19 February 2014

Gene-O-Rama 2014




                           
Ottawa Branch

Ontario Genealogical Society

Presents the 30th

GENE-O-RAMA

21-22 March 2014

Confederation Education Centre
1645 Woodroffe Avenue, Ottawa
(corner of Hunt Club and Woodroffe)

Speakers, Marketplace, Computer Room
Featured speaker: Jane E. MacNamara

For the latest details as they become available: http://ogsottawa.on.ca/geneorama/ 

For more information e-mail: conference@ogsottawa.on.ca

18 February 2014

New Ottawa Branch Banner unveiled at Heritage Day in Ottawa

A photo of the new Ottawa Branch banner at Heritage Day in Ottawa. The two distinguished gentlemen are Doug Gray and Mike More.

17 February 2014

Call for Nominations - Ottawa Branch



The new Branch Council for Ottawa Branch will be elected at the Annual General Meeting on Saturday 21 June at 1pm at the City of Ottawa Central Archives at 100 Tallwood Drive. All positions on the Council are open for election and any interested members are to contact the Past Chair at pastchair@ogsottawa.on.ca.

The Council meets once a month from September to June and we are now using the Internet for those who cannot physically join us in the room. Details of the positions are available at http://ogsottawa.on.ca/home/about-2/ . Nominees must be members of OGS and Ottawa Branch.

With the new Governance Model in place at the Society, we can expect changes to the operations of both the Branch and OGS. We need a strong Society taking us into the next era of genealogical service. Many members are getting older or are already doing several jobs within the Branch and we are looking to new members to step up and take on some of the roles. There are members who would be willing and capable of taking on these positions but are waiting to be asked. Please consider yourself asked. Whether you have been a long-time or recent member, whether actively involved or “quiet”, please consider the skills and qualities you possess and the passion you have for helping your Society and Branch as we move forward in this hobby that we all love. If you don’t feel up to the task right away, you could work with the current volunteer before assuming full responsibility. Few of us knew what to do when we started and we learned our way with on-the-job training from those who were more experienced.

Is there something specific that you would like to do? The Member-At-Large positions have no firm duties, so we could use people who would like to assist with tasks such as Gene-O-Rama, Outreach, Special Events, Social Media, Liaison or Publicity. Or would you like to run a project that would help the lot of genealogists in the area?

With your help, OGS and Ottawa Branch will stay strong and meet its mission:
To encourage, bring together and assist those interested in the pursuit of family history and to preserve our Ontario genealogical heritage.

Please consider where you fit into our future. If there is a part you can play on the Branch Council or in any other role with the Branch as a volunteer, now is the time to step forward. We need motivated people who are passionate about OGS, prepared to use their skills on behalf of others, willing to bring fresh ideas and, most of all, prepared to work to make things happen on behalf of all members. Our Branch cannot continue to exist if there is no one to lead.

15 February 2014

Ontario Genealogical Society at a Crossroads - A Message from the President



Over the last weeks, information has been distributed about the Society elections on May 3, 2014. Like many organizations, OGS finds itself at a crossroads. To be relevant in the future we need to understand not only who we have been and who we are, but who we need to be. We have been “Community, Education, and Advocacy” to serve our mission and objectives on behalf of our members and the broader genealogical community.

Now...The Society has a new governance model and seeks candidates for all positions – President, Vice - President and 4 - 6 Directors - at - Large. As President, I have spoken with many members, both veteran and new, and all have a desire to see a strong society taking us into the next era of genealogical service. Many are getting older or are already doing several jobs within the Branch, Special Interest Group (SIG) or Society. Others have already served in many ways throughout their membership. We are looking to new members to step up and take on roles, either within the Branch or SIG, or on the Society’s Board

Many feel there are members who would be willing and capable of taking on these positions but are waiting to be asked. It is also a fact that the greater the numbers , the less likely someone is to volunteer, the assumption being that someone else will step forward.

Please consider yourself asked.

Whether you have been a long - time or recent member, whether actively involved or “quiet”, please consider the skills and qualities you possess and the passion you have for helping your Society as we come to this crossroads in our history – our future

We need members with skills in a variety of categories as outlined in the Call for Nominations found in the OGS Members Only area: https://www.ogs.on.ca/membersonly/mem_sign_in.php . No one candid ate must be all things; each will bring his or her own unique skill(s). These will change over time as the needs of The Society change; new Directors in future years will bring new sets of skills. Over the long - term, OGS will stay strong and meet its mission:
To encourage, bring together and assist those interested in the pursuit of family history and to preserve our Ontario genealogical heritage.

Please consider where you fit into our future. If there is a part you can play on the OGS Board, now is the time to step forward. If you see another whom you might replace within your Branch/SIG to allow them to step forward, think about doing so now. Let’s find motivated people who are passionate about OGS, prepared to use their skills on behalf of others, willing to bring fresh ideas and, most of all, prepared to work jointly as a Board to actively make these things happen on behalf of all members of The Society.
Our Society cannot continue to exist if there is no one to lead.

Yes, together we are at a crossroads. Together we must choose the right direction.

Together we are OGS!

Please see the OGS Members Only area:https://www.ogs.on.ca/membersonly/mem_sign_in.php for more details.

Make arrangements for further discussion or to get answers to your questions by emailing nominations@ogs.on.ca or president@ogs.on.ca .

Call for Candidates closes February 21, 2014.

14 February 2014

FUNDING FOR GENEALOGICAL PROJECTS

From the Ottawa Branch website at http://ogsottawa.on.ca/grants/



The Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical society is offering  grants of up to  $2,500 each to  support genealogically related projects within the geographical area under the Ottawa Branch of  the  Ontario Genealogical Society , which includes the amalgamated City of  Ottawa, the United Counties of Prescott & Russell, the County of Lanark and the County of Renfrew. The total  grant money available for 2014 is $5 , 000.

Acceptable projects will contribute to the knowledge of genealogical techniques and to the  knowledge of genealogy relating to names, places, dates and family histories. This can include  creating publications, developing databases, digitization of  archival  material collections, hosting  training  sessions and  workshops, and the preservation of  archival  material collections. This grant  is not meant to fund employees, or other in - house labour wages , but c a n be used to contract  services and goods. 

Only  non - commercial entities may apply for this grant money including, genealogy societies,  museums, archives, libraries, schools, historical societies, and community groups. An eligible  applicant may submit more than one project proposal in any given year, and may apply in any  year t he grants are offered regardless of previous proposals or grants issued.
Successful applicants will be required to prepare and deliver a presentation related to their  funded project at either a Branch Meeting or Ottawa Branch Conference.  The support and  funding given by the Ottawa Branch must be acknowledged with the logo, web address, and  name of the Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society appearing on all promotional  material and/or physical aspects related to all projects receiving funding.  Successful applicants  must agree in writing to these conditions. 

Application Deadline:  March 15 , 2014 

See for details. at http://ogsottawa.on.ca/grants/