February 2015 President’s Corner Walter Priest

THE VIRGINIA PEN—FEBRUARY 2015

Special Points of Interest:

GMSVP March Meeting

Sandy Bottom Nature Center; Hampton, VA

March 5th, 7 PM Hampton TOTE Show

Hampton Roads Convention Center

March 27—29 EFMLS Convention

Hickery, NC

March 27—29 Va Beach TOTE Show

VA Beach Convention Center

April 24 – 26 Wildacres Workshop

Little Switzerland, NC

May 18—24 William Holland Workshop

Young Harris, GA

June 7—13

In This Issue

President’s Corner

GMSVP Calendar

1

Chapter Contact Info

Hampton TOTE Show

2

Mines

Raffle Prize Donations

Logo Decision Needed

New GSMP Members

3

March Field Trips 4

Amethyst 5

Jade Putter

Safety Matters

6

EFMLS Workshops 7

Website Contest

February Program

8

ACEC Rising Star

William Holland Retreat

9

SFMS Workshops 10

Meeting Minutes 11/12

AFMS Code of Ethics 13

I am sitting here on my back porch watching the birds feed in the

snow. The snow is pretty for awhile but soon cabin fever starts to set

in. Especially since Barbara and I just returned from five days in

Tuscon, sunny skies and temperatures in the 80’s made life much

more pleasant. I long for our field trip season when we can get out

and enjoy.

Tuscon was a marvelous experience. Everyone needs to go, but, if

you go, you will never go just once. We are already planning for next year. There is just

so much to see and do with over 40 venues and 4500 vendors. By the way, shipping

rocks home can be expensive. We spent two days at the Shows, made a day trip to

Tombstone and the mining town of Bisbee and spent a day hiking in the Sabino Canyon

Natural Area, cactus, cactus everywhere.

Back in the real world, we have an event filled month in March. We have our annual

auction at our March 5th meeting. We will be organizing the auction at the shed on

Saturday, February 21st starting at 10 AM. We have a lot of material in the shed, but we

are also hoping for some donations from Club members to sweeten the pot. As an added

attraction this year, we will be auctioning the Pixie that was recently donated to the Club.

We also have a couple of field trip opportunities this month. Al Dehart has organized a

field trip to the Lora Robbins Gallery and Richmond rock shops on March 7th. There is

also a field trip to the Morefield Mine on March 28th being organized by the Richmond

Club. Please see articles in this Newsletter for details.

The last weekend in March, the 27th – 29th, will be our adventure to the new Treasures of

the Earth Show at the Hampton Convention Center. We will be setting up Thursday

afternoon, the 26th. This will be a new event for us and, hopefully, will be successful.

We will be having a Board of Directors meeting on Monday, March 30th, at 7 PM at Sandy

Bottom Nature Park. All members are invited to attend.

I am still looking for someone who might be willing to Chair the Workshops Committee for

the Club.

Finally, please take a look at the new logo prepared by Kelly Mazzrillo and let us know

what you think. We hope to use this digital version to develop logo materials for the Club.

Rock on,

-Walter

President’s Corner Walter Priest

GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY OF THE VIRGINIA PENINSULA

February 2015

THE VIRGINIA PEN

Page 1

03/05/15—GMSVP March Meeting at

Sandy Bottom Nature Center

03/07/15—Lora Robbins Gallery Field Trip

03/27-29/15—TOTE Show at Hampton

Roads Convention Center

03/28/15—Morefield Mine Field Trip

GMSVP CALENDAR

THE VIRGINIA PEN—FEBRUARY 2015

GMSVP

P. O. Box 6424

Newport News, VA 23602

Web: http://gmsvp.weebly.com/

contact-information.html

Facebook: https://

www.facebook.com/pages/The-

Gem-and-Mineral-Society-of-the-

Virginia-Peninsula-

GMSVP/275041405841489

President: Walter Priest,

[email protected]

1st VP Membership: Brenda

Hawks, brenda_hawks

@verizon.net

2nd VP Programs: Barbara

Priest, [email protected]

Secretary: Pat Fontaine,

[email protected]

Treasurer: Gary Bergtholdt,

[email protected]

Officers

Page 2

Field Trips: Sara Phillips,

[email protected]

Hospitality: Kelly Mazzrillo,

[email protected]

Pebble Pups: Christine

Hempley, [email protected]

Shows: Robert Mazzrillo,

[email protected]

Newsletter: Dan Fontaine,

[email protected]

Property: Hank Woods,

[email protected]

Librarian: Debbie Huff,

[email protected]

Faceting: Chuck Rogers,

[email protected]

Silversmithing: Anthony

Hubbard, [email protected]

Workshops: Vacant

Publicity: Michael Griffith,

[email protected] & Richard

MacDonald, [email protected]

Mineralogy: Walter Priest,

[email protected]

Webmaster: Holly Worsham,

[email protected]

Committee Chairs

For the first time, a Treasures of the

Earth (TOTE) Show is being held at the

Hampton Roads Convention Center

(easy for our members to volunteer and

attend). The TOTE Show is on March

27—29, 2015. GMSVP will once again

have a booth with displays to educate the

public about Virginia’s natural resources

and our club. Members also display their

collections and demonstrate the equipment. As a fund raising activity, our club sells

geodes at the show, which we cut with our rock saws. These shows also are a great

medium to increase awareness and gain new members.

Any of our members may use the club’s equipment during the show. All they have to

do is sign up to reserve a time. While the equipment can be used without a

reservation, those signed up will have first preference. Members will be available to

provide training on equipment proper use and safety for new rockhounds. Volunteers

have ample time to also see the show.

HELP NEEDED:

Thursday, March 26th:

1 PM: Volunteers should meet at our club shed at the Sandy Bottom

Nature Park to load the truck and caravan over to the show site or can

meet us at Hampton Roads Convention Center at 2 PM.

2 PM: Truck unloading and GMSVP booth/ equipment setup. Booth and

equipment setup takes about 3 hours; more volunteers, less time.

Friday, March 27th to Sunday, March 29th: During the show GMSVP booth/

equipment has four areas that need manning: demonstrations, education/youth

programs, geode/slab cutting, and sales.

Sunday, March 29th:

Booth and equipment cleanup, teardown, and loading at the end of the

show.

Truck Unloading at the club’s shed in Sandy Bottom Nature Park.

Volunteer sign up can be done at the March 5th GMSVP meeting or by

contacting Robert Mazzrillo at [email protected].

Members are reminded that we get free access to the show (bring your GMSVP

membership card) and we are not competing with the other vendors or clubs.

Questions should be directed to Robert Mazzrillo at [email protected] or by

calling 757-465-5599.

Treasures of the Earth Show Dan Fontaine

Hampton Roads Convention Center, March 27—29, 2015

THE VIRGINIA PEN—FEBRUARY 2015 Page 3

Editor’s Note: Seth Hempley presented the research below during the January Pebble Pups meeting.

About 300,000 abandoned mines are in Virginia today. This site, http://www.msha.gov/minemapping/minemapping.asp, shows where abandoned and active mines are located. There have been 107 mines that were flooded, because mines were breaking into other abandoned mines that have water in them. It has a few

hyperlinks too.

The http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/mapdata/#datadocs site shows you maps of a lot of mines in the USA. Multicolored maps show locations of 1,879 coal mines and facilities, 8 uranium mines, and 1,965 mines and processing plants for 74 types of non-fuel minerals and materials. Maps use symbols which represent different

types of mine material.

The National Mine Map Repository (NMMR) has a site called http://mmr.osmre.gov/. It shows all mine maps in the collection, for the entire country. It has search capability that will permit the public and other customers to directly

identify mine maps themselves. The ability to perform a search based on a zip code will be possible in the future.

Mines Seth Hempley, Pebble Pup

The current logo was designed some time ago. The small file size is inadequate for use on posters, shirt patches, etc. We are fortunate to have a graphic designer, Kelly Mazzrillo, in our club. She offered to create a new graphic of the current

logo as well as to design an updated logo.

The current and proposed new GMSVP logos developed by

Kelly are shown to the right. The club will vote at the March 5th meeting whether to keep the current logo

or to migrate to the new logo. Once decided,

the club will be positioned to have a quality logo to exhibit on shirts, posters, and other potential club

products.

New GMSVP Members

No new members during the past month

VOLUNTEERS MAKE A GOOD CLUB GREAT! GET INVOLVED!

- A Special thanks to members contributing articles to the newsletter!

Donations Needed—Raffle and Door Prize Items Renee Eichman

Our club needs some additional door and raffle prize donations (we’re almost out!). Donation examples include: slabs, cabs, jewelry, books, gemstones,

rough material, fossils, etc.

Please look around your home for items related to our hobby that could

be donated for use as a door or raffle prize.

To continue offering these monthly fun activities, we rely on club member donations. The revenue from paid raffles has helped fund the Pebble Pup/Rock Star Program's educational activities in years past. The door prizes give members something extra to look forward to at each meeting and are a real morale booster. I hope we can continue this program each and every month. Members who would like to

contribute, can bring the items to Renee Eichman or Hank Woods at a meeting or other club event.

GMSVP Logo Decision at March Meeting Dan Fontaine

THE VIRGINIA PEN—FEBRUARY 2015 Page 4

March Field Trips Al DeHart & Sara Phillips

EXCELLENT FIELD TRIP NEWS! Tidewater Gem and Mineral Society (TGMS) and Richmond Gem and Mineral Society (RGMS) have extended an invitation to GMSVP to join them on their two March field trips. Al DeHart has spoken with Sara Phillips, the GMSVP Field Trip Committee Chair, about the field trips, who accepted the invitation on behalf

of GMSVP.

Saturday, March 7, 2015

TGMS has a special invitation to visit the Lora Robins Gallery at the University of Richmond in Richmond, Va. on March 7, 2015! There are a total of 15 to 20 slots available on the field trip. Contact Sara Phillips to sign up for

the Lora Robbins Gallery field trip.

The plan is to meet at the Stone Goddess Rock Shop (10017

Jefferson Davis Highway, Richmond, VA 23237 www.stonegoddess.com) at 10AM. Wander and shop there for an hour. Go to lunch and then meet at the Lora Robins Gallery (28 Westhampton Way, University of Richmond, VA 23173. Lora Robbins Gallery) promptly at 1PM. There will be a guided tour, and then we will be free to wander about on our own. The Gallery will promptly close at 3:30 PM. We will all be out of their Gallery at 3:25 PM. Afterwards you are free to head up to the other rock shop in the area, Packard's Rock Shop

(13131 Midlothian Tpke, Midlothian, Virginia 23113).

So there's the agenda! Highly recommend the field trip for the new Club members and for the rest that enjoy

seeing their wonderful exhibits time after time! Hope to see you there!

Saturday, March 28, 2015, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

RGMS is organizing a field trip is to the Morefield Mine in Amelia, Virginia. The field trip is being led by David

Kitchen, Associate Dean, Strategic Planning and Summer Programs, School of Professional and Continuing

Studies, University of Richmond, and Matthew Houle, Curator of Museum Collections, University Museums.

Registration and a $20 fee are required and covers a boxed lunch, transportation, and the admission fee at the

mine. Register by calling Heather Campbell, Curator of Museum Programs, University Museums, at

telephone number 804-287-6324 or by e-mailing her at [email protected].

THE VIRGINIA PEN—FEBRUARY 2015 Page 5

Mineral of the Month – Amethyst, the February Birthstone Jim Hooper Source: Chippers’ Chatter Volume 59, Number 2 February, 2015

What hasn’t been written about Amethyst? Easily one of the best known and collected mineral/gemstones since ancient times, Amethyst remains high in popularity among collectors as evidenced by its continued presence at gem and mineral shows and in jewelry stores around the world. Books devoted entirely to Amethyst are numerous and I’m certainly not going to try and outdo any of those here.

Just in the way of quick review, what do we know? We know Amethyst is found widespread globally and is still being dug in Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, the United States, Siberia, Germany, Canada, India, and Australia to name just a few localities. It is a

variety of quartz, the combination of silica and oxygen that comprises the most abundant mineral in the earth’s crust. The purplish coloring comes from iron molecules in the mix.

Amethyst belongs to the silicates group of minerals. It’s crystal system is hexagonal/trigonal. The chemical signature is SiO2. Color is typically violet or purple, but it does appear in other colors. Amethyst can be heat treated and will turn a yellow brown and is sometimes sold as Citrine or if it’s bi-color, Ametrine. It is highly facetable with a Mohs hardness of 7 and makes beautiful gemstones and jewelry in the hands of the right artisans. Gem forms of Amethyst have been found ancient Egyptian artifacts as well as Greek, Roman, and Mesopotamian finds.

Diaphaneity ranges from opaque to translucent. It’s luster is described as vitreous and Amethyst will fracture conchoidally like obsidian.

The origin of the name Amethyst varies, but one variation goes that Bacchus/Dionysius god of wine and festive socializing, had been slighted and became very angry. In a rage he declared he would set his wildcats upon the next person who came down the road whereupon a beautiful young woman named Amethyst appeared on the scene and the wild beasts were loosed. Struck by her beauty Bacchus or another god intervened and quickly turned Amethyst to stone so the wildcats could not harm her. He then poured the juice of grapes over her turning her beautiful form into the dazzling purple that identifies the stone to this day.

It may also be a reason that Amethyst is reported to provide protective energies for those who wear it or take it with them. Another reputed ability is to promote sobriety and reduce drunkenness for those who possess it. Apparently this worked better in ancient times. Modern partygoers apparently don’t find it entirely reliable in that ability. But somewhere in those areas I’ve wondered if Amethyst is something like a ‘gateway drug’ for the addiction of mineral and gem collecting. I know for me and many others, Amethyst is one of the first minerals to dazzle our eyes and fascinate us in its natural beauty. I know it’s gotten me to look at many other minerals and crystals which its usually found with at shows and such. Amethyst emerges from earthbound captivity as small crystals like ‘Fairy or Spirit’ quartz and as massive geodes often larger than their human excavators. Tall geodes are called ‘cathedrals’.

As February’s birthstone I found this ditty from years ago;

The February-born may find Sincerity and peace of mind, Freedom from passion and from care, If she an Amethyst will wear. Let her an amethyst but cherish well,

And strife and care can never with her dwell.

Amethyst is also named as one of the twelve stones reportedly making up Aaron’s high-priest breastplate In the bible. And with so much recognition and abundance Amethyst might become almost common for collectors. Let’s celebrate this beauty among beauties during it’s month of recognition.

The Annual Auction will take place during the GMSVP Meeting on March 5th. This

is a great opportunity to bid on an exciting specimen to add to your collection!

THE VIRGINIA PEN—FEBRUARY 2015 Page 6

Got a date on any items in your field trip, show, or club meeting first aid kit? Many products now-a-days have not just manufacturer’s lot numbers but product use by, or expiration dates as well.

Such is the case not just for many food items but medical supplies as well.

Even bottles of water have use by dates on them – not that water goes bad but sometimes there is concern that the chemistry in the plastic of the bottle may migrate into the product. Thus if

water needs a date, so do medical supplies.

Periodically, the person in charge of a club’s medical or first aid cabinet should review the kits contents with regard to their expiration, or “use by” dates. While some folks play fast and loose

with “best if used by” dates on food items, a medical supply item should really be kept up to date.

A couple safety people I know make reviewing supplies quite easy to accomplish because they maintain a list of all the first aid kit’s supplies and contents as well as their respective expiration dates. Such a list makes periodic

reviews easy – especially when listed in a computer data base and sorted by expiration date.

Now, while expiration dates are important, there are additional important facts to consider when making decisions to replace certain items. For example, adhesive bandages may be adversely effected by high heat (think something like noon day or desert sun here). Heat may also effect gel-caps, package seals, and some meds. So one should not just go by the package expiration labels but also by the product storage and handling

requirements.

Another factor to consider is relative humidity or dampness. Be mindful to keep the items in the first aid kit protected from wet conditions as much as possible. Many store-bought first aid kits are sealed sufficiently well as to make them waterproof – some even have cases that float, which is quite handy in cases of venturing forth in,

around, or on the water.

Some liquids such as hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, iodine may still be found in sealed glass containers. Needless to say, such containers should be well protected

from accidental breakage.

Lastly, a note about cleanliness -- many first aid kits are taken right to the sight of a field trip and upon usage possibly exposed to dust, moisture, or other contaminants. First aid kits should be kept as clean as possible. It is not fun to open a kit and see the materials contained in it splattered or covered with dust and debris from the last trip. When items are dirt covered, one really must question the sterility of the contents. As they say, cleanliness is

next to… well, cleanliness.

To start out the new year, please, for safety’s sake, make sure the products in your first aid kit are fresh, clean, and have their seals tight. Insure that the supplies that should be in the kit are indeed in the kit. Also, please be

safe and consider getting those dates checked.

Safety Matters – Got a Date? Ellery Borow, EFMLS Safety Chair

Source: EFMLS News Vol 52, No. 4, February 2015

So What Do You Give a Rockhound Golfer for Christmas? A Wyoming Jade Putter! Mary Loose DeViney

For Christmas, my husband surprised me with a gift that included both

of my hobbies.

Wyoming nephrite jade took millions of years of extremely high pressure and temperatures to develop the micro-crystalline molecular structure and that is

what gives the putters such a unique feel.

The putters are ”flat lapped" on polishing machines to produce a mirror flat face. The weight of the head, the angle of the shaft and the loft of the face

are all within the "standards" of typical putter’s designs approved by USGA.

This is a great way to enjoy being a rockhound and a golfer.

THE VIRGINIA PEN—FEBRUARY 2015 Page 7

More Good News about EFMLS Wildacres Steve Weinberger, EFMLS Wildacres Committee Chair

Source: EFMLS News Vol 52, No. 4, February 2015

This year we are offering one lucky EFMLS club the chance to win a scholarship for one of its members to Wildacres (room and board, and class registration). The extra good news is that this is not a contest, raffle, or

application process.

Each time your club bulletin includes an article, set of pictures, poem, etc. about EFMLS Wildacres, the club earns a “point.” Articles may be a reprint from the EFMLS Newsletter or any individual’s personal contribution. (A photo array will count as 1 point.) The included items must appear in the December 2014 through June 2015 issues. In July we will inscribe your club’s name on a ticket for each point you have earned. This means that the more articles your club has over the seven months of the program, the better the chance of winning the scholarship.

After the drawing is held the winning club will be notified.

All your club has to do is to send me a copy of your newsletter via e-mail or snail mail each month ([email protected]) and you will automatically be entered. There are no applications or essays to submit

or tickets to buy.

Since the drawing will be in early summer, after the spring session and just before the late summer session, the scholarship will be for the 2016 year (either session) and will cover room and board and classes (materials fees for classes are not included, nor is transportation and lodging to and from

Wildacres.)

If your club wins, the method you use for selecting the recipient will be entirely up to your club; but we hope that it may afford someone who has never been able to attend the chance to do so. It can also be a nice reward

for a person who has done outstanding work for your club over the years.

Good luck and keep those articles coming.

—————————————————-

Editor’s Note: Pat and I went to the 2014 Fall Wildacres session and had a fabulous time! Here’s some photos

from our time there. See last month’s newsletter for a list of classes at both sessions.

A bear carved during a recent Sandy Cline

soapstone carving class at Wildacres.

See the minutes on pages 11 and 12 for notional upcoming meeting programs and

field trips. These are current thoughts and subject to change.

THE VIRGINIA PEN—FEBRUARY 2015 Page 8

Editor’s Note: The GMSVP Webmaster, Holly Worsham, submitted our recently refreshed website to the 2015 EFMLS Web Site Contest. An article from the EFMLS newsletter

below describes the contest and potential club benefits.

The deadline for submitting your entry in the 2015 EFMLS Web Site contest is February 1 - just

a couple weeks away.

Entering is very, very easy. Go to the AFMS website www. amfed.org, scroll down below the federation links and click on “2015 Web Site Contest.” Once there, just download the entry forms

and guidelines.

The forms you download are “fillable” forms so all you need is type in the required information, then e-mail it to me at [email protected]. Once I receive your entry it will be forwarded to the contest judges who will evaluate your site to determine the results. During the process, they will visit your web site numerous times, so it’s important that you

keep everything up-to-date.

Your web site is your club’s “Window to the World.” With so many people now relying on the internet for obtaining information, your site should be encouraging, inviting and full of information about your club to encourage visitors

and potential new members to attend and join.

What are the advantages of entering?

You will receive feedback via the score sheet that tells you what’s working well and what’s not so that you can

make adjustments for the future.

Your club will gain publicity via the EFMLS Newsletter (May issue) where we give the results of the contest. In

my experience, once results are announced, many will go to your site to learn about your club.

If your website scores within the top three in this contest, the information will be forwarded to AFMS for further evaluation by different judges who will look at entries from the six other regional federation competitions.

(You’ll then gain publicity through the AFMS Newsletter!)

Remember, the deadline for sending in your application is February 1. Don’t let that important date pass you

by...I’m anxious to see your club “Window to the World” and learn more about what your group is doing.

Web Site Contest Dan Imel, EFMLS Webmaster

Source: EFM LS News Vol 52, No. 4, February 2015

GMSVP February Program Dan Fontaine

Gary Bergtholdt and Walter Priest provided some basic earth science “Mineral Identification” training. In this program, Gary and Walter presented a good general overview of how to use mineral characteristics to identify them. Using samples of minerals from their collection, they discussed and

provided examples of color, streak, hardness, luster, cleavage, and specific gravity.

The Pebble Pups learned about Maps in support of their badge. Different types of maps were provided and

described. The meeting ended with a geography game which required them to travel to different airports on a

flight around the Earth. The kids also got their mineral of the month.

THE VIRGINIA PEN—FEBRUARY 2015 Page 9

Sara Phillips was honoured by the American Council of Engineering Companies as an ACEC Virginia's 2015 Rising Star. The Rising Star Award is presented to a professional with less than 15 years’ experience to recognize outstanding professionals who significantly contribute to their company's success. Sara is a 2005 graduate of Tennessee Technological University, serves as the Geotechnical Department Manager for ECS Mid-Atlantic. She oversees and coordinates technical activities, monitors foundation construction activities, conducts laboratory testing and analysis as well as managing resources, personnel and maintaining client relationships. She is one of six members of the ECS Mid-Atlantic presidential Advisory Committee. In addition, Sara is president for the Women's Transportation Seminar, Hampton Roads Chapter and is GeoVirginia's Marketing

Committee Chair. Sara volunteers for the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, the Fairfield Foundation, which cleans artefacts for the local archaeology organization and is a member and Field Trip Committee Chair for GMSVP.

GMSVP Member Honored Dan Fontaine

Source: American Council of Engineering Companies http://www.acecva.org/awards/49-newsletters/newsletters/782-

blasting-into-2015-acec-virginia-names-three-rising-stars.html

William Holland Retreat, Young Harris, GA Source: SFMS Website http://www.amfed.org/sfms/william-holland-retreat.html

Editor’s Note: GMSVP is a member of both the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies (EFMLS) and Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies

(SFMS).

The William Holland School of Lapidary Arts is situated on a mountain in north Georgia

near the North Carolina border. It is a Rockhound's Dream come true. Here, near Young Harris College, is a special school that is like no other in the United States. The serious

Rockhound can learn how to turn rough gems into family keepsakes. With dedication and determination, an

inspired group of hobbyists is making it possible for many others to enjoy the fruits of their knowledge.

The lapidary arts include all the skills that are required to make custom jewelry. At the William Holland School of Lapidary Arts, classes are taught by volunteer instructors in such procedures as faceting, silversmithing, the making of cabochons, wire crafting, wax modeling and casting, bead knotting and design, and opal cutting. Some weeks also include chain making, stained glass, basket making, and copper tooling. Gem and mineral identification classes are also offered. Students learn to use all the special tools and shop safety is stressed. Each

student carries home the fruits of his or her efforts as well as fond memories of new acquaintances.

The facilities include a main building (lodge) of two stories whose upper ground floor is like a motel with 29 bedrooms, each with a private bath and two beds, one double and one twin. Two bedrooms are equipped for the handicapped. The lower ground level contains 13 classrooms, the kitchen, and dining room. Each bedroom has a ceiling fan and air-conditioning was added during the 1997 season. A separate building, the Seabolt Building, houses the George Kasper Memorial Library. This building also has facilities for a campground with 10 spaces with full hookups. On September 1, 2001, we opened Mary Lou's Cottage. This building will be used by the

instructors. There are 8 bedrooms, a kitchen and common area.

The school is named for a deceased past president of the Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies. The creation of the William Holland School of Lapidary Arts was built through the personal philanthropy of Harold Sparks, another SFMS past president, and his wife Mary Lou. Much of the construction work was a volunteer effort of many members of the Southeast Federation. Furnishings and workshop equipment were donated by various clubs and societies in the Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies. Harold has passed away but

his family still operate the school for the benefit of rockhounds throughout the United States.

The school is operated from April through October with certain weeks being set aside for special workshops sponsored by and for members of the Southeast Federation. All rockhounds are eligible to participate during the remainder of the season. Classes are of one week duration, and the courses vary during the time the school is in

operation. A student takes one class for the week.

The workshop week begins on Sunday with check-in after 3 PM; dinner is at 6 PM. Classes start at 9 AM on Monday. Tuesday night is generally scheduled for an auction with items donated by students and instructors.

Proceeds go into classroom equipment and supplies.

THE VIRGINIA PEN—FEBRUARY 2015 Page 10

Editor’s Note: GMSVP is a member of both EFMLS and SFMS this year.

SFMS Workshop Dates: William Holland - June 7 – 13; Wildacres - August

17 – 23 & September 21 - 27

William Holland School of Lapidary Arts (www.lapidary.com) is located in

the mountains of north Georgia near the North Carolina border. Wildacres

Retreat (www.wildacres.org) is a privately owned conference center nestled

in the North Carolina mountains near Little Switzerland. Please visit their

websites for additional information.

Who May Attend: Anyone belonging to an SFMS club will be given 1st priority. SFMS members who are first-

time attendees or those taking a particular class for the first time will also receive 1st priority. Student under 18 are

welcome, but must be accompanied by a responsible adult and must have approval from the workshop director

and the instructor to attend an adult class. Members of other AFMS regional federations will be given 2nd priority

and may attend on a space available basis. Anyone not affiliated with SFMS / AFMS will receive 3rd priority and

may attend by paying an additional fee of $50.

Registration Procedure: Applications from members of SFMS clubs will be accepted as soon as the schedule is

posted. Applications from other regional federations and the public at large will be accepted beginning April 1.

Your club membership dues must be current and your club's dues to the Federation must also be paid before you

will be accepted as an SFMS member. If you have not received written confirmation of your application within 30

days, please contact the registrar or education chair.

Wildacres Tuition

Cost per person $370 double occupancy.

Single room with private bath $530.

Day Student tuition fee is $200 per person. No meals are included for

day students or campers. They are available from and payable directly

to the facility.

William Holland Tuition

Cost per person $370 double occupancy.

Single room with private bath $530.

Day Student or camper workshop tuition fee is $200 per person. No meals are included for day students or

campers. They are available from and payable directly to the facility.

Campsite fee (William Holland only) $320 (1 student) or $500 (2 students) per week.

Registration and Class Schedule

The application form is on the Registration page (SFMS Workshop Registration) and the course offerings are on

the Schedule Page (SFMS 2015 Workshops).

Source: http://www.sfmsworkshops.com/

THE VIRGINIA PEN—FEBRUARY 2015 Page 11

Attachment: GMSVP Logo Designs

The meeting was brought to order at 7:10 PM at Sandy Bottom Nature Center by the President, Walter Priest.

The minutes of the January meeting, which had been sent out to all members in the newsletter, were approved

without correction.

First Vice President, Brenda Hawks, reported that we currently have 58 active members. She plans to remind

members by e-mail to renew if they have not already done so.

Second Vice President, Barbara Priest, presented her programs ideas for the upcoming meetings. The

auction, which is usually held in April, will occur in March this year. In April, Sara Phillips will discuss her

travels in Brazil. Our annual picnic will take the place of our May meeting. Professor Chuck Bailey, William

and Mary Geology Department Chair, will speak at our June meeting. In July we will play Rock Bingo.

The Treasurer, Gary Bergtholdt, reported that our club has $13,429 in checking, $666 in savings, and $3667

in a CD, for a total of $17,762. He stated that he is searching for some member checks that have not yet been

cashed.

The Newsletter Editor, Dan Fontaine, requested that any submissions for articles for the February newsletter

be e-mailed to him by Wednesday, February 11th. He continues to work on the new editor guidelines with the

Special Congress Representing Involved Bulletin Editors (SCRIBE). He has submitted the newsletter and

several articles to the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies ( EFMLS) competition. The

results of the competition will be made public at the end of March.

Pictures of our proposed new logo and refurbished old logo were included in last month’s newsletter. (See

attachment.) They will be included in this month’s newsletter so that all members have the opportunity to

compare them before the vote at the March meeting.

Webmaster, Holly Worsham, discussed the possibility of other gem and mineral societies linking their websites

to ours. In particular, they are interested in sharing the plans for federation quality display cases. This is

permissible as long as they include the name of the plan designer, when they put it on their website. Holly has

also submitted the website to the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies competition. The Federation

will be contacting our board members by e-mail in order to score our responsiveness.

Michael Griffith reported that our Facebook page is up to date with some interesting articles. We currently

have 434 followers.

Although Sara Phillips, our field trip coordinator, was unable to be present for the meeting, she provided

Walter with a tentative schedule of field trips for the year. This may include visits to Morefield Mine, a coal

mine in West Virginia, Fairy Stone State Park, Grand Caverns, and other sites of geologic and mineralogical

interest. In addition, Al DeHart invited us to participate in the MAGMA-sponsored fossil collecting trip at

Pipsico on October 31, 2015. Al will also let us know details of another opportunity to visit the Lora Robins

Gallery in Richmond.

Minutes for the General Meeting of February 5, 2015 Pat Fontaine

THE VIRGINIA PEN—FEBRUARY 2015 Page 12

Property Chair Hank Woods indicated that he has not ordered the new wheels for the Genies yet. All the other

equipment is in good shape. The geodes that were ordered have been shipped and should arrive soon.

Walter recognized Kelly Mazzrillo for her hard work in preparing the Asian buffet for tonight’s meeting. Kelly is

planning to order pizza for the auction in March. She will e-mail a request for donations to help pay for the

pizza, as it gets closer to the date. She would also like to know members’ preferences for pizza.

In order to get items ready for the auction at the March meeting, members should gather at the shed on

Saturday February 21st at before10 AM.

Walter presented Renee Eichman with a token of appreciation for hosting workshops last year.

Robert Mazzrillo reported that the Treasures of the Earth (TOTE) show in Hampton will provide us with the

same amount of space that they give us in Virginia Beach. They are still discussing options for placing our

geode cutting saws. He also stated that the Indiana geodes are not available yet.

Bubba Ward suggested the possibility that the August meeting could be held on the usual night of the first

Thursday of the month, rather than on the 20th, if we would be willing to meet in the pavilion rather than the

Nature Center.

New business:

Al DeHart informed us that there will be an exciting opportunity to learn faceting from expert

John Dartez, once he retires. He plans a 4-5 day class, 8 hours a day. He will let us know

once this class is available.

The business portion of the meeting was adjourned at 7:50 PM so that all members could enjoy the

raffle and door prizes.

This was followed by Gary Bergtholdt and Walter Priest’s presentation of the program “Mineral

Identification.” In this program, Gary and Walter provided a good general overview of how we may

use mineral characteristics to identify them. They discussed and provided examples of color, streak,

hardness, luster, cleavage, and specific gravity.

ATTACHMENT (1)

Minutes for the General Meeting of February 5, 2015 (Cont’d) Pat Fontaine

THE VIRGINIA PEN—FEBRUARY 2015

AFMS Code of Ethics

I will respect both private and public property and will do no collecting on privately

owned land without the owner’s permission.

I will keep informed on all laws, regulations of rules governing collecting on public lands and will ob-

serve them.

I will to the best of my ability, ascertain the boundary lines of property on which I plan to collect.

I will use no firearms or blasting material in collecting areas.

I will cause no willful damage to property of any kind - fences, signs, buildings.

I will leave all gates as found.

I will build fires in designated or safe places only and will be certain they are completely

extinguished before leaving the area.

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 supply.

I will cause no willful damage to collecting material and will take home only what I can reasonably use.

I will practice conservation and undertake to utilize fully and well the materials I have

collected and will recycle my surplus for the pleasure and benefit of others.

I will support the rockhound project H.E.L.P. (Help Eliminate Litter Please) and

Will leave all collecting areas devoid of litter, regardless of how found.

I will cooperate with field trip leaders and those in designated authority in all collecting areas.

I will report to my club or Federation officers, Bureau of Land management or other authorities, any

deposit of petrified wood or other materials on public lands which should be protected for the

enjoyment of future generations for public educational and scientific purposes.

I will appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources.

I will observe the “Golden Rule”, will use “Good Outdoor Manners” and will

at all times conduct myself in a manner which will add to the stature and

Public “image” of rockhounds everywhere.

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