Wall of Ancestors

What and where is a “Wall of Ancestors”?

It’s an area that YOU will help to create at Conference 2012.  The corridor leading from the lecture rooms and Marketplace to the dining area will have spaces clearly defined where you can mount 3″x5″ cards (special mounting tape will be provided by the volunteer in the area).  Sections will be marked off by initial letter of the surname, e.g. “A”, “B”, etc. Simply post your query card, and hope for contact.  And read all the other cards, of course, to see what others have posted.

What your card should include: name of individual, approx dates and area as a heading; further details; your name and address (email will more likely get a quick response).  See example below.

You can post as many cards as you like, but each should deal with just one primary individual and surname.

It’s a good idea to prepare your cards (or pieces of paper) ahead of time, when you have all your facts at hand.  One suggestion is to print them using your computer word processor, then cut into 3″x5″ size.  (You can easily put 4 card-size entries on a letter-size page printed “landscape” and subdivided into four.)  Printing them from computer will guarantee that they are legible; hand printed entries will of course also be welcome. Some blank cards will be available on-site for last-minute submissions.

Conference registrants will pass your queries several times a day.  Perhaps someone will see yours and come looking for your name tag, to say “I think we’re 5th cousins”.  That happened to your Conference Chair at her very first OGS conference in 1980.

Even if no one responds during Conference, your query will have a continuing presence afterward:  all cards will be removed from the Wall of Ancestors at the end of Conference 2012 and will be entered into a listing which will eventually appear in the Members Only area of the OGS website.

The Conference committee extends its thanks to members of Quinte Branch OGS, who have agreed to serve as volunteers at the Wall of Ancestors, even though they are not part of the host Region VIII.