Yellowstone Deposit Billings Gem & Mineral Club P.O. Box 477 Billings, Mt, 59103 Board Meeting April 9, 2015 6:00 PM St. Bernard s Catholic Church, 226 Wicks Lane All are welcome!! Club Meeting St Bernard s Catholic Church 226 Wick s Lane Thursday, April 9, 2015 7:00 PM Yellowstone Deposit April, 2015 www.billingsgemclub.com Our Club Objective: Sharing the enjoyment and education of all earth science related activities. 1
From the President It's April already and spring has sprung, at least some of the time! Let'sall think of some field trips we can go on this year. Maybe to see someindian petroglyphs, or look for some fossils or look for that special petrified wood or agate. We need to organize some trips to help out the new people in our club learn of all the wonderful rocks/artifacts/fossils that are available in this great state. The show is just around the corner and it's time to make the last minute adjustments to your showcase. Have you signed up to help at the show? It will be a new venue for us this year and hopefully we can continue there for many years to come. Because of the new time and place we need to get the word out! Let all your friends and acquaintances know the show is the FIRST weekend in May at the ShrineAuditorium. I hope to see everyone at the next meeting. Mark L. Billings Gem and Mineral Club Mee2ng March 5 th, 2015 St. Bernards Church Basement Board Mee+ng 6:00 PM to 7:00PM Present: MLent, JHaburchak, CAzpei<a, PCli>on, LPickham, K Pickham, JPeden, KBurke Called to order @ 6:00 PM by MLent Discussion: Show Topics: o A list was made of all the sta<ons and tasks that need sign up volunteers. Begin sign up tonight Security, Tickets, Silent Auc<on, Kids Booth Also need to begin showcase sign ups Grab bags: we ran out last year. Likely not volunteers to sew them as we have had no volunteers to make vests. Penny and Janey will look for cheap paper op<ons this weekend. Mark will check the trailer and see if there is any fabric and any bulk small stuff for grab bags Mark is wai<ng for a layout of the show from Doug this week. We are upstairs in the gym NWF newsleser ran our show ad Rock and Gem magazine, GPAA and Rocks and Minerals mag have received our ad. Craigs List is also an op<on, as is Billings360.com Julie is not confident that we have current NWF leadership names and addresses for contacts 2
Alphagraphics was queried re by Mr. Moos re lis<ings of families with kids and a 40K annual income. 4431 families could receive post card invita<ons to show but it would cost us $1530. We were not confident that we would have a meaningful return on investment. Doug has informa<on on ge\ng a banner on the bosom of the GazeSe as well as informa<on re KULR- 8. No one is sure what he set up before he le> town Carla Field will not be able to manage <cket sales. That job needs 12 people to sign up for 2 hour rota<ons selling <ckets. A copy of the sign up sheet for this task is usually taped to the <cket table. Larry Field will not be able to be in charge of showcases. Website: Janice Hergenraeder has resigned. We have no webmaster. Finance: o Juli will pay the insurance bill. It is over 300$ so she did seek and receive Board approval but that rule is no longer in place. Carol Wassenmiller declined our invita<on to audit the 2014 books. Last audit was 2013. Need a 2014 audit. Penny will ask Bitsy Merchant, who was an accountant for our host church. o Penny has emailed Carol re the excel version of the membership list. All we have right now is paper for members to review and change as needed. o Leroy has found an idea for fund raising where an item is raffled at each mee<ng. Or every member gets a <cket for free and it serves as an incen<ve to asend a mee<ng. Mark to propose to club. Miscellaneous: o Vests are s<ll needed for new members. Kathy and Penny were willing to sew but can t do all of it. Patch will stay the same but the cost is likely to be much higher. Club needs to decide o APRIL MEETING IS MOVED TO THE SECOND WEEK ON APRIL 9TH o Mark bought 5 pounds of garnets that may be a workable size. Club members can see him. Upcoming Events o Leroy Pickham demonstra<ng flint knapping at Pictograph Caves Interpre<ve Center in Lockwood on August 8 th o Bob Garritson teaching Tools and Technology of the Middle Stone Age on June 6 th at Pictograph Caves Interpre<ve Center in Lockwood o The Larry Loendorf classes at the Arts Guild in Red Lodge are: Apr. 7, 9, 14 & 16 from 7-8:30 pm. Refreshments will be served and it is free. o A member invited interested par<es to asend the Yellowstone Gold Club mee<ngs the 2 nd Thursday of the month at Golden Corral in the back room ( need a <me). This group is part of the annual Big Dig in Zortman over Memorial Day. Don t forget Annual Picnic: August 2 nd. We are moving into Billings. Kathie Burke will reserve on line. We will need a map for members in June. We have to rent it from 08:00 AM to 2:00 PM Adjourned @ 7:00 PM General Mee+ng 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM Called to order at 7:00 PM by Mark Lent, Pres. Discussion: Minutes: February mee<ng: paper copies distributed. Treasurers Report o Read aloud: Approved. o Juli had membership cards available at the mee<ng. o Deb Zimbelman says the Excel membership list is on the jump drive she gave Juli when she handed over the treasurer role. 3
o Members discussed who might be able to do the audit we need for 2014. A member has a mother who is a volunteer tax preparer. He will ask her and the club agrees we will pay for this service. He will exchange informa<on with Juli. Field Trips: Nothing to report. Ideas welcome EducaCon: Nothing to report. Friendship report: Updates on ill members. Everyone to keep Tom Thayer in their prayers. He is having major surgery this coming week. Historian report: Nothing to report. No iden<fied historian Librarian report: Nothing to report NewsleGer editor: invites members to submit stories of their experiences rockhounding and ar<fact hun<ng, working with rocks, etc. Website: A membership blog is proposed so members can post impromptu field trips. No one volunteered to webmaster. Deb Zimbelman can teach someone how to do this but cannot take it on herself. Show Case Trailer: need to find the President of the Council re the case trailer. Larry will find the name and provide to Mark. Club Raffle: Mark proposed the mee<ng raffle idea and the club had lots of ideas. Julianna suggested that the winner at each mee<ng is responsible for the prize at the next mee<ng. You have to be present to win. The goal is not to make funds but to make fun and interest. Bill Cli>on is interested in managing this. Mee<ng adjourned for refreshments and hobby exhibits at 8:00PM. Next mee<ng is April 9 th due to Holy Week at our host church. Please take note! Due to the pre Easter ac2vi2es at St. Bernard s, the April 2nd meeting has been changed to Thursday, April 9th!! The Yellowstone Deposit would like to publish your story! Do you have a favorite collecting spot, or a story about rockhounding? Please send it to the editor with any pictures. Publication deadline is the 20th of the month. Visit Our Website! www.billingsgemclub.com 4
Steve & Darlene Newstrom have decided to stop doing shows. They are selling their cases, lighting, etc. Steve will have them at the April meeting. Birthstone for April is Diamond She who from April dates her years, Diamonds shall wear, lest bitter tears For vain repentance flow; this stone, Emblem of innocence, is known. 5
Agate Creek Fossicking. July 2014 Thanks Steve Newstrom for submirng this by permission from the author, This arccle will be published in several parts. A>er 2 days of running around organising and packing for my annual agate hunt the <me finally came once again, 3 am wake up with a strong coffee, maybe 2. This year I managed to convince my dad to come out and keep me company, 70 years and s<ll a working carpenter. I haven t found the word re<rement in the Bible yet, so I guess it must be okay. The trip out from Cairns to Georgetown was unevenpul as usual, apart from the heavy winter fog coming into Ravenshoe, which slowed us down for 30 mins of the 8 hour journey. Last stop is Georgetown, <me for a meat pie and fuel up the truck. Only an hour and a half to go to Agate Creek, this is always my favourite leg of the journey. You leave the bitumen and mobile phone coverage behind, swapping it for dirt roads and some peace and quiet in the outback. Finally arrived at the campgrounds around 12pm and was met at the gate by Sir Paul Howard, who kindly reminded us to close the gate behind us when we enter the grounds. I thanked him for the heads up and reassured him it wasn t my first <me here. Dad kept quiet, but asked what was with the old fart, I just laughed and reminded him about some of his own annoying tendencies. We set our camp up in record <me and had 4 hours of sunlight le>, so it was decided to do some specking and look for a promising dig site to spend the following 3 days, with pick and shovel. Decided to head to The Saddle, known for its yellowish green parallax agates, also agates with stain patches of pale blue, red and yellow. Found a few bits and pieces, but couldn t convince myself of a dig site in the area this <me around. With the sunlight beginning to fade, we collected our firewood and headed back to camp for a couple of well earned beers. Legs up, fire crackling, with the jaffle irons cooking us up some toas<es for dinner in the coals. The day was done, star gazing and casual cha\ng saw us all the way to the faithful swag. More Pictures Page 7 6
Larry Field s Collecting System Here is a collecting system that I have used all of my life, or at least up until a few years ago when I began collecting almost exclusively on the Y. River. For years I subscribed to one or more rock hobby magazines. Each time such a mag published a promising sounding field trip article I would do one of the following: 1. photocopy the article 2. outlined the article 3. reference the mag name & date & article with page number I placed all such information in three ring binders under a tab for the largest local city to the collecting site. I maintained one binder for each western state. For the most part, I compiled such information on states west of the Mississippi R. Each time we planned a vacation, I would consult these binders for collecting sites along our vacation route. Using this system, I have collected a wide variety of materials extensively across the western US. In addition to reading mags to which I subscribed, I also collected old mags and did the same with them. Larry Field Part 2 next month! Yellowstone Deposit Editor: Chris Channell 10 Shoe String Rd Lavina, Mt, 59046 406-575-4207 cchan22@midrivers.com DON T FORGET TO BRING YOUR POSTAGE STAMPS TO THE MEETING! THEY ARE USED TO SUPPORT CANCER RESEARCH. 7
Code of Ethics I will respect both private and public property and will do no collecting on privately owned land without permission. I will use no firearms or blasting material in collecting areas. I will take all garbage home or deposit it in proper receptacles I will leave all gates as found. I will cause no willful damage to materials or take more than I can reasonably use I will build fires only in designated or safe places only. I will discard no burning material - matches, cigarettes, etc. I will fill all excavation holes which may be dangerous to livestock. I will not contaminate wells, creeks, or other water supplies. I will not damage or tamper with signs, structural facilities or equipment. I will leave all collecting areas devoid of litter, regardless of how found. I will appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources. 2015 Officers President : Mark Lent 373-5131 Vice Pres: Tom Thayer 259-6280 Secretary: Penny Clifton 281-0731 Treasurer: Juli Peden 256-0041 Board Members Leroy Pickham 633-2950 Kathie Burke 652-1133 Steve Newstrom 651-4947, Cora Azpeitia, 248-7507 Janey Haburchak 245-1618 Committee Chairmen Field Trip: Bob Miller 259-5461 Friendship: Cathy Pickham 633-2950 Show Chair: Doug True 670-0506 NFMS Rep, Doug True NFMS and AFMS Field Trip Chair: Doug True Friendship News by Cathy Pickham Friendship cards sent from the Billings Gem and Mineral Club are to Bob Jackson, get well, and to Tom Thayer, wishing him a speedy recovery. In the winter months Leroy and I take an indoor field trip to Juliana's Jammin Rock Shop in Columbus to see what is new [ a n d t h e r e a l w a y s i s something]. Juliana always has rock news and the shop has others goodies in it to cheer up the "cabin fever" feeling. She offers us classes in doing rock things and up coming events in the Columbus area. We are freely entertained by her and helper, Lois Nelson. leaving with a smile and a lighter heart. It is a beautiful drive along the Yellowstone on the old highway and a favorite of ours. Recently we saw a member we do not see often and it was delightful to say hi and how are you doing. Our friend is Ray Mork and former President of the Club. Ray doesn't get to the meetings often but is always at the show and we hope to see him there in May. I encourage all of us to reach out to those we do not see often for whatever reasons and keep in touch, this way we continue to l e a r n, t e a c h, a n d e n j o y fellowship. 8