Portuguese Presence in Kensington Market

The Kensington Market Historical Society (KMHS) is presenting the talk Portuguese Presence in Kensington Market on October 21st from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at the Lillian H. Smith Branch of the Toronto Public Library, 239 College Street, Toronto.

The KMHS “ gathers, studies, preserves, and disseminates information pertaining to the history of the Kensington Market area. KMHS is committed to discovering and articulating the variable narratives of the Market. We hold public events, publish a newsletter, and undertake research and other projects as interest and expertise permit. We welcome and encourage involvement from the community”.

To read more about the Portuguese community in Canada, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Canadian 

To read the article Portuguese immigration reflect on 50 years in Canada at http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/it/newsrel.nsf/0/a1de0f2b56ea21d085256df60045c76c?OpenDocument

Save Norfolk County Branch – Call for Volunteers

Last week, in the 08 September 2014 edition of the Canadian Week in Review (CWR), I wrote an editorial under Story of the Week at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/09/anadian-week-in-review-08-september-2014.html noting that the Norfolk County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society was going to disband. This action has been of great concern to a number of OGS members, and I have heard from them. Somehow, they want it saved: they do not want the Branch to be disbanded. 

And now, Alan Campbell, the president of the OGS, in the OGS e-Weekly Update, is asking for volunteers to come forward to save the Branch.

Here is his message -

Reminder: Save Norfolk County Branch – Call for Volunteers

Alan Campbell

President OGS

This is a reminder that there is a meeting of Norfolk County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society on Sept. 16, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. at the Delhi Seniors Centre, 418 Queen Street, Delhi, Ontario.

This meeting is being held to vote to become an inactive Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society. The vote is being taken simply because new volunteers have not come forward to fill the positions on the Executive and those of Committee Chairs. It would be unfortunate if a Branch that was chartered in October of 1987, were to move to inactive status with the resulting loss of easier access to family history materials by researchers.

Remember, you don’t have to live in Norfolk County in order to be a volunteer. Many Branches already have volunteers who live in other parts of the world, and this could be your way to contribute to Norfolk County, Ontario genealogy.

Potential volunteers are welcome to contact either Co-chair of Norfolk Branch for more information prior to the meeting –

• Marie Shull at rmb@xplornet.com 

• Shirley Godfree at sgodfree@oxford.net

The Norfolk Branch is at http://www.ogs.on.ca/norfolk/

Virtual Institute of Genealogical Research (VIGR)

In order to give my research clients the most-up-to-date information, using modern methodology—and in addition to my working towards a Certificate in Professional Development from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies (NIGS)——I have just enrolled in Michael Hait’s course in Writing a Logical Proof Argument, a course from the new Virtual Institute of Genealogical Research (VIGR).

As I wrote to the people behind VIGR, “I am really excited to be a part of the first class! This is groundbreaking in the realm of genealogical institutes, and I am so glad that it has come to pass”. 

The link to the Virtual Institute of Genealogical Research (VIGR) website is  http://vigrgenealogy.com/news/ 

The Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/vigrgenealogy 

My research website is at www.elrs.biz.

Nuit Blanche at the Museum

The Canadian Museum of History is partnering again with Nuit Blanche, a dusk-till-dawn celebration of contemporary art and culture taking place in multiple venues in Ottawa–Gatineau.

Come experience history with an after-hours twist and groove to music spun by our own in-house DJ, performances by the Ottawa Stilt Union, and more. Sip on a “Bypass”, the signature drink created especially for the event… and enjoy. 

Nuit Blanche is on Saturday, September 20, 6:20 p.m. to Sunday, September 21, 4:21 a.m. 

Go to the website http://nbog.ca/ to see what else is on. 

Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre - Ontario Jewish Archives-

Back in 1973, the Ontario Jewish Archives, known as the Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, started to acquire, preserve and today, it is making available documentary sources related to Ontario's Jewish community. 

Now, the Government of Canada has announced that it will be providing $195,100 through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund to support a renovation project undertaken by the Ontario Jewish Archives Foundation. With this funding the Foundation will retrofit the vault and redesign and furnish the public access space and document processing area in the Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre. 

The Ontario Jewish Archives is the largest professionally maintained repository of Jewish archival material in Canada.

You can search their archives where they have over 5,000 cubic feet of textual records, photos, newspapers, films, and oral histories. 

The website is at http://ontariojewisharchives.org/

The Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/OntarioJewishArchives

Niagara Peninsula has a new website!

The Niagara Peninsula of the Ontario Genealogical Society has a new website, and it is exciting because of the new features that are on the site. 

In addition to having a new website (which is very neat and well organized), they are also starting to put video of their meetings and cemetery tours under the heading of Media! 

Last evening, I watched a video of their last meeting, and I was impressed with the quality and media presence of the presenters. I was left with the thought that everyone should do this. It’s a great way to tell everybody about your Branch or Chapter for free!  

So why isn’t this an initiative from the head office? Maybe it is, and we are just finding out about it, but I don’t think so. 

The website is at http://www.ogs.on.ca/niagara/

9/11 - The day we shall never forget

There were 24 Canadians killed in 9/11 – The day we shall never forget. 

There is a list of the people plus their profiles at
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/09/07/1810996.html 

Canada on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 in 2011, started the National Day of Service. It honours and celebrates the acts of kindness that Canadians are known for at home and all over the world.