July Courses on GenClass

Don't miss out on the great opportunities for online learning available through GenClass.

Adoption Investigative Class
Canadian Research - Internet Resources - Part 1
Jump Start your Genealogy!
Lost Friends and Family Investigative Class
Native American Genealogy
Salt Lake City: Part 1 - the Largest Genealogical Library in the World!
Scottish Genealogy

Each class is $34.50 and features 8 lessons plus real-time interaction with an expert instructor.

Click here to register today!

Polish émigré gets into 7 Ivy Leagues

I'm always happy to see someone from Central or Eastern Europe earn some recognition!

I caught this story on MSNBC today.


5 years since entering U.S., he gets into 7 Ivy Leagues
Polish émigré couldn’t speak English; now he’s admitted to 17 top schools


By Bob Considine
TODAYShow.com contributor
updated 9:05 a.m. ET, Wed., June. 18, 2008

Lukasz Zbylut has taken “the old college try” to a whole new level.
The New York teenager, who emigrated from Poland only five years ago, applied to seven Ivy League schools — and was accepted by every one of them.

Click here to continue reading this article.

Fayette County Genealogical Society Seminar

I am pleased to be speaking, along with Elissa Powell, at the Fayette County Genealogical County Society seminar to be held at the Uniontown Library, Uniontown, PA this Saturday, June 21, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Click here for additional information about registration and lecture topics.

Out of This Furnace: The Play

I am really happy to announce this item.

The Unseam'd Shakespeare Company in Pittsburgh, PA is presenting "Out of This Furnace" a play by Andy Wolk and directed by Marci Woodruff, June 12-June 28, 2008 (Wed-Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 4 pm) Open Stage Theatre (2835 Smallman Street, in the Strip District)
Tickets: www.proartstickets.org, 412.394.3353.

Across three generations, one family struggles to build a life in the shadow of Carnegie’s first mill. A dramatic adaptation of Thomas Bell’s intimate tale of immigrants, labor, and the rise of unions in Braddock, PA--a revival of the production created in the 1970’s by Pittsburgh’s theatre for working-class audiences—the Iron Clad Agreement.

I am honored to have been asked to talk about my book Three Slovak Women (which I was inspired to write after reading Bell's novel), before the 4 p.m. performance on Sunday, June 22nd.

This will be a great afternoon to celebrate Slovak heritage!

Click on this link to read the review of the play from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Web site.

Update on the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids

Here is an update about the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids.
Thankfully, the staff and their families are safe and they are now trying to deal with the flood crisis and disaster recovery.

I visited this wonderful museum and library when I was a speaker at a conference of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts & Sciences, which was held in Cedar Rapids in 2003, and have interacted with many of the staff there for a variety of projects. As Gail Naughton, President and CEO, so eloquently says in her message posted on the their web site (see below) along with a photograph: "Czechs and Slovaks have endured many devastating events in their history with an indomitable spirit." I have faith that our friends in Cedar Rapids will as well.

My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone.



June 14, 2008

National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

NCSML.org

A statement from Gail Naughton, President/CEO

National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library

To our Czech and Slovak friends around the world.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library has been dealt a devastating blow with the massive flooding in Cedar Rapids. The museum buildings are surrounded by more than 10 feet of water up to the roof, which is rushing with such great force boats cannot get near. It is a flood of historic proportions, beyond any imagining. I want to assure our members and friends that everyone at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is safe. We were able to remove two semi truck loads of artifacts and books to safety, but we were unable to remove everything before we were told to leave. We will not know the full extent of the damage until we are able to get inside, which may be over a week. The museum staff and board of directors are already meeting to plan for disaster recovery and professional help is coming from across the country to advise and assist us.

I have received an outpouring of concern, support and love from across the United States and around the world. I want to thank everyone for these messages, which are so treasured by us as we go through these difficult days. Many have asked how they can help. At this point we don’t know. When we do, we will ask, because we will need the help of everyone in the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library family and Czechs and Slovaks worldwide to survive this.

Czechs and Slovaks have endured many devastating events in their history with an indomitable spirit. The United States is filled with the strength of those Czechs and Slovaks who settled here and built the nation.

A museum is more than a building, it exists in the hearts and souls of people. The treasured heritage of the Czechs and Slovaks will continue to be preserved as we triumph and rebuild the museum and library.

Callers will not be able to reach the Museum through our telephone number at this time. For the latest information go to the Museum’s website www.NCSML.org which will be periodically updated. As soon as phone service is restored, we will post it here.

"Shoot Your Best Shot..." Father's Day Reflections

It's hard to believe this is the third Father's Day without my dad. It's supposed to get easier, right? Well, I found myself missing Dad just as much today as I did the first year and the second. I missed giving him a hug and kiss, and some token present or card (my father never really bought into the "Hallmark Moment" thing) which Dad accepted graciously, but somehow I always knew that the gesture had more significance for me than for him.

I've written about my father in this Blog before, so I am going to keep this posting short. My father was a kind, generous, and hard working man. He gave without expecting anything in return and taught me not by his words, but by his actions. My father was also an outstanding basketball player in his youth and well into his late 30s. And in keeping with the basketball metaphor, one of his favorite sayings both on the court and off, was "Shoot Your Best Shot."

I am trying to follow that advice.

Happy Father's Day, Dad. You are dearly missed.

With love from Lisa

Flooding at NCSM&L in Cedar Rapids, Iowa‏

I received this notice today from the Slovak-American Society of Washington (SASW). The devastation in Iowa is being felt by so many individuals and also by those who work to preserve Czech and Slovak History. Thoughts and prayers are with everyone who have gone through this disaster.

***

The National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids has been caught in the flooding in that city. NCSM&L has water up to the ceiling on its first floor, and the water is still rising. Unfortunately, the flooding occurred so fast that staff were able to get only a few things out of the first floor. SASW will send out more information as it becomes available.

News from Everton's Genealogical Helper

This announcement has been posted on many of the other genealogy blogs out there (I am a bit "behind the eight ball" I guess)... Nevertheless, I wanted to pass along the news here in support of EGH and editor, Leland Meitzler). I'm looking forward to the new online edition!

***

Everton’s Genealogical Helper Adds New Online Edition!

New Online Edition of Everton’s Genealogical Helper will debut July 1! Subscribe today for only $10.00!

LOGAN, Utah, June 12, 2008. Genealogy Online, Inc., publisher of Everton’s Genealogical Helper, today, announced the publication of the Genealogical Helper in an Online Edition. The Online Edition is an identical copy of the 176-page paper edition – complete with hotlinks to the hundreds of website addresses found therein.

Launch Date – The new Online Edition will launch on July 1 – simultaneous with the home delivery and newsstand date of the paper edition of the July-August issue.

Free Access – Subscribers to the traditional Genealogical Helper will have 100% FREE online access to the magazine – with no extra fees whatsoever. See http://www.everton.com for sign-up information.

Online Edition subscriptions – Everton’s Genealogical Helper, Online Edition, will sell for just $12.00 per year! That is only $2 per issue! And it’s only $10.00 for subscriptions made before July 1 at http://www.everton.com or phone 1-800-443-6325.

Net Family History – An important feature of Everton’s Genealogical Helper is the magazine within a magazine entitled Net Family History. New information specific to using the Internet for genealogy is always found in this portion of the bimonthly publication. Extensive website reviews are always located here, as well as articles dealing with Internet-related activities.

Why an online edition? – Every issue of Everton’s Genealogical Helper now contains hundreds of website addresses. The Internet is where some of the most exciting genealogical resource advances are taking place, so it’s required that information about these resources be disseminated to the Helper’s thousands of readers in every issue. Everton’s Genealogical Helper, Online Edition, will allow readers to go from their paper edition to the hotlinked Online Edition and access any of the websites with just a keystroke or two – no more typing in those lengthy website addresses! The Online Edition offers more than just the links found in the magazine – it is the entire magazine itself!

Format & hosting – Everton’s Genealogical Helper, Online Edition, will be in pdf format, readable by anyone, with any computer running an Adobe Acrobat Reader (Available at Adobe.com as a FREE download.) The Online Edition will be hosted by FamilyLink.com, Inc.

Why subscribe to the Genealogical Helper? – Subscribe to have access to the Helper’s how-to & historical articles, Net Family History (see above), genealogical sharing, extensive book and CD-ROM reviews & announcements, queries, the most complete event calendar available anywhere, and hundreds of ads detailing new products and services. In addition to these day-to-day features, you will also have access to the NEW updated, hotlinked Directory of Genealogical and Historical Societies – to be published in the Sept/Oct and Nov-Dec issues! Edited by Leland K. Meitzler, the Helper is guaranteed to help you extend your lines and fill in those blanks in your family tree.

WHAT A DEAL! – Your cost for a full subscription (the paper magazine & online access both) is less than 3 cents per page – delivered to your home, and now accessible online. Subscribe to the Online Edition alone for just over a penny a page! Subscribe by July 1 and it’s less than a penny per page!

Subscribe NOW at: http://www.everton.com or phone 800-443-6325.

*************

About Genealogy Online, Inc.

Genealogy Online, dba Everton Publishers, is the publisher of Everton’s Genealogical Helper, now in its 62^nd year of helping genealogists find their ancestors. Genealogy Online, Inc. also publishes the Handybook for Genealogists, 11^th edition, a top-selling guidebook for family historians. Their website is found at: http://www.everton.com. Also see: http//www.GenealogyBlog.com.

Writing Your Family History Course


I will be teaching a course on Writing Your Family History at Broome Community College in Binghamton, NY this Saturday, June 14th from 9:00-1:00. This is my favorite class to teach. I enjoy interacting with others who have an interest in sharing their family stories.

2008 FEEFHS Conference Publicity Video



The 2008 Federation of East European Family History Societies Annual Conference is coming up soon--August 1-3 in Pittsburgh, PA. The event is being held at the Pittsburgh Airport Marriott Hotel. Check out the new video on YouTube to see what exciting things are being planned for this conference. Click here to view the video.



For more information, see the FEEFHS web site.