Columbia County Genealogical Conference at St. Helens Public Library

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 14, 2025

St. Helens, Ore. – Registration is now open for the fourth biennial Columbia County Genealogical Conference in St. Helens. This year’s theme is Many Lands, Many People. The free conference will take place Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. at the Columbia Center, 375 S. 18th Street, St. Helens.

The 2025 conference focuses on the relationship between your ancestors and the lands where they lived. Whether your family has deep roots or moved widely throughout its history, the conference will help you develop tools to seek and better understand your family’s story.

The conference is sponsored by the Friends of the St. Helens Public Library. The conference is open to anyone interested in exploring family history, and registration is required. Participation is limited to 80 in-person attendees and no limit for virtual attendance. Registration will be accepted in-person the day of the conference if space is still available. A lunch option is available for purchase for $15 and must be requested by September 17. You can register in-person at the St. Helens Public Library or online at https://www.sthelensoregon.gov/library/webform/columbia-county-genealogy-conference-many-lands-many-people-registration.

Conference session topics include Tracking Down Your Eastern European Ancestors; Pinning Down Your Ancestors' Locations; Why They Left, Where They Went, and What Their Journeys Can Reveal; Strapped For Cash: Records of Poor Ancestors and the Stories They Tell; Dual Citizenship and Right of Return; Introduction to Jewish Genealogy; and Introduction to Black American Genealogy. The full list of session information and descriptions can be found on the Library’s website at https://www.sthelensoregon.gov/library/page/columbia-county-genealogy-conference-many-lands-many-people-session-information.

Speakers include Janice Sellers and Pam Vestal. Sellers is a professional genealogist and international speaker specializing in Black, Jewish, and dual citizenship research. She is the president of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Oregon. She is the publicity director, programming director, and a board member of San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society and a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy, Genealogical Speakers Guild, and Genealogical Forum of Oregon (GFO), where she is the coordinator of the African American Special Interest Group.

Vestal is a former professional writer who specializes in conducting extensive family history research and turning genealogical facts into illustrated stories that anyone can enjoy. Her articles have appeared in the National Genealogy Society Magazine, Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, and the Federation of Genealogical Society’s Forum. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

The Columbia County Genealogical Conference is hosted by St. Helens Public Library. Questions about the conference should be directed to St. Helens Public Library Patron Services Librarian Brenda Herren-Kenaga at bherrenkenaga@sthelensoregon.gov or 503-397-4544. Additional conference information can be found on the library website at https://www.sthelensoregon.gov/library/page/4th-biennial-columbia-county-genealogy-conference-many-lands-many-people.

###

For further information regarding the genealogical conference, please contact St. Helens Public Library Patron Services Librarian Brenda Herren-Kenaga at bherrenkenaga@sthelensoregon.gov or 503-397-4544.