Meetings & Programs 2010

All monthly General Meetings are held the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Hillcrest Center (or Arts Council Cultural Center), in the Large Dance Room or the Parks Department Board Meeting Room between the small fountain and the stairs, at 403 Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA (building is at the top of the hill).

ENTRANCE OFF McCLOUD STREET - FOLLOW SIGNS TO NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

(PLEASE NOTE: This is the old City Hall Bldg. on the hill just above the Fire Station and across the street from and north of the T.O. Mall

The entrance is marked with a large sign, but it is not lighted at night. This building also houses the Conejo Valley Arts Center and the Santa Monica Mountains National Park Service Headquarters and Visitor Center. (Click here for a map to Club Headquarters and Shop)

NO APPOINTMENT OR RESERVATION NEEDED - MEETING ATTENDANCE IS FREE FOR ANYONE YOUNG OR OLD!!

Board Meetings are held the third Thursday of each month at the Arts Council Center (usually in the Small Dance Room adjacent to the bottom of the stairway) at 7:30 P.M. 403 Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks unless circumstances dictate otherwise. Guests are welcome.

Buy your raffle tickets! Money generated from the raffles goes toward scholarships, field trips, etc. to promote the advancement of Geosciences. Raffle tickets are sold at the sign-in table (5 tickets for $1.00)

UPCOMING PROGRAMS for 2010: Mary Pat Weber VP Programs, 805-529-2524

Month	Speaker	Subject or Title of Program
January	Roy Foerster	Is it real? Can you believe everything you see? This month our guest speaker will be our own club member Roy Foerster. Always one of our most popular speakers, he will present a program with great photos of “Fakes, Frauds, and Fantasies”. You won’t want to miss this timely topic, especially if you are a mineral collector headed for Quartzite or Tucson.
February	Cynthia Baumgartner	Making Dichroic Glass and its uses in creating Jewelry
March	Mary Pat Weber	Highlights of the 2010 Tucson Gem & Mineral Show If you cannot find it in Tucson, Mother Nature probably didn’t create it. Once a year dealers from all over the world sell gems, jewelry, rocks, minerals and fossils in more than 30 different hotels and venues throughout the city. There are plenty of great buys and bargains whether you have 50 cents or a few million dollars in your pocket. When the wallets are nearly empty and the ATMs well used the Tucson Gem & Mineral Club hosts the grand finale at the convention center. Display booths, lectures, more dealers, display cases, and special exhibits make this show the great granddaddy of them all. Special exhibits of priceless specimens from both private and public collections such as the Smithsonian add to the highlights of this event. This month Mary Pat Weber will show photos depicting some of the highlights of this outstanding show and why Tucson in February is the place to be if you have an interest in this hobby. She asks club members to bring a couple of their “steals and deals” from either Quartzite or Tucson for a display table.
April	Sal Scarpato	Antarctica, Intrepid travelers and club members Sal & Mitty Scarpato encountered icebergs and a hurricane in Drake Passage on their trip to Antarctica. This month, club member Sal Scarpato will present a program highlighting the history, geography, and geology of their trip to this intriguing and remote corner of the world.
May	Fred, Charlotte Ward	RUBIES AND SAPPHIRES This month we welcome back FRED & CHARLOTTE WARD as our guest speakers. Known as a respected authority on gems, Fred is a Graduate Gemologist (GIA) and throughout his career traveled extensively for National Geographic Magazine. Because of his reputation as an outstanding photographer, Fred has had the unique opportunity to examine and photograph some of the finest public and private collections of gemstones and jewelry in the world. You won’t want to miss this fascinating program on the world of Rubies and Sapphires. Autographed copies of his books will be available for purchase.
June	Ron Wise	“Knapping for Beginners” This month we welcome Ron Wise as our guest speaker. Ron is both a long time hobbyist and a member of our sister club in Ventura. Even if you don’t know him you probably saw his display case at our show in April as well as in the past at the Ventura County Fair. He is a true artisan. In this “show & tell” demonstration Ron will introduce us to the tools and the basic techniques of this craft. Note: if you wish to get a closer look (4 feet) to see his demonstration you will need to bring and wear safety glasses.
July	open	to be determind
August	Our Annual Ice Cream Social & Meeting	Our Annual Ice Cream Social - Choose from several *flavors* *and* toppings - no time for any lecture, and no limit on how much ice cream and *toppings you eat!*
September 2009	Jim Brace-Thompson	Western Geology from 35,000 feet” If you don’t like heights or have a fear of flying just sit back, relax, and enjoy this program. When our guest speaker, Jim Brace-Thompson goes flying on business he packs a camera and requests a window seat. As a result he has amassed a large collection of photos. This month you will get a whole new view of such classic geologic features in the Western U.S. such as Meteor Crator, the Grand Canyon, Shiprock and Monument Valley, Yosemite, Mt. St. Helens, our own Channel Islands, the Transverse Ranges and the San Andreas Fault. Jim is a member of our sister club in Ventura and is actively involved in the A.F.M.S. (American Federation of Mineralogical Societies). You’ll also get a bird’s-eye view of some popular rockhounding sites in California such as the Calico Mountains and Mule Canyon. On a clear day you can see forever, so we welcome you to come see what forever looks like.
October 2009	Scotty MacLeod	"Meteorites" Rocks form on this planet in various ways. Igneous rocks are formed by volcanic activity, sedimentary rocks are built layer by layer over time, and rocks are reformed via metamorphic processes under high temperatures and pressure. But rocks from outer space are not formed by these terrestrial processes. This month Scotty MacLeod from Moorpark College will share his enthusiasm and extensive knowledge of meteorites with us, bringing examples of his outstanding collection. You won’t want to miss this fun presentation of these rocks that “dropped in” and decided to stay.
November	Our Annual Club Silent Auction	Silent Auction -NOVEMBER SILENT AUCTION READY! SET! GO! It’s time for our annual silent auction. Break open your piggy banks, put on your track shoes and prepare to dash to the auction tables to make your bids. This month our silent auction promises to be better than ever. No matter what your interest in our hobby we will have both polished and unpolished rocks and minerals, fossils, jewelry, used lapidary equipment, books, and more. Pick up something for your next project, think ahead to find a holiday gift or bring home a special treat for yourself. And don’t forget… you will need sustenance to keep up your stamina during this crazy and fun event so save room after your dinner for some delicious pumpkin pie. This event has become so popular over the past few years that we get several members of the general public attending each year. So be sure to invite your friends so they won’t miss the fun. We will also have a lot of great items for the kids. Both cash and checks accepted.
December	Combined Annual Christmas Party & Annual Incorporation Meeting (Gift Exchange)	December Christmas Party Dec 00th 12-4pm Sunday This is a potluck, if you haven't signed up at the Nov meeting, contact Dick Weber to be added to the list. rewnews@sbcglobal.net 805-529-2524 About our Holiday Party - Our December meeting will be replaced by our annual Christmas and Holiday Party. It will be held on December 00th Sunday at the Conejo Arts Council (the same location where we have our monthly meetings). The party will run from 12:00 to 4:00 PM, beginning with appetizers to start and the buffet dinner served about 1:00 or 1:30. Bring your own silverware (or plastic), and a salad, dessert, or side dish to share. Club provides the meat, drinks, and entertainment. Free food, friendship, desserts, mineral prizes, drinks, fun ... and more! After we eat we will have the gift exchange. (Oh, and we formally vote in Club Officers at this time too). Holiday gift exchange. This exchange involves chance, surprises and a bit of strategy and planning. Everyone who wishes to participate is asked to bring a wrapped gift (hobby related or not) worth about $15.00. It does not have to be something you go out and purchase. Handmade items such as polished specimens and jewelry pendants made by some of our members were some of the most popular gifts last year. Numbers will be handed out to each person who is participating for when it's their turn to pick a gift, Starting with the number one. that person picks a gift, opens it. The following people can choose either one from the gifts not picked or they can take a gift from someone who has already picked a gift. If they take a gift from someone who already has a gift, that person can either pick a new gift or take a gift from someone else, and so on. A gift can only be taken twice then it can't be taken. After all the gifts are picked, the first person can either keep the gift they have or take someone else's. This makes the gift exchange more interactive and fun. If you have any questions about the gift exchange you can e-mail or call me, I will be facilitating this at the Christmas Party. Robert Sankovich rmsorca@adelphia.net 805-494-7734