Aug 15th, 2026, Annual Picnic and Club Auction

Field trip reports
August 15th was our summer picnic and auction.  This year we held it at Coulon Park on the south shore of Lake WA.  It was a gorgeous day.  Lots of good food.  Beautiful view of the lake. Our club auction had precious opal, fossils, AZ petrified wood, crystals, various agates and jaspers rough and semi polished, amber, a carved wood bowl, a faceted gemstone necklace, and 6 buckets of mixed jasper/agate/mineral-specimens.  Great deals for club members.
Attendees:  Michele M. & Gerry P., Kat K.& Mike B., Becky P., Teri G., Vanessa L. & hubby, Jeff C., Karen J. & Carrie L., Roxanne & Wayne O., Jim G., Rich R., Pete & Bev W., Phillip & Becky T., Keith M., Scott & Lauri M. & friend Casey, Blossom & Ruby & June S., Linda J. & 2 granddaughters, Jeanie L., Olivia H., Aubrey S., and me.
Special thanks to:
Kat for reserving the Coulon Park gazebo
Mike B. for the grilled hot dogs and rock donations
Rich for doing the auction and the pendant donation
Pete and Bev for their accounting skills
Angie for donating 6 buckets of rocks from a friend’s collection
Lauri for taking good pictures
Everyone for bringing good food and making generous purchases.  The club auction raised $750.
Our next fieldtrip is scheduled for Sept. 12th at Frost Mtn.  Details will be sent via e-mail one week prior, along with weather and air quality assessment.
Our annual campout will be the weekend of Sept. 25-27 at Teanaway Campground with rockhounding at Redtop.  Again, details sent via e-mail.
Our annual Holiday Party is being planned for Sat. Dec. 5th at our usual meeting location – American Legion Hall in Kent.
                             by Roger Danneman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Updated: August 18, 2026 — 9:05 pm

Presidents Message

  • Digging It!  September is here, and it looks like a wonderful month so far for getting together and getting out in the field. First, thank you to everyone who helped make our August picnic and club auction such a success. The delicious food, generous donations, volunteer help and spirited bidding made it a great afternoon, and the auction raised $750 for the club. We return to our regular meeting schedule on Thursday, September 10, at 7:00 p.m. at the American Legion Hall in Kent. Our program is all about YOU: Show, Tell & Transform, where you get to briefly present …

Meeting Announcements

  • This program is all about YOU. Bring a rock, mineral, fossil, or other field find that you would like to turn into something. It might become a cabochon, carving, display specimen, jewelry piece, slab, polished piece, or something entirely different. Bring your item and share: Where and how you found or acquired it What interests you about the material What you’re considering making from it Any questions or challenges you would like help thinking through Then we’ll open the conversation to our knowledgeable and curious club members. Together, we can discuss the material, possible designs, cutting or finishing approaches, and other ideas that might help you take the piece from field find to finished project. You do not need to have a complete plan or any special expertise. That’s part of the fun. Bring the piece itself if possible, along with any sketches, inspiration photos, or examples that might help explain your idea.

  • Noelle Barnes will present Using Gaia for Rockhounding, an overview of the features and tricks associated with the app Gaia and how you can use it for GPS, saving waypoints, navigation, photo tagging, trail recording and more. Show and Tell: Bring the rock(s) that have the best “story” – and tell everyone how you found them and where!

  • Club board member Paul Ahnberg will talk to us about the impact of wildfires on our lives – from protecting your home to staying safe while out rockhounding – and what we can do today to help mitigate our risk. Paul will combine his knowledge gained from learning at both the WSU Green School (Master Gardener) and WSU Climate Steward programs. Show and Tell: Bring something you found, from a place that you know has since been impacted by floods or wildfires – or was impacted shortly before you arrived. Tell your story!

  • December’s date and time is coming soon. We will update this page as soon as we know more.

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