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The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. (VGMS)

Information Center.

 VGMS ADDRESSES.

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS.

SAVE OUR STATE PARKS.

A Call to Action:

Save our California State Mining & Mineral Museum!

Postcard Image of the Museum.

          Our California State Mining & Mineral Museum is endangered! The CFMS has received the following letter from Darci Moore of the Museum, asking your assistance to save the Museum from the knife of budget slashes. We urge all VGMS members reading this article to spread the word far and wide to your fellow members at your next society meeting, in your society newsletter, and on your society web site. And don't stop there: get the word out via letters-to-the editor in your local newspapers to urge everyone, not just us rockhounds, to make their voices heard in the manner Darci suggests below:

          I wanted to let you know that the California State Mining and Mineral Museum which houses and displays the Official California Collection of gems and minerals is on the State Parks closure list. This is the third year we have been on the closure list but unfortunately it is looking very dire for us this year. In an effort to garner grassroots support to keep the museum open we have created a Facebook page. We would like to invite your members to comment or voice their concern over the closure of this museum. This collection was started in 1880 by the State legislature and has been on continuous display for 131 years. The collection contains approximately 14,000 specimens from all over the world and from California. It is anticipated that if we close, it will be by July 1st, 2012. If that happens it is very likely that the collection will be put into storage. This is a premier collection on the west coast and spawned collections in many of the other western states. We would appreciate any help you and your members could provide. If you could pass the word in your newsletter as well it would be appreciated. There is a link on our Facebook page to the California State Parks Foundation which provides suggestions about how to help.

     The link to our Facebook page is:
www.facebook.com/pages/California-State-Mining-and-Mineral-Museum/192306770823629.

          We need your help to spread the word! If you would like more information or have questions, please feel free to contact me: Darci Moore, Curator II, California State Mining and Mineral Museum, (209) 742-7625, dmoor@parks.ca.gov.

Submitted by,
Jim Brace-Thompson & Darci Moore.

UPCOMING VGMS EVENTS.

December 14th: Holiday Potluck Dinner and White Elephant Gift Exchange. Bring a dinner item and a mystery wrapped gift to swap valued between $10-$15. Details on page 10, in "Future Programs" for December.

January 7, 2012: Pricing Party and Grab Bag Stuffing Day. Our March show is close at hand again, and we will need lots of help pricing items for the Country Store, and putting goodies in grab bags for the Kids' Booth. This will be at the clubhouse in Ojai.

MEMBERSHIP.

Please add the following to your directories.

2012 Dues are Due! (Along with Updates to Club Directory/Yellow Pages.)

Membership fees are due by January 1, 2012: $30 for couples, $20 for an individual adult, $17 for full-time college students (age 18+), and free for youth under 18 who join with a paid adult or couple. Mail your check payable to VGMS to me (Krishna Juarez, VGMS Membership Secretary, 697 Topeka Ave., Ventura, CA 93004) or bring it to the November or December meetings. Along with your dues, please alert me to any address, phone, or e-mail changes needed for your entry in our Club Directory and any updates for our Club Yellow Pages.
     Krishna Juarez,
     697 Topeka Ave.,
     Ventura, CA 93004,
     vgmsmembership@gmail.com.

 CHIPS & BOULDERS.

Got something to sell, trade or barter for? Send your brief articles to the editor by the 10th of the month at VGMSeditor@gmail.com. Payment in moonstone, labradorite, Larimar or dark chocolate (70+ % please) is gleefully accepted! ~AB.

FOR SALE - Two vests with VGMS Patches:

For sale to interested members on a first-come, first-served basis. We'll have them at our June meeting for anyone who would like to try a fitting. We're asking $7.00 for each vest (the cost of the patches). Contact Diane Cook at johndianedaisy@yahoo.com.

FOR SALE - Bagged Grit:

Bagged grit is still available (between 60 & 120 grit) for a $1 per pound and will be available at the clubhouse on workshop days or special events.

WANTED - Dark Color Carpet Remnants:

Preferrably dark colored, to replace the Museum carpet that is badly stained. We received one, 12x12ft piece, that's dark blue with tan specks, but we still need to cover the hallway and sample storage area. Another piece close to that size would help. We want to look clean and presentable for our visitors! Please contact Jim at jbraceth@roadrunner.com.

WANTED - Leftover Landscaping Materials:

Paving stones of any kind, corrugated tin, edgers, pea gravel, etc., to complete our clubhouse backyard landscaping project so it's safe for kids, and looks nice, too. Bring to the clubhouse on workshop days, to meetings, or contact: Diane Cook at johndianedaisy@yahoo.com, to make arrangements.

WANTED:

Used, working lapidary equipment; saws, polishers, etc. Please contact Dick Cox at (805) 642-3579.

HELP WANTED - COORDINATOR FOR DISPLAY:

Great position for a new member. Trainee needed to work with Steve Mulqueen coordinating the yearly display at the California Oil Museum in Santa Paula. Contact Steve at mulques@roadrunner.com.

HELP WANTED - PLANT SALE COORDINATOR:

Another great position for a new member to jump into. Trainee needed to work with Susan Mulqueen and eventually replace her coordinating the Plant Sales at our yearly show. The majority of the work is just before the show planting starters, coordination of plant donations, and show set up. Must have green thumb, space to have potted plants & maintain them until March show. Contact Susan at mulques@roadrunner.com.

THANK YOU!

     A Thank You goes out to Luther Brown for the donation of a fossil pecten-bearing rock from Piuma Road, Malibu for the Gull Wings Children's Museum. Rather than taking it home after being on display for the Santa Paula Oil Museum's Earth Sciences presentation, Jim Brace-Thompson graciously carried it to the museum for him. And thanks to Luther for grilling up lunch at the Fall Picnic, too!

     Thank you to Nancy Bogart for donating fabric for the Kids' Grab Bags! If anybody wants to make grab bags, contact Deb Sankovich at sankovichdeb@yahoo.com.

     Thank you to Susan Mulqueen for providing another 40 completed grab bags for the Kids' booth for the March show. Susan has provided a total of 120 grab bags!


Photo by Jim Brace-Thompson.

Article submitted by Angela Brown & Deb Sankovich.

You might be a rockhound if...

When doing the laundry,
you can't hear yourself
think because of
the rocks that ended
up in the dryer.

 CLUB INFORMATION.

 Membership Dues.

Single - $20.00,
Couples (one bulletin) $30.00,
18 yrs. and younger with parent - No Charge,
Students /18 yrs. plus (12 units) - $17.00,
12 and Under considered "Pebble Pups" - No Charge.

 Regular Meetings.

Fourth Wednesday of the month (except November and December - 2nd Wednesday), 7:30 pm at The Senior Recreation Center, 420 East Santa Clara Street, Ventura, CA. Anyone is welcome to attend. The December meeting is normally the Christmas party and is held at a local restaurant or a member's home.

Board Meetings.

First Thursday of the month, 7:30 pm (Note the change in time.) at the California Oil Museum, 1001 East Main Street, Santa Paula, CA. Exit Highway 126 at 10th Street and turn left at the end of the ramp. All members are welcome. NOTE: The meeting location could change any time. Be aware!

Workshops.

Third Saturday of each month from 9-Noon at the Museum/Workshop Site, 11969 Creek Road, Ojai, CA. It's across the street from Camp Comfort. (See directions below.)

Directions to the Museum/Workshop Site:
     Travel north on Highway 33 for about 4 miles past our old facility and turn right onto Creek Road. Another 4 miles on Creek Road and you come upon Camp Comfort. Our facility is a group of structures on the left (across from the camp) with a large parking area.

Caution:
     The speed of traffic past the clubhouse on Creek Road exceeds the limit for the area. We prefer and advise people to enter and exit the driveway at the point farthest from the clubhouse so it allows the drivers maximum view of approaching traffic as you move onto Creek Road. Your safety is of utmost importance.

          Greg Davis.

Annual Show.

The Club's annual show, "Artistry From Nature", is held the first full weekend in March at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. See our Show Page.

Field Trips.

Announced monthly on the Field Trip Page and at the Regular Meetings.

Educational Cases.

The Museum's educational cases are available on loan to schools, etc. Contact the Museum Committee.

The VGMS Colors are Blue and Gold.

 Learn how to contact

The VGMS

by going to the VGMS contact us page.

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GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Remember
September 11, 2001,
but support
our troops
NOW ! !

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