Membership
Meetings:
The club holds meetings on the third Sunday of the month
except in July and August. At each club meeting there is a potluck,
business meeting and main presentation. In addition, there is a member
showcase where a different club member “struts their
stuff.” There is also a "knowledge box" where members
present information on various topics, such as mineral hardness, what a
Herkimer Diamond is, identification of various kinds of petrified
wood, etc.
Our club's purpose of sharing knowledge and interests in Rocks and Minerals is very apparent at club meetings.
Member Interests: The
Calaveras Gem and Mineral members have diverse interests. Our members
are interested in some or all of the following: cabbing, faceting,
silver smithing, wire warapping,
beading and bead making, enameling, dichroic glass, suiseki, rock
carving,
fluorescent minerals, petrified wood and fossils. Some of the
members collect natural crystals, mineral specimens, thumbnails and/or
micromounts while others like jasper, agate and other cutable materials
to make into a finished piece. Our group has a strong interest in field trips and offers a wide variety of collecting opportunities to its members and through the club
and an affiliated group, the
Co-op. We have a workshop schedule and use of our lapidary shop is convenient and is encouraged.
Other educational endeavors of the club include:
Library - Members are welcome to partake of the club's library with many journals, reference books, and periodicals.
Monthly Newsletter - The club’s bulletin, The Golden Frog,
is published and sent to members monthly (except July and August) to
keep them informed about club activities. The bulletin includes
articles about gems and minerals, lapidary, historical features, safety
and CFMS activities.
County Library Display - The club has had a display case at the local library and hopes to make this a yearly project.
Meeting the Public - The club has had a booth at Snyder’s Pow-Wow to inform the local public about its educational programs and lapidary shop.
Educational Presentations
- The Calaveras club is expanding its services and participation beyond
its membership. Club members have given numerous talks to other
Northern California mineral clubs and, earlier this year,
sponsored a CFMS competitive case and judging workshop at its club
meeting and invited surrounding clubs to attend.
Annual Show Displays - There are usually about 80 display cases at the club's
annual gem and mineral show.
Shows also include vendors, demonstrations and special children's
activities. In 2006, the club hosted the California Federation of
Mineralogical Societies (CFMS) statewide show.
Club
members have the option of entering their cases in competition, which
includes cases of visiting exhibitors. By competing, members can learn
how to improve their collection and lapidary skills and, importantly,
their showmanship skills. Membership
Information
If you are interested in becoming a member, please attend a few meetings or workshops,
and then attend a regular meeting and fill out an applicaion. All
members must be voted into the club and we would be happy to welcome
you as a member. Please contact us if you would like additional information about our club.
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