By Bural LaRue, CFMS President
I continue to hear “what does CFMS do for us? Why should we belong to CFMS?”
Sounds to me that some of us are falling down on our jobs. I hope you know what I mean when I say us. It begins with all CFMS officers, Committee persons and Directors who are not consistently telling our clubs and societies about what the Federation does to help. If you are already doing this, keep up the good work; if not, read on and pass along the information. Remember you are the HEART and the VOICE of this great Federation.
We have a great insurance plan overseen by Bud McMillin. Bud is an insurance professional who volunteers his time to help the clubs with insurance issues. He is the point of contact when your club has an insurance issue or question.
Earth Science Studies is overseen by Marion Roberts. He organizes three fun filled weeks of educational activity each year at Zzyzx and Camp Paradise. Over 200 students of all ages participate—you can be one of them. If you haven’t been to one of our camps yet, you’re overdue. Come join us at Camp Paradise in September.
Another of our great volunteers who never receives enough recognition is Don Ogden. Don chairs the Internet committee and is responsible for that
wonderful website we’ve become accustomed to visiting on a regular basis.
Do you have juniors in your club? Talk to Jim Brace-Thompson about starting a junior program. He will help you with suggestions on how to get started. Be sure to visit the Kids Booth at the show in June. Jim has all sorts of exciting activities lined up.
Concerned about the public lands? We have 5 volunteers who are eager to help—Norvie Enns, Frank Monez, Glen Miller, John Martin and Jim Strain. I can remember Jim leading a field trip into Mexico back when I still had black hair—that was a long time ago.
Looking for a nearby show to visit? Check out the newsletter for the listing compiled by Susan Chaisson-Walblom. Don also lists the shows on the website.
I could go on and on listing the names of all those volunteers who work hard on your behalf. I am but one voice—you Directors are many. I need your help. Take a newsletter to your next meeting. When time comes for your report, read your officers and chairmen’s roster to your club. These are the people who work for you. All are volunteers who give their time and talents freely so you can enjoy the fruits of the Federation. I will continue this message in the August newsletter.
Have a great day and a better tomorrow. Remember, have fun!
By Fred Ott
Just a reminder: there will be no CFMS
newsletter for the month of July. We’ve
received a LOT of great articles for the
first 6 newsletters of 2008, and I
encourage the “regular” contributors as
well as other CFMS members to submit
articles of interest for the remainder of 2008.
By Jim Brace-Thompson
With the 2008 CFMS Show drawing ever closer, I wish to reiterate my call for help…
Help by calling me to volunteer your time
assisting in the Kids Booth during the show.
We'll have several on-going activities
(the traditional spinning wheel, grab bags,
and sand-sifting, along with Paint-a-Fossil,
jewelry making, mineral identification, and more),
all of which will need your help to conduct and oversee.
Remember: There is no local club running the show this year.
We need volunteers from ALL clubs throughout the Federation
to come up with the necessary person-power to make the show a success.
Please call me today if you and/or someone you know will be attending
the show and will be able to pitch in. We need volunteers who can commit
to two-and-a-half-hour shifts. For each day of the show (Friday, June 27,
through Sunday, June 29), we need to fill shifts for 9:30 AM to Noon, Noon to
2:30 PM, and 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM. I'll especially need help on Saturday, given t
hat I'll be tied up that morning in the CFMS meetings.
By Dot Beachler
The past two months I have asked each club to evaluate the All American Program.
Now, the AFMS would like an evaluation of several awards programs. I will list these programs:
Club Publications (Bulletin Editors Contest)
Program Competition
Uniform Rules & Competitive Exhibiting
AFMS Rockhound of the Year
Education – All American
Again, I will pose the same questions for each club to consider:
- Did you participate in the program? If not, why not?
- Do you plan to enter in the program in the future?
- hould the program remain the same?
- Should the program be changed?
- Should the program be eliminated?
Your replies are important. This information will be considered at the AFMS meeting later this year.
By Loretta Ogden
Hey everybody; listen up! The Cracker Barrel this year is going to be tons of fun!
So, if you are planning to come to the show, do yourself a favor and be there Friday evening by 7:00 pm.
You will not be sorry. I am keeping it a secret, so I will not tell you what is planned,
but I swear to you, YOU will have FUN and it won’t cost you a thing.
Come meet your Officers and see them in different rolls (whoops, I mean “roles”).
Hint…….. Come One Come All! Yippy Ky Yay!
By Elizabeth K. Myers
Mornings at the ranch are a peaceful time. The night chill is still in the air and the world smells fresh.
When I bring my does to the milk stand I ask them – “Got any milk for me today?”
That reminded me of the El Dorado Mineral & Gem Society’s acrylic display at the senior center that says,
“Got Rocks?” And I smile, very clever of the El Dorado folks. Now I’m off and running on this mornings quiet thoughts.
In previous articles highlighting some of the successful approaches of clubs to revitalize their membership,
there are several common denominators. Each club spoke of a dedicated core group of participating members who
form the nucleus of the club. These are the motivators, leaders and general “make it happen” people.
These are the members who display, demonstrate, plan, arrange, edit newsletters, hold offices,
represent the club at the CFMS business meetings, are field trip leaders, run the shop, give speeches,
sit on committees and a whole lot more. The heart of any club and I can hear the beat of many hearts in unison.
In the Dr. Seuss book, Horton Hears a Who, it took some doing to get the message out – “We Are Here! We Are Here!”
By Loretta Ogden
The San Diego Mineral & Gem Society is fortunate to have a member who could qualify
for this award each year going back to 1995. But for this year, 2008, I’d like to put
forth the following things this person has been responsible for:
- Editor of Pegmatite, bulletin of the SDMG
- Board of Directors
- Treasurer
- SDMG Annual Show Secretary
- Barbecue Committee
- Assistant Cabochon Instructor
- Christmas Pot Luck Chair
- Donations to SDMG committee
-- Registrar for Sinkankas
Symposium (This is in conjunct-
tion with GIA each year)
- School/Scout Outreach program
- Scout Geology Badge program
- San Diego County Fair – Mineral &
Gem Section Asst. Coordinator
- High School Science Olympiad
instruction in rocks & Minerals
Half of this would be impressive; but this lady has done all of this for a number of years, not just 2008.
She’s been President and Vice President on a number of occasions, Membership Chair, and all this since 1993
when she joined the Society. Recognizing her efforts on behalf of the club, she was made a Life Member in 2005.
She’s also in the AFMS Bulletin Editor’s Hall of Fame and has received honors as editor of the bulletin.
Additionally, this does not include her enthusiasm and participation in field trips and other SDMG events.
I’d like to introduce you to: ANNE SCHAFER, member extraordinaire! If ever a club is lucky enough to have a
member like this, treat them like the treasure they are….
Shirley Leeson
SDMG Federation Director
By Isabella Burns
Speakers
- Friday, June 27, 1:00 p.m.:
- Bob Jones, world-wide lecturer on Earth Science topics, will present a slide program
and lecture entitled “America’s Finest Minerals” (based upon the 2008 Tucson Show). Bob is Chief Editor of the
Rock and Gem Magazine.
- Friday, June 27, 2:30 p.m.:
- Greg Wilkenson from the Bakersfield BLM office will give a short update of “Desert Uses and Restrictions”,
followed by a Question-and-Answer and Suggestion period. Every person who has an interest in field trips should attend this program.
- Saturday, June 28, 1:00 p.m.:
- Bob Jones will provide us with another of his talks entitled “Selenite in the Caves of Mexico”.
Bob will be sharing his personal experiences in these caves.
- Saturday, June 28, 2:30 p.m.:
- Walt Wright, the World’s most famous authority on petrified wood, will present his program entitled “Petrified Wood of the World”.
- Sunday, June 29, 11:00 a.m.:
- Mike Beaumont is a geologist who will present a Power-Point program entitled “Planetary
Geology of Jupiter and its Moons”. We will find information about earthquakes on the moons of Jupiter to be very intriguing.
- Sunday, June 29, 1:30 p.m.:
- Stephen P. Mulqueen, a geologist who has studied many areas of the United States, will present
“Evaporative Minerals of Searles Lake”. He worked for Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation for several years.
By Dave Muster, CFMS Field Trip North
We had about 30 people attend the Field Trip Seminar in Pittsburg.
It was a wealth of knowledge shared and enjoyed by all. Many questions
were answered such as Can we collect rocks on Army Corp of Engineer land? Can we collect in Wilderness areas?
Dave Muster explained how to investigate your field trip area for legality
of collecting on different types of public lands and the BLM mapping systems and resources.
Dennis Freiburger discussed practical GPS and digital maps. We learned how to plan a
field trip with a GPS from our home. With a laptop computer and a GPS mapping program,
routes can be logged with points or a continuous line and even printed out in the field
with a portable printer. A trip you already set up at home before going.
Dick Pankey reminded us how important the responsibilities are of a person attending
a field trip. If a person is not ready to go on time with their food, water, car gassed
and having proper tools, it can adversely affect the whole group. Be ready and be prepared.
People who do not listen to the leader’s instructions may return late and forever cause the field trip to be canceled.
The seminar ended with a raffle with rockhound prizes and a great hot dog lunch. Thank you all Contra Costa club.
Now the weather is perfectly beautiful for rockhounds. It’s sunny and cool up in the Sierra foothills.
I have been an agate rockhound for 46 years and this weather is some of the best. I have been working or
mining different areas for moss agate, chrysocolla, jadite and gold. The next CFMS Field Trip seminar
will be on Staking a Mining Claim. So do not miss it!
By Bud McMillin and
Patt McDaniel
“Hi, Patt: Three or four times a year, we get a call from a member society wanting to know if our CFMS
liability policy covers members that injure themselves while participating in a society function.” - Bud
This is the most common question, Bud. In any claim, the company will investigate what actually
happened to determine the cause of the accident and the responsible parties. If there is disagreement
between the parties involved, it may go to court.
When we see someone injured, we naturally want them receive help. Insurance can sometimes provide
monetary help. There are many types of insurance that might apply. The key factor with insurance is:
Who is responsible for the injury? When we injure ourselves, we know to apply to our personal health
insurance policy. If someone else is responsible for our injuries, we may expect them to compensate us for our costs.
The General Liability covers the clubs and those working for the club for their legal responsibility
to other persons. Say Joe is setting up a display for the Anytown Rock Club. The display falls over
and breaks the arm of Frank, who has come to see the show. Frank says he wants Joe to pay his medical
bills and compensate for his pain and suffering and disability. The company will provide legal defense
for Joe (and the Anytown Rock Club), even if it appears he is not responsible (for example, if Frank’s
dog, attacked Joe, causing the accident). If it is deemed that Joe is at fault, however, the company
would pay the settlement amount, within the policy limits.
Perhaps it will help if we consider what coverages might be available if we, ourselves, are injured.
Most people would understand that there would be coverage on a health insurance policy when we injure ourselves.
If someone else is responsible for our injuries, such as in an accident caused by someone else,
we might look to them to pay for our injuries. If we are doing work as an employee for someone else,
we would expect coverage on a workers compensation policy. If we are doing volunteer work for an organization,
that organization might have accident coverage, but many organizations do not. CFMSI does not currently
have volunteer or participant accident coverage.
If an injured party wants to hold an owner or manager responsible for injury on a premises
(due to the condition of the premises), premises liability coverage would apply. Premises
liability is one that needs to be scheduled. If a club owns a workshop, this coverage must be added to the policy.
If a club holds a meeting on the premises of another, that other should be added as additional insured
if there is to be coverage on the CFMSI policy for any premises related injury. Forms to make these additions
can be found on the CFMS website and , of course, you can always call our office with your specific questions.
We will soon have electronically fillable forms on our new web site. Visit us there at http://www.mcdanielinsuranceservices.com/ .
Patt Wilson McDaniel,
McDaniel Insurance Services,
phone 805-646-9948, fax 805-646-997, toll free 800-400-7288,
mcins@west.net, CA DOI #0820481
By Ray Quitoriano
Just a reminder……
The CFMS Endowment Fund will be having a fundraising raffle at the CFMS show in Ventura.
So far, we have had a metal detector and other items donated through Bural LaRue.
Thanks, Bural! Now we are asking for help from all of the CFMS clubs to donate at
least one item for the raffle. No item is too big or too small! Bring ‘em all!
A precedence set by Ray Meisenheimer will be continued: we will have no shame and will beg,
borrow or steal! As long as it’s all for a good cause! So, please, don’t make us steal…bring
your items to the Endowment Fund table at the show, or give them to your Director to bring
along to the meeting at the show! Thank you all in advance for your generosity and help!
By Lois Allmen
Note to Directors: the following is for discussion at our meeting June 28, 2008 in Ventura. Please discuss this with your clubs.
We are all aware that costs have and are rising. Therefore it should come as no surprise that
we have been running a deficit ship for several years- both CFMS and AFMS. So neither should it
come as a surprise that it gets harder to pay the bills. Our officers and many of our chairmen
have not been asking for reimbursement of their many expenses on our behalf. This has helped somewhat.
AFMS is proposing that our dues be raised $.25 per member. As a result, our CFMS Executive Board
is suggesting a raise in dues of $.50 per member; $.25 to go to AFMS and $.25 to remain with CFMS.
Currently: AFMS receives $.50 + proposed $.25 =$.75 per member. CFMS receives $1.50 +
proposed $.50= $2.00 per member. Currently $1.00 remains with CFMS; $ .50 goes to AFMS.
$6.00 fee for basic liability insurance for every member of the CFMS. A total of $7.50 +
proposed $.50 = $8.00 per member. AFMS Directors will be voting on the increase at their
September meeting in Texas. CFMS Directors will be voting at their Directors meeting in
November, 2008, in Visalia. Implementation, depending on the vote, will take place January 1, 2009.
Please give this your careful consideration. What things can, or won’t, happen depend on the way you vote?
Your CFMS President Bural LaRue had an excellent item on this subject in his President's
Message in the CFMS Newsletter of March 2008. A good idea to read it!
By
EMERGENCY CLOSURE EFFECTIVE MAY 1, 2008 OF 31,000 ACRES WITHIN THE
CLEAR CREEK MANAGEMENT AREA
INFORMATION FACT SHEET
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began conducting a study in 2004 on asbestos exposures
experienced by CCMA users during typical recreational activities. The study was conducted to provide
BLM with information to manage and minimize human health risks at the CCMA and to update a similar study conducted by the BLM in 1992.
On May 1, 2008 the EPA released the report, “CCMA Asbestos Exposure and Human Health Risk Assessment.”
The report stated the exposures measured by EPA for many recreational activities at CCMA are “above
the EPA acceptable risk range of lifetime cancers.” It also notes that children “have greater risk
than adults due to higher exposure measurements [and] are of special concern because their exposures occur earlier in their lives.
Based on the findings in the report, BLM simultaneously enacted an immediate temporary closure on
May 1, 2008 of 31,000 acres of the area to all public access/entry upon release of the EPA report
while a Resource Management Plan (RMP) to determine the long-term management of the area is underway.
The BLM’s number one priority is to protect the public’s health and safety.
Over the next two years, BLM will be preparing a Resource Management Plan and Environmental
Impact Statement to guide the long-term management of public lands within the CCMA. EPA and
BLM will host a public meeting to discuss the results of the EPA Human Health Risk Assessment
and BLM will discuss the need for the temporary emergency closure on May 8, 2008.
The Fee Program has been suspended and partial refunds will be issued to all persons who purchased a Season Pass.
For More Information
Contact the Hollister Field Office
(831) 630-5000
or visit our website at http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/hollister/clear_creek_management_area.html
By John Martin
BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!
Modoc National Forest Seeks Comments on Motorized Routes
The Modoc National Forest is formulating a new travel plan that will limit
ALL vehicle use to designated roads, trails and areas. On May 12, 2008,
the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare Environmental Impact Statements (EIS)
was published in the Federal Register, beginning the formal NEPA (National Environmental Process Act) process for travel management.
The Forest Service (FS) is asking for your input during the 30-day public
scoping comment period, which will run through June 11, 2008.
The FS estimates they will be completed with the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) by September 30, 2008, with completion of the Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS) by the end of December 2008.
Copies of the Scoping Letter, Notices of Intent, Detailed maps and data
tables showing the proposed designated roads and trails are available on the
Modoc National Forest website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/modoc/recreation/ohv/route-designation/route-designation.shtml.
Send written comments to:
Travel Management Team
Modoc National Forest
800 W 12 Street
Alturas, CA 96101
Electronic comments, acceptable in plain text (.txt), rich text (.rft),
or Word (.doc), may be emailed to modoc.route.designation@fs.fed.us.
For additional information, or to schedule a Forest Service person to talk
to your group, call Laura Williams at (530) 233-8713 or Kathleen Borovac at
(530) 233-8754. You can also send an email to: modoc.route.designation@fs.fed.us.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact BRC.
Thanks in advance for your involvement!
Brian Hawthorne
Public Lands Policy Director
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102
By Chuck McKie
(Via Jennifer Haley,
Napa Valley Rock and Gem Club)
For many of us, spring is the beginning of our rock hunting season each year.
We wait through the winter dreaming about when we can get back out to our favorite
haunting grounds while eagerly keeping an eye on how low the creeks are getting so
we can safely cross them once again. Rattlesnakes are beginning to enjoy the weather
too, basking on warm rocks and foot paths. They pretty much like the same places
rockhounds do and even like a little shade come summer. Each year is a new year
and a good time to refresh our minds and our new members about what we would need t
o do in case of an emergency. A refresher course on safety tips is always a good idea
and makes a good program for all ages. If needed, you will be able to handle the situation with a sense of calm.
California Poison Control has changed what we were taught to do years ago for a snake bite.
If bitten, wash the area with soap and water and apply a cool wet cloth if available. Don’t apply
ice. Bites on the arm and hand area require all jewelry and watches removed. Don’t apply a tourniquet,
instead immobilize the area with a splint that’s not too tight and keep the bite area below heart level.
Keep the person calm and if possible lying down. Don’t cut into the bite or try to suck the venom out.
Get to a hospital quickly, and call the ER on the way there to let them know you are coming in with a snake bite.
Prevention: Wear loose fitting long pants and wear boots that cover your ankles.
The most common areas where people get bitten are the hands, feet and ankles.
Carry a walking stick to poke rocks and logs with before you sit down. Check sleeping bags
and picnic quilts before using. Check under parked vehicles before entering or using the bed of your truck.
Never stick your hands or fingers into rock piles or thick grass to get that rock unless you have taken every
precaution to know there isn’t a snake there. Avoid underbrush. Rattlesnakes can swim and may be resting on
floating branches. Remember, most of the time the snake will rattle to warn you but, not always. Other states
and desert areas have additional recommendations for their areas about snakes and other critters so check
with their poison control office or Fish and Game before your road trip. Be smart, stay safe and happy rock hunting.
Thanks, Jennifer!!
By Dee Holland,
Rules Chairperson
For those of you who will be exhibiting as non-competitive exhibitors, please see me on Thursday,
the day of the set-up, if you want your exhibit evaluated and we will put you on the list.
Exhibits will be evaluated on Sunday afternoon after 2pm till tear-down.
Good luck to all of you who choose to display competitively. You will get a fair shake from the judges.
Currently I have received one request to attend a club show and evaluate cases for their club members.
This will be the Ventura Club, in care of Jim Brace-Thompson and the show will be in March, 2009.
If you want to see me at the coming show, and discuss the possibilities, let me know.
If I can't make your show, I'm hoping I can find a judge that is available.
By Dick Pankey
The CFMS Field Trips–North Seminar was hosted by the Contra Costa M&GS on Saturday,
April 12, 2008 at the Community Presbyterian Church, in Pittsburg, CA. We had a very
good attendance of 26 people including 11 from CCM&GS. Registration began at 8:30 AM with coffee and muffins and the seminar started at 9:00. The seminar addressed what you need to know about determining land status, choosing and reading maps, GPS and digital maps, and responsibilities of field trip attendees. The three presenters were Dave Muster, Dennis Freiburger and me. Dave spoke on types of land, i.e. various government lands and private, and our rights and obligations on each; on finding visual markers and relating them to maps; and claims and checking claim status with BLM and County Assessors. Dennis spoke on Practical GPS and Digital Maps. He covered the why and how of using a GPS and what all it can be used for. Next he talked about digital maps with several examples. He concluded with how to couple a GPS with digital maps on a computer and what it can do for you now. I concluded the seminar presentations and talked about Field Trip Fliers, Guidelines for field trip attendees, the Waiver of Liability form, and the Rockhound Sticker, its purposes and uses.
A raffle of donated items was held to help defray the expenses of the Seminar.
Mary Hicks donated a digital map program for the computer; Wal-Mart donated a California map book,
a digital compass and a regular compass and my neighbor (who is an automotive supply distributor)
donated several flashlights, socket/tool sets and other items, and the California Geological Survey
donated several nice posters. We had over 20 items. Several people won more than one item.
For lunch, we served large dinner hot dogs on a large bun from Costco, with all of the trimmings,
chips, cookies and a can of pop. It was a good lunch and everyone ate their fill.
I had a lot of help putting on the Seminar. A SPECIAL BIG THANK YOU to all of the Contra
Costa M&GS members who helped put on this seminar. And BIG THANK YOU to Dave Muster for planning and arranging for the seminar.
This was a great seminar: very interesting and important for all rockhounds. Easy and fun to put on
and a great day with other rockhounds!
By Cheri George
“SENIOR TRAVELERS”
A travel agent looked up from his desk to see an old lady and an old gentleman
peering in the shop window at the posters showing the glamorous destinations around the world.
The agent had had a good week and the dejected couple looking in the window gave him a rare feeling of generosity.
He called them into his shop: “I know that on your pension, you could never hope to have a holiday,
so I am sending you off to a fabulous resort at my expense, and I won't take no for an answer.”
He took them inside and asked his secretary to write two flight tickets and book a room in a five-star hotel.
They, as can be expected, gladly accepted and were off! About a month later, the little old lady came in to his shop.
“And how did you like your holiday?” the agent asked eagerly. “The flight was exciting and the room was lovely,”
she said. “I've come to thank you but, one thing puzzles me. Just who was that old guy I had to share the room with?”
(ACTUALLY, SOME OF US ASK THAT SAME QUESTION EVERY MORNING!!)
By Frank Monez
"Geology and mining history field trips"
(BLM-California, Bakersfield Field Office)
The Bureau of Land Management and Buena Vista Museum of Natural History have initiated a program of earth science field trips to points of mineralogic, geologic, paleontologic and historic interest throughout central California. These trips are designed for persons of high school age and older." Dr. Gregg Wilkerson has led many of these tours, and more are scheduled. Reservations are required.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bakersfield/Programs/geology/fieldtrips.html
July 13, 2008: Santa Maria-Carrizo Plain-Cuyama Valley
This trip starts in Santa Maria and investigates the geology of the Santa Margarita Lake region
including the Rinconada and La Panza mining districts. The tour continues on Highway 58 to the
Carrizo Plains for a look at the San Andreas Fault. The tour ends with a private showing of
the Luis Bonilla Ranchero and Una Halford Chumash artifact collection in New Cuyama.
October 13-15, 2008: Mother Lode III: Northern Mines
This 3-day field conference looks at the structure, stratigraphy and geologic history of the
Northern Mines of the Mother Lode in Sierra and Plumas Counties. Friday's trip in Grass Valley
will explore the North Star Power house and Empire Mine. Saturday, we journey to Edward’s Crossing,
Malikoff Diggings, Forest Hill, Downieville, and the Kentucky Mine. We end Saturday in Quincy.
Sunday's trip will be from Quincy to the Walker Basin. We will go through Taylorsville, see the
Englesmine and other mines of the Walker Basin. The program ends in Portola.
