Speakers’ Corner Preview: Live with with Jill Swenson and Katherine Brodt

Stories250 with guest Helene McClanahan of Letters from Labelle

Thank you, Mira Romaine [https://substack.com/profile/232101545-mira-romaine], Kyla Bayang [https://substack.com/profile/316733498-kyla-bayang], Jennifer Jones [https://substack.com/profile/260013785-jennifer-jones], Linda Teather [https://substack.com/profile/185449888-linda-teather], Tamara Buzyna Adams [https://substack.com/profile/68866172-tamara-buzyna-adams], Jim the Historian [https://substack.com/profile/25723678-jim-the-historian], Sheri Handel [https://substack.com/profile/16069317-sheri-handel], Becky Hetchler [https://substack.com/profile/186505689-becky-hetchler], Karen - Your Family Stories [https://substack.com/profile/34820459-karen-your-family-stories], Bill Schock [https://substack.com/profile/256999637-bill-schock], Nolene [https://substack.com/profile/99788720-nolene], MamaCarole [https://substack.com/profile/297279964-mamacarole], John Higginbotham [https://substack.com/profile/244162322-john-higginbotham], Todd Wilson [https://substack.com/profile/214673969-todd-wilson], Judith Dianne Ely [https://substack.com/profile/16988174-judith-dianne-ely], Bill Moore [https://substack.com/profile/51729824-bill-moore], and so many more for joining Helene McClanahan [https://substack.com/@helenelettersfromlabelle] and me today. I can’t tell you how much it means to me here on the American West Coast to see all of you joining from across the Pacific in Australia and New Zealand, and from across the American states and Canadian provinces. The little ❤️s you drop keep us motivated and give this series a little more visibility. Feel free to create clips from this post to share with your friends. Projectkin [http://projectkin.org/] programming is offered free thanks to the kind support of our generous patrons [http://projectkin.org/patrons] around 🌏 the 🌍 world 🌎. The War Wasn’t the Same in the West Helene’s personal perspective on this complicated side of the war lets us “ride shotgun” on the battles and appreciate the harsh realities of this conflict. Her presentation of the story plucked just the rudiments of the story she’s been knitting in the chapter releases about her ancestor, legendary Pennsylvania & Kentucky Frontiersman John Hinkson (1729-1789). This incredible story is a fantastic introduction to the western side of this battle for anyone with ancestors from this area. A little research into your own ancestors may drop you right into this story, or perhaps into the next valley. If you’re not already familiar with Helene | Letters from LaBelle [https://substack.com/profile/34870574-helene-letters-from-labelle], you’ll find her publication here: About Stories250 Learn more about the series at Projectkin.org/stories250 [http://projectkin.org/stories250], view all recordings and posts, then explore the posts in an interactive timeline [http://projectkin.org/stories250-timeline]. You’ll find the first of the eight chapters she’s released so far here: Remember, all of our speakers, their guests, and community members are invited to our two free programs on Thursday, July 9th where we’ll talk about the stories, our experience with this project, and where this might go from here. The two programs will be recorded and shared the next day in a single recording. This program will celebrate the conclusion of the series and complement the commemorative magazine I’m producing to include all articles in the series. Learn more: If you have stories to share, there’s still time. The window to submit posts remains open through midnight Pacific time on June 30th. Learn more at Projectkin.org/stories250 [http://projectkin.org/stories250]. Participation in the program is entirely free. As Projectkin, we’re here to help families tell their stories in any form. I feel strongly that our collections of photos and other artifacts are key to our memories and, in turn, our stories. If you have a publication of your own, and you think your friends might find this interesting, why not let your friends know with a recommendation? These are public posts, and our events are free because sharing your stories is that important. Let’s get this started See all coming events in our calendar at Projectkin.org/events [http://projectkin.org/events]. With the American Semiquincentennial coming up next week, I’m taking a holiday on Friday, July 5th. Our next program will be the July 9th duo. Join us? (As Mission: Genealogy [https://open.substack.com/pub/missiongenealogy], I’ll also be hosting sessions on July 7th. Please see MissionGenealogy.org/events [http://MissionGenealogy.org/events] to learn more.) Get full access to Projectkin at projectkin.substack.com/subscribe [https://projectkin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Projectkin Live: The View from Kathy's Corner

Thank you Bill Moore [https://substack.com/profile/51729824-bill-moore], Rose Mungaray [https://substack.com/profile/228820661-rose-mungaray], Gail Saucedo [https://substack.com/profile/25639844-gail-saucedo], Linda Teather [https://substack.com/profile/185449888-linda-teather], MamaCarole [https://substack.com/profile/297279964-mamacarole], Diane Burley [https://substack.com/profile/183003391-diane-burley], Marian Beaman [https://substack.com/profile/49691247-marian-beaman], and so many of you for joining Kathy Stone [https://substack.com/profile/177868959-kathy-stone], and me today. I can’t tell you how much it means to me here on the American Pacific coast to see all of you joining from the UK, the continent, across the American states and Canadian provinces. Your thoughts, comments, and encouragement are the glue that holds this community together. The little ❤️s you drop keep us motivated and give this series a little more visibility. Feel free to create clips from this post to share with your friends. Projectkin [http://projectkin.org/] programming is offered free thanks to the kind support of our generous patrons [http://projectkin.org/patrons] around 🌏 the 🌍 world 🌎. Of Quilting Bees and Scrapbooks This Solstice weekend was a little different from your ordinary weekday break. I’m updating these notes after my drive home from a getaway with my husband in a secret location in the Sierra Foothills. Kathy used the livestream as a break from her marathon Zoom sessions with scrapbooking friends, keeping each other company while scrapbooking. This modern twist on the quilting bee had Kathy thinking about how we tell our own stories. She’d recently lost a dear friend whom she’d gotten to know when her kids were little. Like Kathy, her “mom-friend” was the family storykeeper. She was the one who collected the kids’ stories, treasures, and mementos. With her passing, the family struggled to collect remembrances. Losing her friend was a wake-up call. It’s time to focus on her own stories. Or, as Kathy’s guest in May, Lori Olson White [https://substack.com/profile/61971012-lori-olson-white] puts it, it’s time to “tell your own damn stories.” The quiet mountain air, dazzling starlight, and the chatter of woodpeckers, wrens, and ravens have a way of focusing the mind. The Sierra foothills of California were where gold was discovered in 1849, irrevocably changing the region's history. Exploring small museums and historic parks, I came away more committed than ever not only to “being a good ancestor.” I’m concerned about more than my own story. I also want my descendants can appreciate our connection with history. Whether as witnesses to nature before fire, floods, and plagues, or as testimony to moments in history, our stories tell our descendants about where they came from. As with all Kathy’s Corner programs, we’ll get down to the brass tacks, sticky tape, and acid-free options. We might even cover topics like converting and preserving media, links, and objects. ⮕ As a bonus this week, Lori will be back as a special guest to share an update on her progress with her “Bridge to 2076 [https://loriolsonwhite.substack.com/p/building-my-bridge-to-2076-episode-34c]” project. Who knows, you just might be inspired to start one of your own. Hmm… Here’s an idea: * If you’re getting started on a big project and need a little encouragement to keep going, why not join one of our Mission: Genealogy [https://tockify.com/eventscalendar/monthly?search=mission&startms=1782889200000] gatherings and let’s talk about it? It’s not quite a quilting bee, but it’s a way to gather with friends and “do Genealogy together,” talk through a storytelling approach with like-minded supporters, or ask for help in research. * Just sign up on Zoom [https://tockify.com/eventscalendar/monthly?search=mission&startms=1782889200000]. We’ll see you there! As Projectkin, we’re here to help families tell their stories in any form. I feel strongly that our collections of photos and other artifacts are key to our memories and, in turn, our stories. If you have a publication of your own, and you think your friends might find this interesting, why not let your friends know with a recommendation? These are public posts, and our events are free because sharing your stories is that important. Let’s get this started! See all coming events in our calendar at Projectkin.org/events [http://projectkin.org/events]. Get full access to Projectkin at projectkin.substack.com/subscribe [https://projectkin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Speakers’ Corner Preview: Live with with Jill Swenson and Katherine Brodt

Thank you, Linda Teather [https://substack.com/profile/185449888-linda-teather], Diane Burley [https://substack.com/profile/183003391-diane-burley], Bill Moore [https://substack.com/profile/51729824-bill-moore], Jenn Sharp [https://substack.com/profile/202992317-jenn-sharp], Sara Biren [https://substack.com/profile/27075435-sara-biren], Erin O'Malley [https://substack.com/profile/18007753-erin-omalley], MamaCarole [https://substack.com/profile/297279964-mamacarole], Richard Hogan, MD, PhD(2), DBA [https://substack.com/profile/205390666-richard-hogan-md-phd2-dba], Mary Wagner [https://substack.com/profile/51504784-mary-wagner], and so many more of you for joining Jennifer Jones [https://substack.com/profile/260013785-jennifer-jones], Jill Swenson [https://substack.com/profile/17281869-jill-swenson] and Katherine Brodt [https://substack.com/profile/32548944-katherine-brodt] today. Thank you for your comments, thoughts, and encouragement. They are the glue that holds this community together. The little ❤️s you drop keep us motivated and give this series a little more visibility. Feel free to create clips from this post to share with your friends. Projectkin [http://projectkin.org/] programming is offered free thanks to the kind support of our generous patrons [http://projectkin.org/patrons] around 🌏 the 🌍 world 🌎. Connecting Heart, Home, and Family Today’s episode centered on the subtle ways in which a place becomes part of a family. Jennifer’s conversation with Kate and Jill is a terrific introduction to their program later in the week: Jill Swenson: The Town of Warroad near Lake of the Woods Jill starts with a touching view of home in this remote, and in winter, very cold part of Minnesota’s “Chimney” near Lake of the Woods. It’s hard to appreciate the geography without a map: Jill framed the experience of returning home in the context of her mother’s story and how this place pulled her in. (Jill’s new memoir, The Land of Everlasting Sky [https://jilldswenson.com/], is available in bookstores and has started shipping to pre-orders.) Thursday’s program promises to be a fascinating weave of place, cultures, and grief. Learn more about Jill and her publication at: Katherine Brodt: 1890s Home on Vinalhaven, Maine Kate’s story takes us to the Atlantic coast island of Vinalhaven, her family home from the 1980s, with a history dating back to the 1890s. As a trained historian with experience connecting families to the history of a house museum, Kate has turned her skills to getting to know the strangers who lived in her home. It started for Kate with an itch of curiosity, a collage, and now a growing Substack publication. We look forward to hearing more about both of these stories and considering how they might inspire our own work. In fact, the UK-based Society of Genealogists’ window for submission of talks for this year’s “All About That Place” (AATP) series is still open. Consider your own studies about place, one-place studies, and even changing places, and submit your ideas by June 30th. Learn more here [https://sog.org.uk/all-about-that-place-call-for-speakers/]. Projectkin will again be a co-sponsor of the event, October 7-16, offering our own series of livestreamed programs. Programs from last year can still be viewed at Projectkin.org/aatp [http://Projectkin.org/aatp]. Stay tuned for more. As Projectkin, we’re here to help families tell their stories in any form. I feel strongly that our collections of photos and other artifacts are key to our memories and, in turn, our stories. If you have a publication of your own, and you think your friends might find this interesting, why not let your friends know with a recommendation? This nifty button, “your.substack.com/publish/recommendations [http://your.substack.com/publish/recommendations],” takes you to your own recommendations dashboard. (Seriously, try it!) Naturally, I’d love a recommendation, but I also encourage everyone to be generous in sharing recommendations for the publications you enjoy. It helps us find each other as family history buffs in the nicest possible way. 🥰 Oh, one more thing — if you think this post might interest a friend or colleague, why not just pass it along? These are public posts, and our events are free because sharing your stories is that important. Let’s get this started! See all coming events in our calendar at Projectkin.org/events [http://projectkin.org/events]. Get full access to Projectkin at projectkin.substack.com/subscribe [https://projectkin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Projectkin Live with Paul Chiddicks: Previewing “The Story Finds You.”

Thank you Linda Teather [https://substack.com/profile/185449888-linda-teather], Jim the Historian [https://substack.com/profile/25723678-jim-the-historian], Brahna Derr [https://substack.com/profile/437508879-brahna-derr], Mark Lane [https://substack.com/profile/17997581-mark-lane], Lisa Maguire [https://substack.com/profile/29373378-lisa-maguire], Rain Aldous [https://substack.com/profile/430036630-rain-aldous], Kristin Rapinac [https://substack.com/profile/322547068-kristin-rapinac], Jill Swenson [https://substack.com/profile/17281869-jill-swenson], Kyla Bayang [https://substack.com/profile/316733498-kyla-bayang], The Wicked Sommelier [https://substack.com/profile/477392485-the-wicked-sommelier], Roland Millward [https://substack.com/profile/64005320-roland-millward], Jennifer Ann Blair [https://substack.com/profile/20992200-jennifer-ann-blair], Steve Bowbrick [https://substack.com/profile/1450308-steve-bowbrick], Country Girl [https://substack.com/profile/109441254-country-girl] and so many more of you for joining Paul Chiddicks [https://substack.com/profile/152592061-paul-chiddicks] and me today. I can’t tell you how much it means to us to see you join us from around the continent. Thank you for your added ❤️s to help others see this conversation, too. Thank you. Did I miss you? Add your thoughts in the comments below. Projectkin [http://projectkin.org] programming is offered free with the kind support of our Patrons [http://projectkin.org/patrons] worldwide. Explore our story and join us 👇. Listening for the Story with “sir” Paul 🥐 I’ve been chasing Paul Chiddicks to join me in a Projetkin event for a year or more. We’d never quite been able to find a time that worked. As I’ve gotten to know him, his personal story of coaching has added a richness to the whole that he adds to our family history community. It’s an honor to have made the calendar adjustments to make both today’s program and to arrange for our special episode on Adelaide’s story on Wednesday this week. If you haven’t already, take a moment to register. We’ll wait. Well done. In our conversation this morning, Paul talked about how he’s used his research skills since filling out the structural genealogical elements of his family tree to explore the stories that unfold from the limbs. He mentioned several that came to him, among them * The American pilot’s gravestone, he discovered while on his walk: * The Boy Behind The Picture [https://chiddickstree.substack.com/p/the-boy-behind-the-picture], the story of the little newsboy on the day after the Titanic sank: * Finally, Adelaide’s story. There is so much behind this story. Paul referenced a few elements in our conversation, but each is worthy of a little exploration ahead of Wednesday’s program. First, is this piece on Substack about the photograph itself: Next is the original post on his Chiddicks Family Tree site that went viral with the story of Adelaide Springett: On Wednesday, Paul will share the details of this incredible story, the connection to the industrialization of England, Jack-the-Ripper, and a larger story that connects with everyone of us as we witness poverty in our own lives. Is this the kind of post you think your friends and followers might appreciate as well? Kindly add a recommendation so they know how you feel. You’ll be doing us the favor of spreading our work. Thank you. I’m able to share these and all of our programs and posts for free thanks to both the economics of modern platforms and the generous support of our wonderful Projectkin patrons. You’re more than welcome to share this post with friends and family to encourage them to take the time to consider their own stories. Thank you. Get full access to Projectkin at projectkin.substack.com/subscribe [https://projectkin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Live with the Ride Along Partners at the US National Genealogical Society Annual Meeting

This is an update to the post originally published on May 27th, immediately after our livestream from the opening reception in the expo hall at the NGS Family History Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana [https://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/]. The conference gave us an excuse to build on the Ride Along theme GeneaBloggers [https://substack.com/profile/339561723-geneabloggers] transformed at this year’s RootsTech with DearMYRTLE [https://substack.com/profile/147418052-dearmyrtle] and Kyla Bayang [https://substack.com/profile/316733498-kyla-bayang] chatting with visitors and exploring news and highlights from the show floor. The NGS conference is a very different sort of event, and this expo hall filled with local historical and genealogical societies was a very different kind of experience. It’s an insiders’ event that allows all of us bitten by the genealogy bug to celebrate and inspire each other. This event created a number of very special opportunities we may be talking about in the coming months, but I wanted to take a moment to thank not only my buddy and roomie, Kyla, but also those who, as active Geneabloggers [http://geneabloggers.com], were supporting our mission in their conversations with everyone at the conference. Without Paul’s tap on the shoulder, the crazy livestream never would have happened. In fact, two of our members received awards during the opening session recognizing their work over the years: Randy Seaver, Geneaholic [https://substack.com/profile/17919500-randy-seaver-geneaholic], and Ron Chan [https://substack.com/profile/185449847-ron-chan]. * As a well-known voice on Monday’s with Myrt, DearMYRTLE [https://substack.com/profile/147418052-dearmyrtle?utm_source=mention] posted an article about Randy’s award of recognition [https://dearmyrtle.substack.com/p/ngs-randy-seaver-is-honored] on Thursday.) * You might recognize Ron for his extensive work in Chinese-American genealogy. Though most of his programming is with local groups here in the Bay Area, he’s also joined us as a guest at Projectkin for several posts and events [http://projectkin.org/ron-chan]. I’ll take responsibility for some minor technical glitches, but I’m also proud that we tried. You’ll see these lessons weave their way into the success of future programs and events. As community members and participants from Projectkin and Geneabloggers, we were honored to meet so many new people and to thank our kind supporters. I’m grateful to our host, Rick Voight, who went out of his way to make space for us in his platinum-sponsor booth space at the show, Vivid-Pix [http://vivid-pix.com]. In the video, you’ll see me chatting with founder Bruce Ha [https://nanofiche.com/team/] at Nanofiche [https://nanofiche.com/], a fascinating solution for long-term image storage. We came away from the conference with hundreds of notes, document scans, and inspired ideas. It’s going to take weeks to absorb them all. Thanks for coming along with Kyla and me. If any of you, as members and supporters of our Projectkin and Geneabloggers, have an upcoming public event, we just might have some materials you can use to help share the story. I’ve tried to capture our joint mission to encourage family history storytelling at RideAlongPartners.org [http://RideAlongPartners.org]: That domain property also gives us a quick and easy way to share photos, stories, and encouragement with organizations. You can see the update for the NGS conference here [http://RideAlongPartners.org]. We also shared little blue pencils and bookmarks (convenient for use at the ACPL Genealogy Center), but they are inexpensive and generic precisely so that we can keep using them at local events. Add your thoughts in the comments below or just reach out to Kyla [http://substack.com/@rootsquadroundup] or me [http://substack.com/@projectkin] directly. Get full access to Projectkin at projectkin.substack.com/subscribe [https://projectkin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]