Aurora Genealogical Society of Colorado
2025 Program Meetings
https://www.auroragenealogicalsociety.com
www.facebook.com/AuroraGenealogicalSocietyCO
https://conferencekeeper.org/event-submissions/
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All meetings begin at 1:00pm (MT). In person meetings are held at the Hoffman Heights Branch Library, 1298 Peoria Street, Aurora, Colorado 80011​​
Map to Hoffman Heights - https://tinyurl.com/zphxjfrp
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If interested in attending, please send request to attend to: AurGenSoc@gmail.com
Attendance is free, however, donations are greatly appreciated.
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​​​​​​​Tuesday, March 24, 2026 @1:00pm (MT) "Artificial Intelligence / Family History Research"
ZOOM Only meeting: Presented by Vickie Smejkal, Experience Genealogist
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Vickie will present Artificial Intelligence and what is it and what it isn't. She will demonstrate how it relates to Family History Research by briefly mentioning how A.I. is being used on various family history websites and will then use the FamilySearch program to show some of its visible A.I. features and how it can be used to benefit your family history research.​​​
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Tuesday, 28 April 2026 @1:00pm (MT) "Military Records Hiding in Plain Sight"
HYBRID meeting: Presented by Jeff Adams, Experienced Genealogist​
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You can find a plethora of military records on sites such as Fold3, Ancestry, as well as others. But these sites cost money. However, you can also find a wealth of information on veterans in your family on sites such as FamilySearch and the National Archives. We’ll show you where you can find these records for free!
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Tuesday, 26 May 2026 @ 1:00pm (MT) "Finding Your Tribe in Native American Research"​
HYBRID meeting: by Sandra Syring, Experience genealogist
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Native American tribes refer to their family tree as a spider web. They feel we are not connected in only one way, rather with many other tribes. This half hour presentation will guide you through essential sources and bring your Native American ancestor/s into clearer focus
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Future Presentations:
No program meetings in June, July, and August - See you in September.​
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Speaker Bios
​​Vickie Smejkal: Per her Bio:
Vickie has been doing genealogy for 36 years, has been a volunteer at the FamilySearch Center for over 31 years, and is currently the FamilySearch Coordinator having served for over 10 years thus far.
Vickie provides one-on-one training sessions with patrons and provides classes via Zoom on the various functions of FamilySearch, as well as other genealogical related presentations.
In additional to her family history work, she has spent over 18 years and continues to do so, working on her project she calls Block 12 Riverside - a pauper's site within Riverside's Pioneer Cemetery. She was also invited by the Fairmount Heritage Foundation to document all of the veterans interred at Riverside Cemetery. All of her documented subjects can be found on Findagrave.com and on her website RiversideCemeteryDenver.com
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Jeff Adams: Per his Bio:
I’ve been a member of the Aurora Genealogical Society (AGS) since November 2019 and have lived off and on in Aurora since 2012. I am currently AGS’s delegate to the Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies as well as AGS’s recording secretary. I volunteer for the genealogy section at the main library and can usually be seen on Wednesday afternoons 1-4 helping people with their genealogical questions. I was born in Dallas, Texas and lived in that area until I joined the army in 1994. While in the army, I was stationed mainly on the east coast and ended up at Buckley Air Force Base in 2012. Additionally, I spent time overseas in Korea, Bosnia, Germany, Iraq, and Afghanistan. I forget what got me interested in genealogy, other than a love of history, but I have been researching for about 15 years. I was a member of the PROGEN 50 study group, a precursor to becoming a professional genealogist, in 2021 and I hope to become a professional genealogist in the next year or two.
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Sandra Syring: Per her Bio:
Sandra Syring was born and raised in Colorado. She grew up hearing stories of her grandmother’s Native American heritage, and while caring for her Aunt Billy—an avid genealogist—she discovered their Cherokee roots. While the family originally believed only her grandmother’s father was Cherokee, Sandra’s research revealed the lineage traces back to her grandmother's grandfather, a member of the Taul family. The name originates from the Taul Grass family, a historic Cherokee line. Sandra continues to explore her family history and is eager to learn more.
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