Author: Alan Molineux

The bulletin
Newsletter of victor valley
Gem and mineral club
Ph. (760) 243-2330
February 2008

I was in the clubhouse over the Christmas/New Year’s break and met up with Claude Williams in the casting room. Claude and I had a long chat and he took the time to explain to me just what he was doing. He was casting a silver tree with three stones of Turquoise and Agate. He said he cast the stones on a tree for both economy and time. The cast would set in a day or so and then he would heat the cast in a furnace to remove the wax and this would reveal his finished work. We spoke for quite a while and Claude patiently explained to me the process he was using.

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Your officers for 2008
2008 Executive Committee
President……………………..Tom Laszlo……………………...247-5369
1st V.P (Membership)..Jim Fosse………………………..245-8644
2nd V.P (Education)…….Patti Deer……………………...553-6550
3rd V.P (Gem & Mineral Show chairman
Gil Gilbert……………………..868-6900
Recording Secretary….Alan Molineux………………..951-7064
Treasurer…………………….Janet Flecher………………..949-9347
Board Members
Joe Kosik……...………………...241-0894
Lloyd Guilliam..………………..962-6844
Pat Estes………………………...948-7324
Charles Toles……………………242-9240
Past President……………..Nick Beall…………………..……220-1215
CFMS Representative..Carole Mc Michael.………..961-7659
Standing Committee Chairmen
Wagon Master…………..Janet Flecher…………………..949-9347
Historian…………………….(Vacant)
Maintenance……………...Charles Toles.…………………..242-9240
Librarian…………………….Mary Lou Flecher………..….949-9347
Newsletter…………...…..Alan Molineux…….…………...951-7064
Sunshine Lady………….Carol Laszlo……………………….247-5369
Displays………….………….Kate Waterman………………..946-5881
Raffles……………………...Charles Toles…...……………...242-9240
Scholarships……………..Andrew Turner….…………....962-0095
Legislative Rep…….…..(Vacant)
Photography………….....Bob Harper………………………...947-6383
Hospitality……………..…(Vacant)
Parliamentarian..……..Dennis Harbison………….…….247-5559
Gem Show Chairman...Gil Gilbert….……………………..868-6900
Tailgate……….…………..Committee
Instructors
Nick Beall, Joann Beall, Janet Flecher, Jim Fosse, Gil Gilbert, Dennis Harbison, Tom Laszlo, Virgil Melton, Oscar Delgado, Joe Kosik, Lloyd Guilliam, Kate Waterman, Cyndy Mandell and Chuck Forsyth. Club Website—fosse.schema-root.org/vvgmc/

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What’s in this issue?
Club Officers…………………………….P2.
Sunshine News………………….……….P3.
Christmas Party Photos……P4 & 5.
February Calendar…………….P6 & 7.
Around the Shop……………….P8 & 9.
Upcoming Events……………………...P10.
The victor valley gem and mineral Club
was organized in 1947 and has been the focal point of High Desert rock hounds for the past 61 years. The club takes active roles in various civic activities. Membership is open to all persons interested in the gem and mineral hobby and lapidary arts. Meetings are held at the clubhouse located at 15056-B, 7th Street (behind Kaman Bearing) in the center of Victorville.
Visitors are always welcome.
For further information, call (760) 243-2330.
Meeting dates
Our January meeting was held on Tuesday, 22nd at 6:30p.m. and the February general meeting will be held on Tuesday the 26th.
Sunshine Report
Another year has zipped by us once again. Hopefully 2008 will be a healthier and prosperous one for all and their families.
Unfortunately there were a few

who were under the weather during the holidays and they are as follows; Connie Weinberg not feeling well, Charles Scott undergoing tests on the best way of taking care of his health problem, and Joann Beall had surgery on her heart on Friday January 11, 2008 . She had a Stent put in and is currently recuperating at her daughter’s. Wayne Flanders spoke to Tom after Christmas and is doing very well. Lets all say a prayer for our friends who are not doing so well and friends we have yet to meet who are also not doing so well. May you all be comforted by knowing others care about you and wish you a speedy recovery.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY
For those who reluctantly had to add another candle to their birthday cake, don’t feel bad if your smoke alarm goes off, it only shows it is doing its job and you are doing yours by showing others you can still blow them dern candles out. Happy Birthday to all the February Members, Greg Gadbois, Charles Gardner, Leona Griner, Robert Harper, Marcus Jaramillo, Kerry Molineux, Scott Naples, Ralph Powers, Ed Skidmore.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
If you know of someone who is ailing or who needs a card to cheer them up, please call me and I will be very happy to contact the person either by phone or by mail. Call me Carol Laszlo at 760-247-5369 .
By Carol L. Laszlo

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It was a fine Christmas party

Outside the restaurant. The room filled up quickly.

Instead of our regular potluck and general meeting, we held our Christmas party at the Golden Star Buffet on Main Street, Hesperia on Tuesday, December 18th. We had a great attendance—thanks to the planning and hard work of many of our club members. Carole Mc Michael, in particular worked very hard. Some members brought their families and so many attended that we had to add more tables, squeezing everyone together.
As the establishment name suggests, it was buffet eating. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and at about $11 a head, the meal was very reasonably priced. Members talked and caught up on gossip and all in all, they just enjoyed the evening with good food and good company. This was my second Christmas party though I know others have enjoyed many more.
After the meal, the new officers were introduced to the membership and then we enjoyed an auction of items brought to the occasion by the members.

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The auction afterwards…..

When the dishes were cleared away and everyone had eaten their fill, we started to auction pieces of lapidary that members had brought along.
Carole Mc Michael had asked me to auction off the pieces. The money raised was to go to the cost of next year’s Christmas Party. I must confess, as I did freely on that night, that lapidary is not my forte and I did not know the names of most of the rocks, stones and other minerals I was auctioning off. That did not deter the members who really joined in the spirit of the evening and graciously and good naturedly forgave my many mistakes.
I believe everyone had a good time and the bidding was often quite spirited. It wasn’t long, however, before I started to lose my voice. At that time, Cyndy Mandell stepped in and we alternated auctioning off the remaining pieces.
By the end of the evening, we had raised over $500 for next year’s party. I left, tired out but like everyone else, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I hope we have an auction again next year and if we do, I’m sure the members will be as gracious and generous as they were this year.
Events like this one don’t spontaneously happen. They require a great deal of planning and many phone calls and many long hours to make them a success. I thank all of the members who made the night possible. I would also like to thank all those that came along to the party and enjoyed the evening with us.
The venue seemed to be very popular and it was a great culmination to a good year at the Victor Valley Gem and Mineral Club.
See you all next year….Ed

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February 2008

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
Black / History / Month	Wild bird / Feeding / Month	American / Heart / Month	Children’s / Dental / Health / Month		1	2 / Ground Hog / Day.
3 / Workshop begins at 12 noon.	4 / Instructor’s / Meeting—7p.m.	5 / Board / Meeting 7p.m.	6 / Workshop / 1—9p.m.	7 / Wagon Master’s / Meeting 7p.m.	8	9 / Natnl. weather svce / established in 1870
10 / Workshop begins at 12 noon.	11	12 / Workshop / 6—9p.m.	13 / Workshop / 1—9p.m.	14 / Valentine’s Day / Workshop / 1—9p.m.	15 / Susan B. Anthony’s birthday in 1820.	16
17 / Workshop begins at 12 noon.	18 / President’s / Day	19 / Education / Night 7p.m.	20 / Workshop / 1—9p.m.	21 Martin / Luther King / Jnr’s birthday / Workshop 1—9p.m.	22	23
24 / Workshop begins at 12 noon.	25	26 / Pot Luck 6:30p.m. / General / Meeting 7:30p.m.	27 / Workshop / 1—9p.m.	28 / Workshop / 1—9p.m.	29 / Leap year

Deadline for March issue of the Bulletin is Monday, February 18th. Ph. (760) 951-7064 or email amolineux@gmail.com

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Around the shop

Kerry Molineux has an array of Virgil Melton shows some polished slabs ready for polishing. Biggs Jasper from Oregon.

Charles Toles’ Brazilian Agate Ben Weiden patiently working grinding a cab.

John Prinz is showing Ed Deren Ed Skidmore, Virgil Melton and Pat around the saw room. stop what they’re doing to pose for
the camera.

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Bob Menelly is working on a wire Kent Berryman is making a sphere wrapping project. that will result in a perfectly round polished stone.

Onyx Field Trip
By Cyndy M. Mandell
It was a very cloudy, windy, terribly cold day with a possibility of rain in the forecast, not the type of day one would normally choose to go out into the desert rock hounding. It seems there are always a few of us who can’t resist the urge though and that was the case on Sunday, January 6, 2008, the first Victor Valley Gem and Mineral Club field trip of the year.
The skies were filled with beautiful clouds and the mountains and hills were covered with snow as four of us met up at the Burger King at Four Corners at 8:30 in the morning with temperatures around 40 degrees. Janet Flecher, field trip coordinator, Kent Berryman, Cyndy Mandell and Lois Papner ventured out Clay Mine Road to the Onyx claim. Armed with shovels, picks and crow bars we dug out banded onyx in beautiful colors of orange, purple, and reds the size of golf balls to the size of large boulders. The material was beautiful and plentiful if you were willing to do the laborious hard work to dig it out.
We spent about three hours at the claim and then traveled on to visit a site off of Gephart Rd. Lots of agate, plume, and quartz were bagged before the frozen rock hounds decided their buckets were full enough and it was time to go home.

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Mark Your Calendar…..
The 32nd Annual
Stoddard Wells
“TAILGATE”
Victorville, CA
March 7th, 8th and 9th.
9—5:00p.m. Daily
Open to all Rockhounds & Wanna’ beees
All Spaces are Free
On a first come basis
(absolutely no holding spaces for a friend)
Findings, books, jewelry, slabs, cabs, equipment & tons of Rough!
Restrooms, Dry camping, food snacks, field trips, prizes (and best of all…)
Rocks, rocks & more rocks
Hwy 15 north thru Victorville– Right at dale evans exit then left on Stoddard wells road
Follow the signs about 7 miles (dirt road
all motor homes, cars & r.v’s can make it with ease)
If You’re a rock hound or like hiking in the desert this is a trip you don’t want to miss.
See you there!
Sponsored by the victor valley gem & mineral club Call (760) 243-2330 for more information

Orange Belt Mineralogical Society’s
SPRING TAILGATE
When: Friday through Sunday, March 14th, 15th & 16th.
Location: Little League Regional Ballpark
6707 Little League Drive
San Bernardino, CA
What: Two dozen (or more) tailgaters.
Open 9a.m., to dusk.
$50 fee to tailgate.
Contact: Lyle Strayer, (909) 887-3394
Free Admission & free parking.

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Wanted—Rocks, Lapidary,
Materials & Equipment.
Call Charles Toles.
Home (760) 242-9240 Cell (760) 220-6748.

Rocks, Rocks, Rocks,
Buy slabs, cabs & rough from Joe!
Brazilian, Moss Agate, Wood, Jasper,
and Obsidian.
There is a sale on Bolo cords.
Club members (any club) 20% off at my house or 10% off at gem shows. I sell crushed Agate, Wood & Jasper for tumbling at $1.00
per pound. Call Joe Kosik (760) 241-0894.

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Snail
Mail
Stamp

Another
bulletin
Expressly for

Victor Valley Gem & Mineral Club
15056-B Seventh Street
Victorville, CA 92395-3811.
bulletin is the official monthly newsletter published by victor valley gem & mineral club and is distributed free of charge to both members and non
members.
Views expressed by authors in the articles which appear in the bulletin do not necessarily reflect those of victor valley gem & mineral club. Responsibility is taken by the editor alone.
Articles from this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in other lapidary news-letters if proper credit is given to the author and the bulletin.

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