January 2013 Meeting Minutes

• The meeting was called to order by our new Club President, Dean Hostetter. Eighteen club members and 2 guests were present.

• Correction to the December Rock Club minutes. Ten club members attended the Manassas Quarry field trip. Specimens from the field trip were displayed at the meeting

• Treasurer's report by Scott Gregory: Remember club dues ($10 per family) are due now. Club insurance and Post Office Box annual fees have been paid. We have approximately $5400 cash plus our long standing CD. After expenses, the show netted $1700. We might want to consider increasing the funds for the annual Betty Lloyd scholarship. In past years we have approved a minimum of $600.

• Kelly Lane announced the upcoming schedule of events and speakers for the Wildacres Retreat scheduled this year, April 8-14 and Sept 2-8. Week long classes including room and board cost approx $325. Excellent opportunity to participate in a variety of courses of interest to hobby enthusiasts. Suggest you check out their web site: www.amfed.org/sfms/wildacres-retreat.html

• Congratulations to Club member Patrick Corwin who was accepted to the Colorado School of Mines. -- Now if we can just get Patrick to sponsor a field trip to Colorado.

• Jack Glenn proposed we consider purchase of a new diamond grinder for the club’s workshop. A second grinder, estimated cost $1700+/-, should be purchased due to the increased number of members who are using the workshop. Jack volunteered to look into obtaining cost data.

• Reminder: The workshop located beside the church is open the Saturday following the Club meeting from 9 – 12 noon (weather permitting).

• Jack Glenn has made substantial progress on upgrading the Club’s website. If you have any photographs from any prior club events (field trips, show etc), please send to Jack at: jglenn52@gmail.com

• Jilly Weigel volunteered to provide refreshments for the February meeting.

• Dean Hostetter reminded everyone of the upcoming 26 January field trip to James Madison University.

• PROGRAM by club member John Schlabach. John spent 18 days mining for gold in Nome, Alaska. The trip was sponsored by Gold Prospectors Association of America (GPAA) and opened to paid club members. John was picked up at the Nome Airport on 28 July only carrying a few essentials to include sleeping bag and air mattress. He was assigned to a 4 man hutch (small plywood shack) heated by a wood stove. The temperature only reached a high of 45 degrees on one day. Two man teams were assigned to a claim on the beach of 50’ by 100’. The camp owned a total of 2500 acres of beach property. All provisions such as food are provided by the camp. To reach gold bearing rock they had to dig approximately 3 feet to reach the ruby sand level which contained the most gold. John and his partner dug and ran the dirt though a high banker with water from the ocean. They cleaned out the sluice twice a day. You get to keep everything you find. John sent home the black sand in 32 oz plastic water bottles to be processed at a later date. John had beautiful pictures documenting camp activities with interesting stories of his adventures. In his spare time, he successfully fished for Silver salmon which he smoked and sent home to Ruth. Thanks John we all want to go next year!

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February Club meeting will be Monday, February 11th, 7:30 PM
Waynesboro Church of the Brethren, 364 Bridge Road,
lower parking lot.

FEBRUARY PROGRAM: Speaker - Club member, Bob Helt. Bob and Sharon Helt drove to Eagle, Alaska July/August 2012 (27 days). During the trip, they stopped to explore the wilderness within Canada/Yukon Territory and numerous sites within Alaska to collect rocks, pan for gold and fend off wild animals.

Bob Helt, Secretary

Club Officers and Staff
President – Dean Hostetter
Vice President – Leo Cloutier
Show Co-Chairs – Dean Hostetter and Club members
Educational Outreach - Linda Corwin, Bob Helt
Secretary/Newsletter - Bob Helt (heltsncrozet@comcast.net)
Field Trip Coordinator - Dean Hostetter (deanboy@ntelos.net)
Treasurer – Scott Gregory
Web Site Coordinator – Jack Glenn

Club website: www.shenandoahvalleyrockclub.org

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