2019 December

CORAL GEODE
A P u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e Ta m p a B ay M i n e r a l & S c i e n c e C l u b

De ce mber HOT RO C K S , C O OL G EM S & FA BULO US J EW EL RY 2019

IN THIS ISSUE: PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Board Meeting Minutes......... 2 Ken Moser

Membership Renewal............ 3 Turkey Day is behind us and we It’s not too soon to start thinking
are now looking forward to all about the New Year. The club has
General Meeting Minutes...... 3 that December brings. First on committed again to represent
the list is our annual Christmas ourselves at the State Fair with
TBM&SC Holiday Party........... 4 party. This is usually our best demonstrations and information
attended event as it gives us time regarding our club. More
DMC Field Trips..................... 5 to wish each other the best for the information on this and a sign-up
holidays and for the New Year. sheet for volunteers to staff and
Upcoming Shows.................. 6 The food is terrific and offers demonstrate will be available in
an opportunity to get one of the January.
Lapidary News...................... 7 many raffle baskets.
Elsewhere in the Geode you will
Brad’s Bench Tips.................. 7 At the December party we will also see that the club is host for
have elections for those up for the Federations January field trip.
Monthly Calendar................. 8 election to officer and board Please see the article for details.
positions for next year. The slate
ELECTIONS for those up for open positions This being my final message for
can be found in this issue of the the year, I want to again express
Not the national elections as Geode. After the vote, the newly my thanks and admiration to the
that will go on for another year, elected members will be installed board and officers, instructors
however it is time to elect your in their positions. and monitors, and especially you
officers and board directors for the members for your support
the upcoming year. Following are December is also the time of year and generosity. Without all of
the names and positions of those when the instructors and club you, our club would not be the
presented by the nominating take a break. From the conclusion success that it is.
committee. Since no one else has of the party until after the first
been nominated or expressed of the New Year we will be shut Happy Holidays!
an interest in these openings, at down for Open Shop and classes. Ken
the December party, a voice vote Mark it on your calendar now
will be taken to affirm this slate. to avoid showing up during this
Positions up for election are: time.

President: Ken Moser ABOUT OUR CLUB
10207 Fisher Avenue, Tampa, FL
Vice-President: Jerri Heer
33619
Secretary: Gerri Lundergan Email: [email protected]

Two-Year Board: Jack Kramer Mailing Address: PO Box 89146
Tampa, FL 33689
Roxann Dragula
Phone: (813) 684-2039
Brian Brantley Tampabayrockclub.org

One-Year Board: Melinda Riddle VISIT OUR NEWLY DESIGN WEBSITE

TAMPABAYROCKCLUB.ORG

1

TAMPA BAY MINERAL AND SCIENCE
BOARD MEETING

November 11, 2019

Meeting called to order at 6:55 p.m. by Security was good and vendors did not have
President Ken Moser. theft issues this year.

Minutes from the October meeting were Need to close and lock the back gates and
approved as published in the Geode. put signs and arrows leading folks to the front
doors for admission.
Heidi went over the financial statement from
the show. We cleared $10,710. Money was Talk of Scheduled Demos – like the fairs – plan
transferred into our Money Market account. & post a list of who is doing what at certain
times so show-goers can plan to see demos
Balances – Checking $10,269 Money Market they are interested in.
$ 65,378. Brian moved and Melinda 2nd that We also discussed getting our own cases for
the Treasurer’s Report be approved – motion displays so we do not have to keep borrowing
carried. from the Pinellas club. Plans to work on that.

The board also approved that Heidi purchase a We will also be working on a map of Plant City
new laptop for the club as the one she is using to plan out signage for the show.
need replacing. Motion carried. Lots of interest from the kids attending. Will
have a flyer ready with info for next year.
Old Business It was voted to refund Mary her table vendor fee
Show Recap: It was suggested that we get lights since she was selling club items. Motion carried.
for all our tables as it was very noticeable how
dark our tables were compared to the vendors New Business
who had lights. Would make it easier to see Christmas Party: the club will provide the ham
items and keep the tables well lit. Everyone and turkey again this year. Sign up sheets for
agreed and we will price lights. Suggestions members to put down what they plan to bring
for a few high dollar raffle items to go with the are up. Event is being posted on Face Book.
silent auction table. Reminder to members that we will be voting at
the December Christmas party for our 2020
It was noted that we need a More Energetic feel. Officers.
More Like a “Welcome to Moe’s”!! Atmosphere.
We need to show our energy and appreciation Plans for Raffle Baskets at the Christmas party
to all who come to our show. has begun.

Suggestion of a Club Mascot was brought up. Workshops scheduled for November &
Someone who can dress up and be the face of December in Lapidary are booked full and the
our club, move about the show and keep show- 2020 schedule is being planned.
goers engaged.
Gerri & Roxann will have a program for the
The idea of a Family package was discussed. November 19 meeting.
Entrance, grab bag, sluice tickets etc., in a one
price ticket. We will work on that for next year. With no other business meeting unanimously
adjourned at
2 8:15 pm

IT’S MEMBERSHIP TAMPA BAY MINERAL AND SCIENCE
RENEWAL TIME! CLUB NOVEMBER GENERAL MEETING

Hi everybody, it’s the November 19, 2019
“Membership Reminder
Meeting called to order by 14 and the sign up sheet is
Nag!” VP Jerri Heer in Ken Moser’s inside the main clubhouse
absence. door.
Just wanted to let everybody
know that those of you who Minutes of the October We will have our Raffle
renewed your membership for meeting as printed in the Baskets again and just a
1 year, it’s time to do it again. Geode were approved. Brian reminder that we will have a
Brantley made the motion, short meeting after we eat to
Check your membership card Melinda Riddle 2nd. elect officers.
if there’s a question. Dues are
for the calendar year, not 1 Treasurer’s Report: Heidi It was brought up how to
year from when you joined. reported a balance of improve attendance to club
$10,268 in checking and meetings each month. The
A single year membership is $65,379 in the Money Market. idea of less meetings was
$30 and additional adults in We showed an $11,000 profit brought up, but the members
the same household are $15 from the show & $46.00 agreed that we need a
each. Junior members remain from Amazon Smile. Lisa monthly meeting and that
$5. Miller made a motion that maybe every quarter we do
Treasurer’s report stand a Saturday meeting for those
Some of you took advantage approved, 2nd by Brian who do not drive at night. The
of the multi-year special Brantley. Motion carried. board will discuss this more.
which was 4 years for $100 (a New member Ruth Bolles was The Members on the Ballot for
savings of $20) and additional welcomed. 2020 Officers are
adults were $50 (a savings Old Business Ken Moser: President
of $10 each). The multi-year Show Recap: Suggestions were Jerri Heer: Vice President
offer is still available. read from the Board meeting Gerri Lundergan: Secretary
about ways to improved our 2 yr Board: Roxann Dragula,
A membership renewal would show for next year. Ideas Jack Kramer, Brian Brantley
be a great holiday present included a 1 price admission 1 year Board: Melinda Riddle
for a loved one or yourself. If for a Family Package which Ideas for new workshops:
I’m not around you can leave includes tickets to the sluice Don Roberts is planning
your membership money in and grab bags. to do a Workshop of Silver
an envelope and drop it in The addition of times for Boxes. Dates and times to be
the Membership Mailbox near particular demonstrations, announced.
the windows on the east wall more signs and a separate With no other business,
(faceting area). line for Cash and credit card Melinda Riddle moved to
folks entering the show. adjourn, 2nd by Lisa Miller.
Please bring cash or a check, New Business Meeting Adjourned 8 pm
since I don’t have credit card Christmas Party is December
capabilities. Thank you!

Christy Gorrow

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TBMSC ANNUAL

HOLIDAY PARTY

Saturday Dec. 14th Noon @ the Clubhouse

• Fun Activities & Special Prizes
• Potluck Style: sign-up sheet at

clubhouse
• Club Providing Ham & Turkey
• To allow instructors time relax,

TBMSC is CLOSED 12/21 to 1/1. We
will re-open on 01/02/20

Members, Friends,
and Family Welcome

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DMC FIELD TRIPS

An Official Field Trip of the Emerald City com. I promise to have my phone with me on the
Rock and Gem Club (Greenwood, SC) day, but I normally don’t answer calls. Cell: 864-
(HOST) 910-5369.
An Official Field Trip of the Tampa Bay
Mineral & Science Club Ex-
Saturday, December 7, 2019 amples
9:00 am to 3:00 pm EST of beryl
Amos Cunningham Farm found
Due West, SC at
Registration Required Amos
Fee: $20 per Person Cun-
ning-
TRIP: Amos Cunningham has been interested in ham’s
rocks since the age of six when his father would find farm.
gems on the property. His collection has been dis-
played most recently at Erskine College. An Official Field Trip of the Tampa Bay
Mineral and Science Club, (Tampa, FL)
COLLECTING: Green beryl, blue aquamarine, feld-
spar, mica, smoky quartz, pyrite, and microscopic (HOST)
red garnets can be found at this location. Saturday, January 11, 2020

BRING: Digging in the dirt is typical, but mate- Vulcan Limestone Mine
rial has been found on the surface. Bring shovels, 16313 Ponce De Leon Blvd, Brooksville, FL
trowels, buckets, gloves. Weather is fickle, so be
prepared for mud and wear layered clothing. Bring Meet no later than 8:45 AM Eastern Time
water. Collecting 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM Eastern Time
FEE: $20 per person.
TRIP: This quarry has abundant Oligocene marine
fossils as well as interesting rocks and minerals.

REGISTRATION: Please contact Marf Shopmyer at COLLECTING: Echinoids (fossil sand dollars and
[email protected] to register, so Mr. Cunning- urchins), druzy calcite crystals, and chert for cabbing.
ham will have an idea of how many to expect and There are shark teeth but seldom found.
for directions to the property.
BRING: This is surface hunting, so digging tools are
CHILDREN: There is no age restriction, but children not necessary, other than a screw driver or butter
should be under adult supervision at all times. knife to pry fossils from dirt. A rock hammer is help-
ful at times if you want a piece of chert. We park at
PETS: No. the hunting site, so you can leave your lunch, drinks
and cooler in the car. Sun screen might be handy.
FACILITIES: There is a bathroom at Mr. Cunning- Bring drinks and snacks as we stay until 12:00 noon
ham’s museum/shop near his house. and/or 2:00 PM.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Mr. Cunningham will REQUIREMENTS: Sturdy closed shoes or sneakers,
have specimens for sale for $10 and up at the end no sandals or open toed shoes. Jeans or long pants
of the day to make sure everyone gets something. are preferred to protect your knees and long sleeve
shirt or sun screen. If it is a bright day, a hat or ball
DIRECTIONS AND WHERE TO MEET: We will meet at cap would be useful.
the museum/shop near Mr. Cunningham’s house to
sign a release form. FEE: No Fee.
CONTACT: Marf Shopmyer at marfeena@gmail.
Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page UPCOMING
SHOWS
REGISTRATION:
No registration • Pinellas Geological Society
required. – 44th Annual Sale,
January 10th-11th, 10
CHILDREN: Chil- a.m.-5 p.m., January 12,
dren are allowed noon-5 p.m., Central Park
but must be under Performings Arts Center
adult supervision Largo, Florida
at all times.
• Withlacoochee Rockhounds
PETS: No pets al- 45th Annual Show,
lowed. December 6th-8th 2019,
Veterans Memorial Park,
FACILITIES: The one thing they do not have is a restroom, stop at the Hudson, Florida (Tables
gas station in Brooksville before you arrive. available @ $85 each)

ACCOMODATIONS: UPCOMING CLUBS
At I-75 exit (#301) to Brooksville-(20 miles to Vulcan) Days Inn, SCHEDULED TO
Hampton Inn HOST DMC FIELD
Brooksville east of town (12 miles to Vulcan) Budget Inn TRIPS
Brooksville west of town (15 miles to Vulcan) Holiday Inn Express
Weeki Wachee (22 miles to Vulcan) Qualitry Inn, Best Western 2020
Crystal River, north side of town (23 miles to Vulcan) Days Inn, Econo February
Lodge, Quality Inn Alabama Mineral & Lapidary
Society (Birmingham, AL)
DIRECTIONS AND WHERE TO MEET:
The meeting time will be 8:45 AM as we go into the mine in convoy at March
9:00 AM. The gates are locked behind us so don’t be late. If you are Mobile Rock & Gem Society,
unavoidably detained, call Fred Hendershot (813-892-5864).
Inc. (Mobile, AL)
Take I-75 to exit #301, Brooksville, Florida. Go ten miles into Brooks- April
ville and follow Rt. 98. It will turn north in town and go another ten
miles north. The Vulcan/Cemex signs are on the left (the Cemex sign Charlotte Gem & Mineral Club
is larger and easy to spot). Park in the large field and sign the Vulcan (Charlotte, NC)
liability waiver. May

For Google Maps and GPS units, the address is 16313 Ponce De Leon Mississippi Gem and Mineral
Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613. Society (Jackson, MS)
June
IMPORTANT: DMC field trips are open only to members of clubs in the
SFMS DMC field trip sharing program. SFMS DMC club members are Gaston County Gem, Mineral
covered by liability insurance and they are bound by the AFMS code of & Faceting Club
ethics, but the general public is not and could jeopardize access to a (Gastonia, NC)
collecting location. So unless the property owner has invited non-SFMS July
attendees, the general public is not allowed on DMC field trips. Please
do not post DMC field trip information where the general public can Henderson County Gem &
access it. Mineral Society

(Hendersonville, NC)

6

LAPIDARY CORNER BRAD’S BENCH TIPS

Thank You to all our Lapidary Folks who have kept our Workshops well DIVIDERS
attended and a lot of fun. A set of dividers is a tool I find very
The 2 Jade workshops in Dec are full and we are busy scheduling our useful in laying out the geometry
workshops for the coming 2020 Year. There is a sign up sheet in the of a piece I’m making. It has two
Lapidary shop, plus we will post them on the FaceBook page under Events needle-like tips with an adjustment
and on the web page. to set the spacing between them.
We have been busy remodeling our Lapidary shop. More room to work They can be used to transfer a
and creating a work table area for our workshops. measurement. Let’s say you need
Our slab saws have been busy and will be going thru their annual a 7mm wide strip of sheet metal.
maintenance during the holidays. Set the spacing between the
Part of our goals for 2020 include being able to offer our members divider tips to 7 mm on the ruler.
quality slabs on a regular basis. Slabs will be available to members on Then lay the sheet on the bench,
days Gerri Lundergan is in the Clubhouse. You can message her at 813- put one tip against the edge, and
943-5665 or email at [email protected] to get with her. run the dividers down the edge
As we cut slabs they are all divided evenly into four totes. One for scribing a line parallel to the edge.
Members, one for our Slab Auction in April, one for our club show and Dividers can be used to mark
one for Ebay sales. Being able to offer quality slabs on Ebay will help us equal segments of a line or
raise funds towards our Building Fund. arc. For instance, assume a line
We have also been doing a test cab from each slab of new material we between A and B that might be
cut and offering those Cabochons for sale. straight or curved, and you want
Year End Report for Lapidary: With the new protocols and classes, to divide it into 5 equal lengths.
Lapidary has generated a large profit for the club this year; all Thanks to Set the dividers to an estimate of
Our Members! the distance. Starting at Point A,
We are still on the same set of wheels we put on in March. This is a huge use the dividers to mark off five
milestone for the Lapidary shop. lengths along the line. If you end
New slabbing protocols are being put into place to keep that area more up short of Point B, lengthen the
efficient and a better turn around time. distance on the dividers. If you end
As we roll into 2020, we have listened to you and will keep offering our up overshooting Point B, shorten
Workshops and adding classes to keep you challenged and learning. the length of your dividers. After a
January 18 Workshop - Doublets- details coming few tries, the length on the dividers
February 22 Workshop - Jade - details coming will be the exact distance you need
Beginning Cabochon classes are filling up quickly and our next class will to mark the 5 segments.
begin January 8 from 6-9 p.m. That class is full. Dividers can let you quickly find
Next session will start February 28. Registration is now open for that the center of a circular disk. With
session. To reserve a spot contact Gerri Lundergan for info 813-943- one tip of the dividers at the edge
5665 or [email protected] of the disk, set the other tip to an
I just fed the Rock Pile with some new goodies, plus we keep the idea estimate of where the center might
boxes filled with Treasures. be. Fix one tip of the dividers at
Lapidary Hours are Tuesday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. & Saturday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. the 3 o’clock position and scribe
an arc with the other tip near the
7 center. Do this again from the 6
o’clock, 9 o’clock, and 12 o’clock
positions. The arcs at the center
will form a small four-sided box,
and the center of the box is at the
center of the disk.

With the holidays coming up soon,
one of Brad’s “How To” jewelry books
is a great way to help a friend learn
a few new skills. See all the books at
Amazon.com/author/bradfordsmith

Tampa Bay Mineral & Science Club, Inc.
P.O. Box 89146
Tampa, FL 33689-0402

December 2019

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Board Annual
Meeting Christmas
7 p.m. Party 12 p.m.

General

Meeting
15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Jade
Workshop

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Jade No Classes or Workshops due to the Holidays
Workshop

29 30 31 January 1 2 3 4

No Classes or Workshops due to the Holidays

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Pinellas DMC Field Trip
Geological Tampa Bay Mineral
Society Annual & Science Club
Sale Vulcan Limestone

Center Largo Mine

Florida
CHRISTMAS PARTY • DECEMBER 14TH • 12 P.M.
8