Author: Alan Molineux

The
bulletin
Newsletter of the
victor valley
Gem and
mineral club
Ph. (760) 243-2330
May 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 64 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 April General Meeting was held on Tuesday, 26th at 7:00p.m. and the May General Meeting will be on Tuesday the 24th .
Education Night
I understand that John Jones was the speaker at our recent education night. He spoke about meteorites and gold prospecting.
If you are looking for a lapidary education, we have an education night at the V.V.G& M.C on the 3rd Tuesday of each month—it starts at 7p.m.
These events are very well attended and parking is at a premium and if I were you, I would arrive early….Ed

Club Field Trips
Only nine members showed up to go out with Judy and myself to Lone (or Brown) Butte. I guess the weather scared most folks off but actually it wasn't so bad. The weather was in the mid to low 50's but the sky was blue and mostly clear. Any ways, as promised, those who went were able to easily fill there bags with lots of material including agate, petrified palm and reed. Most of the material was small but one of the members pulled out a chunk of agate that might of weighted 80 or so pounds. Another chuck of agate with a face that was covered with drusy (?) quartz that was probably over 200 pounds was finally abandoned when they finally realized nobody had room left in their vehicles to transport it out. We did find some smaller chunks of petrified wood with lots of wood grain and bark showing that I hadn't seen in my scouting trip. It seemed like everyone had a great time.
Our next trip is scheduled for May 14th out to Gephart Road near Boron. This is the road you take to get to the borax mine. I have located five sites in that area that are all fairly close. We can find colorful agate, chalcedony, jasper, black agate, common opal, quartz and agate nodules, chert and honey onyx.
(This article will be continued on P.5)

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Petrified Pups Agenda—2011
May Earth in Space
7th (Randy & Mike) Meteorites
21st ( _________)
June Stone Age Tools and Art
4th (Terry Booth)—Knapping
18th (Randy & Mike) Stone Age Art
July Rocking on the Computer
*9th (Lois Papner)—Cataloging Your Collection *(Mtg. will be a week late
16th (Jim Fosse—Exploring the Web due to the holidays)
August Gold Panning and Prospecting
6th (Jonathan Vanderloop) - Gold History
13th (John Printz) - Gold Panning
September Fossils
3rd (Randy & Mike) Fossils
10th (Curtis & Marilyn Pierson) - Fossils
October Gemstone Legend & Law
1st (Ken Davis) - Gemstones
15th (Nancy Woodside) - Legend and Lore
November Earth Resources
5th (Patti Deer) - Use of Minerals
19th (_______) - Career in Earth Sciences
December Earth Processes
3rd (Cyndy Mandell) - What is a Rock?
17th (__________) - Plate Tectonics.
January 2012—Communication’
February 2012—Leadership
For more information go to vvgm.org or call
V.V.G & M.C at (760) 243-2330
Help!
The Petrified Pups are growing in number and I need several instructors to help supervise the Pups on the first and third Saturday of each month, during their workshop time (from approximately 10a.m. to noon.)
Looking at the Pups’ agenda, you will see that I still need help teaching some of the classes. You may also be surprised to see your name on the list of instructors. I have not yet been able to contact every person on the list of volunteers to tell them that they have been volunteered—John Printz.

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Lapidary Scholarships
By Andrew Turner
This year we had a near record of approximately 15 scholarship applications, and nearly every student was more than qualified to receive a scholarship. It was probably the most difficult time I've had in choosing who to recommend. Students applied from UC Riverside, CSU-San Bernardino, CSU-Fullerton, CSU-Long Beach, CSU-Fresno, UC-Santa Barbara, UC-Santa Cruz, Stanford, and Sonoma State. It was the first application we've ever received from many of these schools. I will be bringing the applications to the rest of the committee for final decision shortly, and the Board will be notified at the May meeting.
There has been some talk of decreasing the scholarship money and/or diverting funds recently. However, based on the quality of applicants we have been receiving the past several years, the diversity of colleges applying, and the overall need due to the economy, I don't think this is a very practical idea.
In fact, more than 2 students probably deserved it this year. Additionally, I received a note from a professor at Sonoma State who said, "I have seen your scholarship announcements for quite a few years and I am impressed that you continue to reward students in geology with much needed financial support." Another professor stated, " I hope the Scholarship Committee will consider that (our college) need to help our society by supporting students who are going to go out and help professionally." I believe these statements to be a glowing endorsement of the work our club continues to do each year.
Club Field Trips (Continued from Page 3)
We will be meeting at Kramer's Corner at 9 AM. High clearance vehicles are preferred but probably not necessary if you stay to the right roads. There are some very sandy roads that we will be near. If you go exploring you should have 4 wheel drive.
Bring your hammer, spray bottle and bag. You will have opportunity to dig and chisel if you want to go for the onyx. Bring a lunch and plenty of water. Who knows what the weather will be like so dress in layers.
Snake risk will be high this year due to the rains so be careful!
See you out there—Blaine Witte.

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May 2011

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
1 / Workshop / 12 noon—5p.m.	2 / Instructor’s Meeting 6p.m. / Board Meeting at 7p.m	3	4 / Workshop 1—9p.m.	5 / Workshop 1—9p.m.	6	7 / Workshop 12 noon—5p.m. / Petrified Pups 9a.m.—12 noon
8 / Workshop / 12 noon—5p.m.	9	10	11 / Workshop 1—9p.m.	12 / Workshop 1—9p.m.	13	14 / Workshop 12 noon—5p.m.
15 / Workshop / 12 noon—5p.m.	16	17 / Education/Demonstration / Night 7p.m.	18 / Workshop 1—9p.m.	19 / Workshop 1—9p.m.	20	21 / Workshop 12 noon—5p.m. / Petrified Pups 9a.m.—12 noon
22 / Workshop / 12 noon—5p.m.	23	24 / Pot Luck 6:30p.m. / Monthly General Meeting / 7:30p.m.	25 / Workshop 1—9p.m.	26 / Workshop 1—9p.m.	27	28 / Workshop 12 noon—5p.m. / Club Clean—up 9a.m. till it ends!
29 / Workshop / 12 noon—5p.m.	30	31

Deadline for the June issue of the Bulletin is Monday, May, 16th. 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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April Board
Minutes
Carole McMichael worked hard and long with the club CD and Wells Fargo Bank.
John Printz told of a symposium he recently went to in Fallbrook, CA talking of the Petrified Pups.
We need insurance guidelines so the Pups can use club machinery.
Brett Ward outlined the success of the recent Tailgate.
Jonathan Vanderloop produced figures for another storage unit.
Pat Estes will look into estimates for a rock retaining wall at the rear of the clubhouse.
Lynne Hallock reported on estimates she had obtained for painting the Kaman Building. The board decided to go with A1 painters.
The board decided to go with Shilo Roofers to re-roof the clubhouse building.
Burtec will get back to us at a later date re a culpability issue with the Kaman Building power box.
We will get bids for security cameras.
The city does not allow chain link fencing to be put between us and Del Taco—our neighbors.

March General Meeting
minutes
John Jones will speak at the April Education night.
We are looking at the library being catalogued by Saturday.
Last year’s CFMS jewelry camp ticket holders will be reimbursed.
AFMS will hold a field trip near Bend, OR on the Memorial day weekend.
Field trips will be moved from the 3rd Saturday of the month to the 2nd Saturday so they won’t clash with the Petrified Pups schedule.
There will be a club field trip to Lone Butte. In May, the club will be going to Gephardt Rd—north of Edwards air force base.
John Printz is working with the Petrified Pups—(see this issue for details.)
Club President, Cyndy Mandell mentioned there is a sign up sheet at the club for the San Bernardino County Fair—to be held in May.
The V.V.G & M.C has a booth and the Petrified Pups have a table.
After the disastrous flooding situation at the club, repairs were made and club is now open.

Lost and Found
Pat Estes loaned her red engraver to a new lady member at her silver class last December and it wasn’t returned. She called everyone that signed up for the class but no one knew anything about her or the engraver. She never loans out her tools or let others use them. She likes keeping her things hers. That was why she recommends that members engrave their name or initials on their tools, not just use a marker.

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Our recent field trip to Lone Butte

Blaine and Judy Witte led nine Victor Valley Gem and Mineral Club members on a field trip Saturday, April 9th out to Mojave to gather agate, petrified wood and reed. The location known as Lone Butte had an abundance of collecting material and all who attended were able to take home several buckets full. Attending this cold and windy event were: Deborah, and Michael Berresford, John and Chieko Printz, Tina and Faith LeBan, Cyndy Mandell, and Lois Papner.
The flowers were in full bloom reflecting the many recent rains that have occurred during the winter months. There were also purple and blue flowers along with many grasses that made the desert seem alive as they moved in the wind. It was one of the most beautiful desert days I have seen in a long time. - Cyndy Mandell (Club President)
On the Front Cover
The photograph on the front of this issue of the Bulletin comes from a collection of photographs taken by our club president—Cyndy Mandell. The desert is in bloom at the moment and all to soon the cool wet weather will give way to our usual hot dry weather and the flowers will disappear. I thought they were really pretty and for the many of us who could not attend the field trip, we will be able to enjoy the scenery in color on the club website….Ed.
What’s New with the C.F. M.S
Pat Estes—our club CFMS rep.
CFMS rep Pat Estes will attend the CFMS Conference next month May 12-15 in Anderson, CA representing our club.
The Earth Science Studies program at Camp Zzyzx March 27 - April 3 was exciting and educational. I went on a field trip on Monday Mar. 28th to collect silver lace onyx. We didn't have to hike far, but it was all uphill. I got mostly small nuggets about 1 1/2 " - 3". Some others got larger rocks that they dug for.
I cut and polished a cab in the lapidary section and spent the rest of my time in the silver room. I will bring the things I made to the next general meeting.
There were classes in wire- wrapping, PMC (precious metal clay) , copper enameling, scrimshaw (etching on ivory or bone or plastic),
sculpture, beading and a different field trip everyday.

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Here’s some views of Lone Butte as the club came to collect their samples. The recent rains have really made the desert come alive.

Blaine Witte and John Printz have Debbie Berresford brings her grand brought buckets to hold whatever daughter with her to help her collect samples they find. samples.

Looking for Agate, petrified John and Chieko Printz are braving wood. and Palm Root—”I know the elements to find their samples. it’s here somewhere!”

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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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