Meetings & Programs 2012
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 2012: Open Position VP Programs, 805-529-2524
| Month | Speaker | Subject or Title of Program |
|
January 2012 |
Mary Pat Weber | AMETHYST DEPOSITS OF THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO The largest commercial deposits of amethyst in North America occur near the Canadian border in Southern Ontario. Unlike the more common Brazilian amethyst, this material is unique due to inclusions of red hematite in the outermost layers of the crystals. Club member Dick Weber first visited these deposits in the 1970s while studying for his graduate degree in Geology at the University of MN, Duluth. Dick has returned several times over the years and on two recent visits was given special access to the workings of the deposit by the mine owners. As part of this presentation he will display some of this highly prized amethyst from his personal collection. |
|
February 2012 |
Deb Sankovich (805) 494-7734 Sankovichdeb@yahoo.com |
This program will be devoted to a “Show and Tell” for all members to bring and share with the club their fossils, minerals, gems and all other finds from the past year whether it’s from Quartzsite, other Rock Shops or from your Rock Hounding adventures. We encourage all members to participate! I will bring a sign-up sheet to the next meeting on January 12th or please contact me if you are interested. |
| March 2011 |
Dr. Kent Christenson |
Dr. Kent Christenson will be presenting an overview on Chumash Indian Artifacts and Lifestyles. This program will include information on Indian culture and manufacture of native tools, as well as native plants used for medicines & basketry. |
| April 2012 | Show Chair Persons | There will not be a guest speaker for the April Meeting. Instead, this meeting will be devoted to a review of our upcoming Show. We'll talk about jobs that need filling during the show, schedules for show set-up through show tear-down, things to bring to the show, etc. We'll also have sign-up sheets for various show jobs. Our show will follow this meeting by only one day for show set up, so we ask as many members as possible to come to our April meeting and help with final preparations. |
| May 2011 | Fred, Charlotte Ward | Emeralds 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 Emeralds. Autographed copies of his books will be available for purchase. |
| June 2011 | Dick Weber | Our June program topic will be "Septarian Nodules from Southwest Utah" presented by club member and geologist Dick Weber. Septarian nodules have been known and collected from Utah as mineral specimens and lapidary material for more than one hundred years. They are prized for their bright yellow calcite and aragonite crystals that stand in sharp contrast to the gray limestone matrix. In recent years this material has become popular for carvings and in the making of free-form jewelry. He will bring several examples from his personal collection of both polished and rough material to show |
|
July 2011 |
John Cook | “Blue Chalcedony of the Argus Mountains” This month our guest speaker will be John Cook. John and his wife, Diane, are active members of our sister club in Ventura. You no doubt have seen his outstanding exhibit case of Blue Chalcedony at local shows and the county fair. Now we will have the opportunity to learn about the geologic environment where this deposit is located. He will also show us the beautiful color variations of this material and discuss the other copper minerals found in this vicinity such as bornite, chrysocolla, and malachite. John will have some of this material for sale with a choice to purchase it in whatever stage you prefer. This includes rough material, slabs (both with and without opticon), and polished cabachons ready to set. |
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 2010 | Dick Weber | GLACIAL GEOLOGY OF ALASKA With over one thousand named glaciers the landscape of our 49th State is truly carved by ice. It seems that everywhere you look either glaciers or evidence of past glaciers can be seen. This month our president, Dick Weber, will give us an up close look at these rivers of ice and how they create the spectacular scenery of Alaska. Dick earned his Masters Degree in Geology from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, another part of the country where the landscape is dominated by glacial features. |
|
October 2010 |
Mike Woodward | ROCKS, MINERALS and FOSSILS, a NEW PERSPECTIVE in PHOTOGRAPHY This month we have a special guest speaker, Mike Woodward of Mike Woodward Photography. Most viewers have the perception that the images he produces are actually paintings on canvas. Be sure to invite your shutterbug friends to see this program. Mike will be bringing items that will be on sale at discounted rates. Get a jump on your holiday shopping or bring home a treat for yourself. Note: Although we have tried to get Mike to be a dealer at our annual show, he has an existing commitment that makes this impossible. So be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to meet him, see his work, and get a great deal on one of his pieces. |
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 Sunday. Noon set up, Party 1-4pm This is a potluck, if you haven't signed up at the Nov meeting 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. Robert Sankovich
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