I was going to publish this tomorrow but then realized this morning that the deadline to sign up is tonight at Midnight!
WikiTree is having its third annual Source-a-Thon starting Friday, September 28th at 8 am until Monday, October 1 at 8 am. It will be my second year participating and I am chomping at the bit to get going!
What is Source-a-Thon?
Source-a-Thon is an event/competition intended to make WikiTree a more valuable genealogical tool by adding sources to profiles that don’t yet have them.
Why should I participate?
Well, if you are a genealogical geek like myself, it’s just fun! But there are other reasons including PRIZES! Last time I checked in, there were $3500 worth of genealogical door prizes to be given away during the weekend. Go here to see a list of prizes. Best of all you don’t have to be the best sourcer, you just have to participate. Besides the possibility of winning a prize, you also get the satisfaction of giving your time to help others with their family history.
How do I participate?
First, if you do not already have a WikiTree account, you will need to sign up for one and agree to follow their Honor Code. Next you will need to go to the register page and click “answer” at the bottom of the first part of the screen.
Then type “Sign me up” or something similar. You can also put in a team name if you have one you would like to join. You can see a list of teams here. I am on Team Carolina Cousins!
How do I add sources?
Your team will have a list of unsourced profiles available. Once you have a profile to source, add a valid source which can be census records, Birth/Marriage/Death records/index references, military documents, land documents, wills, etc. DO NOT use ancestry trees as a source. Once you have added your source, delete the {{Unsourced}} tag in the profile. WikiTree has an easy way to track what you do! Once you save the profile, click on the “Challenge Tracker” button and choose the Source-a-Thon check box. Then you are ready to go on to your next profile.
Need more help?
The wonderful volunteers have made a video about participating in Source-a-Thon: