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Thursday, December 11
German Genealogy SIG Meeting (German SIG)
9:30 am to 11:50 am In-person @ Lake Miona Rec Center & via Zoom
Coordinators: Dianne Fedderson & Steven Buhrow
An email containing the Zoom link & info will be emailed to SIG members prior to the meeting date.
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Friday, December 12
Genetic Discoveries SIG Meeting (Genetic Discoveries SIG)
10:00 am to 11:50 am ZOOM Meeting
Coordinators: Sherry Bean, Marcella Zorn & Cheryl Richardson
Topic: TBA
An email containing the Zoom link will be emailed to SIG members prior to meeting date.
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Monday, December 15
Best Practices SIG Meeting (Best Practices SIG)
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Online Zoom Meeting
Coordinators: Annette Burke-Lyttle & Pat Adams
Topic: Sharing Projects
The SIG accepts new members throughout the year, but those who join after January 2023 should be prepared to catch up on the chapters that have already been studied. Visit our SIG webpage for more details.
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Tuesday, December 16
Let's Talk Genealogy: Members Only Event (VGS Special Events)
10:00 am ZOOM MEETING
We are looking for all levels of VGS members. Come and share with us about your latest research successes or about a research challenge you're facing. Perhaps you have general genealogy questions including places to research or how others organize their information. Share your knowledge and ideas to help keep us all moving forward.
Register to attend this Zoom session – Click HERE.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
** If you are not a VGS member but would like to be, click HERE.
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Thursday, December 18
Northeastern Genealogy SIG Meeting (Northeastern Genealogy SIG)
12:00 pm to 1:30 pm SeaBreeze Recreation Center, New Smyrna Room
Topic: TBA
Coordinator: Joanne Schmidt
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Monday, December 22
French Canadian Genealogy SIG Meeting (French-Canadian SIG)
10:00 am to 11:50 am Chula Vista Recreation Center
Coordinator: Gale Bellew & Laney Waller |
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Monday, January 5, 2026
RootsMagic Special Interest Group Meeting (RootsMagic SIG)
2:30 pm to 4:20 pm Eisenhower Recreation Center – General MacArthur Room, and on Zoom
Topic: TBA
Reminder: Bring your laptops
Coordinator: George Zitterell
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Friday, January 9, 2026
Genetic Discoveries SIG Meeting (Genetic Discoveries SIG)
10:00 am to 11:50 am ZOOM Meeting
Coordinators: Sherry Bean, Marcella Zorn & Cheryl Richardson
Topic: TBA
An email containing the Zoom link will be emailed to SIG members prior to meeting date.
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Friday, January 16, 2026
Scandinavian Genealogy SIG Meeting (Scandinavian SIG)
11:00 am to 12:30 pm SeaBreeze Recreation Center, New Smyrna Beach Room
Program: Henry Stish will be giving a presentation on AI
Coordinators: Kris Petersen-Gauthier & Dan Smith
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Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Midwest SIG Meeting (Midwest SIG)
2:00 pm to 3:50 pm SeaBreeze Recreation Center, Clearwater Room
Topic: How to effectively use Family Search tools as well as using the Family Search library and all it has to offer.
Coordinators: Darrell Coppock & Karen Pickelsimer
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Wednesday, January 28, 2026
VGS General Monthly Meeting (VGS Monthly Meeting)
10:00 am Lake Miona Rec Center: Defender & Intrepid Rooms, or via Zoom
Guest Speaker: C. Ann Staley, CG®, CGL(SM)
Topic: Steamer Kate Explosion: Correlating Indirect Evidence to Identify and Correct an Error
What happens when the indirect evidence of a death occurring and a probate record don't agree? The research begins in earnest! That's what happened in the case of the death of Antoine/Anthony Lallament of Mobile, Alabama. Who is Antoine and what relationship is he to me? When did he actually die? Which record is correct? What would other available records reveal? How is the explosion of the Steamer Kate involved? We have more questions than answers. This case study provides the research methodology involved in solving this problem.
Speaker's Bio:
C. Ann Staley, CG®, CGL(SM), has spoken regionally, nationally, and at sea. She serves as the Membership Chair for the Genealogical Speakers Guild; on the faculty of The International Institute for Genealogical Studies; a volunteer on a number of the National Genealogical Society committees; and as a volunteer of the Florida State Genealogical Society. She served previously on the board of the Association of Professional Genealogists and has taught at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR). Ann is the author of articles for the NGS Magazine and is the co-author of the NGS Research in the States Series: Florida. Ann has been researching her family from Alabama, Mississippi, Indiana, and Virginia to France, England, Ireland and Germany.
There are two ways to attend: in-person at the Lake Miona Rec Center or online via Zoom. If you want to attend in person, simply come to the Lake Miona Recreation Center at 10:00 a.m. on January 28. If you want to attend online via Zoom, click this LINK to register in advancce. (After registering, you''ll receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.)
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Monday, February 2, 2026
RootsMagic Special Interest Group Meeting (RootsMagic SIG)
2:30 pm to 4:20 pm SeaBreeze Recreation Center – Destin Room, and on Zoom
Topic: TBA
Reminder: Bring your laptops
Coordinator: George Zitterell
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Monday, February 2, 2026
Dilemmas in Genealogical Research (Part 1 of 4) (VGS Live Webinar)
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm LIVE WEBINAR
Guest Speaker: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG®
Topic Info: Genealogy often uncovers more than just names and dates – it reveals complex stories that can challenge our sense of responsibility as researchers. This session explores the legal boundaries, moral questions, and ethical decisions that family history researchers face in their work. Topics include privacy and disclosure, copyright and fair use, handling sensitive discoveries, and the ethics of DNA testing and sharing results. Through real-world examples, participants will learn how to navigate gray areas with integrity, balancing the pursuit of truth with respect for the living and the dead.
Presenter Info: Annette Burke Lyttle is a Certified Genealogist and owns Heritage Detective, LLC, providing professional genealogical services in research, education, and writing. She speaks on a variety of genealogical topics at the international, national, state, and local levels and loves helping people uncover and share their family stories. Annette is a course coordinator for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the British Institute. She is a published writer whose research interests include Quaker ancestors and ancestral migrations in the U.S. She is past president of the Association of Professional Genealogists, as well as The Villages Genealogical Society, and editor of The Florida Genealogist.
Click HERE to register in advance to attend this webinar.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
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Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Genetic Discoveries SIG Meeting (Genetic Discoveries SIG)
10:00 am to 12:00 pm ZOOM Meeting
Coordinators: Sherry Bean, Marcella Zorn & Cheryl Richardson
Topic: TBA
An email containing the Zoom link will be emailed to SIG members prior to meeting date.
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Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Midwest SIG Meeting (Midwest SIG)
2:00 pm to 3:50 pm SeaBreeze Recreation Center, Clearwater Room
Topic: "How to Use Cemeteries in our Research". Tips on visiting cemeteries, how to effectively use Find-A-Grave, and other online tools.
Coordinators: Darrell Coppock & Karen Pickelsimer
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Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Our 26th Annual Family History Seminar (VGS Annual Seminar)
9:00 am to 3:30 pm A Hybrid Event -- In-person & Virtual -- Open to the Public
Organize & Preserve Your Family Archives
Featuring: Sue Schlichting
Sue Schlichting has been a professional genealogist since 2018. She is a graduate of the ProGen Study course, a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, National Genealogical Society and Daughters of the American Revolution. She volunteers her time as the local church historian, editor of her family's annual newsletter, and serves on the Outreach committee for the Greater Omaha Genealogical Society.
(Our speaker will be presenting in-person at the Savannah Regional Recreation Center at The Villages.)
Seminar Topics:
• Getting Organized! Laying a Solid Foundation for Your Research & Preservation Work
• Old Family Photos – Organize, Preserve & Pass Them On
• Sharing Your Research with the Non-genealogists in Your Family
• What to do with ALL That Family Stuff!
• For more details and to register to attend, click HERE.
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Monday, March 2, 2026
RootsMagic Special Interest Group Meeting (RootsMagic SIG)
2:30 pm to 4:20 pm SeaBreeze Recreation Center – Destin Room, and on Zoom
Topic: TBA
Reminder: Bring your laptops
Coordinator: George Zitterell
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Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Genetic Discoveries SIG Meeting (Genetic Discoveries SIG)
10:00 am to 12:00 pm ZOOM Meeting
Coordinators: Sherry Bean, Marcella Zorn & Cheryl Richardson
Topic: TBA
An email containing the Zoom link will be emailed to SIG members prior to meeting date.
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