Category: Events

November 2026 Family History Forum

Canadian Website Potpourri! The Best Online Resources for Family History from Sea to Sea

Learn about some of the wonderful online resources for Canadian genealogical research!  We will explore some great resources for Canada-wide research, as well as province-specific. Many of these gems include information going beyond Canada so this will be of interest to all researchers.
Date: Tuesday, November 24, 2026, 6:30pm
Presenter: Claire Smith-Burns
Location: via Zoom
REGISTRATION REQUIRED through the Okanagan Regional Library’s Events Calendar, https://orl.libcal.com/calendar/kelowna/fhf

Upcoming Meetings

We have a wonderful lineup of speakers planned for our 2026–2027 genealogy season, with fascinating topics for both experienced researchers and those just beginning their family history journey!
Registration is required. Attendance is free for KDGS members. Non-members are welcome and pay a $10 fee per meeting.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
September 14: Mohini Singh will be talking about discovering her Grandfather’s First Family in India; Bite-size
October 5: Diane Henriks, presenting “Unraveling Family History with AI: Leveraging AI to Trace an Ancestor’s Journey” (no Bite-size due to AGM)
November 2: Ken McKinlay, presenting “Researching Your Canadian World War II Ancestors;” Bite-size, Joan Kirkbride tells us about the research she’s done on Louis King, WW II Commando
January 4: Tara Shymanski, presenting “Connecting with our Roots: How Family Stories Shape our Lives;” Bite-size, Bruce Stevens tells us about his RCAF Ancestor
February 1: Nicole Elder Dyer, presenting “DNA Evidence & Analysis with AI;” Bite-size, Carol Winston, “White Knuckles, Time Travel and AI: Unlocking a 1932 Family Road Trip”
March 1: Andrea Lister, presenting “Permissions made Simple” (navigating copyright for genealogists); Bite-size, Claire Smith-Burns will guide you through making your own Family History Display Board

Central Okanagan Obituaries Project Thrives With City Of Kelowna Grant

The Kelowna & District Genealogical Society’s Central Okanagan Obituaries Project is thriving thanks to a 2026 City of Kelowna Cultural Grant!
Our team of dedicated volunteers have indexed, scanned, and made available the obituaries of Indigenous peoples, historical figures, and recent residents of the Central Okanagan.
You can now search our comprehensive obituary database directly at: https://search.kdgs.ca. This new search service allows you to explore our growing collection with ease and includes the direct download of listed obituaries for KDGS members or for a $10 fee for non-members.
The search service page also provides options for additional inquiries or to request specific obituary records not listed in the database.

2026 Upcoming Meeting Information

April 13: All Kinds of Loyalists presented by Kathryn Lake Hogan
During the American Revolutionary War, approximately 35% of the population of the Thirteen colonies was loyal to King George III of Great Britain. Was your ancestor one of them? How do you know if your ancestor was a Loyalist? In this presentation, learn what to look for in documents and records to determine if your ancestor meets the qualifications of being a Loyalist.
May 4: Using AI to Research Documents & Letters presented by Mark Thompson
Do you have old family letters and documents waiting to be explored? In this beginner-friendly session, learn how artificial intelligence can assist you in analyzing and researching your family’s personal archives. From summarizing key points to quickly identifying names and relationships, AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude can help you speed up your research. You’ll also learn how to responsibly use some of the amazing, but riskier, aspects of AI like transcription and translation. Join Mark Thompson to learn how AI can lighten the load and help you reveal the rich history hidden in your family archive!

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  • Meetings

November 2026 General Meeting

November 2: “Second World War: Researching the Canadians Who Served” presented by Ken McKinlay, manager of the “Family Tree Knots” blog. This presentation delves into the wealth of records available for researching...

  • Family History Forums