Did you lead a team for one of the Thons? Keep the team spirit going!

Question

Hi Everyone,

Something a few of us noticed, and loved seeing, is that the teams in both the Thon challenge events had so much fun working together. I really think the fun was inspiration to push a little harder and went a long way towards making both events a success. 

WikiTree, in the last few years, has started a lot of different challenges. Some are weekly, like the Data Doctors and the Sourcing Sprints, some are monthly like the Connectors and Sourcerers Challenges, and some are a little more sporadic, like the Military Challenge. We have a new challenge, the Surname Spotlight, coming up as a monthly, too. There are a lot of ways to have fun participating.

It would be awesome to see the team spirit we saw in the Thons continue throughout the year. All the teams got their own space page with the Clean-a-Thon. That space page definitely does not need to sit idle all year waiting for the next Thon! 

What do you think about keeping your team active throughout the year? 

One idea is to pick one (or more!) challenge each month for your team to join in on and work together. With the Data Doctor Error Reports available in all shapes and sizes, you can still focus on your favored areas, whether they're regional, error based, you had a generic team that developed its own focus, or new teams start centered on certain surnames. 

I think the easiest way would be to answer a Challenge question and just let your team comment under that answer post, continuing with the camaraderie and fun chatter that we saw in the Thons. You can post a link to that month's challenge on your team page and invite members individually, as well.

That spirit can also be continued by just encouraging work on your focus areas on the team page. Use the free-space page to talk with members (by asking them all to join the trusted list) and encourage contributions on Tennessee Unsourced, or New England Errors, or Smith Biographies, etc. 

You could have little micro teams, A-String, B-String, or some such, that always focus on your team's topic in each challenge. Each month the Massachusetts Source String from Team Massachusetts jumps in the Sourcerers and focuses on sourcing all those Massachusetts Unsourced profiles, egging each other on, trading ideas for finding sources, stirring up rivalry with those Connecticut Team kids. You get the idea :-)

Another thought is to keep the same teams from Thon to Thon if folks work well together. Because we know not everyone wants to source or clean up errors, we can expand teams to have closer to 30-40 members, and should everyone want to participate, we would just have an Australia Awesome Team A, Australia Awesome Team B, and on as necessary. All Team Australia, but broken down because so many people decided to join up for that particular challenge.

Do you have ideas or thoughts on keeping teams alive and active throughout the year? I'd love to hear them! 

Also, if you had a source-a-thon team without a free-space page, but want to continue your team, start a page! Let Eowyn or Abby know if you do, so they can note it for future Thons.

Thanks everyone for what you've done so far. Watching teams work together is one of my favorite parts of the Thons :-)

Go team!

 

Abby

Comments

I like this idea. It's fabulous

---

I think it's a great idea.

---

I think it's an excellent idea. I'm in.

---

Mr. Bob of the Massachusetts team is already slinging challenges about! May have to meet those challenges!

---

We love the idea of micro teams working on different challenges, but what if some of our Team members like to work on more than one challenge each month?

---

Abby, I started a team page: Anywherers. Is there enough interest for this to happen? If so, I'll have to recruit more members.

---

What if you weren't on WikeTree for either of the Thons?  Can you join onto an existing team?

---

Our team is open for new members Susan!  Just see my post below ;-)

---

Thanks!  Didn't scroll down far enough.  Whoops!

---

Yes, Susan, absolutely!

---

Emma,

You all can work on challenges however you like! Represent on as many challenges as you like. Just challenge as a team :-)

Answer 1

Abby,

I think it's a great idea. Through other things, I still have contact with some of the team members. I think most, if not all, would stay with the Massachusetts 600. I'll try to contact everyone to get their opinions.

Bob

Comments

Out 16 members, including me, we're at 6 FOR, zero against. 3 more,and Massachusetts 600 is a go for keeping the team together. Most of us don't even live there any more, so we really have a "home" loyalty. I'll keep you updated. Massachusetts 600 is laying down the gauntlet to challenge all the other Spring Clean-a-Thon teams. We will be the first team to be totally on board for year round teams. HOOYAH!

---

Just did a check of the Massachusetts 600, and all 16 are at least Pre1700 qualified. We are ready to rock the Colonianl Bay Staters.

---

Just a vote update. Massachusetts 600 is now 10 FOR, 0 against.

---

That's awesome, Bob! It makes me wish I was a Massachusetts 600'er. (I fit the profile of being a native who now lives elsewhere.) I should probably try to revive the Nor'easters, though.

Answer 2

I think its a great idea. Each team's page would have the links to what they are working on to make it easy for people to participate. I think to keep the challenges fresh each team could choose a focus each month, such as sourcering or data doctoring, but still have other options encouraged. There could also be team specific challenges.

I would really like to see Team New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut reunite! (We also love Pennsylvania unless they want their own team)

Answer 3

Dorothy Barry was a great leader of the Southern Super Sweepers in the Clean-A-Thon.  I think it is a great idea to keep the groups together for monthly competitions.  It would help build camaraderie and help us to get to know each other better.  Make the Wikitree world a little closer.

Comments

I also like the idea to be able to keep our teams, and allow some new teams and newcomers to form new teams too!

Go Southern Super Sweepers!

---

By getting to know each other is a great way to expand our resource pool and may allow for fewer hurt feelings when suggestions for changes pop up. "Who was that genealogist in South Georgia? Oh, yeah I remember her from Southern Sweepers. I wonder if she can do a look up for me for a Revolutionary Soldier who disappeared in Georgia?" "Why, I'd be happy to do a look up! I'm in and out of area libraries and cemeteries all of the time and I have a grasp of the area that only comes from living here."

---

Thanks all for your support again for our Team!! 

Russ, I hope you register soon for this fall's Source- A -Thon, just go here: https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/455319/will-you-participate-the-source-thon-current-registrations and answer with your name and our team's name!! Thanks Dorothy, Team Leader

Answer 4

I think it is a great idea! I think it would encourage collegiality and teamwork as well as an opportunity to get to know your team members .

I wish I could dedicate more time but due to my work schedule I do not have the availability that I did back in the spring.

Dorothy Was a fantastic leader during clean-a-thon and I appreciate the opportunity to stay on her team.

Kindest Regards

Comments

Geneadiva, even if you have a little time, I hope you register soon for this fall's Source- A -Thon, just go here: https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/455319/will-you-participate-the-source-thon-current-registrations and answer with your name and our team's name!! Thanks Dorothy, Team Leader

Answer 5

You put out a lot of ideas here, but I like the general idea.  Especially since my team won :-)  My team specifically addressed Naming Errors so ours would be a little bit different in its focus.  There is plenty to address in regard to names, that's for sure!

EDIT:  This is what our team is going to do to keep the team spirit alive during the year while we are not working on the CAT or the SAT:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Team_Rose_By_Any_Other_Name:_Chat_and_Cheer

Want to join us?  Check out our G2G Post

Comments

Amen on keeping teams. :) We worked great together that's for sure! :)

---

Haha!  Yes we did :-)

---

Haha, no Lucy then! We have to balance out the teams somehow.  ;)

---

The three of us bonded over that competitive spirit!  She might want to keep her team, but we would take Lucy in a heartbeat!  :-)

---

I'm saying she should have her own team so that another team has a chance to win! :D

---

LoL Aww Eowyn! We did bond that's for sure! :D #teamcompetition

---

Lucy is too busy to lead a team ;-)  We are like the three Musketeers now.  You wouldn't want to split us up (imagine puppy dog eyes here)

Answer 6

Let's keep going! Southern Sweepers had a lot of team spirit. Now that the challenge is over, I haven't been doing much on WikiTree -- the team encourages more participation.

Comments

Hi Martha, I hope you register soon for this fall's Source- A -Thon, just go here: https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/455319/will-you-participate-the-source-thon-current-registrations and answer with your name and our team's name!! Thanks Dorothy, Team Leader

Answer 7

Abby, I think it's a fantabulous idea!!! I loved leading Team 811 and would love to continue on leading the team should any of the ideas "fly".

Answer 8

Sure love to work with the teams, and it's why we decided to organize the Dutch Roots Challenges as well of course. It's holiday season now and I'm busy with some real life stuff at the moment as well, but when Holidays are over and everything back to normal we will think of something, the Flying Dutchmen team(s) and Dutch Challenges teams all were soo great and working so well together, still makes us all smile when we think of the great time and fun we had together, so yes great idea Abby !

Answer 9

Has anyone created teams for other countries such as Canada, The UK, New Zealand or Australia or anywhere else?

Because I would love to join a Kiwi (NZ) team if there was one!!!

I wonder if I can post a roll call of Kiwis on G2G jus so I know who is here and who might be interested. Can I do that?

i have already been in contact with some kiwis - not all of whom would want to be quite so active - but some might want to.

Comments

Robynne, Work on your own Kiwi Team. There must be more than a few NZ's that would join you. Massachusetts 600 Team is laying down gauntlet. Will you accept our Challenge?

---

Well I did just start up a G2G post.

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/432660/roll-call-for-kiwis-lets-how-many-kiwis-active-here-wikitree

What exactly is the challenge?

I dont have a team yet, so I cant do much for right now.

---

Just for the record - there is now a new Kiwi challenge team. It's called The Kiwi Crew!!

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:The_Kiwi_Crew

Our sign up post is below if anyone is interested in joining. We will be sourcing mostly NZ unsourced profiles and there are a LOT of them.

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/434849/new-zealand-team-for-challenges-and-source-thon-now-running

Answer 10

I like to get involved in the different challenges that happen but I often find that I don't have the time to be involved each month at the expense of my other genealogical priorities and life!

I got involved with both 'Thons' and enjoyed them.  Being a set time it was easier to allocate time to the project.  I'm sure there are many like me.

It's great if others can keep their projects going.  

I would hope we continue to have set 'Thons' several times a year - perhaps quarterly as I am sure that there lots of Wikitreers out there who can give a day or two but may have trouble with a more longer term commitment.

Comments

I am along the same vein.  I prefer the three day sprint rather than an ongoing marathon. I have so many large ongoing projects that concentrating on fixing errors full time is not how I want to spend my time.  I also will comment that, though I appreciate the intent of the status button, it has discouraged me from participating.

It requires even more windows to be open on my screen for work flow.

It is too bad we can't move those error messages and buttons over to the actual profile pages.

---

I think that is the whole point of this. The teams will likely be larger and that way each member can participate this month, but not the next because they do not have the time. There should still be camaraderie, a little competitiveness, but no stress! Participate a little or a lot.

I want to reunite the team for the Source-A-Thon that included New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and unofficially Pennsylvania. Lance, you are on the New Netherland project and would be a perfect member. It would be great to have someone familiar with the Dutch to make sure we (me) is not messing up the profiles in your project.

Answer 11

I've contacted the team members of "The Anywherers". I'll let you know how much they love the idea!

Comments

Love it! You can count me in, and it will give me something to do while I'm unemployed. :D

---

Linda, Thank you. I added you to the trusted list for the Anywherers page. There are two others with a positive response that have not yet requested to be added to trusted list. Looks like we will be needing more members. Anyone interested!

Answer 12

I led Team GB-Gen in the Source-a-Thon, then stepped aside for the Clean-a-Thon to let somebody else 'have the glory'.  Looks like it was Eowyn who craved that glory LOL, as she led the UKleaners, while I worked with the Musty, Dusty team on pre-1500 errors.

So, if I step up now to lead a UK team, what happens?  Do Eowyn and I get to duke it out?

UPDATE: Abby has given me the go-ahead to start a UK team.  It will be Team GB-Gen (again), and I'm still working on the freespace page.

Answer 13

I still have the Great Lakes Region Source-A-Thon Team page.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Great_Lakes_Region_Source-A-Thon_team

Answer 14

I have just started a new team for New Zealand to join in the fun. We call ourselves The Kiwi Crew. Below is our (basic) space page.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:The_Kiwi_Crew

If anyone wants to sign up and help with sourcing, doctoring or connecting NZ profiles, please sign up at the below kiwi crew G2G post

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/434849/new-zealand-team-for-challenges-and-source-thon-now-running?show=435053#a435053

Abby, please add The Kiwi Crew to your lists of Thon Teams.

Thank you.

Answer 15

I just can't stay away from a good idea... See Team Virginia Challengers & [this G2G post].

Cheers, Liz

Answer 16

This could be billed as "Team Collaboration."  It is also an excellent way to get new members involved and interested. They would have 20 mentors at their beck and call whenever they needed help or advice. I envision the team pages set up with rotating goals such as merging, connecting, sourcing, military challenges, notables challenges, etc. that could rotate as the focus, but members would be free to work on whatever they wanted also. The challenge could change every week or month and could be initiated by leadership (so everyone is working on the same thing) or by individual teams (for a variety of improvements).

Maybe to keep it a "Challenge" a tally could be kept for each category: sourcing, connecting, data doctoring, bio building, etc. and a winning team announced each month in each category. Hopefully, it would work out that every team "wins" at something!

I led a Tri-State team (NY, NJ, CT) for the Sourcering Challenge and was on Team 811 cleanup for the Doctoring. They are two very different teams.

Comments

Absolutely, Lucy. If you head up one of your teams, you can totally work things like you've commented here. Great ideas!

Answer 17

Hey!

If you guys get this going I need a team home. Reading through the thread it appears the team I was on for Clean A Thon isn't participating. I can't be available every week due to my work schedule, but I do try to work on errors for at least a few hours each week.

If someone would like another member let me know.

Thanks!