nldec2007
The Cochise County Rock
Monthly Newsletter of the Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club
www.cochisecountyrock.org
“Finding and Grinding Rocks in Cochise County, Arizona since 1962”
December 2007
This issue edited by Don Hammer
_______________________________________________________________
The December Meeting, Our Christmas Party, is on Monday the 17th
The Club Christmas Party will be on December 17 at 6 pm in the Sunsites Community Center. The Club will provide two 20 lb turkeys and Karen Grassell and Sandra Bugge have volunteered to cook the turkeys. Potluck for everyone else: those with last names beginning with A – H bring a salad, I – P bring a vegetable dish and Q - Z bring a dessert. We need help on the decorating, setup and cleanup committees and if you can help with any of these call Hanni Sigel (826-1009). If you plan to attend but did not sign the sheet at the meeting please call Hanni. Come on out and join your fellow members in kicking off the holiday season.
Many times in the past we have organized a blind gift exchange at our December Christmas Party. This year we are going to try something different. No need to wrap the gift in Christmas wrapping paper. Everyone who wants to participate should bring a gift ($10 suggested maximum value) in a plain paper bag. When you deposit your gift on the gift table upon entering the party, you will be given a ticket. At the end of the meal, Robbyn Gibbons will pick out tickets at random. A person whose number is called will go up to the gift table, select a bag, return to their seat, remove the gift from the bag, and place it in front of them. It is not their gift yet, though. Anyone who subsequently gets a gift that they want less than the gift you have will have the right to do an involuntary gift swap with you. Each gift may be swapped a maximum of two times before it reaches its final owner. As you can imagine, there are various strategies that can be used to get or keep your desired gift. Your current President has participated in this gift game at least once and maybe twice. It is a lot more fun and entertaining than just getting any old boring random gift and keeping it.
November Field Trip Report
Twenty-one members met at the Old Pearce Store on Saturday, November 17, at 9:00 AM and followed Henry Van den Bos to the Commonwealth Mine to search for amethyst and lacy agate. A very nice vein of amethyst was located. Three of our members had their 4 x 4’s and were able to help move a lot of amethyst to the parking area where it was shared with everyone. Everyone was able to bring home some beautiful specimens.
The field trip was very productive and everyone really enjoyed the valley and mountain views. It was a great field trip. Many people commented that being so close to home was definitely a plus.
Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club
General Meeting Minutes November 12, 2007
President Paul McKnight called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. We had several visitors that were interested in becoming members. Don informed us they were people that came to the “Meet the Clubs” and came from interest started there.
Paul asked that we approve the published minutes and they were approved. Walter gave the Treasurer’s report. We have $1,957.85 in the checking account, and $3,084.96 in our CD account. The report was approved.
A report was given on the October Field Trip. We traveled to the Chirachua Mountains for Jasper, Obsidian, Chalcedony, and layered river rocks. The next Field Trip will be to the Commonwealth Mine in Pearce. We meet at 9 a.m. in the parking lot near the Pearce store. Bring chairs, heavy tools, gloves, and water.
Carol reported for the nominations committee. They proposed the following slate of officers:
President – Don Hammer
Vice President – Henri Van den Bos
Secretary – Diane Brower
Treasurer – Walter Sigel
Delegate-at-large – Jack Light
Paul asked for nominations from the floor. There being none, he asked for and received unanimous approval of the new officers.
The Board proposes a few changes to the By-laws. The first being that the past president should be on the Board as a non-voting member. Most clubs follow this policy. The second being that any Board member except the president may hold office more than two years. This would allow good and willing officers to remain if they wish. These changes were approved by the membership. The Audit Committee also needs approval. Jack Weller, Henri Van den Bos, and Walter Sigel have agreed to do the Audit. The membership approved this committee.
Don reported on the “Meet the Clubs”. Joan and Carol baked pies for our entry fee. Several of the people that stopped at the booth were here tonight, so it was a profitable effort. Thanks to Don and Joan.
The Christmas party On December 17 will be in place of a meeting next month. There is a sign-up sheet for attendance and set up and clean up.
Robbyn Gibbons suggested a “Brown Bag” gift exchange. Everyone brings a gift (limit $10) that wants to participate. We take turns, and if the first person doesn’t like what he wants, he may take the next gift picked, and so on and so on. Robyn said she would run the gift exchange if we wanted to do this. We agreed it would be fun to try. Hanni explained that in order to have a variety, she assigned dishes by peoples last name. A – H bring a salad, I – P bring a vegetable dish, and Q – Z bring desert.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:20 followed by refreshments and the rock raffle. Our speaker, Casey Dennis, spoke after refreshments.
Sincerely,
Carol Pontious
Secretary
Rockhound Christmas Carol
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me,
Twelve tumblers tumbling,
Eleven perfect spear points,
ten diamond saw blades,
Nine crystal clusters,
Eight agate nodules,
Seven sheets of silver,
Six sapphire “star” stones,
Five Golden Rings,
Four fluorescent lamps,
Three gem books,
Two trilobites,
And a branch from a petrified tree!
Author unknown, from the Sedona Gem and Mineral Club newsletter
Fluorescent Minerals
Gilbert D. Orozco is interested in purchasing fluorescent minerals and/or collections. 33642 15th St., Union City, CA 94587, (510)461-0885, gdo55@aol.com.
X-Ray Diffraction
I am a retired mineral collector / dealer and teacher and have worked with mineral and lapidary clubs for many years. A frequent question has been "what is this stone I have?" .... we go thru hardness and other tests to identify it, sometimes to no avail or with some doubt left over. I now offer a hi tech X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) Service to identify minerals for those who come across minerals or lapidary materials that have proved difficult to identify. I do this at cost ($40) and as a result cannot pay to advertise or I would have to raise prices. Industry charges $100 for this work. To use this service one sends me a piece the size of a rice grain and they promptly get a full report by mail or email as they choose. John Attard, Attard's Minerals, PO Box 17263, San Diego CA 92177. 619-275-2016
Lapidary and Silversmithing
Interested in lapidary? Irvin Pontious is our lapidary coordinator. Call him at 824-0110. Silver smithing? Call Don Hammer 384-3105. Wire Wrapping – Larry Strout 826-3991.
Club Calendar
December
17 Christmas Party
January
3 Board Meeting
14 Regular Meeting
27 Field Trip
31 Board Meeting
February
11 Regular Meeting
16 Field Trip
28 Board Meeting
March
10 Regular Meeting
16 Field Trip
April
3 Board Meeting
14 Regular Meeting
19 Field Trip
May
1 Board Meeting
12 Regular Meeting
18 Field Trip
29 Board Meeting
June
7 Picnic
Upcoming Regional Events
Mesa – January 4-6, 2008. Annual Flagg Gem & Mineral Show. Mesa Community College. Contact Ray Grant 480.814.9086 raycyn@cox.netwww.flagshow.info.
Quartzite – January 4-13, 2008. Rock, Gem & mineral Show. www.tysonwells.com.
Globe – January 18-20, 2008. 51st Annual Gila County Gem & Mineral Show, Gila County Fairgrounds 3 miles north of junction US60 & US70. Contact Andy Clark 928-473-3042.
Cottonwood – March 21-23; 32nd Annual Verde Valley Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show Held at Mingus Union High School, 1801 Fir St, Cottonwood AZ. Display, Silent auctions, Raffles, exhibits, jewelry & lapidary dealers and supplies, fluorescent display, kid's activities. Hours: Fri & Sat 9 AM- 5 PM, Sun 10 AM - 4 PM Admission: Fri $1, Sat & Sun $3, 3-day pass $5. Parking: Free. Contact: Doug Evenson 928-634-0459, dougevenson@verdecomm.net, Mike Ramsey 928-634-0666 ramsey6264@yahoo.com
Some Arizona Gem & Mineral Clubs (from RMFMS.org)
Mineralogical Society of Arizona, c/o Lois Splendoria, 1502 W Washington, Phoenix, AZ 85007
Arizona City Gem & Mineral Society, P.O. Box 63, Arizona City, AZ 85223-0063; Meets 4th Thursday, 7pm (except May-Sept) at Community Center, Sunland Gin Rd.; Pres: Harvey Oleander, (520) 876-2415
Cottonwood: Mingus Gem & Mineral Club, 2142 Quail Run Rd., Cottonwood, AZ 86326; Meets 1st Thursday, 6:30pm at Pine Shadows Clubhouse, 2050 W. Hwy 89A; Pres: Ron Luce, (928) 649-2129; ronbev@local.net
Flagstaff Gem & Mineral Society, P.O. Box 1261, Flagstaff, AZ 86002
Kingman: Mohave County Gemstoners, P.O. Box 3992, Kingman, AZ, 86402-3992; Meets 2nd Tuesday, 7pm (except Jun-Aug) at Katherine Hendrix Senior Center, 1776 Airway Ave.; Pres: Bill Arvidson (928) 565-9586
Lake Havasu Gem & Mineral Society, P.O. Box 990, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86405: Meets 2nd Friday, 6:30pm (except Jun-Aug) at Mohave Community College, Rm 600, Lake Havasu City; Pres: Clarence Russell (928) 854-2503
Miami: Gila County Gem & Mineral Society, P.O. Box 487, Miami, AZ 85539-0487; Meets 1st Thursday, 7pm at clubhouse, 413 Live Oak Ave., Miami; Pres: Barbara Caviness, (928) 425-7200; e-mail: berbil2@yahoo.com
Payson Rimstones Rock Club, P.O. Box 1641, Payson, AZ 85547-1641; Meets 2nd Wednesday, 3:30pm at Payson Library; Pres: Robert Norman, (928) 474-8777; e-mail: bobnorman@aol.com
Sierra Vista: Huachuca Mineral & Gem Club, Inc., P.O. Box 1596, Sierra Vista, AZ 85636-1596; Meets 3rd Wednesday , 7pm at Cochise College; Pres: Brad Kern (520) 378-4406; e-mail: B. Bayless at b_babs@yahoo.com
Tucson: Old Pueblo Lapidary Club, 3118 North Dale Ave., Tucson, AZ 85712
Tucson Gem & Mineral Society, Inc., P.O. Box 42588, Tucson, AZ 85733; Pres:Bill Hodgson; e-mail: tgms@tgms.org
Wickenburg Gem & Mineral Society, Inc., P.O. Box 20375, Wickenburg, AZ 85358; Meets 2nd Friday (except Jul-Sept), 6:30pm at Coffinger Park Banquet Room; Pres: David Gearhart; daveslapidary@msn.com
Club Officers for 2007
President Paul McKnight 520 824-4054
Vice-President Jack Weller 520-826-0625
Secretary Carol Pontious 520 824-0110
Treasurer Walt Sigel 520-826-1009
Delegate at Large Jack Light 520-384-4774
Hospitality Coordinator Hanni Sigel 520-826-1009
SUNSITES GEM AND MINERAL CLUB
P.O. Box 87
PEARCE, AZ 85625