(NOTE: "Conejo" pronounced 'kon-a-ho (n) is the Spanish word for "rabbit", hence the logo design at left, and was the name given by the early Spanish explorers in the early 1700's when they came through the valley and noticed the thousands of jack rabbits that lived here, thus designating this area the "Conejo Valley")

Serving Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Moorpark, Simi Valley and neighboring communities in and near the Conejo Valley area of Ventura County in Southern California

Choose a Page on this List - Club Membership - Annual Show - Pebble Pups - Links to other Clubs - Meetings & Programs - Show Pictures - Field Trips - Lapidary Shop - Code of Ethics

The Conejo Gem and Mineral Club (CGMC) is a non-profit organization run by volunteers.  The Club promotes and extends the knowledge of minerals, geology, fossils, lapidary arts and associated fields. Click here for a map to our Club Meetings & Lapidary Shop The CGMC was founded in 1971, and is a member of both the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies and the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies.

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Happenings: Annual dues are due this month. Please mail to Camille Van Ast or bring to the General Meeting on Febuary 11th. Dues are $20 per individual and $30 per family.

Here are some current & upcoming things involving our club. If you read this or have something to say let me know. My e-mail is below. If you e-mail me things I can probably copy paste and add to the "Happenings" Don't expect photos yet, unless I post a link.

January/Febuary 2010:

Club Meeting-Febuary 11th Thursday. 7:30pm Hillcrest Art Center, 403 Hillcrest Drive. Thousand Oaks Click here for a map to our Club Meetings & Lapidary Shop

The Prez Sez: Dick Weber
Happy New Year Everyone. I hope you had a great holiday season. We now look forward to an exciting New Year.

Arizona is the place to be in January and February. The events kick off in Quartzite with the largest tailgate and flea market sale of anything and everything related to the gem and mineral hobby. It is probably the best opportunity to obtain rough, finished material and lapidary and jewelry supplies for the hobby.

As the events in Quartzite come to an end the action moves over to Tucson where the Tucson G & M Society hosts the largest rock, mineral and fossil show in the world. Mineral dealers from all corners of the globe rent rooms at over 30 different hotels to display and sell. If you cannot find it in Tucson, Mother Nature didn’t produce it. Exhibits at the convention center from The Smithsonian, Carnegie Mellon, Univ. of Houston, etc. are well worth the trip.

One year Mary Pat and I met a group of buyers from the Smithsonian who had just purchased a major piece for the museum. After meeting these men Mary Pat was envious of them. A combination of a large budget in which to purchase some of the world’s best mineral specimens along with the luxury of spending other people’s money was to her way of thinking the perfect dream job.
A few years ago we were able to get special passes to one of the high-end gem and jewelry venues. Every booth contained thousands of cut gemstones. It would not surprise me if there were at least 100 million dollars worth of gemstones in that one building alone. Since the air can be dry in Tucson several dealers put out bowls of hard candies for customers. At one booth I was about to dip my hand into a bowl of “green candy” and realized at the last instant that it was actually a bowl of one carat green emeralds!

If you cannot make it to Tucson, closer to home the Ventura Club has their show the first weekend in March at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. They always put on an interesting show with lots of great displays and dealers. If you are interested in entering a display case I will have entry forms at the meeting.
Our Holiday Party was a great success. Dinner was served to 32 members and guests and we had a fun afternoon. I want to thank everyone who helped setup, decorate, cook and clean up. We had a great time because everyone pitched in and did their part.

Programs: Mary Pat Weber, V-P February's program is "Making Dichroic Glass and its uses in creating Jewelry" presented by Cynthia Baumgartner

Pebble Pups: Youth Program Coordinator (open position)
COMMUNITY EDUCATION
We don't have a Youth Program Coordinator at this time, we will still have programs at the club meetings. Different members will be in charge of the youth program at the club meeting until we get a Youth Program Coordinator. If anyone is interested in this position, contact Dick Weber President.

The following members will serve as elected officers for 2010
President: Dick Weber
Programs: 1st Vice-President Mary Pat Weber
Field Trips: 2nd Vice Presidents Mike Miller & Robert Sankovich
Membership: 3rd Vice-President Camille Van Ast
Editor: 4th Vice-President Becky Williamson
Treasurer: Sat Scarpato
Secretary: Mitty Scarpato
Federation Director: Robert Sankovich

Appointed officers for 2010
Art Council: Camille Van Ast
Community Education: Mitty Scarpato
Historian: To be announced
Librarian: Mike Miller
Parliamentarian: Roy Foerster
Publicity: Deb Sankovich
Refreshments: To be announced
Shop Foremen: Robert Sankovich, Manny Valdez
Show Chairman: Robert Sankovich
Ways & Means: Mary Pat Weber, Linda Demangelaere, Nick Duncan
Website: Robert Sankovich
Workshop Coordinator: To be announced
Youth Program Coordinator: To be announced

Welcome:
To our new members!
Marc, Tristen, Marcus and Tyler Condon
Kenneth L’Heureux
Carl Betz

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
January
1/3 Bryn Nagel
1/11 Tanya Fox
1/23 Florence Meisenheimer
1/24 Jan Madsen
1/24 Mackenzie Somogyi
1/24 Andrea Harmon
1/29 Pat Halliday

OUR UPCOMING SHOW 2010 Show April 24th, 25th, set up Friday 23rd. The show's going to be here before we know it, pick up flyers at the club meeting to hand out. Publicity is the most important thing and each member should hand out some flyers. Tell a friend, co worker, family.
We’re going to need help with this years’ show. There are several positions open and in need of someone to take over. Without Luke and Lisa, we will need a Kitchen Chairperson. Cook, cashier, helper. We'll need a couple people to do the electrical.
It’s time to start tumbling rocks for the show, the grab bags, and the youth room. Mary Pat is getting the dealers for our show. Camille asks that you get started on plantings for the sale. Even if your a new member any help you can give is appreciated, there is something for everyone can do to participate in our show.
Were going to need material for the silent auction, the gem jars.
Check out the Thousand Oaks Library the cases near the aquarium will have our club exhibits. We have the Month of February. It will be there the month of Febuary.
Robert Sankovich Show Chairman 2010

Field Trips:Field Trips Upcoming: Please let us know if you are going to go on the field trip. The weather can change, if we don’t know your going we won’t be able to contact you if the field trip is cancelled. There will be maps and flyers at the club meetings. There are still people who show up for the field trip without notifying Mike or I, you can still be part of the field trip, but it is important that you let us know your going to attend. Please let us know if your going to attend, e-mail or call us. I have new truck, it's a white Ford F250 four wheel drive, crew cab, if your looking for me, look for my truck.
Contacts: Robert Sankovich Conejo/Ventura Clubs 805-494-7734, rmsorca@adelphia.net
Mike Miller Conejo Club 805-498-9586, rockfndr@att.net
Ron Wise, Ventura/Oxnard Clubs, 805-794-0737 clintwise@hotmail.com

February 27th 2010 Saturday 10am-3pm Ant Hill Area, Bakersfield, CA, Tri club field trip. CGMC/VGMS Robert Sankovich 805-494-7734 rmsorca@adelphia.net CGMC Mike Miller 805-498-9586 rockfmdr@att.net VGMS/OGMS Ron Wise 805-647-4393 clintwise@hotmail.com
Field trip: Our February field trip will be to the Ant Hill area, near Bakersfield California. Come out for a fun day of digging for shark teeth fossils, the weather should be nice, cool. The dig site is a walk of 500 yards over semi flat ground, then up a hill 100 yards. Once there most of the time you'll be digging in small areas. This time of the year there is always the chance of rain, bring the necessary clothing. If it is raining, we won’t be digging.
When: February 27th. Sat. 10am-3pm
Tools: Rock pick/hammer, gad pry bar, hand protection, newspaper to wrap your fossils in, collecting bags, wide brimmed hat, suntan lotion, lots of water, lunch, There is no shade morning, afternoon, and it can be hot, but it will probably be cool, so dress accordingly, layers. After 1pm or so the dig site will be in the shade as the sun moves to the West, the holes are East facing. I would recommend a day pack, to put your tools in. It’s a bit of a walk and it will be easier carrying your gear.
Material to Collect: Shark teeth fossils, many types, sizes, from the Miocene Epoch 10-15 millions years ago. There are other fossils, bone fragments, teeth to be found. The fossils are found in a layer about 3', you will see the exposed holes from previous digs. They are in semi soft clay that you will dig out the biggest pieces you can, then carefully break apart to find the fossils. I usually use a gad pry bar to dig out bigger pieces of the clay, about golf ball to baseball size or so. If I see any sign of a shark tooth or fossil, I’ll wrap it into newspaper and later I will use dental tools or dremel motor tool to remove the clay to reveal the tooth. I keep some of the teeth still in the matrix, it makes a nice display. The main thing is patience when working with fossils.

Field trips done:
Quartzsite, January 21st-23rd. We went through some rough weather that week, but we still had a field trip on Sat for petrified wood. I'll have a recap update soon.

Robert Sankovich
VP Field Trips Conejo/Ventura Clubs
rmsorca@adelphia.net
805-494-7734

CFMS http://www.cfmsinc.org/
2010 Show June 18-20th Fri-Sat 10am-5pm Host North Orange County Gem & Mineral Society
Show Chairman Mike Beaumont 714-510-6037 diamondcrest@yahoo.com
This will be a CFMS and AFMS show, it's a good time to plan on your exhibits. I am going to enter 2 cases, my jade and my lepidolite. I also plan on demonstrating wet angle grinder polishing.
You can get the rules on the CFMS website listed at the top.
American Lands Access Association (ALAA) A joint meeting of the CFMS Public Lands Advisory Committee (PLAC) and the American Lands Access Association (ALAA) was held following the Directors’ meeting in Visalia on Nov. 7. The meeting was open to everyone who is interested in and uses our public lands. We had very good attendance: 23 people, including 6 officers and directors of ALAA.Norvie Enns (PLAC chair, ALAA director, and member of the Northeastern California RAC committee) gave an update of RAC and BLM activities affecting Nevada and northern California. Not much is happening at this time except discussion of feral horse problems. Dick Pankey, ALAA President, presented and led discussion on ALAA activities and proposed legislation, including 1) more Wilderness (some examples: California – adding over 400,000 acres; Montana – adding 677,000 acres; Utah – 9.1 million acres; America's Red Rock Wilderness); 2) Hard Rock Mining & Reclamation Act (introduced in House and Senate; eliminates patenting; increases fees; royalties imposed; requires permit for any mineral activity except casual collecting); and 3) the proposed Desert Conservation & Recreation Act (affects several areas, for example, the Mojave National Monument, a 20-mile wide corridor along Old Route 66 from Needles to Barstow, affecting 1.6 million acres).A proposed Rock & Mineral Specimen Collection Act, drafted by ALAA Past-Pres. Jon Spunaugle, was presented and discussed. This is a proactive approach to legislation. The purpose of this Act is to secure, for the present and future benefit of the people of the United States, the opportunity for educational and recreational rock and mineral specimen collection on the public lands of the United States. Jon would like people to review this bill and send him their comments and suggestions. Anyone wishing to help with this project and/or wishing to see a copy of this bill, please e-mail me. I will glad to e-mail you a copy.Effects of the Omnibus Public Lands Bill will not be determined until each BLM District office, each Forest Service District office, each of the other affected governmental agencies interprets these laws and incorporates them into their specific Management Plan. This is where we can still have a say. This is where we can still have a voice and affect the final implementation. How? By becoming involved in the process. By talking with the managers of our Public Lands; by participating in the meetings called for public input; by providing our ideas and wishes with letters, e-mails and telephone calls. By being involved in the process.How do we, how do YOU get started? All of us live less than 100 miles from a BLM, FS, or other agency office. Better yet go to the office that manages the land where your favorite collecting site is. The first step is to get acquainted with the office and the personnel. Get signed up to receive notices of public meetings and/or get on their general mailing list. Next get involved – attend meetings, learn how that office implements the current laws and how they propose to implement the Omnibus laws, provide comments, and get others involved with your efforts.ALAA’s membership currently was 44 societies and about 95 individuals. At the close of the meeting 11 more applications were submitted to ALAA Treasurer Ruth Bailey. I extend my personal invitation to all CFMS societies and members to join ALAA and participate in saving access to our public lands. ALAA will hold its next annual meeting at the AFMS/CFMS convention next June in La Habra. We hope you will attend.
- Dick Pankey ALAA President,

Robert Sankovich
Federation Director

Lapidary Shop:
All equipment is operational. If you want to use the shop, contact: Robert Sankovich 805-494-7734 rmsorca@adelphia.net Manuel Valdez 805-492-1609 mvaldez2@netscape.com The time is flexible, You call us and we can set up a time that works for you and the shop foreman. I bought a Gripper tool at Quartzsite, it fits into our 24" saw clamp and using a 3 prong type arms it can grip rounded and odd shapped roacks, I plan on using it on my uncut geodes and nodules. I won't have put them in plaster to cut them. I'll bring the tool into the Febuary club meeting.

Robert Sankovich 805-494-7734 rmsorca@adelphia.net
Manuel Valdez 805-492-1609 mvaldez2@netscape.com

The club has bought a used 18" Rociprolap made by Rose Enterprises. It's cast iron and heavy. The whole thing probably weighs 100lbs. There are two parts, the pan, and the base. We will now be able to polish larger stones, slabs, geode/nodules. It will need to run through several grit stages and polish, that will take time so we will make it so you will check it out and use it at your house. Dick Weber is using it now, if your interested, contact him. We'rehave to make a user manual.

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Conejo Gem & Mineral Club Information:

Members typically have an interest or involvement in mineralogy, geology, paleontology, rock cutting, faceting, polishing, making cabochons, collect rocks, minerals or fossils specimens. Come to the Conejo Gem and Mineral Club and become a member of one the largest hobby groups in the United States

Club Meetings: The 2nd Thursday of every month, 7:30pm, at the Hillcrest Arts Center, 403 West Hillcrest Drive in Thousand Oaks, CA. Across from the Oaks Mall. These 2-hour get-togethers involve a brief business announcements portion followed by a 20 minute social time serving cookies, juice, coffee. You can check out what was found on the last field trip and what you can find on the next. There is a monthly raffle, Then a 45 minute program given by a guest speaker sharing their knowledge on geology, jewelry making, rock, mineral and fossil collecting, volcanology, paleontology and many other fascinating subjects. There are many different interests for members to check out at our club, we’re not just rock hounds. Members are involved in jewelry, wire wrapping, bead making, geology, fossils, minerals and lapidary arts. During the business section, youths are invited to attend a separate program where they can learn some science or a craft. We have programs for younger members to further their knowledge of earth science, geology and rock/mineral/fossil collecting. Let us know what interests you have and we will introduce you to members with similar interests. We print a monthly bulletin for our members to keep them up to date on club happenings. There is also a modest library for members to freely expand their interests.

Summertime we have a Picnic/BBQ at the park, Ice Cream social in August, Silent Auction in November and in December a Christmas party, they are a lot of fun. Our club is very family orientated so the whole family can participate in a fun hobby together and get some exercise in the out doors. Operating funds are generated from membership fees and proceeds from our annual show held every May called the Pageant of a Thousand Gems, (follow the link for more details).

We put on an annual Gem and Mineral show, participate in the Gem and Mineral Department exhibits at the Ventura County Fair, and support other Gem and Mineral Clubs by displaying when we are invited. We are members of the Arts Council of the Conejo Valley, the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies (regional) and the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (national).

Lapidary Shop: Available for members who would like to cut and polish rocks and minerals. We have a 24” saw, a Trim saw, 2 Genie polishing machines, a fine polish wheel. .

Field Trips: Each month we have field trips, some local day trips, others overnight camping/motel. At the club meeting you can check out the rocks, minerals and fossils that have been collected on field trips. To give you an idea of the rocks, minerals and fossils you might find, check out the specimens brought in to each monthly meeting. You don’t have to be very experienced. There are many members willing to share in their knowledge of collecting rocks, minerals and fossils. We have many different types of field trips for all ages, so there is always something for everyone.

Please send us an e-mail if you have any questions or would like further information not found in this site. Webpage related concerns may be directed to the same e-mail. Contact information is below.

 

You can write us at;

Conejo Gem and Mineral Club

P. O. Box 723

Newbury Park, CA  91320

 

or you can contact

Robert Sankovich

805-494-7734

rmsorca@adelphia.net

 

 

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