— December 2020 —
Table of Contents
- Prez Says
- From Our Secretary
- Wishing Everyone Well
- Club Membership Forms
- Fredericksburg Rockhounds Minutes
- This Month’s Events
- Birthstone & Flowers
- Birthdays
- Newsletter Hard Copies & Mail-Outs
- Ads
- Club Info
- Club Officers and Committee Chairs
- Monthly Meeting Map
- Newsletter Articles and Club Info
- Print This Newsletter
Prez Says
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a new year. This has not been a good year for having our meetings and potlucks. Let’s all hope next year is better.
That being said, I have to be the bearer of bad news, we will not be able to have our annual show in January. Our Christmas meeting is also not going to happen this year. The Golden Hub is still closed and COVID-19 has not gone away. Holiday gatherings may also spread the virus.
I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe.
In January instead of having the show we should try to go on a field trip. The show was scheduled for the 16th and 17th; would that be a good time for a field trip? If so give me a call at 325-248-1067. I will put a location and time in the next newsletter. Be thinking of where you would want to go. I was thinking of the Llano and James River crossing in Mason. We could also make a stop on Fly Gap Road. Let me know.
Joke for the month:
Your hands are dripping with blood, your clothes are torn and covered in clay, every muscle in your body is in agony, you are totally dehydrated and you find yourself thinking: “This has been the best day of my life.”
—Frank Rowell
President
From Our Secretary
At the next Rockhound’s meeting (whenever that might be!), we will consider and vote on the following change to our constitution will be considered:
Article VII, Section 1
K. When circumstances call for immediate action, the President is authorized to act on behalf of the organization. The Executive Council will be notified of this activity at its next regular meeting.
Also, please note that the Executive Council voted via email not to collect dues for 2021 since so many meetings have been cancelled due to COVID-19.
—Brenda Smith
Secretary
Wishing Everyone Well
As you all are no doubt aware, we are under a global pandemic brought upon by a coronavirus named COVID-19. We want everyone to stay safe during this crisis and since it is ever-changing (even by the hour!) here some places you can go online to keep up to date regarding COVID-19.
This first link is for the World Health Organization’s advice for the public:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
Next up is a link for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html
The last two links are specifically relevant for us Texans and they go directly to Department of State Health Service on the Texas.gov website:
https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/
https://dshs.texas.gov/news/updates.shtm#coronavirus
May we all gather soon and hunt rocks. Be safe everybody!
Club Membership Forms
Membership application forms for the Fredericksburg Rockhounds are now available to download and print from our website. Please navigate to the new Resources Page located at this address:
http://fredericksburgrockhounds.org/resources/
Once there, simply click the link for the 2018 Membership Form to download or print a PDF copy.
Fredericksburg Rockhounds Meeting Minutes
There are no minutes for this month’s meeting as it was cancelled due the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
This Month’s Events
*** With health guidelines issued concerning the COVID-19 virus, most shows and events are being cancelled and rescheduled. Before making your plans, please use the information provided in each listing to contact the presenters to verify the status of the event. As always, BE SAFE! ***
There are no events that we are aware of for this month.
- For more shows at later dates, or outside Texas, visit www.rockngem.com
December’s Birthstone & Flowers
The December birthstone is the turquoise; the flower are the narcissus and the holly.
 Turquoise |
 Narcissus |
 Holly |
Turquoise is found most often in very dry areas where volcanic activity has occurred. Unlike many other gems, turquoise is opaque rather than translucent. Its blue-green color can vary from sky blue or greenish blue to pale green or greenish gray. Bluer stones are considered more valuable and contain more copper.
The holly symbolizes your wish for domestic happiness. Although some animals and birds enjoy holly berries, they are semi-toxic to humans.
The narcissus conveys that you want your beloved to stay just the way they are. While there are many types of narcissus, the paperwhite is the winter-growing variety and the birth flower for December.
- Majoros, Martie. “December Birthstone: Color and Meaning.” Almanac.com. Yankee Publishing, Inc. n.d. October 17, 2018.
- “December Birth Flower.” Alamanac.com. Yankee Publishing, Inc. n.d. October 17, 2018.
Happy Birthday!
- Beth Fawcett — December 1
- Lynn Harris — December 3
- John Crone, HLM — December 6
- Beth Brady — December 7
- Andrea Webb — December 7
- Judy Steele — December 8
- Alicia Martinez — December 11
- Devon MacDonald — December 12
- Lola Post — December 12
- Leonard Brown — December 14
- Greg Ahrendt — December 15
- Judy Adams — December 18
- Larry Gardner — December 19
- Kenneth Verstuyft — December 26
- Judy Lackey — December 29
- Robert Little — December 29
- Jorge Chavez — December 30
— Please note: If we missed your birthday or have listed it incorrectly, please let us know so we can correct it! fbgrockhoundsnews@gmail.com
Newsletter Hard Copies & Mail-Outs
The club will no longer mail out hard copies of the newsletter to members. Those who have provided the club with an email address will continue to receive notifications via email when the newsletter is published for viewing online.
To print your own copy of this edition of the newsletter, go to the section titled “Print This Newsletter” and follow the simple directions.
If you need a hard copy of the newsletter each month and cannot access the online newsletters — http://fredericksburgrockhounds.org/newsletter/ — to print your own, then please let an officer of the club know and arrangements can be made to assist you.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask us.
— Josh Hazer, fbgrockhoundsnews@gmail.com
Your ad here for $25/year
For more information, please contact the newsletter editors by emailing us at:
Club Info
- Purpose of the Fredericksburg Rockhounds:
To share knowledge and appreciation of gems, minerals, fossils, and other natural wonders, and the art of jewelry making. We do this through educational monthly meetings, field trips, an annual gem, mineral, & fossil show, and donations to schools. We’re affiliated with the American Federation of Mineral Societies, and the South Central Federation of Mineral Societies. - Membership and Meetings:
We meet at 7:00 P.M. on the first Monday of each month at the Golden Hub Senior Center, 1009 N Lincoln, Fredericksburg, Texas (except in June, when we have our annual picnic). See map, below. - Annual dues are $3 for juniors (under 19 years), $8 for individuals, and $15 for families; due in January.
- Newsletter correspondence and newsletter advertising: fbgrockhoundsnews@gmail.com
- All other correspondence: Fredericksburg Rockhounds, 412 S. Adams St, Fredericksburg TX 78624
- Visit our website at fredericksburgrockhounds.org for more club info, field trip news, club photos, resources, and previous newsletters.
Club Officers and Committee Chairs
Club Officers for 2020:
- President: Frank Rowell
- 1st Vice President: Steve Perez – (817) 404-9789
- 2nd Vice President: Joe DeHoyos
- Past President: Lee Adams – (830) 796-8890
- Treasurer: Jim Gedeon – (830) 456-5419
- Secretary: Brenda Smith – (830) 895-9630
Committee Chairs:
- Programs: Joe DeHoyos
- Field Trips: Patti Felts – (325) 247-6040
and Sam Rodgers – (210) 240-7721 - Hospitality: Susan Olson – (830) 997-8516
- Membership: Virginia Adian – (830) 755-6105
- Historian: Sara Verstuyft – (830) 998-7350
- Media Equipment: John Crone – (830) 990-9823
- Annual Show: Vacant
- Newsletter: Josh Hazer
Monthly Meeting Map
Newsletter Articles and Club Info
Articles for each month’s newsletter must be received by the 15th of the month.
Send them to your newsletter editor via email: fbgrockhoundsnews@gmail.com
You may also use the form on our Contact Page to submit your articles:
http://fredericksburgrockhounds.org/contact-us
A copy of the Club MEMBERSHIP LIST is available TO MEMBERS ONLY, via email (or paper mail if necessary). Contact Virginia Adian at v.adian@gvtc.com or 830-755-6105
The Club CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS are posted on our website: fredericksburgrockhounds.org/constitution
Print This Newsletter
To print this newsletter, click the following link to open the Print Dialog of your browser.
If you have any questions, just drop us a line and we’ll be happy to help you.