Refreshing the Projectkin Events Calendar
Since our start as the “post-Ponga” community, Projectkin has been all about re-invention. It was time for a few adjustments and the launch of some exciting new programs. This is just a peek.
Since our start as the “post-Ponga” community, our Projectkin has been all about re-invention. I keep asking why we’re doing what we’re doing and whether there’s a better way to accomplish our goals. Events have been essential to sharing ideas and creating a sense of community, but their nature has changed.
As we’ve grown, the number of people participating in live events has been eclipsed by the hundreds of people viewing the recordings. It’s as if events create the “live studio audience” for a video podcast.
That’s not good or bad; it’s a reality of a global audience and modern convenience. Today, our membership reaches Anglophone communities from Europe and the Americas to Australia and the South Pacific. Surprisingly, only 50% of our audience shares my American holiday calendar.1
With that mindset, I’ve made a few adjustments, pruning out our Project Clinics and adding exciting new programs. The clinics were fantastic, casual events, but with our added scale, they’ll be more appropriate as breakout rooms or additions to other occasional programs like our Project Festivals.
An excuse to get creative!
The opportunity to reinvent sent me back to the creativity bank to make a withdrawal. I mostly talked to you, other members, friends, and special guests. The result is a bunch of fun new programs I can’t wait to tell you about. I have so many new items coming to the calendar that I wanted to get you an update now, even as new ones flow in over the coming weeks.
New: Emma Explores! Premiers June 20
We suddenly have room on the calendar for programs like our new monthly series “Emma Explores: Stories Mysteries and Fame” with genealogist Emma Cox of Journeys Into Genealogy. I tend to think of this program a little like
’s popular Kathy’s Corner, but for genealogy. Join me, won’t you?New: Project Festivals — Won’t you help us pick the first date?
I suddenly realized our new Project Festivals might be a little like a project karaoke 🎤 party. Unlike Project Recipes, you don’t have to DO the project; you’re pitching ideas. Let your enthusiasm inspire others. There’s little commitment other than a 10-minute lightning talk about a project you’ve done, you’d like to do, or you think SOMEBODY ought to do.
It’s ideas an idea party, with just a little planning. When can YOU do one?
Learn more and sign up for dates that work for you:
New: Project Recipe — Memory Loss, Conversation & Family History
Though our signature Project Recipes have quieted lately, fear not… they’re still coming. I’ve just added an exciting one for Thursday, August 8, with Jude Rhodes, a registered nurse and accomplished genealogist heading Stories of Our Generations. In her medical practice, June focuses on elderly clients with dementia and other cognitive impairments.
In her talk, Jude will share a Project Recipe for her approach using custom books filled with artifacts from a familiar, if distant, past to engage patients in meaningful conversations. This will be a particularly compelling program for those whose families have been touched by dementia. As many of you may recall, after years of caring for my mother, this is personal for me. I’m thrilled to have Jude join us. Register here.
Our Cornerstone: Kathy’s Corner
Core to the calendar has been our monthly Kathy’s Corner event, featuring
. With last month’s program, we crossed the threshold for our first year of the series, so you’ll find an entire season’s worth of episodes and her famous 8-step blog post a terrific way to get inspired to tackle your archive of photographs, documents, and artifacts.You know there’s more. There’s always more.
I have two more program series to announce, but we’re not quite ready with the details yet. I also have an exciting week-long party I’m working out for October2. Stay tuned. 😉
Meet you in the Members’ Corner?
As a Projectkin member, you probably already know you have access to the recorded archives of past events in all categories and an open invitation to join a cohort of the Members’ Corner. Members have been extraordinarily supportive and encouraging of each other. Just look at the comments.
I just buttoned up our May series with our first theme, this time focused on stories about wartime experiences. Some brought tears to my eyes. You can see them all here:
I’d love to share your stories too. I have a few submissions already for the June cohort, but there’s plenty of room for your piece. Learn more and submit yours by June 21st.
Do you know All About That Place?
Let me leave you with one more terrific program I’ve been tickled by since I first discovered it last year during their 10th anniversary challenge event (I’m a late bloomer). It’s run annually by the UK Society of Genealogists and the Society of One-Place Studies and sponsored by a fabulous community of family history societies, partners, and other organizations. (See the 2023 summary here.)
Sign up now for updates, and consider joining me in submitting a talk by the end of June.
Finally, Join me on June 29th!
And just in case you want to see how our Project ideas translate into new projects, join me for my online talk for the Society of Genealogists on Saturday, June 29!
I was so impressed by the many project recipes that touched on projects for kids that I’ve put together a talk that borrows heavily (and credits) what I’ve learned from marvelous Project Recipes from members
, , , and .These are humbling lessons as I prepare for a family reunion, which will include a team of little ones this summer. 😉
Explore the details and join me online if you can on that Saturday afternoon in London. If you can’t make it for the live program, check out the SoG’s new gold plan, which lets you view recordings online after an event concludes.
Perhaps we can plan special events in 2026 to celebrate 250 years of American colonial independence. My calendar doesn’t go out that far — yet.
At the risk of citing national borders, October is Family History Month in the United States.
WOW Barbara! You’ve been busy. So many fabulous ideas for events. Looking forward to joining them. Thanks for all you do for our wonderful community.