February 2023 Meeting Minutes
Minutes of the Meeting of Shenandoah Valley Gem and Mineral Society
Meeting date: February 13, 2023
Hope everyone is enjoying the Florida weather in February!! I've included notes about our February program.
Mike Pabst entertained us with a virtual trip to Sweden that he, Karen, and John enjoyed last summer.
They flew into Copenhagen, then took a train to Stockholm. Along the way, they saw many farms that were in pristine condition, with no falling down barns or overgrown with weeds & brush.
Fortunately for them, Mike "got to" drive a rental car which enabled them to travel at their leisure and take their time at various sites.
There was lots of red granite along the roads, but not many minerals to see or collect. They visited 4 main locations & Mike had many pictures to share. (you can search these places online if you want to see photos or read more information about them)
Mike & Karen both recommended a visit there, not just to enjoy a beautiful, clean country, but to socialize with the friendly people and taste the delicious cuisine.
We enjoyed looking at our "V" minerals - vesuvianite, victoria stone, visionite, variscite & vanadinite. The "F" minerals included fluorite, fuscite, & fordite. (You can go to mindat.org to read about these and look at photos of them.)
Next meeting:
Our next meeting is February 13th, 2023 at Bridgewater Baptist Church in Dayton VA.
FYI - If Rockingham County Public Schools Schools are closed due to inclement weather on a meeting day, our meeting will be canceled. The club secretary will try to send out an email ASAP that day, and an announcement will be posted on the club’s Facebook page and web site.
Thanks for your understanding; we want everyone to be safe!
Field Trips: We are not planning any field trips any time soon, but if anyone knows of places to collect in small groups, let the club secretary know and they can send out the info.
Looking ahead:
The lapidary shop will be open the Saturday following a regular meeting. (See Events At A Glance for a calendar view). Charlie & Jack can assist you. Open from 9 am to noon. This is a small enclosed space; please follow whatever COVID protective guidelines you think appropriate.
There are several slab saws and trim saws. Keep in mind that safety is a priority, and wear closed toe shoes, safety glasses, with no loose hair or long sleeves. Children must be supervised and closely monitored to insure they are safely using the equipment. Check this page to see what you can learn to do!
If you’d like to present a program, please talk to an officer at a meeting.
Be sure to keep up with our website www.shenandoahvalleyrockclub.org and our Facebook page Shenandoah Valley Gem and Mineral Society for updates and information.
Deborah Grimm, Secretary
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Club Officers and Staff 2016-2023
President – Michael Pabst
Vice President – Leo Cloutier
Educational Outreach -- Deborah Grimm
Secretary/Newsletter -- Deborah Grimm
Field Trip Coordinators - TBD
Co-Treasurers – Scott Gregory/Deborah Grimm
Show Team Leaders – Scott Gregory/Jack Glenn
Web Site Coordinator – Jack Glenn
Club web site: shenandoahvalleyrockclub.org
Club Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ShenandoahValleyGemMineralSociety
Club email: svgem-min-club@live.com