Bend Genealogical Society upcoming events

Open Lab for Genealogy (1 Aug 2026)

Sat, 01 Aug 2026 17:00:00 GMT

On the 1st Saturday of the month, BGS regularly hosts a FREE, in-person Genealogy Open Lab. The Lab is dedicated genealogy research time without the distractions at home. Research on your own, or if you have questions about a research problem, the Open Lab volunteers or other participants are nearby to offer assistance.

There is not a program presentation at the Open Lab. Bring your laptop or other device to use for research; WiFi is available. Come once, or come every 1st Saturday. The BGS Library is open, too, from 10 AM to 2:00 PM.

The public is invited to the Open Lab. If you are interested in starting your family tree, come to the Lab. We can help your find you first ancestor and assist you in beginning to research your family history.

Location: Williamson Hall, 2200 NE Hwy 20, Bend, 97701. Click here for a map to see the Hall's location. Thank you for clicking Yes to RSVP, so we know to expect you.

BGS Annual BBQ Picnic (11 Aug 2026)

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

—FREE—
Enjoy BBQ, a Potluck, visit with friends, play a game,
and celebrate summer!

► Who: Members, spouses, family or friends are welcome.

► Location: Back patio/lawn or inside Williamson Hall. If preferred, feel free to bring your own comfy camp chair.

► BBQ: BGS will provide hamburger & salmon patties for the BBQ, buns, all the fixings, condiments, and disposable plates & utensils.

► Potluck Side Dishes, Salads, Desserts. etc.: Bring a dish of your choice for the Potluck that complements a BBQ.

► Beverages: Bottled water will be provided. If desired, bring your own preferred NON-ALCOHOLIC beverage.

► Thank you for registering & indicating if you will bring a guest: Please call or email info@bendgenealogy.org if you can help with setup or cleanup. All help is appreciated.

Keep Researching (15 Aug 2026)

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Experienced & Independent

Researchers Welcome!

You are invited to Williamson Hall on the 3rd Saturday of the month, from 12:30 to 2:30 PM, where you can work on your family history with others who are researching, too.

We often put off researching due to the hectic nature of life. At Keep Researching, you can dedicate 2 hours a month to join other genealogists for undisturbed research time. If you have a specific problem finding information about an ancestor or using a website, you can ask the group for advice. Try some new ideas and perhaps break through a brick wall.

Bring your laptop or other device and work on your tree or build a research plan! Come and attend Keep Researching, away from distractions at home.

Location: Williamson Hall, 2200 NE Hwy 20, Bend, 97701. Click here for a map to see the Hall's location. Thank you for clicking Register to RSVP, so we know to expect you.

Open Lab for Genealogy (5 Sep 2026)

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Location: Williamson Hall, 2200 NE Hwy 20, Bend, 97701. Click here for a map to see the Hall's location. Thank you for clicking Yes to RSVP, so we know to expect you.

Hidden Treasures: Unleashing the Full Potential of FamilySearch's Catalog (8 Sep 2026)

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Hidden Treasures: Unleashing the Full Potential of FamilySearch's Catalog

This presentation will guide you through advanced search techniques and new features within FamilySearch’s newly released Catalog, revealing how to uncover rare documents, records, and resources that can transform your genealogical research. Discover how to navigate this powerful tool to find those elusive family connections and hidden gems in your family tree.

Jamie Lee McManus Mayhew is a California native with deep southern roots, a speaker, family genealogist, genealogical educator, occasional blogger, and professional researcher. She is active in numerous societies and organizations, currently serving as the president of the APG Writers SIG and a director of both the Genealogical Speakers Guild, and the Utah Genealogical Society. She is currently the Director of the Oakhurst, California FamilySearch Center. She holds a BA in sociology, an MA in Educational Technology, and a Professional Learning Certificate in Genealogical Studies (PLCGS).

Registration required to receive the Zoom link.

Keep Researching (19 Sep 2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Experienced & Independent

Researchers Welcome!

You are invited to Williamson Hall on the 3rd Saturday of the month, from 12:30 to 2:30 PM, where you can work on your family history with others who are researching, too.

Bring your laptop or other device and work on your tree or build a research plan! Come and attend Keep Researching, away from distractions at home.

Location: Williamson Hall, 2200 NE Hwy 20, Bend, 97701. Click here for a map to see the Hall's location. Thank you for clicking Register to RSVP, so we know to expect you.

Open Lab for Genealogy (3 Oct 2026)

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Location: Williamson Hall, 2200 NE Hwy 20, Bend, 97701. Click here for a map to see the Hall's location. Thank you for clicking Yes to RSVP, so we know to expect you.

Finding and Using Obituaries More Effectively: 10 Strategies (13 Oct 2026)

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Finding And Using Obituaries More Effectively: 10 Strategies

Obituaries can help you reconstruct families and find missing relatives, whether you’re doing genealogy or building trees for DNA matches. Learn from actual case studies a full range of strategies for finding obituaries from different time periods. (This includes today: we’ll talk about finding online-only obituary content and understanding differences between original postings and aggregator websites.) Learn a trick for finding citations for unidentified news clippings. You’ve never seen obituary-finding treated with this kind of depth and detail!

Sunny Jane Morton is author of the new book Searching for Sisters: A Guide to Researching Catholic Nuns in the United States; co-author of the award-winning volume How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records; and an instructor at GRIP Genealogy Institute. She is Editor of NGS Magazine; Contributing Editor at Family Tree Magazine, and past Editor of Ohio Genealogy News. Find her at www.sunnymorton.com.

Registration required to receive the Zoom link.

Keep Researching (17 Oct 2026)

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Experienced & Independent

Researchers Welcome!

You are invited to Williamson Hall on the 3rd Saturday of the month, from 12:30 to 2:30 PM, where you can work on your family history with others who are researching, too.

Bring your laptop or other device and work on your tree or build a research plan! Come and attend Keep Researching, away from distractions at home.

Location: Williamson Hall, 2200 NE Hwy 20, Bend, 97701. Click here for a map to see the Hall's location. Thank you for clicking Register to RSVP, so we know to expect you.

Military Research - Using www.fold3.com (10 Nov 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Military Research - Using www.Fold3.com

The website https://www.fold3.com/ , in a partnership with the national archives, provides a wealth of military resources and documents from the Revolutionary War of 1776 , the War of 1812, Mexican American and early Indian Wars, Civil War, Spanish American War, WWI ,WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War.

Christine Cohen will be in person at Williamson Hall! Learn more about how to research your ancestor's military history with Christine Cohen!

Christine Cohen is active in the Whittier Area Genealogical Society and also belongs to the Tualatin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Society of Daughters of Holland Dames, and the Association of Professional Genealogists. Her passion for genealogy started in 1977 after watching "Roots" and receiving a pedigree chart detailing her Dutch ancestry from New Netherlands in the 1650s. She recently retired to focus full time on genealogy.

Registration required to receive the Zoom link.

BGS Holiday Potluck, Silent Auction & Stories (8 Dec 2026)

Tue, 08 Dec 2026 18:00:00 GMT

This year's Holiday Potluck and Celebration is at Williamson Hall on Tuesday, December 8 beginning at 10:00 AM. It's time to celebrate genealogy and share a meal together! Feel free to bring a guest. Bring cash or your checkbook to pay for your Silent Auction purchases.

The program is members of our Ancestor Short Story Project sharing part of their written short story. These stories have been submitted to our own Kelly McCray who is also BGS's Newsletter Editor. For timely reasons, folks will share part of their story with you.

Silent Auction: This is a fundraiser for BGS, please bring new or gently used items to donate to the auction. Anything you like. Some suggestions are a Christmas ornament, houseplant/planter/vase, figurine, bottle of wine, book, or offer your services for IT help, genealogy research or other special skill. Bidding occurs throughout the morning. Pay for your purchases before you leave. If your item doesn't sell, please take it home with you. Bring these items at least 30 minutes before the program begins at 10 am - so by 9:30!

Potluck (after the Sharing Time): Everyone brings one or more dishes to put on the potluck table to share. Bring whatever you would like, such as an appetizer, main dish, salad, side dish, pizza, vegetable tray, dessert, or anything else to share with friends.

BGS provides: Coffee, tea, water and all tableware, salt/pepper, etc. The Hall’s kitchen has a refrigerator, stove, a small microwave, and there are outlets for crock pots.

HELP! We need help with set-up and take-down for the potluck. Tables/chairs and decoration set-up will start on Monday afternoon at 1:00 PM. Then, on Tuesday morning, we’ll be brewing coffee, etc. If you can help with set-up and/or clean-up, please email: info@bendgenealogy.org or call BGS at 541-317-9553.