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The following is a chapter from:
Trace Your Roots with DNA
by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and Ann Turner
(reprinted with permission)
BROADCASTING
The preceding were our recommended guidelines and resources for reverse genealogy, but what if you've decided to launch a broad project, open to anyone with a given surname? In that case, you're probably going to adopt a broadcasting strategy, so let's start by peeking over the shoulders of a few people who made the same decision.
BROADCASTING: ROSE
David W. Brown, who manages the Rose DNA Study, one of the largest DNA surname projects in the world with more than 140 participants, believes that it is "almost essential to have a surname publication that is widespread - at least to grow to the size of our project." He explains that having a dedicated genealogist on board is a significant advantage and that many of their participants are now recruiting through the efforts of Christine Rose, a well-known and highly respected professional who also serves the primary researchers for The Rose Family Association. In addition to getting the word out through the Rose Family Bulletin, the project maintains a Web site (www.ourworld.cs.com/Christine4Rose) and taps into other resources, such as postings on various genealogy boards, their testing company's surname list, and word of mouth.
BROADCASTING: HULL
James Reynolds Hull, Ph.D., confesses to "organizational jitters" when initiating the Hull Surname DNA Study. He started by sending 500 letters of introduction, an effort which was not very successful. Fortunately, as a long-time member of the Hull Family Association (HFA), he realized that he had a built-in database of potential Hull donors. Working together with the HFA and its genealogist, he has been able to seek and find those Hull men who are known to be related by way of tradition or historical documentation to Hull progenitors.
BROADCASTING: MCCARTHY
Perhaps one of the most ambitious outreach efforts can be credited to The McCarthy Surname Study, run by Cliff McCarthy and Barbara McCarthy. Open to all males with variations of the McCarthy name (e.g. McCarty, MacCarthy, etc.) the project administrators began seeking participants by placing announcements on genealogical message and mailing boards and having the study added to master Y-chromosome project listings. Capitalizing on established reputation of The Clan MacCarthy Society, they then sent letters to all members and had information posted on the Society's Web site.
Going a step further, they also did a direct mailing to all 43 McCarthy males in Dunmanway area of County Cork, Ireland (a region of particular interest), and sent flyers to the Dunmanway librarian requesting that they be posted on local bulletin boards. Yet another tactic used was contacting relevant organizations and periodicals in both the United States and Ireland, asking that a write-up about the study be printed in their publications. Last but not least, Cliff and Barbara relied on the power of word of mouth to attract more candidates.
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