[CA-SCGS] Join the effort! Volunteer to help FGS and the National Park Service tell the the stories of over 130,000 U.S. - Mexican War Soldiers

FEDERATION OF GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES AND NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PARTNER FOR NEW PRESERVATION PROJECT

FGS Marshals Volunteers to Help National Historic Park Tell the Stories of Over 130,000 U.S.-Mexican War Soldiers

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) and the National Park Service’s Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park announce a partnership to develop a searchable database of more than 130,000 soldiers of the U.S.-Mexican War.

The database will allow descendants of U.S. soldiers to connect to their personal history and help Palo Alto commemorate and tell the stories of these soldiers. After the database is developed, unit histories, digitized documents, and information on U.S.-Mexican War soldiers will be added. Efforts will also be made to include names and information about Mexican soldiers in this war.

"FGS is thrilled to partner with the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park for this important preservation project,” said FGS President D. Joshua Taylor. “We look forward to working with our member societies and volunteers to provide new access to records for those researching the Mexican War."

Palo Alto Battlefield is also pleased with the partnership. “National Parks tell the stories of America,” said Superintendent Mark Spier. “Palo Alto Battlefield is excited to have the opportunity to work with the Federation of Genealogical Societies to tell the stories of the thousands of soldiers who served in the U.S.-Mexican War.”

To help bring these soldiers’ stories to life and to be a part of this momentous preservation project, indexing volunteers should contact Project Coordinator Patricia Rand, The Villages, FL, at projects@fgs.org.

The Federation of Genealogical Societies and the National Park Service previously partnered together in 1999 for the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System database project where FGS volunteers completed data entry for more than five million names. The efforts of the CWSS project can now be experienced on the NPS Civil War website.

[CA-SCGS] Preserve the Pensions Project Update

In 2015, SCGS took up the challenge issued by the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) to create a matching program for donations to the Preserve the Pensions project. The SCGS Board of Directors voted to match, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, the first $2,500 of donations made by SCGS members, Jamboree guests, and others in support of the monumental task of digitizing 7.2 million pages of pension records.

Your generous donations, along with the SCGS pledge, contributed over $6,700 to the FGS campaign, ensuring the digitization and preservation of thousands of pages of pension files. Thanks to your generosity, images of important genealogical and historical significance will be preserved for future generations. 

The Federation of Genealogical Societies recently announced the exciting news that the $2 million dollar mark was surpassed in 2015 with the generous support of donors like you. Please take a moment to read more about the project on the FGS Voice Blog.

With our sincere gratitude for your support,

The Board of Directors

Southern California Genealogical Society

417 Irving Drive

Burbank, California 91504

www.scgsgenealogy.com

[CA-SCGS] SCGS Steps Up to Preserve the Pensions

The Southern California Genealogical Society has Stepped Up to the Challenge!  

What challenge, you ask?

The Challenge to PRESERVE the PENSIONS

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) issued a challenge to all of its member societies to create a matching program for donations to the Preserve the Pensions project. The fund financially supports the digitization of pension records from the War of 1812.

In support of the monumental task of digitizing 7.2 million pages of records, the SCGS Board of Directors has voted to match, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, the first $2,500 of donations made by SCGS members, Jamboree guests, and others through December 31, 2015.

Let's take a look at the effect of a $50 donation made through SCGS.
Your donation = $50
SCGS Match = $50 + $50 = $100
FGS will Match the combined amount =  $100 + $100 = $200
Ancestry will Match the combined amount =  $200 + $200 = $400!

Your contributions can be made in the name of your ancestor.

Time is of the essence. These documents are fragile and need to be digitized quickly to preserve the best possible image of each page.

You can donate by credit card through the SCGS Website, by sending your check to SCGS (be sure to indicate "Preserve the Pensions" in the notes area),  or through PayPal (Please note on your donation that it is for Preserve the Pensions - SCGS).

We appreciate that some of our members may prefer to support SCGS by contributing time and talent instead of (or in addition to) treasure. We are so very grateful for those contributions too. If you are looking to share your knowledge and life experience, please contact Mary Daly at volunteer@scgsgenealogy.com. 

With our profound gratitude for your continued support,

The Board of Directors

Southern California Genealogical Society

417 Irving Drive

Burbank, California 91504-2408 

Bargain Alert: Dell Friends and Family Discount Available through FGS

The Southern California Genealogical Society is a long-time member of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS).  Did you know that as a friend and supporter of SCGS and FGS, you can get a jump start on your Black Friday electronics shopping?

Take advantage of the Dell/FGS Member Purchase program as you shop for tablets, laptops, televisions and more. Here's how to access the Dell/FGS Member Purchase Program.

Make sure you share the info with your friends and family since every purchase will help FGS provide programming to its members and the genealogy community! BEFORE Black Friday, visit http://Dell.com/mpp/FGS and use Member ID: SS131372490. Become familiar with the site, set up a free account, add your payment information etc.

Remember, you don’t need to be a member of FGS to take advantage of this offer! 

Visit the site on Thursday 21 November 2013 to get your head start on the crowds! Starting at 7:00 am EST, you can take advantage of sales a FULL WEEK ahead of the other Dell shoppers. Set a reminder on your calendar and you’ll shop for Dell tablets and laptops as well as televisions from LG, Samsung and more!

There are door busters scheduled for Thursday, 28 November 2013 starting at 6:00 pm EST and then Cyber Monday magic starting at 8:00 am EST on Monday, 2 December 2013! Also, you can call Dell at 1-800-695-8133 and use the same information to place your order.

To learn more about the Dell Member Purchase Program that benefits the Federation of Genealogical Societies, click here.

Thanks to FGS for arranging this benefit and to the FGS Voice Newsletter for reminding us of this outstanding opportunity.