the virginia pen€¦ · new members and sold a boat load of geodes. we were so have replenished...

THE VIRGINIA PEN—APRIL 2015 GMSVP P. O. Box 6424 Newport News, VA 23602 Web: http://gmsvp.weebly.com/

Special Points of Interest:

Va Beach TOTE Show

VA Beach Convention Center; April 24 – 26

GMSVP Picnic, May 16th (Replaces Regular Meeting) 10 AM—4 PM Sandy Bottom Nature Park, Hampton; Lakeside Shelter

Wildacres Workshop

Little Switzerland, NC

May 18—24 Aurora Fossil Festival

Aurora, NC; May 22—24 William Holland Workshop

Young Harris, GA

June 7—13 James River Fossil Field Trip

Spring Grove, VA; June 13 Coal & Gem Mine Field Trip

Beckley, WV

July 25

In This Issue

President’s Corner GMSVP Purpose

1 & 4 1

Chapter Contact Info GMSVP Picnic

2

VA Beach TOTE Show SFMS Workshops

3

EFMLS Wildacres 4

GMSVP Auction GMSVP Recognized

5

Safety Matters 6

EFMLS Convention 7

Party Geodes 8 - 9

Violet Vogel Turns 90 Kids’ Show Activities & Display Ideas

Fossil Festival

9

Upcoming Field Trips EFMLS Raffle

10-11

11

Hampton TOTE Show Primitive Skills

12

Meeting Minutes Commemorative Stamps

13-15

15

AFMS Code of Ethics 16

We have had several very successful ventures in the past few

weeks. The first TOTE Show in the Hampton Convention Center

in March was a resounding success for the Club. We gained 12

new members and sold a boat load of geodes. We were so

successful; we pretty much depleted our inventory of geodes. We

have replenished our supply of Las Choyas geodes from Mexico

and purchased 800 pounds of the Indiana geodes from Dan

Peters. The Indiana geodes were hand selected by Robert, Gary and Hank. Thanks,

guys. We also had a most successful annual Club auction which netted another all

time high. This is a great way to start off our year.

The May meeting will be our first Club picnic of the year. All of our equipment will be

set up for Club members to use and new members to learn how to use. As a special

added attraction, Brian Burdette will be giving a demonstration on how to cab opals at

1 PM. I have also been contacted by an old lapidarist, who is interested in selling some

of his material and equipment. I am inviting him to the picnic to offer a limited selection

of his material. As always, the Club will be providing hot dogs and hamburgers to

complement covered dishes from the members.

The April TOTE Show in Virginia Beach is this coming weekend. We are all restocked

with geodes and ready to go. We need volunteers to turn out on Thursday at 1 PM to

load the truck at the shed and help set up in Virginia Beach. Let’s have a great turnout

for the show and make it even better than Hampton. (Cont’d on Pg 4)

GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY OF THE VIRGINIA PENINSULA

April 2015

THE VIRGINIA PEN

GMSVP Purpose: The purpose of the GMSVP is to facilitate the exchange of

information and general cooperation among its members by promoting the study of

lapidary techniques, mineralogy, paleontology, and allied fields of Earth sciences, to

provide the community with a knowledge of the hobby through lectures,

demonstrations, and exhibitions and to enjoy good fellowship.

Visitors Welcome: The GMSVP welcomes any visitor with an interest in geology,

mineralogy and the lapidary arts. Whether you are a hobbyist, artist, collector or

interested in Earth Science, the club has something for everyone. Dues information is

under Frequently Asked Questions on the GMSVP Website.

Meeting Location: Our meetings are held at Sandy Bottom Nature Park in Hampton,

VA. Check the GMSVP website Events page for actual dates and times. The upcom-

ing meeting information is in the Special Points of Interest area on the left of this

page.

PRESIDENT’S CORNER Walter Priest

http://gmsvp.weebly.com/

http://gmsvp.weebly.com/frequently-asked-questions.html

http://www.hampton.va.us/sandybottom/

http://gmsvp.weebly.com/events.html


GMSVP

P. O. Box 6424

Newport News, VA 23602

Web: http://gmsvp.weebly.com/

Facebook: https://

www.facebook.com/pages/The-

Gem-and-Mineral-Society-of-the-

Virginia-Peninsula-

GMSVP/275041405841489

President: Walter Priest,

[email protected]

1st VP Membership: Brenda

Hawks, brenda_hawks

@verizon.net

2nd VP Programs: Barbara

Priest, [email protected]

Secretary: Pat Fontaine,

[email protected]

Treasurer: Gary Bergtholdt,

[email protected]

Officers

Field Trips: Sara Phillips,

[email protected]

Hospitality: Kelly Mazzrillo,

[email protected]

Pebble Pups: Christine

Hempley, [email protected]

Shows: Robert Mazzrillo,

[email protected]

Newsletter: Dan Fontaine,

[email protected]

Property: Hank Woods,

[email protected]

Librarian: Debbie Huff,

[email protected]

Faceting: Chuck Rogers,

[email protected]

Silversmithing: Anthony

Hubbard, [email protected]

Workshops: Vacant

Publicity: Michael Griffith,

[email protected] & Richard

MacDonald, [email protected]

Mineralogy: Walter Priest,

[email protected]

Webmaster: Holly Worsham,

[email protected]

Committee Chairs

GMSVP’s 1st of two picnics

during 2015 is on Saturday,

May 16th. The second

picnic will be on September

12th. Both picnics are at

Sandy Bottom Nature

Park’s Lakeside Shelter.

The equipment should

arrive about 9 AM, and we

need help to set up the site.

Once the equipment is set

up and passes a safety check, members may start using

it. All equipment is available for use from 10 AM through 4 PM. At 4 PM we need

volunteers to clean the equipment and return the equipment to the shed.

The club will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, buns, condiments (i.e., ketchup,

mustard, mayonnaise, pickle relish, onions, lettuce, and tomatoes), soft drinks, chips,

and tableware. Members are asked to bring sides, desserts, and anything else they

would like to share. Food will be available from 11:30 AM through 3 PM. Come

anytime and there should be something to munch on.

Members may use the equipment on-their-own or get instruction, if they don’t know

how to operate a specific machine. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are

members willing to help you. We all had to learn at some time in the past. Please be

courteous and allow others who are waiting for a machine to use it too. As a guide, if

no one is waiting, continue. Otherwise, if after 30 minutes and someone is waiting,

finish that project and let the waiting party use the machine.

As a special treat, Brian Burdette will provide a demonstration at 1 PM

on cabbing opals!

If you plan to attend, please contact Kelly Mazzrillo

([email protected]), by no later than, May 2nd, with the

number of attendees.

GMSVP Picnic—Fellowship and Access to Equipment Dan Fontaine

Sandy Bottom Nature Center—Lakeside Shelter—Saturday, May 16th


mailto:[email protected]




Treasures of the Earth Show—VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Dan Fontaine

Virginia Beach Convention Center, April 24—26, 2015

Volunteers can sign up by contacting Robert

Mazzrillo at [email protected].

GMSVP has a booth at the Treasures of the Earth (TOTE) Show being

held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center on April 24—26, 2015.

The booth will include displays to educate the public about Virginia’s

natural resources and our club. Members also will display their

collections and demonstrate the equipment. As a fund raising activity,

our club sells geodes at the show, which we cut with our rock saws.

These shows also are a great medium to increase awareness and gain new members.

Any of our members may use the club’s equipment during the show. All they have to do is sign up to reserve a

time. While the equipment can be used without a reservation, those signed up will have first preference. Members

will be available to provide training on equipment proper use and

safety for new rockhounds. Volunteers have ample time to also see

the show.

HELP NEEDED:

Thursday, April 23rd:

1 PM: Volunteers should meet at our club shed at the

Sandy Bottom Nature Park to load the truck and

caravan over to the show site or can meet us at Virginia

Beach Convention Center at 2 PM.

2:30 PM: Truck unloading and GMSVP booth/ equipment setup. Booth and equipment setup takes

about 3 hours; more volunteers, less time.

Friday, April 24th to Sunday, April 26th: During the show, GMSVP booth/equipment has four areas that

need manning: demonstrations, education/youth programs, geode/slab cutting, and sales.

Sunday, April 26th:

Booth and equipment cleanup, teardown, and loading at the end of the show.

Truck unloading at the club’s shed in Sandy Bottom Nature Park.

Members are reminded that we get free access to the show (bring your GMSVP membership card) and we are not

competing with the other vendors or clubs.

Questions should be directed to Robert Mazzrillo at [email protected] or by calling 757-465-5599.

GMSVP Committee Reports are included in the minutes toward the end of the newsletter.

2015 SFMS WORKSHOPS William Holland on June 7-13, 2015 and Wildacres on August 17-23, 2015 & September 21-27, 2015

If you would like to know more about any of the classes, visit http://www.sfmsworkshops.com/ or follow on face-book. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Southeast-Federation-of-Mineralogical-Societies/317959434999844




http://www.sfmsworkshops.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Southeast-Federation-of-Mineralogical-Societies/317959434999844


(Cont’d from Pg 1) The year is also off to a good start with other parts of the Club’s program as well. Field Trip

Coordinator, Sara Phillips, has two field trips scheduled. One is to Pipsico Scout Reservation in Surry County to

collect fossils, and the other is to a coal mine in West Virginia. Second V-P, Barbara Priest, has several great

programs scheduled including: “Finding Fault in Virginia” by Chuck Bailey from William and Mary; Adventures in

Brazil by our own Sara Phillips; and the August Outdoor Rock Swap. We will hold our second picnic of the year on

September 12th.

Lots to do in the coming months, come out, have some fun, learn new skills and enjoy the great fellowship that is

the Gem and Mineral Society of the Virginia Peninsula.

Rock on,

-Walter

President’s Corner (Cont’d) Walter Priest

Let’s look ahead to our August 24—30 session.

Denise Nelson will be our Speaker-in-Residence and has already planned the six talks she’ll give for us. She has also volunteered to do one of our sharing programs on Activitiy Day! If you’ve never heard her speak before,

you’re in for a real treat.

Each session at Wildacres is divided into two “semesters.” Classes that are just 2-days in length are given either the first or second “semester.” Classes that run 4 days continue for the entire week. You select your choices and

our registrar Pamm Bryant makes every effort to assign you to your first choice per “semester.”

Classes being offered this August are:

VOLUNTEERS MAKE A GOOD CLUB GREAT! GET INVOLVED!

- A Special thanks to members contributing articles to the newsletter!

Looking Ahead to EFMLS August Wildacres Workshop Steve Weinberger, Wildacres Chair

Source: EFMLS News Volume 52, Number 6, April, 2015

4-day Classes:

Faceting - Steve Weinberger

Gem Identification - Jay Bowman

Intarsia - Richard Shackleton

Polymer Clay - Barbara McGuire

2-day Classes (first semester):

Roadside Geology & Photography - Virginia

Meador

Basic Silversmithing - Richard Meszler

Soapstone Carving - Sandy Cline

2-day Classes (second semester):

Intermediate Silversmithing - Richard Meszler

Soapstone Carving - Sandy Cline

Wildacres “Wild” - Virginia Meador

Full descriptions of each class and registration

information can be found at: efmls-wildacres.org.


http://efmls-wildacres.org/


GMSVP Auction Great Success Dan Fontaine

GMSVP held its annual auction during the regular

April meeting. Specimens and equipment from the

club inventory and donated by members were

available on side tables in the meeting room.

Members and visitors interested in bidding on an

item moved it to the front auction table. A gently

used Diamond Pacific Pixie was among the items

auctioned. Michael Griffith was our auctioneer for

the evening.

The auction was a great success bringing in over

$1800 to support our club’s activities.

GMSVP Recognized by EFMLS! Dan Fontaine

GREAT NEWS!!! GMSVP received a number of awards for our club newsletter during the Eastern Federation of

Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies (EFMLS) annual convention last month in Hickory, NC. Dan and Pat

Fontaine represented GMSVP at the convention and accepted the awards. Awards included the following:

Al DeHart, 8th place for a non-technical article on: “Field Trip Coordinator Responsibilities”

Dan Fontaine, 5th place for a non-technical article on: “Wildacres, A First Time Experience”

Larry Hawks, 5th place for nontechnical article on: The Four R’s—Rose River, Rocks, and RVs”

Seth Hempley, 2nd place for youth

article on: “The Machine of Faceting”

Dan Fontaine, 1st place for New Editor.

Our newsletter is an important communication

vehicle for GMSVP. Member articles on hints

and tips, best tools to use, family field trips,

etc., make our newsletter special for our

members. GREAT RECOGNITION!



Is a bad hair day such a difficult thing? Or, might it be more of an attitude thing? Could a bad hair

day be an opportunity to change something in ones life –a different hat, a different hoodie, a

different hair style, a different attitude?

Look at firemen and firewomen – theirs is a difficult and stressful job. They do, from time to time,

rescue a kitty stuck in a tree. However, usually they respond to disasters, difficult situations,

stressful times, and all manner of instances that tax their abilities. Working under those conditions

for prolonged periods of time are bound to test ones intestinal fortitude and challenge one to ones

wits ends, even on occasion, to the verge of mental health issues. Many first responders face similar issues. What

does one do to keep their wits and well being in tact? Well, there are many solutions to the problem. One of the

solutions relates to one's attitude. As simple a thing as a positive attitude can make a difference. Think of the

serious situation of a house fire. While one would of course, always wish for no damage, no property loss, no

injuries, seldom is that the case. A positive attitude could be... "Well the garage was a total loss, but we save the

house" or "We couldn't save the house, but we got the whole family and all the pets out safely." The positive

attitude of what did go right can be a mental health life saver. While this description is grossly over simplified -

having a positive attitude is not.

Rockhound safety matters are thankfully seldom life threatening in scope. Yes we often dwell on the negative -

lacerations, watching field trip members for signs of angina pectoris (chest pain), contusions, foreign bodies in

ones eye, broken bones, chemical burns, situations which might cause hearing loss, reminding show helpers to

mind their limits because no one wants to trigger an arrhythmia! How does one maintain a positive attitude with all

these safety concerns at every club function? Where is the positive side? Well, the positive side to all manner of

safety issues is ... all the negatives!

Please let me explain. When a negative, say an abrasion, is prevented, that is a good thing. When a laceration is

prevented - that is good! When any potential problem is addressed before it rises to the level of an actual

accident, the potential negative becomes a positive. If one stresses the positive aspects of prevention, the positive

aspects of being proactive when it comes to safety or the positive aspects of being prepared in our rock, mineral

and fossil clubs, there are more good feelings generated than when one has to deal with the aforementioned

lacerations, etc.

Putting safety matters in the best light possible such as by

stressing the small expense of a pair of safety glasses

versus a doctors careful removal of a foreign body from

the eye, has advantages. Putting safety matters in a

positive light can play a part in creating a good attitude.

Framing safety matters into a prevention versus treatment

issue can offer positive reinforcement of good behavior.

With safety matters being a part of every meeting, show,

picnic, field trip, club function etc., having a positive

attitude can make all the difference in helping others find

their own positive attitude.

Now, I had a bad hair day for six days in a row. I think

however, in the overall mix of things, I have more

important things to worry about. Still, I think a new hat is

in order!

Be safe...your safety matters.

Safety Matters – Limiting Factors Ellery Borow, AFMS Safety Chair

Source: AFMS Newsletter Vol 68, No. 5, April 2015

Photo courtesy of GMSVP

Willis Mountain Kyanite Mine Field Trip, Dillwyn, VA



EFMLS 2015 Convention Dan Fontaine

Pat and I represented GMSVP at the EFMLS 2015 Annual Convention. The convention is the main meeting venue

for the federation, is hosted by a club, and is held concurrent with a gem and mineral show. Convention meetings

included the cracker barrel, general business meeting for EFMLS Board and club presidents, a speaker, an

auction, an awards banquet, and editors breakfast. A field trip also was included as an extra incentive to attend

the conference.

The “cracker barrel” meeting provided a setting for club delegates to express concerns to the federation. The

main concern seemed to be the difficulty in filling club officer and committee chairs.

During the general business meeting, attendees were

provided a copy of the annual officer and committee

chair reports. The delegates had the opportunity to

question and get clarification on each committee report.

Motions also were raised, discussed and voted on.

The speaker discussed a certification offered by the Gemological Association of Great Britain. There were two

levels of certification, basic and advanced. An example of the training is the ability to discern fake gems.

The auction had about 100 items, which included some nice specimens.

The awards banquet provided a nice forum to meet some exhibitors and fellow

rockhounds in a social setting. Major federation awards were announced during

the banquet. Graduate students receiving AFMS/EFMLS scholarships each

provided a slide presentation on their thesis. The speaker discussed the gems

in a private collection.

During the editor’s breakfast, EFMLS distributed175 newsletter awards. Each category had a 1st to 10th place

award with additional honorable mentions. Each newsletter contest submission was reviewed against standard

AFMS/EFMLS criteria; feedback was included with the award. GMSVP received five newsletter awards.

Pat and I enjoyed walking through the gem and mineral show and ended up finding

multiple items that we ‘had to buy’. Most of the tables focused on specimens versus

jewelry. The show had an outstanding educational area for children sponsored by the

Catawba Valley Gem & Mineral Club. There also were about a dozen gem and

mineral display cases that were judged and awarded ribbons.

Pat and I participated in a field trip to the Reel Mine to search

for amethyst. We got really dirty and had lots of

fun, but didn’t find any amethyst. Photos of

specimens found by another rockhound and the

largest specimen ever found are on the right.

The convention was pretty much as I expected.

EFMLS is a large organization with a rich history

and an extensive, formal operating procedure.

The business meetings were nicely sandwiched

with fun activities such as the auction, speaker,

show and field trips.



Okay so Kelly’s birthday is this weekend, and we all

know how much she loves rocks… So I wanted to do

something different for her birthday, maybe a rock

themed cake or something. Well it turns out there just

isn’t much to be had on the internet regarding rocks and

birthdays if you aren’t stuffing the cake full of plastic

dinos for a 5 year old. Though I did see a handful of

geology congratulations type cakes that were pretty neat

to see. What to do…? Start brainstorming. I could make

a cake that looks like a rock… boring. I could make a

cake that looks like a geode… but how would you make

a cake shell that wouldn’t just fall apart when

decorating? Finally it hit me! Mini geode cakes!

Here’s what Sam and I did:

Start with ingredients: Strawberry shortcake mini bowls,

we bought 4 trays with 6 each. Some white frosting. A

bag of those rock candy sticks, which are unbelievably

pricey at $6 a bag! 3-4 of those big dark chocolate

candy bars for about $2 each.

Take two of the “bowls” and glue them together like so.

Now carve the outside of the geode half with a serrated

knife.

Use a blunt butter knife to hollow the inside of the geode

a bit deeper.

Put in a bit of frosting, go

easy or the thing WILL tear if

aggressive here…

Now insert your crystals,

break them off of the sticks

into whatever size you like,

spread them evenly, or not.

Melt the chocolate, we used the microwave, then mixed

in a small amount of milk to smooth it, then spread it on

the outer shell of the geode half with the open end on

wax paper.

(Cont’d on next page)

Making Fun Party Geodes Robert Mazzrillo



Place in the fridge overnight and presto! Party geodes!

Serve face down so they are all a surprise!

Making Fun Party Geodes (Cont’d) Robert Mazzrillo

The annual Aurora Fossil Festival this year is on May 22nd—24th. The

festival features fine art, crafts, jewelry, clothing, accessories, pottery,

photography, carnival rides and specialty foods. Have a great time

searching for, collecting, and learning about fossils. The museum contains

some very interesting displays.

Bring a garden trowel, sifter and plastic bags, spend the day collecting, and

take home a piece of the past.

Check the Aurora Fossil Festival Website (under construction) for more information.

Violet Vogel a former GMSVP member, recently celebrated her 90th

birthday. Violet is the mother of two of our members, Mickey

Whalen and Wally Vogel. Her birthday was a great opportunity for

a party and big family reunion!

Violet Vogel Turns 90 with a Big Celebration Mickey Whalen

Menu of Kids’ Show Activities and Display Ideas Jim Brace-Thompson, AFMS Juniors Program Chair Source: AFMS Website, Kid’s Show Activities Tab, http://www.amfed.org/fra/kids_show_activities.htm

The California Federation of Mineralogical Societies (CFMS) website (www.cfmsinc.org) has a Menu of Kids’ Show Activities and Display Ideas. The ideas are summarized below:

1. Educational Displays have ideas tied to scout badges and school curricula.

2. Activities suggests hands-on fun, including simple activities kids can do on their own as well as more

involved activities requiring supervision.

3. Prizes for Selling or Giving Away describes prizes you can use to motivate and award kids and where you can get them or how you can make them, from time-honored grab bags to spinning wheel prizes to badges and ribbons.

4. Lectures & Special Programs gives ideas on providing extra educational value for kids at your show.

5. Resource Suggestions tells where to turn to get further ideas, ready-made lesson plans and handouts, rock

specimens, posters, etc. The list includes mailing addresses and web sites.

6. Tips on Running a Kids Booth provides thoughts on what to consider in putting together and running a Kids

Booth smoothly and effectively.


http://aurorafossilfestival.net/

http://cfmsinc.org/manuals/kids/kids.pdf


Field Trip #1—Fossil Collection along the James River (near Surry, VA)

Date: Saturday, June 13th

Please let Sara Phillips ([email protected]) know by no later than May 31st at 3PM if you would

like to attend this field trip .

Location: Pipsico Boy Scout Camp Reservation, 57 Pipsico Road, Spring Grove, Virginia

Details: Rockhounds will experience easy collecting along nearly a 1-mile long riverbank and shoreline of

molluscan fossils of Miocene and Pliocene epochs, shark teeth, whale bones, corals and more.

Sunblock and bug spray are highly recommended, as well as bottles of water and snacks. Please bring your own

bags and tools for collecting. Camping is allowed the night before if anyone is interested.

*The meeting time and duration for this trip will be announced in a future email.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Field Trip #2—Coal Mine Tour and Rock/Mineral Sieving in Beckley, WV

If you would like to attend this field trip, please let Sara Phillips ([email protected]) know by no later than April 30th at 3PM. She needs a head count of adults and children for this trip. There is a maximum of 30 people allowed to tour the coal mine facility at one time, but a minimum of 10 people is

needed to get the group rate. Also, she can provide some lodging guidance, if desired.

Date: Saturday, July 25th Sources: www.beckley.org/exhibition_coal_mine/ & www.someplacespecialgemmine.com/

Locations: #1) Beckley Expedition Coal Mine, 513 Ewart Avenue, Beckley, West Virginia 25801

#2) Some Place Special Gem Mine, 323 Rakes Road, Shady Spring, West Virginia 25918

Details:

At the Exhibition Coal Mine, one can ride through the dark passages of a vintage coal mine. The guides are veteran miners and provide firsthand accounts of the daily responsibilities and travail of past and present day miners. In addition to the Mine, one can tour the period coal camp buildings situated throughout the grounds. Lovingly restored, the Coal Company House, Superintendent’s Home, Pemberton Coal Camp Church, and the Helen Coal Camp School, give visitors a true representation of early 20 th century coal camp life. Visitors

are asked to bring a jacket because the temperature is always 58 degrees inside the Mine.

The Youth Museum’s central exhibit area features an average of three different interactive exhibits yearly. Group tours include a visit to the Museum’s Planetarium. Seasonal programs highlight constellations, visible planets and special celestial events. Behind the Museum’s main building, stands the Mountain Homestead. Developed to enrich history studies, the Museum has recreated a typical settlement on the Appalachian frontier. Trained interpreters explain the importance of each of the eight reconstructed historical building. Visit the weaver’s, the log house, and the one room schoolhouse and experience “readin’, writn’, and rithmatic’” as it used to be. The

barn, blacksmith shop, and general store all help to complete this rich historical journey of the late 19 th century.

Field Trip Itinerary (this field trip will happen rain or shine)

9:50am: Meet in Beckley Expedition Coal Mine parking lot

Group Rate Admissions: ADULTS: $14.00 (18 and over); CHILDREN: $ 8.50 (ages 4 - 17)

10:00am: Group tour begins with an underground tour (in a coal car) and tour of the surrounding grounds

12:00pm-12:30pm: Group picnic lunch on-site at the gazebo/picnic tables/or covered amphitheater. You must

bring a picnic lunch (there are no food facilities on-site).

12:30pm-1:30pm: We will be touring the youth group museum and gift shop (Cont’d on next page)

Fossils and Coal Mine—Upcoming Field Trips Sara Phillips, GMSVP Field Trip Coordinator




http://www.beckley.org/exhibition_coal_mine/

http://www.someplacespecialgemmine.com/


1:30pm-2:00pm: Drive to Some Place Special Gem Mine (about a 15-20 minute drive from coal mine)

2:00pm-???: Sieve through buckets of materials to find gemstones (stay as long as you want).

2.5 gallon buckets of sieving materials are $10.00 each

Website coupons and family specials are available (SEE WEBSITE)

THIS IS A CASH ONLY FACILITY!!!

See information on the website (http://someplacespecialgemmine.com/Home_Page.php) and below for some

helpful hints to make your adventure more enjoyable.

It gets a bit muddy here at the mine, so wear old clothes and shoes.

We do provide seating, but it’s not padded. A nice cushion will help ease any sore spots.

There are covers over the flumes, but a rain coat is advisable.

We provide small plastic bags, but if you are planning a large mine adventure, a bucket or large heavy bag is

a nice addition to have (Yes, you may have that many gemstones when you leave).

Sunblock is suggested.

This is a farm setting and bugs are present, so bring along some bug spray to help keep em’ at bay.

Cameras are allowed here, so bring one along to capture your adventure.

Be sure to bring a towel to dry off.

Fossils and Coal Mine—Upcoming Field Trips (Cont’d) Sara Phillips, GMSVP Field Trip Coordinator

EFMLS WILDACRES RAFFLE

FOR GIA MARK 5 STEREOSCOPIC MICROSCOPE

Tickets are

available from

Dan Fontaine

for $5 each at

the May picnic

and during

meetings.


http://someplacespecialgemmine.com/Home_Page.php


Hampton TOTE Show Great Success— Robert Mazzrillo & Brenda Hawks

GMSVP Membership Increased by 16 (24%)!!!

Primitive Skills Gathering in Cortland, VA Robert Mazzrillo

Here’s something a bit different that may be of interest. It's a camping weekend. If you or your family would like

to camp, the charge will be around $10 for the weekend (I believe as that is what it was last year).

Robert—For the first time in recent memory, a Treasures of the Earth (TOTE) Show was held on the Peninsula at

the Hampton Roads Convention Center. Our many club volunteers and a local (Peninsula) venue made for a

great show last month. We had a lot of new members signed up, sold a ton (literally) of geodes, put on some

great demonstrations, and hopefully everyone had a lot of fun. The show owners stopped by a few times and were

very grateful that we came to this new show. The club was also featured in a few photos with the Daily Press.

Thanks again for helping with the show! Great club members make for great club functions! Can't wait to do it all

at the Virginia Beach Convention Center TOTE Show on April 24—26!

Brenda—The Peninsula TOTE show provided a great opportunity to increase local awareness for our club. As a

result, we had 16 new members join over the past month (a 24% increase in members). That’s monumental!

WELCOME NEW ROCKHOUNDS!

Nichole & N’Kai Boston; David Bromley; Robert Estes & Shania Wolf; Christina Loria; Jeffery

Madden; Robyn Muhr; Elise Reeves, June Bernard, and David Goetze; Jordan Shorter; Kalyn &

Matthew Spitler; Paul Toupin; and Evelyn Vretos



Minutes for the Board Meeting of March 30, 2015 and Pat Fontaine

And General Meeting of April 2, 2015

Board Meeting of March 30th

Attachments: Geode Inventory Following March 2015 TOTE Show (available upon request)

The meeting was brought to order at 7 PM by President Walter Priest at Sandy Bottom Nature Center.

Walter thanked everyone who participated at the Hampton Roads Convention Center TOTE show for their

outstanding efforts. The TOTE show was very successful.

Brenda Hawks reported that 12 new members joined GMSVP at the show.

Robert Mazzrillo and Gary Bergtholdt reported that geodes were the best in recent memory at the Hampton

show. The unusually high sales has greatly depleted our inventory of geodes. To have sufficient geodes for

the remainder of the year’s TOTE shows, the board unanimously agreed that we will place an order for 2”- 6”

Indiana geodes, and 100 lbs. of 2.5”-2.75” Las Choyas geodes, 100 lbs. of 3”-3.5” Las Choyas geodes, and

150 lbs. of 3.5”-3.75” Las Choyas geodes.

Hank Woods indicated that the total cost of renting a truck for transporting items to the TOTE show was

$171.02. This is significantly less than the cost of maintaining and storing the trailer for a quarter of the year

(approximately $367, a savings of $196).

The board discussed the possibility of expanding our educational presentations at future TOTE shows,

including using a Go Pro camera to project a close up view while a member demonstrates skills such as

cabbing. Members are encouraged to develop more dynamic and interactive displays, such as Walter’s

mineral identification box.

Barbara Priest reminded us that our April meeting is the auction, which was rescheduled due to inclement

weather in March. The May meeting will be a picnic with the opportunity for members to use the club’s

equipment. In June, Professor Chuck Bailey, William and Mary Geology Department Chair, will speak on “Finding

Fault in Virginia”. Sara Phillips will give a presentation on her experiences in Brazil at our July meeting.

Our August meeting, which was originally scheduled for August 20 due to the unavailability of the Nature Center

on August 6, will now take place on the first Thursday of the month, the 6th. We will meet in the pavilion just to the

right of the Nature Center from 6PM to 8 PM. The meeting will consist of a rock swap and “ugly rock” contest.

Dan Fontaine reported on the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies (EFMLS) convention

that he and Pat Fontaine attended in Hickory, NC on March 27-29, 2015.

EFMLS passed a proposal to adjust the operating procedures to permit either an audit or a review of their

finances. The change and rationale was passed on to the GMSVP Treasurer, Gary Bergtholdt.

Members have the opportunity to win a GIA Mark 5 Stereoscope Microscope. Dan has raffle tickets for

sale for $5 each.

Several members of our club have earned awards for newsletter articles they have written. These will be

presented at the April meeting.

Dan and Pat connected with members of the Catawba Valley Gem and Mineral Club. Harry Polly, their

field trip coordinator, indicated that we would possibly be able to participate in the field trip they take to

collect geodes near Danville, KY. They would let us know when it will occur, and we can respond with the

number of people who are interested. Contact information was passed on to the GMSVP Field Trip

Coordinator, Sara Phillips.

(Cont’d on next Page)




And General Meeting of April 2, 2015 (Cont’d)

Board Meeting of March 30th (Cont’d)

Members will vote on the use of the proposed new club logo at the April meeting. The board recommends

adoption of the new logo, while allowing the simultaneous continued use of the old logo.

The new logo will be used for many items, including all official correspondence. A committee consisting of

Kelly Mazzrillo, Barbara Priest, and Pat Fontaine will design and coordinate T-shirt orders.

Webmaster Holly Worsham reported that she has purchased a new website name for the club. The new site

is not up and running yet. Once it is, she will link the old site to the new site. This will allow the continued use

of the old address on brochures and business cards, until they run out.

Holly would appreciate being informed of any programs, field trips, events and announcements so that she

can post these on the website.

Holly plans to enter our website in the Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies website contest.

Walter informed us that an additional opportunity to collect fossils at Pipsico will occur on June 13th. More

details will be available at that time.

He also suggested a possible field trip to Scufflin Acres Amethyst Mine near Farmville, VA. The cost would

be $20 per person.

The possibility of renting a bus, so cub members could visit the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. as a

group, was suggested. This idea will be presented to the general membership to determine how many

people would be interested.

Bubba Ward offered to raffle off a wrapped opal with the intention of using the proceeds to send a club

member to the William Holland facility.

Minutes prepared by Pat Fontaine

March 31, 2015

/original signed/

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General Meeting of April 2nd

The meeting was brought to order at 7 PM by President Walter Priest at Sandy Bottom Nature Center.

Walter introduced new members and guests and welcomed them to the meeting. Brenda Hawks, 1st VP

Membership, stated that 12 new members joined at the TOTE show, and 6 more joined tonight.

Walter thanked the members who helped at the March TOTE show at the Hampton Roads Convention Center

on March 27, 28, and 29th. The show was very successful.

The high sales of geodes have greatly depleted our inventory.

Hank Woods has placed the order for the Las Choyas geodes as discussed at the board meeting.

Robert Mazzrillo has placed an order with Dan Peters for the Indiana geodes as discussed at the board

meeting. Dan will drive out and pick up a few thousand pounds of geodes. When he returns, Robert and

several board members will meet him and hand-pick 800 pounds of geodes in the sizes we desire.

Barbara Priest, 2nd VP Programs, informed us that the club picnic on May 16th will replace the regular meeting.

Club members will have an opportunity to use the club’s equipment at the picnic. In June, Professor Chuck

Bailey, William and Mary Geology Department Chair, will speak on “Finding Fault in Virginia.” Sara Phillips,

(Cont’d on next page)




And General Meeting of April 2, 2015 (Cont’d)

General Meeting of April 2nd (Cont’d)

(Cont’d from previous page) Field Trip Committee Chair, will give a presentation on her geologist experiences

in Brazil at our July meeting. In August we will have a rock swap.

Dan Fontaine presented GMSVP newsletter awards from 2015 EFMLS (Eastern Federation of Mineralogical

and Lapidary Societies) Convention. Recipients were:

Al DeHart, 8th place for a non-technical article on: “Field Trip Coordinator Responsibilities”

Dan Fontaine, 5th place for a non-technical article on: “Wildacres, A First Time Experience”

Larry Hawks, 5th place for nontechnical article on: The Four R’s—Rose River, Rocks, and RVs”

Seth Hempley, 2nd place for youth article on: “The Machine of Faceting”

Dan Fontaine, 1st place for New Editor.

Sara Phillips reported that we have some upcoming field trips. On June 13 th, we have the opportunity to

collect fossils at the Pipsico Reservation along the James River in Surry, VA. In July, she is planning a trip to

the Expedition Coal Mine in Beckley WV.

A motion to use the new club logo was passed unanimously by acclamation. Use of the old logo is permitted,

but we will phase out the use of the old logo on new materials. Barbara Priest, Kelly Mazzrillo, and Pat

Fontaine will design and coordinate orders for T-shirts using the new logo.

Anthony Hubbard is offering silversmithing classes. Please contact Anthony at [email protected] , if you

are interested in attending any of the classes.

The business meeting was adjourned so that everyone could participate in our annual auction. Following the

auction, Treasurer Gary Bergtholdt reported that we took in $922 from sales of rocks and specimens and $942

from sales of equipment and non-rock items, for a total of $1864.

Minutes prepared by Pat Fontaine

April 12, 2015

/original signed/

The Commemorative Stamp Committee of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (AFMS) is responsible for the efforts to obtain stamps featuring subjects of interest such as minerals, fossils, gems and general geology. The Committee has been active for years and submits an annual report at the AFMS annual

meeting.

Our current efforts are directed to trying to convince the United States Postal Service to produce stamps showing Birthstones. No stamps featuring gems have ever appeared on US commemorative stamps although there have been some beautiful ones produced by other countries. (There is a definitive $0.02 US stamp showing Turquoise Indian Jewelry in circulation now, not as a result of our efforts.) The mechanism is to encourage both AFMS members and the public at large to send requests to the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) of the United States Postal Service (USPS.) It is very difficult to succeed in getting any desired stamp. Only about one out of a thousand requests are approved. It took 10 years of lobbying efforts to get the first set of Mineral Stamps in 1974 and 18 years to get the second set in 1992! The USPS has rules by which CSAC, operates. They recommend adoption of stamp subjects, although the Postmaster General has final say. Rules say there will be

no repeat subjects in 10 years.

AFMS Commemorative Stamp Committee Source: AFMS Website, Commemorative Stamp Tab, http://www.amfed.org/stamps.htm



AFMS Code of Ethics

I will respect both private and public property and will do no collecting on privately

owned land without the owner’s permission.

I will keep informed on all laws, regulations of rules governing collecting on public lands and will ob-

serve them.

I will to the best of my ability, ascertain the boundary lines of property on which I plan to collect.

I will use no firearms or blasting material in collecting areas.

I will cause no willful damage to property of any kind - fences, signs, buildings.

I will leave all gates as found.

I will build fires in designated or safe places only and will be certain they are completely

extinguished before leaving the area.

I will discard no burning material - matches, cigarettes, etc.

I will fill all excavation holes which may be dangerous to livestock.

I will not contaminate wells, creeks or other water supply.

I will cause no willful damage to collecting material and will take home only what I can reasonably use.

I will practice conservation and undertake to utilize fully and well the materials I have

collected and will recycle my surplus for the pleasure and benefit of others.

I will support the rockhound project H.E.L.P. (Help Eliminate Litter Please) and

Will leave all collecting areas devoid of litter, regardless of how found.

I will cooperate with field trip leaders and those in designated authority in all collecting areas.

I will report to my club or Federation officers, Bureau of Land management or other authorities, any

deposit of petrified wood or other materials on public lands which should be protected for the

enjoyment of future generations for public educational and scientific purposes.

I will appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources.

I will observe the “Golden Rule”, will use “Good Outdoor Manners” and will

at all times conduct myself in a manner which will add to the stature and

Public “image” of rockhounds everywhere.


the virginia pen€¦ · new members and sold a boat load of geodes. we were so have replenished...

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