Author: Alan Molineux

The
bulletin
Newsletter of the
victor valley
Gem and
mineral club
Ph. (760) 243-2330
March 2011

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Your officers for 2011
2011 Executive Committee
President……………………...Cyndy Mandell….…………..244-7169
1st V.P (Membership)..Sheryl Grenell….…………..242-7602
2nd V.P (Education)…….Lois Papner…………………...244-7169
3rd V.P (Gem & Mineral Show chairman)
Jonathan Van DerLoop..245-2313
Recording Secretary….Alan Molineux……………….951-7064
Treasurer…………………….Kerry Molineux .…………...951-7064
Corresponding Secretary..Lynn Hallock…………...951-1736
All ‘Phone Numbers Board Members
have an area code Don Pomerenke………….….868-5264
of (760) unless Jim Fosse……...………….…..245-8644
shown otherwise. Carole Mc Michael…..…..961-7659
Gayland Graves……...…….902-3249
Past President……………..Gil Gilbert………………….….868-6900
CFMS Representative...Pat Estes ………….…..…….948-7324
Standing Committee Chairpersons
Wagon Master…………..Blaine Witte…………………….244-8211
Historian…………………….Jonathan Vanderloop…….245-2313
Maintenance……………...Ed Deren……..………………….252-7009
Librarian………………….…Lois Papner…….………………..244-7169
Newsletter…………...…..Alan Molineux…….…………...951-7064
Sunshine Lady…………..Bobbie Kaufman.………….….868-5120
Displays………….………….Andrew Turner………………..962-0095
Raffles……………………...Ed Deren……..…...……………..252-7009
Scholarships……………..Andrew Turner….…………...962-0095
Photography………….....Alan Molineux…………………..951-7064
Hospitality………………..Mike Stafford………………..248-7404
Webmaster……………….Jim Fosse…………………………245-8644
Tailgate……….…………….Brett Ward………………………948-1232
Jonathan VanderLoop…….245-2313
Training Coordinator..Lloyd Guilliam…………………962-6844
Instructors
Ed Deren, Jim Fosse, Gil Gilbert, Virgil Melton, Ed Skidmore, Pat Estes, Gayland Graves, Don Pomerenke,
Charles Toles, Cyndy Mandell, and Lloyd Guilliam
Club Website—www.vvgmc.org

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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 February General Meeting was held on Tuesday, 22nd at 7:00p.m. and the March general meeting will be on Tuesday the 22nd .
Thanking the phone
committee
I want to thank my team, Francis & Marie Gramata, Dorothy Oberg, and Mary Damani for their time, loyalty, personal expense and support they have given me and the Victor Valley Gem and Mineral Club the passed two years and several years before that.
Val Costello
Thank you to Connie Weinberg who taught a casting class in December to the members. She turned 99 last Wednesday and she is a treasure to have as a member. Cyndy Mandell

Petrified Pups
–formerly the Pebble Pups.
Victor Valley Gem & Mineral Club’s Youth Program. This available to anyone from 10 –18 years of age. Your parent or guardian must be a V.V.G & M.C member.
We meet on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month from 9a.m—noon.
The following is our monthly agenda from January to July.
January—Rock and Mineral I.D
February—Lapidary Arts (Cabochons)
March—Collecting and Field Trips.
April—Earth in space.
May—Stone age tools and art (knapping).
June—Rocking on the computer.
July—Gold panning and prospecting
There are (7) more topics in the CFMS program but the young people have not yet decided in which order they want to complete the other topics.
For more information about this and other issues, call the V.V. G.M.C at (760) 243-2330.
Thank you Ellen Gilbert.
Ellen Gilbert has been a club member for many years. She has recently worked tirelessly for the club on the raffle—donating her time and money to the point where it is thriving and a popular feature of the general meeting. Not only have you worked “behind the scenes” but you have visibly put forth your time and talents—once again—Thank you Ellen!

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March 2011

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
		1 Instructor’s / Meeting- 6p.m. / Board Meeting 7p.m.	2 Workshop / 1—9p.m.	3 Workshop / 1—9p.m.	4	5Workshop 12 noon to 5p.m. Petrified Pups 9a.m—noon
6 Workshop / 12 Noon—5p.m.	7 Junior Members / will work at the club.	8	9 Workshop / 1—9p.m.	10 Workshop / 1—9p.m.	11 Club Tailgate see pgs 4 & 5 of the Bulletin.	12 Club Tailgate see pgs 4 & 5 of the Bulletin.
13 Club Tailgate see pgs 4 & 5 of the Bulletin.	14	15 Education/Demonstration Night 7p.m.	16 Workshop / 1—9p.m.	17 Workshop / 1—9p.m.	18	19Workshop 12 noon to 5p.m. Petrified Pups 9a.m—noon
20 Workshop / 12 Noon—5p.m.	21 / Junior Members will work at the club.	22 Pot Luck at 6:30p.m / General Monthly Meeting at 7:30p.m.	23 Workshop / 1—9p.m.	24 Workshop / 1—9p.m.	25	26 Workshop / 12noon—5p.m. / Club Cleanup starts at 9a.m.
27 Workshop / 12 Noon—5p.m.	28	29	30Workshop / 1—9p.m.	31 Workshop / 1—9p.m.

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

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Wanted—Rocks, Lapidary,
Materials & Equipment.
Call Charles Toles.
Home (760) 951-0372 Cell (760) 220-6748.

White Buffalo & other turquoise—from various states. Priced per piece
Contact Virgil Melton (760) 900-0507

Up to 25% off retail—
See the Sports Memorabilia Man
Jonathan Vanderloop at (760) 245-2313
We specialize in hard to find teams!
NBA, NASCAR, NFL, UFC
NHRA, COLLEGE, & NHL
sportsmemman@yahoo.com

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February Board
Minutes
$647 was made at the auction at the Christmas dinner.
Kerry Molineux will look at land reassessment for the club.
Suggestions were read and acted on.
Ed Deren can get stickers featuring the club logo—$3 for a 5” and $1.50 for a 2” sticker.
Certificates will be made for the Petrified Pups when they have achieved all of their badges.
Fencing to separate the club parking lot from Del Taco was discussed.
Bids were also sought for painting the Kaman Building and bids were sought for re-roofing the clubhouse.
We need two security cameras and a security light.
The board decided to go with Verizon to secure a contract for voice mail, the internet and the phone.
It was decided to bill Burtec for repairs to the Kaman outside electrical panel.
It was questioned as to whether the money spent on Geology scholarships was still worthwhile.

January General Meeting minutes
John Jones will be the Educational speaker for February speaking of gold prospecting, fossils and meteorites.
Blaine Witte (Wagon Master) spoke of a recent field trip to Field Rd—off Hwy 15 by Peggy Sue’s Diner.
The next field trip would be to Brown or Lonely butte for petrified palm wood and petrified reed.
A carving class would be available at Whittier this coming weekend.
Cyndy spoke of recent club accomplishments.
John Printz announced the Pebble Pups was now the Petrified Pups.
The tailgate will be soon upon us.
Brett Ward is in charge.
Pending a 2nd opinion - the saws that were to be auctioned off will be saved as back up saws.
Marilyn Pierson offered to make a pattern of club vests to assuage the spiraling costs.
Energy efficient lights have been installed at the clubhouse by Edison.
The 2011 budget was presented to the members and approved.
Club members will make a lapidary presentation to the West Creek Elementary School on February 3rd.
Connie Weinberg recently gave a casting class and Janet Flecher will give a scrap forging class.

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Petrified Pups—formerly known as the Pebble Pups.

The Petrified Pups is a group of young members who are interested in the lapidary arts. They meet on a regular basis in a program run by John Printz and they are watched over by a group of dedicated parents and instructors who share a wealth of knowledge. I have featured one of the Petrified Pups on the front cover and I would like to thank all of those who help, instruct and work with them...Ed

The Club’s Little Katrina
By Cyndy Mandell, President
On Sunday, February 6, 2011, Super Bowl Day, I received a call around noon from Pat Estes informing me that the club was flooded. From that moment on everything that was normal at the club changed. It was discovered that the flooding was caused by a broken main pipe behind the club and on our side of the water meter. It took all that afternoon to clean up the water from the floor. Several members and the fire department came to help.
The following day, Monday, volunteer members began to show up to help with removing the 12 inches of mud and rock that backed up outside along the back wall of the club. It took all afternoon but finally the job was done. Also a plumber was called out to fix the broken main line and our insurance was notified of the damage.

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The Club’s Little Katrina (continued)
Our insurance sent out Purafirst Restoration to assess the damage to the walls and the prospect of mold forming. I called an emergency board meeting Tuesday, February 8th to discuss and vote on accepting the bid from Purafirst to remove our base boards and drill holes in the bottom of the drywall to dry up to soak wallboard and insulation. They set up nine blowers to run for several days to dry up the damaged wall.
On Thursday our insurance, Travelers, met with me to determine what was covered by our insurance policy and what needed to be done. The good news came when they let me know we were definitely covered not only for the cost of Purafirst, and the plumber but also for the time our volunteers put into clean up and the loss of revenue while the club was closed. I was so relieved and so were all who heard the news.
Since the club was a disaster area with everything having been picked up from the floor and bookcases, tables, and displays pulled away from the walls I decided it was time to clean and paint. We started on Saturday, Feb. 12th with almost 30 members showing up to help. By the afternoon we had cleaned the floor mats, the walls, hosed off the muddy walkways all around the club, taped off windows, doors, and fixtures for painting and we were ready to get started. Painting began and all was starting to look clean and beautiful.
On Sunday, February 13, 2011 about a dozen volunteers showed up to help paint starting at 10:00 a.m. and by 3:00 p.m. we had almost put two coats of paint on everything. Bone tired and worn out we decided to continue during the week until we got it all done and Purafirst was finished with sealing up the holes they made and replacing the baseboards around the club. This should happen some time next week. Once they have completed their job and we have put the club back in order we will open again.
I would like to thank a long list of members who helped: Jim Fosse, Don Pomerenke, John Hill, John and Chieko Printz, Ed Deren, CeCe and George Kawasaki, Lois and Carol Papner, Amy Forester, Charles Toles, Chris Koch, Doug and Sara Arnold, Corey Beck, Barbara Burbeck, Janet and Mary Lou Flecher, Lynne Hallock, Marjorie Gunn, Alan and Kerry Molineux, Jim and Nancy Valesh, Larry Munger, Theresa Owen, Michael Groomes, Richard Luevano, Carole and Ty McMichael, Terry Booth, Steve and Bobbie Kaufman, Darla Johnston, Randy George, and Frances Hughes.
These are the members that signed in and helped from Sunday, February 6 to Sunday, February 13th. If I missed anyone I apologize I used my memory and the sign up sheets to help me in acknowledging everyone. Of course, before it is all over there may be more members to thank so please accept this as a thank you to all of you. (Photographs are available on-line at our website)

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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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Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1 Instructor’s Meeting—6p.m.
Board Meeting
7p.m.
2
Workshop
1—9p.m.
3
Workshop
1—9p.m.
4
5
Workshop
12 noon—5p.m.
6
Workshop
12 noon—5p.m.
7
Junior Members
will work at the
club.
8
9
Workshop
1—9p.m.
10
Workshop
1—9p.m.
11
12
Workshop
12 noon—5p.m.
13
Workshop
12 noon—5p.m.
14
15
Education/ Demonstration Night
7p.m
16
Workshop
1—9p.m.
17
Workshop
1—9p.m.
18
19
Workshop
12 noon—5p.m.
20
Workshop
12 noon—5p.m.
21
Junior Members
will work at the
club.
22 Pot Luck at
6:30p.m.
General Monthly Meeting at 7:30p.m.
23
Workshop
1—9p.m.
24
Workshop
1—9p.m.
25
26
Workshop
12 noon—5p.m.
Clean up starts at
9a.m.
27
Workshop
12 noon—5p.m.
28