President’s Message – December 2020

Past Presidents Message
From the Top of the Rock Pile …. by Kat Koch
Governor Inslee and the CDC have asked all of us to not gather for the holidays. I know it’s very hard for some of us not see our friends and family at this time of the year.
The holidays gatherings, religious services, hobby or other group meetings, gyms, senior center activities have been canceled but remember we, as individuals, have not been canceled. We are still a family member, a friend and a rock club member.
Joy, fun and happiness have not been canceled! 2020 has been a weird year and celebrating with one another looks different. Remember to reach out via phone, video chat or email to family members, friends and our rock club friends/members during the coming holiday. We are all here to support each other any way we can.
Above all our rock club and our community of members have not been canceled! We are still here producing our monthly news bulletin, maintaining our website and leading field trips when the weather is good. If you are working on a lapidary project or tumbling and need help, have a question or need talk about rocks please reach out to one of our members. If you need a phone number or email for a member just check the contact page in our bulletin go to our website and under “Contact Us!” send a message with their name. You can also email me at president@cascademineralogicalsociety.org If I have their info I will send it to you.
I am also very happy to announce that the Board has approved a temporary reduction in our dues for 2021 only to $15 per family or individual. Even though we are not presently holding meetings, our club still has to cover our annual dues to NFMS, AFMS, ALAA, WA State Mineral Council and the cost of liability insurance for 2021. I am sure by spring we will be back to holding our meetings again. When this does happen we will once again have the cost of the monthly rental for the meeting room.
Stay safe and healthy so we can see each other next year.
Kat Koch, President
Updated: January 9, 2022 — 3:34 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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