Every January, there is a buzz in the air in genealogy circles. People are excited about going to Salt Lake City in January. Really?
Yes! And, do you know why?
Genealogists don't care about the snow and cold in SLC in January because they are going to 'school' to learn from the best. The knowledge, the wisdom, the comraderie. This reminds me of IGHR at Samford in June. The Utah Genealogical Association (UGA) offers a superb educational opportunity for genealogists known as the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG). SLIG offers twelve course tracks on a variety of genealogy topics. Already, four of these tracks are sold out. No surprise there, if you look at who the instructors are: Dr. Thomas Jones, D. Joshua Taylor, Angela McGhie, Richard (Rick) Sayre, and Pamela Boyer Sayre. The other courses are just as well taught by genealogy experts such as Dr. John Philip Coletta, Kory Meyerink, George G. Morgan, Drew Smith, and Paula Stuart-Warren.
You want to learn from these people because they are the experts.
I have never attended SLIG. It looks similar to the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research I attended this past June. IGHR was a marvelous learning experience. I have read the 2012 brochure on the SLIG website, and the course offerings look terrific. This year I really would like to attend because there is a course track I haven't seen before that is of immense interest to me. It's Course 3: Welsh Research, coordinated by the only ICAPGEN Accredited Welsh Researcher, Darris Williams AG. My Welsh roots run deep in Pembrokeshire and Cardiganshire, Wales going back to the 1700's. I get goosebumps just reading the course offerings of civil registration, non-conformist records, newspapers, maps and gazetteers, probate, land records, parish chest records, and more. Imagine the things I would learn by attending SLIG!
Two weeks ago, I met online, JG, a cousin whose 2x great-grandfather, Jacob Nicholas was the brother of my 2x great-grandmother, Martha Nicholas. I was excited to make this connection because JG is the first cousin I have met in my Welsh line. JG shared with me that Jacob Nicholas was a Baptist minister in Wales. My interest in my Welsh family history has been ignited again. I'm sure you can see how exciting taking the Welsh Research track at SLIG 2012 would be for me.
This is where I want to be in January 2012!
Unfortunately, where I want to be and where I will be in January 2010 are about 2600 km apart. I don't have plans to attend SLIG 2012 due to a limited budget. I'm greatly disappointed. It will be a long time before the Welsh Research track is offered again. But, wait! I just might have an opportunity to attend afterall. SLIG is holding a contest, and one random, lucky winner will have their tuition paid for. The winner will be announced this Sunday. Also, Michael Hait at Planting the Seeds is holding a contest in conjunction with the SLIG contest.
You have just read my entry. What about you? Are you going to SLIG 2012? Have you entered the contests?
Copyright by Kathryn Lake Hogan, 2011.
