Join the 10,000,00th Source Challenge

Dennis Brimhall, CEO of FamilySearch, made the following observation:

In the entire six years prior to 2013 when Family Tree was introduced, there were approximately 60,000 sources attached to ancestors in new.FamilySearch.org. However, in the six short months since the release of the enhanced patron experience that added Photos, Stories, Fan Chart, and a world-class Family Tree, over eight million (yes that’s right, 8,000,000) additional sources have been attached to ancestors in FamilySearch Family Tree!

I think any questions about the viability or usefulness of the FamilySearch.org Family Tree are laid to rest with these numbers.  Family Tree may shortly become the "go-to" place to see what has and has not been done on any ancestral line. This amount of documentation cannot be ignored. Dennis went on to say:

And I’m excited to tell you that sometime before the end of 2013, the 10-millionth source will be added to FamilySearch. We’ll be watching closely to see who that user will be who submits that 10-millionth source. In fact, I’m excited to announce the launch of the “10-Millionth Source Challenge.” We want to acknowledge and reward one lucky family historian who will add the 10,000,000th source! What’s in it for you if you’re that lucky family historian? The lucky submitter will receive 10 hours of free FamilySearch research by a certified genealogical research expert who currently works in the world-renowned Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

We’ll soon be adding a countdown clock to the website. We’ll be watching to verify sources (the winning source has to be legit after all), and then we’ll all celebrate together for reaching this amazing milestone. 

Nice idea. It will be pure luck for whoever gets the prize. I have tried to hit the exact number of updates on the FamilySearch Research Wiki and it is not predictable because you cannot tell what other people are doing. But I really like the incentive to try.