Monday, August 25, 2008

Genea-Blogger Games: Closing Ceremonies




The 2008 Genea-Blogger Games are coming to an end and now it is time for the Closing Ceremonies. And as a disclaimer, this event is free of wardrobe malfunctions, warring factions, protests, and too much glitz and glamour. It is a celebration of the achievements of all our participants and those that cheered them on. You should all be proud of your accomplishments!

And if you notice any errors in information, or if I misread your medal count or accomplishments, please let me know as soon as possible so that I may correct any mistakes.

Before we get to a parade of the flags and presentation of the medals, here is some interest information about this competition:

- of the 38 entries, 35 participants were able to complete one or more event as planned and earn at least one medal

- 120 total medals awarded, of which there were
- 40 Platinum Medals
- 33 Diamond Medals
- 24 Gold Medals
- 10 Silver Medals
- 13 Silver Medals

- 3.57 medals was the average per participant

- the event with the least number of medals: Back Up Your Data (18)

- the event with the most number of medals: Reach Out and Genealogical Acts of Kindness (29)

- the event with the most Platinum medals: Reach Out and Genealogical Acts of Kindness (15)


So, go ahead and grab those medal graphics above and post them on your blog.


Lisa
100 Years in America
A Light that Shines Again
Small-leaved Shamrock

Cite Sources: Platinum
Back Up Data: Bronze
Organize Research: Gold
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Diamond



Wendy Littrell
All My Branches Genealogy

Cite Sources: Platinum
Organize Research: Gold
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Diamond



Amy Johnson Crow
Amy's Genealogy, etc. Blog

Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Bronze



Kathi Reid
Ancestor Search Blog

Back Up Data: Platinum
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Diamond



Miriam Robbins Midkiff
AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors

Cite Sources: Platinum
Organize Research: Diamond
Write, Write, Write!: Gold
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Gold



Ruth Stephens
Bluebonnet Country Genealogy

Back Up Data: Platinum
Organize Research: Gold



M. Diane Rogers
Canada Genealogy, or "Jane's Your Aunt"

Write, Write, Write!: Platinum



Pat Richley
DearMYRTLE: Your Friend in Genealogy

Cite Sources: Bronze
Back Up Data: Silver
Write, Write, Write!: Bronze
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Gold



Thomas MacEntee
Destination: Austin Family

Cite Sources: Platinum
Back Up Data: Gold
Organize Research: Platinum
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



Sheri Fenley
The Educated Genealogist

Cite Sources: Platinum
Organize Research: Diamond
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



Elyse Doerflinger
Elyse's Genealogy Blog

Cite Sources: Diamond
Back Up Data: Bronze
Organize Research: Bronze
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



Denise Levenick
The Family Curator

Cite Sources: Bronze
Back Up Data: Silver
Organize Research: Diamond
Write, Write, Write!: Gold
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



the footnoteMaven
footnoteMaven

Cite Sources: Bronze
Back Up Data: Bronze
Organize Research: Gold
Write, Write, Write!: Platinum
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



Randy Seaver
Genea-Musings

Organize Research: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



Julie Cahill Tarr
GenBlog

Cite Sources: Platinum
Organize Research: Diamond
Write, Write, Write!: Gold



George Geder
George Geder Genealogy~Photography~Restoration

Organize Research: Diamond
Write, Write, Write!: Gold



Midge Frazel
Granite in My Blood

Write, Write, Write!: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum


Linda Robbins
Hollingsworth Robbins Family Tree

Cite Sources: Platinum
Back Up Data: Gold
Organize Research: Diamond
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



Brenda K. Wolfgram Moore
HomeTown Edition - Kratochvil & Secor

Cite Sources: Platinum
Back Up Data: Platinum
Organize Research: Platinum
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



Amir Dekel (abba-dad)
I Dream of Genea(logy)

Cite Sources: Platinum
Back Up Data: Silver
Organize Research: Platinum
Write, Write, Write!: Gold
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



Melody Lasalle
Island Routes

Cite Sources: Bronze
Back Up Data: Gold
Organize Research: Diamond
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



Janet Iles
Janet the Researcher

Cite Sources: Silver
Organize Research: Gold
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond




Jessica Oswalt
Jessica's Genejournal

Write, Write, Write!: Gold
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Gold



Becky Wiseman
Kinexxions

Cite Sources: Bronze
Back Up Data: Gold
Organize Research: Platinum
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



Laura Womack
Life at the Home20

Back Up Data: Silver
Organize Research: Diamond
Write, Write, Write!: Gold
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



Elizabeth O'Neal
Little Bytes of Life

Cite Sources: Bronze
Back Up Data: Silver
Organize Research: Gold
Write, Write, Write!: Gold
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



Kathryn Lake Hogan
looking4ancestors

Cite Sources: Platinum
Back Up Data: Silver
Organize Research: Diamond
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Diamond



Colleen McHugh
The Oracle of OMcHodoy

Organize Research: Gold
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Gold



Laila Normann Christiansen
Slekt og slikt!

Cite Sources: Platinum
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Diamond



Stephen Danko
Steve's Genealogy Blog

Cite Sources: Bronze
Organize Research: Silver
Write, Write, Write!: Silver
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum



Taneya Koonce
Taneya's Genealogy Blog

Cite Sources: Platinum
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Diamond



John Newmark
Transylvanian Dutch

Cite Sources: Platinum
Organize Research: Platinum



Sheri Bush
Twig Talk

Cite Sources: Platinum
Organize Research: Platinum
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond



Vidar Ă˜verlie
Vidar's Slektsblogg

Back Up Data: Bronze
Organize Research: Silver
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Diamond



Bill West
West in New England

Write, Write, Write!: Platinum
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Diamond



Donna Pointkouski
What's Past is Prologue

Back Up Data: Gold
Organize Research: Bronze
Write, Write, Write!: Diamond
Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Silver

We hope to present the next Genea-Blogger Games in 2010 during the Winter Olymipcs which will be held in Vancouver, Canada. In fact, perhaps we can convince our Canadian bloggers to host the next GB Games!

Special thanks go to: everyone who participated, everyone who cheered on the participants, everyone who publicized the games even if they didn't participate, Miriam Midkiff Robbins and Kathryn Doyle for their organizational efforts, and footnoteMaven for her glorious graphics.

14 comments:

Midge Frazel said...

Congrats to us all! I am so surprised at the number of categories people competed in. I could hardly manage two. Yesterday, I worked on a new line following the "Cite Your Sources" and "Back-up your data" rules and it was VERY hard.

I made a lot of friends and learned new skills.

Thanks, cousin Thomas for your speedy posting of the closing ceremonies! (I am proud to be related to you.)

Moultrie Creek said...

I am blown away by the participation and effort displayed by this awesome group. For a first event from a newly-formed organization, this has been a truly amazing endeavor!

Each participant confirms my belief that we are building a most impressive community. The organizers - Thomas, Miriam and Kathryn - jumped into Facebook, saw its potential and acted to make us all welcome and provide community-building events such as this. Others, like footnoteMaven, have offered their individual skills to further the community's goals. I am in awe of all of you!

Although a by-stander to this event, I watched with great delight each participants' efforts - and even learned a trick or two. To me it was much more entertaining than that sports thing. ;-)

I look forward to participating in future events and endeavors to help develop and expand this divine genealogy community. I anticipate there will be many more fun and fabulous things ahead!

Jasia said...

The Games were a wonderful idea T and you, Miriam, and Kathryn did a great job of organizing them. Hat's off to ya for a job well done!

Janet Iles said...

What an impressive closing ceremonies! This was fun - now to continue on with the work that we started during these games.

Thank you to the organizing team.

Colleen said...

And thanks to you for all your work, as well! (and thanks for the judgment call on the Historical Society task!).

Much fun!

Can I stop cracking my knuckles now?

DearMYRTLE said...

Congrats to all the participating genea-bloggers! These summer games provided a chance to actually get some genealogy work done.

KUDOS to the organizing committee, for some of the challenges were doozies!

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
www.DearMYRTLE.com

Miriam Robbins said...

Great job, Thomas! It was fun doing all this, even though it was hard work, no? I couldn't ask for two more fun, clever, and creative partners in crime than you and Kathryn!

Anonymous said...

Wow!
Congratulations to all participants and organizers!

I'm so proud to be a part of this magnificent group of genealogists and family historians!

And the flags! Amazing!

Peace,
"Guided by the Ancestors"

Family Curator said...

What an impressive ceremony. It's clear from the scorecard of Platinum Medals that Genealogical Acts of Kindness are first on the to-do list of Thomas, Kathryn, Miriam, and footnoteMaven. Thank you, for organizing and motivating the "athletes."

This has been great fun in these "Dog Days of August." Top honors to you all!

Kathryn Lake Hogan said...

A terrific closing ceremony, Thomas. Kudos to you, Miriam and Kathryn for inspiring us genea-bloggers to work at our family histories in a fun and exciting way! Congratulations to all of us who participated. We did GREAT! Can't wait for 2010. (BTW - I'd be interested in helping to host it, since I'm Canadian, eh!).

wendy said...

Great closing ceremonies! I thoroughly appreciated all the organizers' hard work, the wonderful graphics by fM, those who cheered us on, and my fellow "competitors" - who made this way more fun than we should ever have! Looking forward to the winter games!

Kathryn Doyle said...

Congratulations geneathletes! What an amazing group of competitors you are! It has been great to meet so many fellow genealogy bloggers - you are all an inspiration.

Thomas and Miriam, you both deserve a special medal for outstanding opening and closing ceremonies - especially the music, Miriam - very nice touch! I'm looking forward to our next blog-venture.

Sheri Fenley said...

Thank you Thomas, Miriam and Kathryn for organizing the Games. I never would have started my blog without them!

Sheri Fenley

Terry Thornton said...

THOMAS, Congratulations to you, the organizing committee, and to all the "players" for such a successful Genea-Blogger Games of 2008! You are all to be commended for your hard word, your contribution to the advancement of genealogy, and for establishing such a esprit de corps that will, no doubt, serve the Genea-Blogggers community well in the months and years ahead. GOOD GAMES!
Terry Thornton
HILL COUNTRY OF MONROE COUNTY MISSISSIPPI