.
Please watch the webinar which you can find on Dear Myrtle's blog.

Most of the group then walked over to the cafeteria in the Church Office Building for lunch.

After lunch, it was time to do some research so I returned to the Family History Library and down to B2 the British Isles Floor. Some of the items I have added to the Family Search Family Tree are only available to view in the library or at a Family History Centre. I accessed and downloaded a few images of interest. One item I had not realised had been digitized was the settlement examination for my ancestor Louisa Richards which I have discussed on my family blog.

Upon returning to my room I freshened up for dinner. For several years now Jill Ball has organised a meal for those attending RootsTech who live in countries which are members of the Commonwealth.
I thought I had taken some photographs. When I arrived most of the others were there at the Blue Lemon. Jill has uploaded this to YouTube but not everyone is in this slideshow. I was told the one I was in was not in focus.
This was the only time I went to this restaurant this visit as I was not around the following day when others met for lunch. This is a popular eating place for the genealogy crowd.

I returned to my hotel and started to write this post but was not getting very far as I nodded off more than once. 
Off to bed ready to meet up with Laura, Jenny and Lara in the morning.

View from my room at The Radisson Hotel

Rootstech Ambassadors interview Steve Rockwood

In this interview I am the Ambassador who connects with Steve Rockwood using Relatives at RootsTech that was discussed in the opening session on the Livestream from RootsTech on Wednesday 28 February 2018.

I also had a connection with a 5th cousin once removed. Ancestry DNA is giving attendees badges with places on them, this is an example, and asking us to find someone else with that same place on their badge. You then go together to collect your prize which is determined by a marble roll. When I was on my way to a talk on Wednesday I found my match. She was from Canterbury, England and the wife of the presenter I was about to watch. That is not all as I recognised the name of the person giving out the prizes and he confirmed that he was indeed the person showing on the Relatives at RootsTech app.

Relatives at RootsTech activity

Are you attending RootsTech?

If you need to find out more details take a look here

I have family living in the US and others in my tree have moved there. 

I would love to find a connection to others at the conference if you find a connection let me know.