Geni.com is giving away a free one year Geni Pro membership.  You must already have a free geni account to claim the prize if you win.  The contest closes on April 1, 2011 at 3:00 PM Pacific Time.  This is from wetree.blogspot.com:

"Geni.com is holding a contest to win a 12-month Geni Pro account. It's easy to enter! Find all the details at this Geni blog post.

But wait, there are TWO ways to win! I am also holding a drawing where you can win a 12-month Geni Pro account. How is that possible? It just is, my friends.

You know the drill. Send me an email at amybean2 at gmail dot com with "I want a Geni Pro Account!" in the subject line. This contest runs now through April 1, 2011 at 3:00 PM Pacific Time. Entries will be numbered in the order in which they were received, and one number will be randomly drawn from this set.

This contest is open to everyone on Earth (sorry, Mars) and you must already have a Geni.com free account to claim the prize.

Ok, I was lying about there being two ways to win, because there's actually THREE. Go to FindMyAncestor.com and enter there, too."



GM

Tombstone rubbings

Tombstone rubbing is quickly becoming a lost art.  It's hard to believe on those headstones of relatives that are only 25-30 years old that someday they might be impossible to read, but it doesn't take many decades of being in the sun, wind, and rain to erode the names and dates into an unreadable mess.  

There are two reasons to do Tombstone Rubbings.  First, they can keep a record of the names and dates on the headstone.  Second, they can be passed on to future generations.  Grandchildren might not believe they're interested in genealogy, but seeing a book of tombstone rubbings may be the thing to spark their enthusiasm.

This is a wonderful way to introduce your children to genealogy and teach them some of the wonderful stories and findings you have discovered in your searches for your roots! For a complete 'How to' on rubbing go to http://www.familytreemagazine.com/article/Tombstone-Rubbing-Step-by-Step


GM & CB

Help your youth get connected to their roots!

Many youth today are interested in tracing their roots.  Some are more interested in the way they lived and others are interested in their ethnic customs.  What can make genealogy alive for youth is to take them to a museum to show them the tools and objects of daily lives their ancestors would have used. 
Teach them games or activities that would have been common a hundred years ago.  For youth with artistic talent, have them create the family tree and incorporate the ethnic roots or a family coat of arms.  Proudly hang it on your walls to remind your kids from where they came.

Are some of your roots Native American?

Have you recently discovered Native American roots in your history?  Tracing those roots can be difficult.  Depending on which tribe your ancestors belonged to there may be virtually no records earlier than the 1880s.  Early Native Americans were not taxed, therefor they were not included in the U.S. Census.  

With some tribes, the U.S. Government required anyone trying to claim a portion of the monetary judgment to prove their ancestry back to 1838.  Many other nations, such as the Navajos, did not even speak English until the 1950s and 1960s.  Reading the few records they had would be difficult and if the histories weren't passed down then as children lost interest in their family roots, the ancestry roots could be impossible to find.  

Your best information sources are usually through family records; Family Bibles, journals or passed down history and stories. Remember, you are the researcher; so find as much information as possible before you contact the Indian Bureau. They do not have the time, ability or funds to do the research for you!