A Note from your President, Steve Hart

Ho, Ho, Ho and a Merry Christmas to you all!  That’s what 42 members said last night at the 1^st Annual Feather River Lapidary and Mineral Club Christmas Party.  Some will remember the hot dishes…some the salads…but most of us will remember the dessert table!  We had a great time of fellowship--you can always tell a rock club party, because the raffle is all about rocks and the conversation was all about how we make rocks pretty.  I even heard one round table discussion arguing about the real pronunciation of “chalcedony”.  Tom Stevens told me there were more rocks than books on his bookshelf--and the books that were there were all about rocks!  Gerry Hill said his supervisor asked him not to bring any more rocks to work until they reinforced the floor…and David Cossey said he once went to a rock concert even though he hates music.  I was talking to Bud Cozine who is always complaining about Dawn’s backyard collection of rocks--he said the city sent him a letter saying that they couldn’t add any more rocks until they applied for a Landfill Permit.  Charlie Waugh knew the family Rockhound disease was serious when Rose made their dog a backpack--a big one.  It was a great party, but I sometimes wonder if the Parks Department doesn’t think we’re a little weird!

We also signed up our first 15 members for 2009.  Poor Sue Hees couldn’t write any faster or there might have been more.  I am hoping everyone else will sign up at the January 20^th meeting…we don’t want anyone to miss out on any field trips or cabochon classes because they didn’t renew their membership!

And speaking of field trips.  Our January trip to the Yuba river for “Yuba Blue” and his colorful friends is scheduled for January 24^th.  You are in for a real treat because, in addition to collecting rock, you’re going to meet the guy who cuts and polishes the big 5-ton Yuba Blue masterpieces--talk about a snazzy trim saw!  And wait til you see his rock tumbler--I almost passed out from envy!  This will be a most interesting field trip, I assure you.

As I write this month’s President’s Corner, we have not yet scheduled our January cabochon classes--the dates will be available after Christmas--if you don’t see them published on our website Calendar, call Ron Minor at 534-1704.  We have got our public classes scheduled, however--you must sign up with the Parks Department (533-2011) for these classes--we have two starting in January--Pam Ishmael’s 4-hour class on Basic Beading & Earrings ($20), and David Cossey’s 12-hour class on Rockology 101 ($40). 

We continue to fill in our vacant Board positions.  Last night you voted in Becky Rodgers as our Newsletter Editor (she is also our Webmaster), and Bud Cozine as our Shop Foreman.  We welcome both of them to the Board, and as always, we ask that each of our members would seriously consider joining one or more of our many committees in a support role.  For example, Gerry Hill (534-1567) is building a staff of individuals who are willing to help with Field Trips, and Connie Rossetto (589-1840) is forming the October Show Committee as we speak.  We also need someone to volunteer to be our Refreshment Committee Chairman for a year--try it, you’ll like it!  We have no formal procedures for volunteering--just call one of us and say you’re willing to help.  As I have said many times, we cannot have a successful rock club without the full support of our membership.

We had one of our grinders blow a motor--does anyone have a ½-horsepower electric motor with a ½-inch shaft they could donate to the club?  If you do, please call Manuel Garcia right away (877-7324).  We need that grinder up and running as soon as possible!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Sincerely,

Steve Hart

December 17, 2008