Lee County Genealogical Society

December Meeting ~ Holiday Traditions
2023-12-14 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church – Fellowship Hall, 8260 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, FL, United States
Please RSVP that you are coming and if you plan to bring a dish. That way we make sure there is plenty of food. To RSVP or to attend virtually, the links are below this flyer…
RSVP using this link: https://us1.list-manage.com/survey?u=4311ea8ec15e86013f829ebb7&id=aacf688f14&attribution=false
To attend virtually, click the following link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMoceCvqDMrGtIld-aprivuvUOe7hzLdIZi

Types of Libraries presented by Bryan Mulcahy
2024-01-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church – Fellowship Hall, 8260 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, FL, United States
Join us for our January 2024 monthly meeting with speaker Bryan Mulcahy as he presents his program on Types of Libraries. Libraries are not all the same. From a genealogical research perspective, libraries have rare book collections, periodicals, local history collections, access to online databases, as well as other resources that are unique to that collection or location.
Speaker will be in person. Meeting will be hybrid.
To attend virtually, register using this link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIrc-usrDwoGd27yn9QkSgVikNRtWqbdNst

Using Fold3 Library Edition presented by Debra Dudek
2024-02-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church – Fellowship Hall, 8260 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, FL, United States
Join us for our February 2024 monthly meeting with Debra Dudek who will be presenting Using FOLD3 Library Edition. Love it or hate it, Fold3 is cornering the market on American military records online. Learn how to navigate the site, browse resources effectively, and find the hidden gems on this fantastic database.
Visit Debra at her website: https://www.debradudek.com/ or her blog: https://www.debradudek.com/blog
Speaker will be in person. Meeting will be hybrid.
If you are attending virtually, use the following link to register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0qduuppjkpG9IBi1U_jVETAF0jxKA-djG2

DNA SIG
2024-02-19 14:00 - 15:30 | FL
DNASIG Meeting Mon Jan 29 2024 2-#:30 pm ET NO RSVP – Zoom Link Included

If you think others would benefit from the topics below, please feel free to distribute this email to your society members, friends, and frenemies!! All are welcome to join the fun.

If you are new to the group, please send the following info: name, email, location, phone number to genresearch13@yahoo. Without this info you will not be admitted to the meeting or will be removed.

Hi All,

For all of us whose goal it is to develop matches – genetic and/or genealogical – and then add the match to our genealogical tree – AncDNA ThruLines could be the Best Cheat Sheet you ever used – Or Not?!

I have presented the topic before, but Anc ThruLines deserved to be talked about again and again…………

Come and see how AncestryDNA ThruLine feature can help you…….or Not (not necessarily in order)?

Shortcut your finding relevant DNA matches.
Finding DNA matches you did/would not find.
Discovering tree that have whole/partial branches you need to explore.
Find sources in a new and easy too help accept/reject a match.
Reveal an exact diagram of your connection between you and a match/multiple matches.
What is your favorite above or what would you add.

I will be online to open the Zoom room 1 hr before the beginning of the meeting, for anyone who wants to join.
The official meeting will begin at the stated time.

The meeting will be recorded and sent to those who attend only.
The AncDNA ThruLines Resource Guide will be sent to those who come.

If you are new to the group, please send the following info: name, email, location, phone number to genresearch13@yahoo. Without this info you will not be admitted to the meeting or will be removed.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89526463085?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 895 2646 3085
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Regards,
Arthur
Naples, FL
DNA SIG of Collier/Lee Co FL
Jewish Genealogy SIG of Collier/Lee Co FL
genresearch13@yahoo.com
954-328-3559
Skype: live:asissman2

GEDmatch Free Tools Workshop with Arthur Sissman (Virtual)
2024-03-07 13:00 - 16:00 | FL
Announcement: GEDmatch Free Tools Workshop on March 7, 2024 1-4 pm ET Zoom RSVP FREE
Invitation to GEDmatch Workshop on March 7, 2024 1-4 pm ET Zoom RSVP FREE

Dear GEDmatch Users,

I am excited to invite you to our upcoming 3 hour Free GEDmatch Free Tools Workshop. This workshop is designed for users who have been using GEDmatch for a while and are looking to deepen their understanding of using the Free Tools on GEDmatch.

Workshop Details:

Date: Thursday, March 7, 2024

Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET (Other time zones: https://tinyurl.com/23rjdm4o )

RSVP: Please email us to confirm your attendance. We are limiting the workshop to 15 attendees for a more focused experience. Send you name, email, phone number, location to genresearch13@yahoo.com

Please Note: This workshop is not intended for beginners. If you’re new to GEDmatch and interested in a beginner’s workshop, please contact Arthur Sissman separately at email address above.

What you’ll learn:

Navigate the GEDmatch website and tools: Discover how to find the information you need and manipulate the tools effectively.

See the connections: Learn how different tools work together to reveal hidden insights in your data.

Expand your research: Explore how GEDmatch data can be used in conjunction with other research sites.

Workshop Format:

This is a hands-on workshop where you’ll be working with your own data.

My guidance will serve as a roadmap, ensuring we’re all on the same page.

You’ll need the ability to use two devices/monitors/split screen to fully benefit from this workshop.

Focus of the Workshop: We will be focusing on the free tools available on GEDmatch, including:

User Lookup

One-to-Many (Limited Version)

One-to-One Autosomal

Are Your Parents Related

People Who Match (1 of 2 kits)

Relationship Probability

Once the attendees are confirmed, I will send out Resource Guides to help you prepare for the workshop. Preparation is optional but recommended for a more enriching experience.

Looking forward to seeing you at the workshop!

Question or comments: email above or call 954-328-3559.

Regards,
Arthur

AI and Technology: Trouble Ahead? presented by Thomas MacEntee (Genealogy Workshop)
2024-03-09 11:00 - 13:00 | Zoom via LCGS
Join us and our speaker, Thomas MacEntee as he presents his program “AI and Technology: Trouble Ahead?” While AI (artificial intelligence) might be the current “hot” buzz word, the fact is that many genealogy vendors and even genealogists have already been using this technology for years. The AI industry is at a crossroads and within the next five years, it will permeate almost every aspect of business and society. Learn how AI is currently being used to improve the genealogy experience, and whether or not you should seek out other uses of artificial intelligence for your own genealogy research.
THIS WORKSHOP IS VIRTUAL ONLY
To attend this workshop, use the following link to register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEudumrrj4rHdfbDqczPmYiFxhfr2LNFA9D

DNA SIG with Arthur Sissman
2024-03-18 14:00 - 15:00 | FL
DNA SIG March meeting: Monday Mar 18 2024 2-3:30 pm ET (Other time zones: https://tinyurl.com/22lz3y7s )
If you think others would benefit from the topics below, please feel free to distribute this email to your society members, friends, and frenemies!! All are welcome to join the fun.
If you are new to the group, please send the following info: name, email, location, phone number to genresearch13@yahoo. Without this info you will not be admitted to the meeting or will be removed.
Hi All,
For all of us whose goal it is to develop matches – genetic and/or genealogical – and then add the match to our genealogical tree, at some point, we will have to contact another human being! Whether the “match” is genealogical (tree) or DNA (genetic) based or both, we will have to communicate.
Topic: How to Try to Effectively Communicate with Matches – Genealogical or Genetic.
To examine this concept I will present “Topic: “My Genealogy Marketing Program – How I Try to Get a Match to Contact Me”
Or “Its all in how you frame it!”
Assumption: The goal of genealogy and genetic genealogy is to take potential matches and put them into genealogical family history trees!? Here are some of the questions I will try to answer.

Explain the concept of marketing/reframing as applied to genealogy and why you want to use it.
Where does the marketing start? With you!
The Who, What, Where, Why, How of reframing/marketing yourself!
How does a Pedigree Tree/Full Tree fit into this picture?
How does organizing your matches into groups help your efforts?
How does marketing make you a better match to approach, if you are found by someone else.
How to ask the ultimate question with regard to a potential match? Is this person helping me or NOT?
What am I wishing/hoping another “Match” would share with me?

Come and see if you are a helpful or unhelpful potential match. And how you might market or reframe yourself better and encourage others to do the same!
I will send out the Recording and a Resource to those who attend.
Join Zoom Meeting – I will be online at 1 pm ET to set up – come – Recording starts at 2 pm ET
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89238055402?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 892 3805 5402
Passcode: [REDACTED]
If you are new to the group, please send the following info: name, email, location, phone number to genresearch13@yahoo. Without this info you will not be admitted to the meeting or will be removed.
Regards,
Arthur
Naples, FL
DNA SIG of Collier/Lee Co FL
Jewish Genealogy SIG of Collier/Lee Co FL
genresearch13@yahoo.com
954-328-3559

Archival Research for Genealogists presented by Steve Colburn
2024-03-23 13:00 - 15:00 | Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church – Fellowship Hall, 8260 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, FL, United States
Join us for a Saturday Membership Meeting with Steve Colburn when he presents his program “Archival Research for Genealogists.”
This class is designed to help genealogists supplement their family research by going beyond the commonly-used sources with archival materials. These materials are often not found when using typical, general-purpose databases and online search engines. We will look at a wide variety of archival sources for lesser-known primary and secondary materials, and learn about three powerful tools to access this archived material, including one that the instructor developed for this course. We will bring those elements together (the sources and the tools) in a case study, demonstrating how access to archival materials will enhance and facilitate the work that genealogists do. Handouts will be provided to help researchers access archival sources in more detail, and practice the skills demonstrated in the class.
Speaker will be in person. Meeting will be a hybrid meeting.
To join the meeting virtually, register with the following link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJErdu2grjopGNWdJAjiDXGY4i5k2tKBnYbR

City Directories presented by Bryan Mulcahy
2024-04-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church – Fellowship Hall, 8260 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, FL, United States
Join us for our monthly meeting with speaker Bryan Mulcahy when he presents his program on City Directories. City directories can be very useful for genealogical research, but often are overlooked by genealogists. In one form or another, city directories have been published in various parts of the United States since the 1700s. They have been published annually by commercial publishers who sell the directories as well as advertising space in the directories. The publishers compile statistical information about a city, town, county, rural community, or region, and present it along with a list of local businesses and residents’ names, addresses and occupations. This program will provide a brief overview of the research benefits available.
Speaker will be in person. Meeting will be a hybrid meeting.
To attend this meeting virtually, use the following link to register:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMud-ysqjotHdE0WehkW42fbRC6UxYpC_RN

Genealogy and Historical Handwriting with Bryan Mulcahy
2024-05-04 13:00 - 14:30 | Zoom via LCGS
Genealogy and Historical Handwriting with Bryan Mulcahy. Old-fashioned handwriting, inconsistent spelling, fading ink and unfamiliar words can conspire to make genealogy records frustratingly difficult to decipher. Reading old handwriting is an essential skill for genealogists but sometimes it can be challenging. Genealogists study and practice reading old handwriting in order to read and interpret the documents essential to family history research such as probate files, wills, land records, deeds, and court files. Many documents require the genealogist to read old handwriting to transcribe, abstract, or extract the pertinent data and use it in their family history. This seminar will provide an overview of strategies to overcome these issues. The study guide which will be provided will include links to online and You Tube tutorials presented by experts in this topic.
This is a workshop and will be virtual only.
To register, click here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0pc-6sqDkpE9QrlNxlPKIn9fczNNLQHoNg

Lineage Treasures at the DAR Library presented by Connie Lizak
2024-05-16 10:00 - 12:00 | Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church – Fellowship Hall, 8260 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, FL, United States
Join us as our speaker Connie Lizak presents her program on “Lineage Treasures at the DAR Library.” The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) operates a major genealogical library at its headquarters building at 1776 D Street NW, Washington, DC. Since its founding in 1896, the DAR Library has grown into a specialized collection of American genealogical and historical manuscripts and publications, as well as powerful on-site databases.
The DAR Library collection contains over 225,000 books, 10,000 research files, thousands of manuscript items, and special collections of African American, Native American, and women’s history, genealogy and culture. Nearly 40,000 family histories and genealogies comprise a major portion of the book collection, many of which are unique or available in only a few libraries in the country. The DAR Library is free and open to the public.
Connie will describe the resources available for researchers, especially the Genealogical Research System, which includes proven lineage research, collections of Bible records and previously unpublished genealogical records. Its resources are not just for Revolutionary War patriots!
Speaker will be virtual, meeting is hybrid.
To attend the meeting, register using this link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwvd-yqrzgpE9VaOcIHLXRKuZwvzJOg2GTg

Updates for Researching Online presented by Peg Kaputsiak
2024-06-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom via LCGS
Join us along with our speaker Margaret “Peg” Kaputsiak when she presents her program on “Updates for Researching Online.” For both those new to Genealogy and those long involved in Family Research: 50 websites & examples; new sources; how to verify family lore and stories; how to determine if online family trees are dependable; why something may not be on the internet but how to work that to your advantage and more. Note that the Handout & PowerPoint are updated just before each presentation to provide the latest information to you.
THIS MEETING WILL BE VIRTUAL ONLY
To attend, register using this link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpde6qrjwjHNxww2tHJFw5LFkMzc5_PwYs

Local & County History Books presented by Karen Fortin
2024-07-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom via LCGS
Join us along with our speaker, Karen Fortin as she presents her program “Local & County History Books.” Local and county histories are often overlooked resources that can contain a wealth of resources on your ancestors and the places that they lived. This presentation explores the background of local and county history books; what information can be found in them; and, where to find them, both in print and online.
Visit Karen on her website: https://karenfortin.com/index.html
THIS MEETING WILL BE VIRTUAL ONLY
To attend this meeting, use this link to register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUpfuutqjIuGNeLAVLXOr9N9-Yk7A7BXm6r

Jurisdiction Explained: Finding New Avenues of Research for Your Family presented by Diana Elder
2024-08-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom via LCGS
Join us along with our speaker, Diana Elder who will be presenting her program “Jurisdiction Explained: Finding New Avenues of Research for Your Family.” Exploring each level of record keeping for a locality can reveal additional records for a research subject. Learn about records on the town, city, county, state, regional, and federal levels and how to locate them.
THIS MEETING WILL BE VIRTUAL ONLY
To attend this meeting, use this link to register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJErcu6orjstGN3HC4igJxh9bgf-n8CD6KdX

Making the (ACPL) Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, IN Your Research Assistant presented by Curt Witcher
2024-09-14 13:00 - 14:30 | Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church – Fellowship Hall, 8260 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, FL, United States
Join us along with our speaker, Curt Witcher when he presents his program “Making the Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, IN Your Research Assistant.” The presentation will cover how to explore the holdings and datafiles of the Genealogy Center both to plan a research trip to Fort Wayne and, especially, to use the Genealogy Center remotely.
Speaker will be remote. Meeting will be a hybrid meeting.
To attend this meeting virtually, use the following link to register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYufuqtrDstGtaKNYHJMSGdlILyBnW8d6ct

Recognizing Inaccurate and Misleading Genealogical Records presented by Bryan Mulcahy ~ Genealogy Workshop
2024-10-05 11:00 - 13:00 | Zoom via LCGS
Join us as Bryan Mulcahy presents his program on Recognizing Inaccurate and Misleading Genealogical Records. False and error filled information can be found in all genealogy sources, including many of the highest rated quality sources. The Internet has proliferated this tendency. In the name of convenience and time, genealogists are increasingly failing to compare original records with the information gleaned from print and online resources. Taking this information at face value, leads to mistakes spreading throughout sources. This seminar will discuss issues associated with this topic and how to overcome problems. The two newsletter articles from the past will give you an idea of what I will cover.
This is a VIRTUAL only meeting so please use the following link to register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJckc-GhpzIrHtEVs8C8iITJIjIQqMbS6yIw

How to Develop Critical Online Newspaper Research Skills presented by Kenneth Marks
2024-10-17 10:00 - 12:00 | Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church – Fellowship Hall, 8260 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, FL, United States
Join us as Kenneth Marks has a live presentation on his topic “How to Develop Critical Online Newspaper Research Skills.” This webinar is intended to build newspaper research skills for genealogy and history researchers. Online newspaper research can be a frustrating endeavor for several reasons. The goal is for the audience to understand why it can be difficult and to learn some skills that will drastically improve search results. We will cover why search old newspapers?, The challenges in searching old newspapers online, 7 critical skills and techniques to successfully search newspapers online. A live demonstration of these skills and techniques.

Speaker will be remote.
To attend this meeting virtually, please register using the following link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMucOCvpjkqG9y-DcsRyEjJshm-jiN7Lt-h

Tapping the Power of FamilySearch with Maureen Brady - Virtual Only
2024-11-21 10:00 - 11:30 | Zoom via LCGS
Join us along with Maureen Brady, a member of LDS as she presents her topic in a LIVE presentation “Tapping the Power of FamilySearch.” FamilySearch®, a free website sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, provides family history researchers with access to original historical records from around the world, indexes linked directly to many of those records, an ever-growing genealogical “encyclopedia”, instructional videos and much more. Even experienced researchers often do not know how to tap the power of FamilySearch’s many databases and articles. This presentation will provide a “tour” of the website and suggest search strategies for locating the historical records. Speaker will be remote.
Maureen Brady, a former school librarian and computer educator with 30 years experience in family history research is our November speaker. She is a member of the Genealogical Speakers Guild, the Association of Professional Genealogists and many other societies. She will present in a live demonstration the many features on FamilySearch that are unknown and underused by family researchers. Visit Maureen at her website: https://chitownroots.com/
If you are planning to attend, please register using the following link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAqfu2uqzMoGd1fTMdEhsTqOj7dxA6Dp93O

December Meeting ~ Genealogy Resources at the Fort Myers Regional Library with Bryan Mulcahy
2024-12-05 10:00 - 12:00 | Fort Myers Regional Library – Meeting Rm A & B – Hybrid, 1651 Lee Street, Room A & B, Fort Myers, FL, 33901, United States
Join us at the Fort Myers Regional Library when Bryan Mulcahy will discuss with us the genealogical research benefits available in print and online sources available at the Fort Myers Regional Library. The genealogy collection contains materials from all 50 states, and 55 foreign countries. Our online research resources include African American Heritage, Ancestry Library Edition, FamilySearch, Fold3, and Heritage Quest. Our discussion will also include details concerning our status as a FamilySearch Library Affiliate and the added research benefits that this offer patrons. After the discussion, we will be heading over to the Genealogy Room to get a first hand look at the facility and answer any questions. Our meeting will be hybrid until we go to the Genealogy Room.
PART ONE – Discussion with Bryan Mulcahy
PART TWO – Visit the Genealogy Room
PART THREE – Join us for lunch at Voodoo Brewery Co. (Going “Dutch”)
To join our meeting virtually, part one only, use the following link to register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEsdOqrqzwpHdVwh1C06cE23KugrW3I-Kod

January Meeting ~ Internet Archive: A Gold Mine for Genealogists with Thomas MacEntee
2025-01-16 10:00 - 11:30 | Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church – Fellowship Hall, 8260 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, FL, United States
Join us for our January 2025 monthly meeting with Thomas MacEntee who will be presenting his program on Internet Archive: A Gold Mine for Genealogists. The Internet Archive (http://www.archive.org) is a free, on-line repository rich with genealogy source documents including census images and e-books. Learn how to navigate the Internet Archive and leverage the best search strategies to download a variety of materials including archived web pages, e-books, video, audio and more.
If you are attending this program virtually, please register using the following link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJItdOqhqDktE9H2A1Jcdi13__hN0Q5qugxM
If you are attending the program in person, our meeting address is below.

February Meeting (Hybrid) - Overcoming Brick Walls with Bryan Mulcahy
2025-02-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church – Fellowship Hall, 8260 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, FL, United States
Join us at our Monthly Meeting with our speaker, Bryan Mulcahy as he presents his program “Overcoming Brick Walls.” Dead-ends, also known as brick walls, are occupational hazards for genealogists. These challenges are an inevitable part of the genealogical research process. The good news is that many dead-ends can be overcome with patience and good detective work. Most genealogists usually find methods or strategies to overcome these roadblocks. Our seminar will discuss the most successful techniques to overcome these challenges. Speaker will be in person.
Meeting will be a hybrid meeting; you may come in person or virtually. To attend this meeting virtually, use the following link to register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0rfu6trDIsGdxGjR3Wdi_p9xODNsYEBnWG

Genealogy Workshop - Cyndi's List with Bryan Mulcahy (Virtual Only)
2025-03-08 11:00 - 13:00 | Zoom via LCGS
Join us at our Genealogy Workshop with our speaker, Bryan Mulcahy, as he presents his program “Cyndi’s List.” This is a free website that serves as an excellent online version of a card catalog subject index of available genealogical websites. Cyndi’s List serve as a categorized and cross-referenced index to genealogy resources on the Internet. Over the years, the number of links has ballooned to more than 500,000. Cyndi’s List is organized by categories, more than 200 of them. The high-level categories drill down into more and more specific sub-categories. I will demonstrate the various features of how Cyndi’s List can be beneficial to your research.
Meeting will be VIRTUAL ONLY. To attend this meeting use the following link to register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEkdeyhpjgtGdKIjdmuf7eTJP6PtpTr-RZt

March Meeting (VIRTUAL ONLY) - Exploring 95 Tips for Researching Online Historical Newspapers with Kenneth Marks
2025-03-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom via LCGS
Join us at our Monthly Meeting with our speaker, Kenneth Marks presents his program “Exploring 95 Tips for Researching Online Historical Newspapers.” This webinar is intended to expose the attendees to online newspaper research tips for genealogy and history researchers. The goal is for the audience to understand many techniques that will produce more positive results. There are six sections in the webinar:
• Looking for unusual articles
• Learning tips and techniques
• Analyzing articles accurately
• Navigating a newspaper research project
• Finding newspapers to search
• Having a proper attitude
To attend this meeting, use the following link to register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUod-msqzgtGd3tmIv-NgDWkyBLhMV2whcm

April Meeting (Virtual Only) ~ Preserving Family History/What to do with My Stuff with Connie Lizak
2025-04-17 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom via LCGS
Join us along with Connie Lizak when she presents her program “Preserving Family History/What to do with My Stuff.” Connie will share examples from her own family history on how you might preserve your family history for future researchers. Consider Tiffany’s journal, gr-gr grandmother Kosers quilt, the family Bible, Aunt Ethel’s stories, Hitchcock chair, c1850, proven lineage, family recipes, letters and photos.
To attend virtually, register with the following link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJclfuitpzkvHtyERU7CyZPocb8pjnKjP-dm

May Meeting (Virtual Only) ~ Inspiring the Next Generation of Genealogists with Sue Schlichting
2025-05-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom via LCGS
Join us along with Sue Schlichting as she presents her program “Inspiring the Next Generation of Genealogists.” Who’s going to take over the family history quest when you’re no longer able? Getting the younger generation interested in their family history is important work. Learn creative ways to get young people engaged in their own history search.
To attend this meeting, register using the following link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYkcO6prjspHdGEbShPyEV23TBCXgKuNkGW
This meeting will be virtual only, there will not be any in person attendance.

Genealogy Workshop - Translating, Transcribing and Summarizing Documents Using AI with Thomas MacEntee
2025-05-31 10:00 - 11:30 | Zoom via LCGS
Join us along with Thomas MacEntee as he presents his program “Translating, Transcribing and Summarizing Documents Using AI.” Summary: Learn how to harness the power of artificial intelligence to assist in translating, transcribing, and summarizing a variety of genealogy records. A handwritten baptismal record from the 1800s? No problem. A faded newspaper obituary? No problem. We’ll cover the best AI platforms as well as how to craft a solid prompt to get you the results you need.
Virtual Only. Register for the program using this link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/W4DR9X00SsmZu8Fe-Y4HyA

Genealogy Workshop (Virtual Only) ~ After You're Gone; Future Proofing Your Genealogy Research with Thomas MacEntee
2025-05-31 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom via LCGS
Join us, along with Thomas MacEntee when he presents his program “After You’re Gone; Future Proofing Your Genealogy Research.” Have you ever considered what will happen to your years of genealogy research once you’re gone? Learn how to ensure that your hard work carries on. Through a combination of planning, common sense, and new technologies, we’ll review how to create an action plan for preserving your genealogy research. This will be one of the last few live webinars Thomas will be doing since he is retiring from doing live webinars.
There will be giveaways. We have signed copies of Thomas MacEntee book “Ancestor Sketch: How to Turn Years of Genealogy Research into a Captivating Family Story”
This workshop will be virtual only. To attend, register using the following link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/3Q7hFwEESTu33Jw8gjXFHw

June Meeting (Hybrid) ~ Free Online Genealogical Education with Annette Burke Lyttle
2025-06-19 10:00 - 11:30 | Fort Myers Regional Library – Meeting Rm A & B – Hybrid, 1651 Lee Street, Room A & B, Fort Myers, FL, 33901, United States
Free Online Genealogical Education with Annette Burke Lyttle
Ongoing education is critical for our success as genealogists. There’s just too much to learn for us ever to say we’re done with our education. Fortunately for our budgets, we have many wonderful online choices that don’t cost us anything but a little of our time. In this presentation, we’ll cover free webinars, podcasts, and videos that can sharpen our skills and broaden our horizons.
To attend this meeting in person, we will be at the Fort Myers Regional Library. See below for address and directions.
To attend this meeting, please register using the following link:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYuc-GhrDkvHNza_bD2dhDt8unrboM3Kyom

July Meeting (Virtual Only) ~ Lure Your Ancestor Out of the National Register of Historical Places with Michelle Spencer
2025-07-17 10:00 - 11:30 | Zoom via LCGS
Join us along with Michelle Spencer when she presents her program “Lure your ancestor out of the National Register of Historical Places.” The National Register of Historic Places is our country’s catalog of places of significance to our past with approximately 55 in Lee County, and nearly 1,800 in Florida. Our people are in there. Michelle will show you how to coax them out of this hiding place, bringing their stories along.
This meeting is VIRTUAL ONLY. To attend this meeting, please use the following link to register:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAkde2urT0vHNMh10woeBZGuQ6fpSRW67r0

August Meeting (Hybrid) ~ The Homestead Act: Using Federal Land Records for Genealogy with Amber Kirkendall
2025-08-21 10:00 - 11:30 | Fort Myers Regional Library – Meeting Rm A & B – Hybrid, 1651 Lee Street, Room A & B, Fort Myers, FL, 33901, United States
Join us along with Amber Kirkendall as she presents her program “The Homestead Act: Using Federal Land Records for Genealogy.” This program provides a focused look on how and where to access and utilize federal land records, maps, case files, and other documents related to receiving public domain land from the General Land Office from 1800 to the late twentieth century. This session will teach attendees how to find and use these records, utilizing the General Land Office Records, Homestead Land Entry Case Files, and other powerful resources in uncovering your family history.
Amber Kirkendall is the Park Ranger/Volunteer Coordinator at the National Park Service’s Homestead National Historical Park in Beatrice, NE. In 2015, Amber received an M.A. in historical studies from Nebraska Wesleyan University. In 2018, Amber started as an intern at Homestead National Historical Park and has been there ever since. Amber is passionate about unearthing historical stories and connecting them to modern audiences.
To attend this meeting virtually, please use the following link to register:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEtcuCqrjwrGtyH-Jdq6S1zEE4-pf0ngcS5
