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“Finding and Grinding Rocks in Cochise County since 1967”
September 2010
This issue edited by Paul McKnight
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Meetings Resume Monday September 13, 2010 at 7 pm at the Sunsites Community Center
Bring your favorite rock!
For our first meeting of the fall season our program will be a repeat of one we did a year or so ago. Each member is requested to bring a favorite rock (provided it is not the same rock you previous showed) and show it to the assembled members, giving a 1-3 minute presentation on why it is your favorite, where it came from, what it is, and whether it has any special emotional meaning for you.
It is always interesting to hear why people attach significance to a particular rock, how they obtained it, and what it means to them.
Nominating Committee for 2011 Officers
Our President has appointed a Committee of One to come up with a slate of nominations for the election of 2011 Board Members and Leaders which is scheduled for the November meeting. The person is Zoe Schnabel 520-826-0100. She will be contacting the incumbents to see if they are willing to be nominated for another term and finding individuals who are willing to be nominated to fill any vacancies. While nominations from the floor are always welcome on election night, it is always good to have the nominations represent a consensus of opinion if possible. So if you have any input for Zoe, confidential or non-confidential, please contact her.
September Field Trip
Our September trip will be to an area of abundant Apache Tears at Hardin Cienega in the Mule Creek area on the AZ-New Mexico border. Henri saw a big bull elk there on his scouting trip. The trip is suitable for regular cars. We will meet at the east end of the Safeway parking lot in Willcox at 8 am on Saturday, September 18th. Departure time is 8:15. Trip length is approximately 100 miles each way. Apache Tears are small chunks of Obsidian that are usually dull on the outside from wear and tear but glassy and shiny on the inside.
Rock Saw on E-Bay until Tuesday at 10am
Search Rock Saw “24” to see this used Covington 24 inch rock saw pointed out by our Texas member Michael Roegner. It is in Benson available for local pick up. Minimum bid $500, no bids yet. Michael says he would buy it but he has two 24-inch saws already. He says Covington saws have a good reputation.
August Field Trip
Our August Field Trip was Dry Canyon in the Whetstones. As is usual in the summertime our numbers were reduced by the absence of our snowbirds and due to it being the height of summer vacation season, but a small but determined band of rock hounds scoured 3 sides of a fossil-bearing hill that also had some outcrops of Quartz crystals. If any of them bring a good rock to the meeting for our field trip rock judging contest, they will have a good shot at winning.
Thanks to Henri for scouting the area and leading the trip.
Lapidary and Silversmith Classes
We can now resume our lapidary activities and classes, so if you’re interested call Larry Strout at 826-3991.
Thanks go to our painting crew and to Elliott for providing some new pegboard for hanging tools on the walls of the lapidary room.
Dues are past due. Unpaid members were dropped on March 31. To rejoin, mail your check to Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club, PO Box 87, Pearce, Arizona 85625.
Club Calendar:
September
2 Board Meeting
13 General Meeting
18 Field Trip
30 Board Meeting
October
11 General Meeting
16 Field Trip
28 Board Meeting
November
8 General Meeting and election
13 Field Trip
December
13 Christmas Party
Club Officers for 2010
President: Paul McKnight 775-434-8395
V-President: Jack Light
Secretary: Jim Brower
Treasurer: Walter Sigel
Delegate at Large: Glen Wirshing
Hospitality Coord: Zoe Schnabel
Field Trip Coord: Henri vanden Bos
Past President: Don Hammer
Thanks!
Thanks are due to our Hospitality Coordinator Zoe, our Field Trip Coordinator Henri, and our newsletter editor Don Hammer (who is backed up by Paul McKnight during snowbird away season). These are the folks who make club membership rewarding for the rest of us.
Regional Events
Sedona
The Sedona Gem and mineral Club will hold its show on Saturday (10 to 5) and Sunday (10 to 4), October 16th and 17th. Location: Sedona Red Rock High School at the corner of Highway 89A and Upper Red Rock Loop. It will feature hundreds of specimens and art and jewelry pieces to admire and add to your collection. They expect over 35 dealers and many exhibitors and demonstrators. There will be a Kids Corner, raffle prizes, food, refreshments, and the opportunity to visit with many rock hounds from across the state. Their web site is http://www.sedonagemandmineral.org/
Payson
Annual Gem & Mineral Show Hosted by Payson Rimstones Rock Club. Tonto Apache Mazatal Recreation Center, Highway 87, Milepost 251, (1/2 mi. So. of Payson), Payson, AZ. Oct.14-15\
Sierra Vista
26th Annual Gem & Mineral Show "Rock Rustler's Dream" Huachuca Mineral & Gem Club. Oscar Yrun Community Center, Sierra Vista, AZ. Nov. 11-12.
Conduct during meetings
There have been several complaints from members disturbed by talking and general inattentive and discourteous behavior during presentations and during business meetings. Those who feel compelled to conduct running conversations while other members are trying to listen should consider taking their conversation outside where it will not disturb others. Please be considerate of your fellow human beings. This problem was discussed at the September Board meeting.
Transitions
A personal note from Paul McKnight, president and stand-in editor:
After selling my Sunizona ranch at the end of March, I stayed in Sunizona in temporary quarters for three months while my house was being built in Tucson. I am now living in Tucson and have 2 trips planned to the Philippines during some of the remaining weeks of 2010 and some other things on my schedule that will prevent me from being a 100% President. Our Vice-President, Jack Light, will be conducting some of the meetings during my absences. This includes the September 13 general meeting, the September 30 Board Meeting, and the October 11 general meeting. One of the Philippines trips will depend on the scheduling of my wife’s visa interview at the American Embassy in Manila. With the expiration of my term as President at the end of the year, I intend to retire from the leadership of the club but remain a member. My wife is enthusiastic about rocks and she and I will be going on as many field trips as we can during 2011.