October 4th Saturday Workshop Review (by Susi Pentico)

     The “Engaging Your Family in Your Family History” workshop at Bonita-Sunnyside Library had 20 attendees, including 4 visitors.  

     We were happy for those who came and shared and shared and cared.  We all went home happy and tired but felt that the attendees were really getting what we were attempting to share with them.  Research is always easier when you can share and cross-check and discuss the potentials of information. It can be regionally, locally or distantly - it makes a difference to share.

     Much credit goes to the Chart Chick, Janet Hovorka of Family ChartMasters, for her ideas and thoughts and the charts she provided.  

     The first session (of five) was “Create a Keepsake” led by Susi Pentico.  A society tablecloth was signed by the attendees. If you signed it, just think - your name is going to kick around for quite some time. A suggestion was for small families to use a pillow for the signatures.  Wedding gifts, family reunions, baby shower gifts, birthday party gifts could use the same theme idea. 

     The second session was “Storytelling.”  Each attendee told a family story about their own life or that of an ancestor. As one person said, “if we did this question every four years, the stories would change.”  It would almost be like a running diary of their growing up and living life from a small child to an adult.  

     After lunch, the third session, “Design a Family Crest,” was led by Karen Yarger.  She talked about heraldry, and then demonstrated how to inspire family members to make a family crest, based on their interests and creativity.

     In the fourth session, Karen demonstrated “Pictures With Captions.”  Everyone had great fun adding funny captions to sample family photographs using “speech bubbles” and “thought balloons.”

     The fifth and last session was “Family Genealogy Charts,” led by Susi.  The handout packet contained five helpful genealogy charts – a pedigree chart, a family group sheet, a census chart, a research log, and a record type list.  In addition a large multi-generational family tree chart, provided by Janet Hovorka, was given to each attendee.  

     I am hoping the 20 attendees will share in January how these ideas helped to get the family to think a little more about family history and how we lived in the past. Even if the past was only 20 years ago, it makes a difference.