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BRECCIA
Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society
Volume 67 Number 5 June 2020
Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society
San Jose, CA
Breccia
June 2020
Keeping Our Club Members Connected When the Zombie Apocalypse (Coved 19) started, we had “shelter in place” and “social distancing”,
meaning, no group meetings. Our illustrious and forward thinking president, Michele Smith, felt that it
was a good idea to keep the club engaged and members in contact with each other. To do this, she
became familiar with Zoom and started setting up general membership meetings and board meetings.
We invite our membership to join us, and in the spirit of keeping meetings open to guests, we invite you
readers to join our next meeting So you ask, “What do I need to connect to your Zoom meeting?” The
answer is that you can connect by computer, cell phone, tablet, or land line. New technology can always
be a little scary, but we as a club are figuring it out, and we can offer help.
We invite you to join us. Our next meeting is Tuesday, June 23 at 7:45 PM.
If you would like to join to see how a meeting using Zoom works, please send an email to:
[email protected] . If you are already familiar with Zoom, let her know, and she will send
you the information to join the meeting. If you need help setting up Zoom, let her know, and she will
walk you through setting up the program.
Again. Michele, you rock! Thank you for keeping us connected.
by Frank Mullaney
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Calendar of Coming Events
June 7-13 - Field Trip to Delta, UT (tentative)
June 18-24 - Field Trip to Prineville Area (tentative)
June 14 - Founder’s Day Picnic (Cancelled)
June 23- General Meeting at 7:30 probably by using
Zoom
June 25 Board Meeting on Zoom or at board
member’s home, to be determined.
July 28- General Meeting at 7:30 probably by using
Zoom, but we will update you when we know.
July 30 Board Meeting on Zoom or at board
member’s home, to be determined.
All of the events including Smithies will resume
again when it is safe to do so. The schedule shown
is tentative.
Tentative Field Trips Check with the coordinator for details. His email
is shown below.
June 7th-June 13th, Sunday-Saturday
Delta UT, Dugway Geode Beds, Drum Mountain.
Agate, Obsidian, Malachite, Azurite
Other areas to be determined.
June 18th-June 24th, Thursday-Wednesday
Prineville Pow Wow, rock show and field trips
Drive time is about 9 hours.
Followed by Virgin Valley, Rainbow Ridge
Field Trip Coordinator: Stephen May
Email: [email protected]
Index Continued
Page 1 Keeping our Club Membership Connected
Page 2
Calendar of Coming Events
Field Trips
Page 3
President’s Message with Photos
Page 4-5
Tribute to our Vendors and Demonstrators
Page 5
DRC News
Founder’s Day Picnic Update
Page 6
Sunshine
Page 7
Bragging Rights with Photos
Page 8
Membership Displays with Photos
Page 9
Rockhound of the Month
Timely Smiles
Website Links
Page 10
Smithies
Page 11
Our May 26 Speaker, Alan Achor (with Photos)
Page 12-13
Rockhounding for Tourmaline
Page 13
A Letter from the Editor
Page 14
General Membership Meeting Minutes
Page 15
Board Meeting Minutes
Page 16
General Information
Breccia
June 2020
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President’s Message
Have you been taking pictures? I ask because we are in a historical time capsule and in twenty years you
won’t remember all the details, and your audience won’t believe the details you do remember about the
COVID-19 Shelter In Place. You can buy gas, but there is a run on toilet paper. And if you buy gas, it may
last you a month because you can’t drive anywhere. You may or may not have a job, but a large number of
the people with jobs are doing their work from home and using Zoom and teleconferences to have meetings
‘at work’. The children and both parents are at school and work with computer meetings in the same house.
The children are having school with online lessons and Zoom classes. Our first line heroes are nurses and
doctors in hospitals putting their lives on the line to help severe cases of COVID-19, and our food suppliers,
from the field workers to the meat packing plant workers to the cashier and stockers at your local grocery
store.
Museums and musical programs are being shown on line and sports are being played with no fans in the
stands. We aren’t sure how long any of this will last, but we should record it as it happens because we almost
don’t believe it either.
Currently, our meetings are being held on Zoom and we have had two very good meetings, with two excel-
lent presentations – one on NASA and how we got to the moon, including showing us a moon rock and one
on Antarctica with beautiful photographs of the land mass, birds and sea critters. Next month the presentation
is by Missy Fox and will focus on agates, a beloved but little understood rock.
Please feel free to invite your friends to attend our Zoom meetings. We still say the Pledge of Allegiance,
share Member Displays and vote on the best of the Bragging Rights. The presentations are similar to our nor-
mal meeting, so we let people unmute themselves if they have a comment or question.
I submit a few of the photographs of a trip to the grocery store, at the beginning of the Shelter In Place.
Wash your hands – with soap, and don’t panic and remember that you are too smart to be bored. There are
lots of things to do. (I am currently taking an online Spanish class.)
Madam President,
Michele Smith
Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society
San Jose, CA
Social Distancing Empty Shelves Scarce Produce
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June 2020
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A Tribute to our Festival Vendors and Demonstrators
We want to take this space to share our sadness that your beautiful specimens were not able to
be shared with the Santa Clara Valley community and for the sales that you have lost during this
time of Covid-19 shelter in place restrictions. You’re a large part of the success of our festival
and we are looking forward to seeing you at the 2021 Santa Clara County Gem and Mineral
Festival. Here is a full list of the vendors and demonstrators that we want to honor for being a
fantastic part of our past and future successes:
Arrow Head Demonstrating (Donna Kelly)
Petrified Wood Display (Walt Wright)
Fluorescent Rock Display (Mike & Chris Whittier)
Amber America (Urszula Tomasik)
Beverly Marynak's Handmade Jewelry (Beverly Marynak)
Buddha Gems & Minerals (Rupesh (Robert) Gartaula)
Casa de Lumbre (Sal Chavez)
Chaos Glassworks (David & Heather Hopman)
Chuck's Bead Lair (Chuck Tonnacliff)
Crystal Monster (Miao & Tom Yang)
Daggett's Jewelry & Stoneworks (Jack Daggett)
Earth's Treasures (Rick Kennedy)
Enlightened Stone's & Designs (Jen Green & Richard Whitehead)
Elizabeth Lynn Moon Original Art Jewelry (Elizabeth Lynn Moon)
Elkhorn Trading Company (Carla & Rusty Fairey)
Faultline Trading (June Harris)
Freedom Valley Gems and Minerals (Fahim Bagzad)
Gabriel Mosesson Jewelry (was Ethiopa Imports) (Gabriel Mosesson)
West Rock Co (Sue Wu & Jun Lin Ho)
Gray Designs (Claudia Gray), Jade & Crafts (Wilson & Yan-Wen Lai)
Jade and Jewelry (Mark & Sandra Mendoza)
Jasper Mountain Lapidary (Joe & Jean Shook)
JC Cristals & More (Jeff & Cindy Chastain)
Jewelry By ME (Paul Kinyon)
Jeweltrain (Ben & Ellen Nott)
John Garsow Gems & Minerals (John Garsow)
Lee Chavez (Lee Chavez)
Love Harmony Inc (Alain Bloom)
Making Jewelry (Mary Ann King)
MARE Meteoritics (Mike Martinez)
Moon & Star Gem and Mineral (John Barrett & Victoria LeJeune)
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June 2020
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A Tribute to our Festival Vendors and Demonstrators Continued
Arrow Head Demonstrating (Donna Kelly)
Petrified Wood Display (Walt Wright)
Fluorescent Rock Display (Mike & Chris Whittier)
Amber America (Urszula Tomasik)
Beverly Marynak's Handmade Jewelry (Beverly Marynak)
Buddha Gems & Minerals (Rupesh (Robert) Gartaula)
Casa de Lumbre (Sal Chavez)
Chaos Glassworks (David & Heather Hopman)
Chuck's Bead Lair (Chuck Tonnacliff)
Crystal Monster (Miao & Tom Yang)
Daggett's Jewelry & Stoneworks (Jack Daggett)
Earth's Treasures (Rick Kennedy)
Enlightened Stone's & Designs (Jen Green & Richard Whitehead)
Elizabeth Lynn Moon Original Art Jewelry (Elizabeth Lynn Moon)
DRC NEWS
The DRC (Donation Receiving Committee) will resume operations as soon as the Covid-19 restrictions
allow.
We are moving operations back to my backyard. It was a pleasure having the sales for the last several years
at Billie’s home, but it is time to move back and I am looking forward to having them here again.
Prior to the move, we will have a big CLEARANCE/MOVING sale at Billie’s. Jim Sugiyama, Michele
Smith, and I will be coordinating the sale and the move. We will keep you posted.
Take care,
Pat
Founders' Day Picnic Update
The annual Founders' Day Picnic has been cancelled for this year because of the Corona Virus.
Sonia Dyer—Chairperson
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June 2020
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Sunshine
There is sad news to report this month. The messages are shown below.
It’s been a very tough couple months for David and me. Our beautiful Daughter-in-Law, Jennifer, lost her
battle with stage 4 cancer. She passed away peacefully at home May 13th with our family at her side.
Jennifer was only 52 years old and leaves behind our son, Ron and our grandsons TJ 33 & Nick 23. Ron and
Jennifer were married for 33 yrs. We are so fortunate that we live close by and were able to help during this
unbelievably sad time. We are also grateful that Jennifer is no longer in pain. Our hearts are broken.
And from Rosmarie Vogel: I have sad news to report about my husband, Siegfried Vogel. He passed away
in mid-March. Here is information about him for the Breccia.
Dr. Siegfried Vogel, born in 1929, passed away in mid-March of Dementia and Alzheimer's. He came to
America in 1957 to start a job for NASA in Virginia, but he was drawn to the West Coast and got there via
an engineering job at IBM in San Jose where he worked for 25 years.
When he wasn't working, he learned to fly gliders and earned a pilot's license. He also sailed the San
Francisco Bay and Delta. He had a passion for the performing arts and music. In the 1990s we both went to a
gem show and became enamored with the treasures of the earth. This prompted us to join the Santa Clara
Gem and Mineral Society. Siegfried enjoyed the camaraderie and field trips and the club's access to the Santa
Clara Senior Center with its rock-cutting machinery. He enjoyed learning about, finding and polishing gems
and minerals and even served a term as Vice President of the club, and he participated in the many field trips.
He would do it all over again if he could. He is survived by his wife, Rosmarie, and his two sons. "Lonely is
the bird that lost its Mate."
I hope this gives a general idea of Siegfried and his, and our relationship to the club.
Thank you,
Rosmarie Vogel
Mark Vogel
Ralph Vogel
To report someone needing sunshine, email Margo Mosher - [email protected]
Breccia
June 2020
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7 Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society
San Jose, CA
Bragging Rights Alan Achor - Chairman
Frank Mullaney won the May contest for his
Ammonite fossil that was perched on a large
Belemnite fossil. The June meeting will be on Zoom,
and the theme for the meeting is the color green, so
send a picture of your green rock, mineral, or jewelry
specimen to Alan Achor at [email protected]
The Bragging Rights contest fossil entries were
submitted as photos sent to Alan. He created really
beautiful labels for them and then displayed them one
by one during our Zoom meeting so that we could
vote. I, Jo Borucki, photographed the entries as they
were displayed in our Zoom session, just to show you
how easy it is to photograph items on your computer in
case you want to try it in a future Zoom meeting.
Pyritized Ammonite Leaf and Insect in
Amber Fossilized Clam
Polished Petrified
Wood
Mercenaria Permagna
Clam Plant Fossil in Split
Mud Layers with Both
Halves Displayed
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June 2020
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Members’ Displays
(Show and Tell)
All members are asked to display at least one time per year, but you may display as many times as you like.
There are no displays in meetings when Silent Auctions are scheduled. There are no displays in December
because there is the installation dinner in lieu of our regular meeting. Email a photo of your display item to
Michele Smith by the Sunday before the general meeting so that she can display it on line for you during
these times when our meetings are on Zoom. She will send out an email with details before the meeting.
Jo Borucki showed her Benitoite sample from the Benitoite Mine in San Benito
County. The Benitoite crystals are hosted on Natrolite, and there is also a very
rare, tiny crystal of Joaquinite, but there is no Neptunite, which is often found with
the Benitoite. Jo’s sister, Judy, bought this at a gem show in Wisconsin with the
idea that Jo would buy it from her because she knew how much Jo loved Benitoite.
Judy died in early 2011 so this represents a treasured memory
Rick Kennedy went up to Hallelujah Junction and mined with the claim just to
the south of the one he is a partner of. He found one very large Amethyst crystal,
weighing over 10 pounds and another, smaller one with fantastic color. After
Hallelujah, he went to Garnet Hill in Ely and showed off a flat of the garnets he
mined from there.
Don’t know what to display? Any type of rock, mineral, or fossil (identified or not), your latest project,
information on a field trip, ideas for a display case, anything to do with rocks is appreciated. Sharing items
helps to educate all who attend the meeting. Show off what you love so that we can enjoy it with you.
Rick Kennedy– Chairperson
Large Amethyst
Crystal
Amethyst Crystal
with Fantastic
Color
Flat of Garnets Rick with the Large
Amethyst Crystal
Breccia
June 2020
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9 Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society
San Jose, CA
Website Links
Your Window to the World of Important Websites
Click on the blue area of whatever site you want to visit!
Link to Our SCVGMS Website: http://www.scvgms.org/
Note: After you click on the above link, if you want to see the Breccia and other news items, scroll down
and click on “Download”, shown under the Newsletter option.
Link to CFMS Shows and Festivals: CFMS Society/Club Shows
The American Federation of Mineralogical Societies: http://www.amfed.org
CFMS Bulletin: http://www.cfmsinc.org/
To access the news from the American Lands Access Association: www.amlands.org
Rockhound of the Month
The May Rockhound of the month is Rick Kennedy. He works in so many capacities
for the club, that it is a challenge to name them all. In addition to being our secretary, he
is definitely our resident expert, the one to consult if you want information on a gem
stone, mineral or rock. He also is in charge of correspondence and of our annual
installation dinner. He contributes articles to the Breccia, and several times a year he is
our very informative and interesting speaker at our general meeting. In this picture, he is
showing an example of Smoky Quartz crystals on matrix. Thank you, Rick
Timely Smiles
I stepped on the scale this morning. It said, “Please practice social distancing. Only one person on the scale
at a time.
Appropriate analogy: “The curve is flattening so we can start lifting restrictions now” = “The parachute has
slowed our rate of descent, so we can take it off now.
Never in a million years could I have imagined that I would go up to a bank teller, wearing a mask, and ask-
ing for money
Breccia
June 2020
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Smithies
Soldering is not mysterious, but it does demand you follow a few suggestions — or there will be trouble.
PREPARE Assemble the necessary materials: torch/fuel, pickle pot, rinse water, rag, copper tweezers, fire brick, sol-
der pick, and solder.
Take the necessary steps before turning on the torch.
The soldering station must be ready. The soldering station includes fire brick, solder pick, solder, solder
brush, torch. It could also include a third hand, and toothless alligator clips.
The pieces must be ready. The pieces must fit without gaps, be clean, be fluxed, and solder chips in place.
Inspect materials and steps.
SOLDER, inspect Now turn on the torch. Use the tip of the blue flame since it’s the hottest area. Start by making big circles,
then reduce circle size incrementally. Keep in mind that solder flows to the hottest part, and don’t heat the
solder chip. If solder chip moves, use solder pick ONLY to move it.
After the solder has melted and flowed: pickle, rinse, dry.
Breathe! That’s it. Just takes practice.
Choosing a torch For small jobs, we use a butane torch. For bigger pieces, we use a propane torch.
Choosing flux Sodium Bisulfate is the ingredient that is flux. You can buy official $$$ flux, or you can get the same ingredi-
ent in the pool section $ of hardware stores.
Choosing a pickle pot and sieve A one and a half quart size crock pot will hold most jewelry pieces. If you want to pickle many items at the
same time, get something bigger — such as a 6 qt crock pot. If you get a white crock pot, it is much easier to
see what’s in it, than if you use a black crock pot. Keep a non-ferrous sieve for pickle use. It helps the
retrieval of flat items.
Keep clean water in nearby container to rinse items, and keep it covered when not in use. Slows evaporation
and protects the cat. Use a rag to catch the dribbles from the non-ferrous tweezers.
UPCOMING TOPICS:
• Details about tools
• Common problems and what to do about them.
1. Solder didn’t flow
2. The wind of the torch blows away my solder chip.
3. There are blobs of melted solder in the wrong places.
4. When should I use which solder type and strength?
• Details of various aspects of soldering
Questions and comments are welcome.
By Pat Speece
Breccia
June 2020
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Penguin Right of Way - Step Aside, Folks.
Showtime for the Fans, Dear Blue Eyed Skag with Nesting
Material
Crabeater on Ice
Penguin Paparazzi
Our May 26 Speaker, Alan Achor
The speaker at our general membership meeting on May 26 was Alan Achor, and his topic was on his trip
to Antarctica. It was interesting to hear of the challenges of getting to this remote continent and of all that
he viewed and experienced. Alan is a superb photographer, and we were treated with some of his photos
that he took during his trip, many of them pictures of sea life and of birds. One picture is called “Penguin
Right of Way”. Apparently, penguins assume that they always have right of way, and that reminds me of
my husband Bill’s grandfather. The story goes that when he was an old man and he was driving his car, he
assumed that he always had right of way because in the European culture that he grew up in, older people
always had right of way. And so when he was on the road, other drivers must have been very vigilant in
order to avoid collisions with him especially at intersections. In Antarctica, it seems, vigilance is also re-
quired because when there are penguins, well folks, just step aside, for they have right of way. And so be-
low are some of Alan’s wonderful pictures with his captions for the pictures:
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June 2020
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Rockhounding for Tourmaline By Jo Borucki
It was early April 2010, and I had just finished all of the details for a rock hounding trip to the San Diego area
to several tourmaline mines. I had made airline, car rental, and cabin reservations. Congratulating myself on
my efficiency, I decided to read my email.
Among the messages was one from my sister, Judy, saying that she had her plane tickets and would arrive in
California the day we were set to leave for San Diego. I called her, saying, “How would you like to look for
tourmaline for a few days?” Judy enthusiastically agreed so I made one more plane reservation and changed
my reservation to correspond with hers. The cabin would easily hold the Bill, Judy, and me. I knew Judy’s
physical limitations, a result of her stage 4 breast cancer so I made sure little walking was involved, and I
bought a portable chair so that she could sit and rest comfortably as much as necessary.
I dropped Bill and Gene off at the San Jose Airport early Thursday April 6, took a breather, and then drove to
the San Francisco airport to pick up Judy. There she was, leaving the secure area, her wonderful Judy smile on
her face, as we anticipated our three week visit.
The following day, we flew to San Diego Airport. When we arrived, Bill and Gene picked us up and drove us
to our cabin, old and minimally furnished, but comfortable enough. The cabin was located at Mesa Grande
near Lake Henshaw. The lake was not much either, but the grounds were home to wild turkeys. Each morning
the toms entertained us by marching grandly through the grounds, chests puffed out as they gurgled their mat-
ing calls, looking very much like the British Colonial Army, strutting their stuff, while the hens looked on
with admiration.
Bright and early Saturday morning, we drove to our first mine. We could have walked it, but Judy no longer
had the stamina for the quarter mile walk, so we drove to the Himalaya Mine. The young couple that ran this
mine was friendly and well enough organized. They gave us all screens and provided us with sorting tables
and troughs in which to wash our gravel.
We scooped the gravel from the pile that they had dug from their mine, filling our buckets. Bill, Gene, or I
filled Judy’s bucket for her, carrying it to her table. Then dumping small amounts of the gravel from our buck-
ets into screens, we washed the gravel, shaking it properly to concentrate the heavier rock at the bottom center
of the screen. Then we flipped the screen onto a pad where the heavier material hopefully was top center, and
we searched for tourmaline and any other minerals that might be present. The young couple had instructed,
“Look for the candy”. Tourmaline looks like hard candy, mainly in shades of greens and pinks. Gene has
looked for minerals since he was a little boy, and he has very sharp eyes. Not only did he find the best
tourmaline but several pieces of aquamarine which he gave to Judy. Bill, Judy, and I found some tourmaline
crystals, but it was clear that Gene had some sort of inner sonar for detecting minerals.
After a hard day of work, we treated ourselves to the area’s famous pie. The Julian Pie Company was begun in
1989 by Liz Smothers. She had begun making pies for area bakeries in 1986, and then she and her husband,
Dan, decided to open their own bakery, featuring apple pies and cider donuts. Liz oversaw the baking, and
Dan raised the apples. The pies and donuts are to die for, and we almost did, from stuffing our faces.
On day two we drove about 40 miles to the Ocean View Mine. The operation was similar to that of the
Himalayan Mine operation, but better organized and less friendly. We found some stones, but felt that the pile
they furnished for us was probably well picked over by their commercial mining operation before they made it
available to us. Judy found the best piece of tourmaline though, a dark green flawless needle-like crystal.
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June 2020
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The third day was the most interesting. Gene had trouble reaching the owner of the Cryo-Genie Mine but had
finally succeeded in scheduling us for Sunday, April 9. Our GPS directions showed the mine to be quite close,
but much of the way was a one lane road for cars going both directions. Luckily it was little traveled. Soon we
knew why.
At the end of the road was the tiny Cryo-Genie Mine. We were the only guests. The owner showed us his small
trough with recycled water for washing gravel, his shovel, and his broken screens, collected our $40 each, and
waved us at the pile of tailings. We didn’t have far to go to find the pile. It was right under and around the
trough.
The owner was very talkative. I think he was lonesome. Gene and Judy were also inclined to gab, so the three of
them settled in chairs in the shade and talked much of the day. Bill, in his scientific way dug, filled his bucket,
washed, shook, and sorted. I tried that a couple of time, found nothing and decided to sit on the gravel heap and
look, just using my hands and the bright sun. I found more tourmaline than I did the other two days combined,
some pink, but mostly my very favorite kind, watermelon. Watermelon tourmaline has a green outer shell and a
pink center. It tends to break off in tiny slices looking like pieces of watermelon.
Toward the end of the day, the owner took us through his mine. He loved his mine, knew what he was doing,
and was very informative. He would be showing it to us yet, he liked doing it so much, but after listening to him
for a couple of hours, we decided to head down the hill for some more pie.
We flew home Monday, April 10 because I was scheduled for knee surgery the next day. I had the surgery to
remove the bone chip floating around in my knee, and then Judy and I settled down for two plus weeks of an
enforced quiet visit. All three of Bill’s and my daughters and their families came to visit us. Meals were simple
because I was not very mobile, Judy was not very strong, and Bill is not much of a cook and way too busy be-
sides. I loved the simplicity of our meals. Either our guests cooked, we ate out, or we ordered pizza. More of life
should be like that. Judy died a few month later. I am so glad we had an adventure together in our trip to find
tourmaline, a rockhounding adventure, a love I could share with her, and she could experience.
A Letter from the Editor
Being editor of the Breccia is a lot of work, and writing an article for the Breccia requires a lot of extra
effort. I usually try to write at least one article for each of the Breccias.
Recently other people have also written articles. Rick Kennedy has written about rockhounding jargon and
about maintaining mineral collections. Michele Smith wrote one last month on Apache Tears. Recently, Noel
and Deb Runyan contributed an article as did Bob Kout. In this issue, we have an article from Pat Speece, our
Smithie chairperson, on soldering and an article from Frank Mullaney on keeping our members connected.
From issue to issue, this work is met by Breccia subscribers with silence, and this is discouraging to me. I need
to know that the Breccia is read and appreciated, because if it is not, then I am wasting my time. Do you read
the Breccia? What have you found the most valuable in the Breccia? What would you like to see in the future?
Let me know. I need your input.
Breccia editor,
Jo Borucki - [email protected]
Breccia
June 2020
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General Meeting Minutes May 26th, 2020
The April meeting of the Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society was called to order at 7:45 pm on the
web application Zoom as the club continues to comply with the stay at home order.
Announcements: Reminder that the Board Meeting will be held on Zoom this Thursday.
The annual Founders' Day Picnic will be rescheduled again. You will know the new date soon. If we aren’t
able to meet in person, we might postpone it or cancel it for this year.
We are cancelling the June Silent Auction. There is another one scheduled for November. Because the Silent
Auction has been cancelled, the Bragging Rights will be held.
We appreciate the vendors who help make us successful at the festival each year. The website has been updated
in appreciation with the names of our vendors. If there are vendors that you would normally buy from, think
about contacting them and making a purchase. They help support this club and their livelihoods are on the line.
The Donated Rock Club (DRC) is moving from Billie Gordon’s back yard back to Pat Speece’s back yard. We
will be having a moving sale as soon as we can, and still meet the county requirements. Then we will need club
muscle to help move the rocks. Our goal is to sell as many pounds of rocks as we can first, then move the rest.
If you have been thinking of donating rocks to the DRC, please contact Michele Smith, Jim Sugiyama or Pat
Speece.
New Members: No new members. If you want to join the club, one must attend at least two club meetings and
have two sponsors from the club, it is easy to do!!
Board Meeting: Will be at on Zoom at 7:30.
Member Displays: By Rick Kennedy. Jo Borucki showed a Benitoite specimen bought by Jo’s sister Judy in
the mid 1990’s. It is hers now and she is very proud of it! Rick Kennedy went up to Hallelujah Junction and
mined with the claim just to the south of the one he is a partner of. He found one very large Amethyst crystal,
weighing over 10 pounds and another, smaller one with fantastic color. After Hallelujah, he went to Garnet Hill
in Ely and showed off a flat of the garnets he mined from there.
Bragging Rights: This month’s theme was “Fossils” and the winner was Frank Mullaney for an amazing
Ammonite fossil that was perched on a large Belemnite fossil. Next month’s theme is “Green”.
Rockhound of the Month: Rick Kennedy won for his written and verbal contributions to the club.
Field Trips: Stephen May was not at the meeting, but he is closely watching which field trips are still being
held and which ones are being canceled. Please check the Breccia for updated field trip information.
Study Groups:
Smithies: The Smithies are not meeting right now in accordance with the stay at home order.
Hospitality: 21 members and 1 guest were in attendance.
ALAA: Nothing new.
DRC: There will be a sale when stay at home order is lifted and when the club thinks is appropriate and safe.
Federation Report: This year’s Camp Paradise has been cancelled.
Correspondence: Rick Kennedy reported that the club received the Chase statement and the AFMS newsletter.
Sunshine: Margo Mosher informed Michele that Margo and David’s daughter in law passed away after a diffi-
cult bout with cancer. Also, Rosemary Vogel informed her that Siegfried Vogel passed away in March from
Alzheimer’s disease.
Program: “Photography Trip to Antarctica” by Alan Achor. Alan shared not just his fantastic photography of
animals and places most of us will never get to see in person, he also shared his experiences of what he had to
go through to get there and come back in one piece! The excellent presentation was well received.
All Future Meetings: There will be a meet and greet with refreshments from 7:15 – 7:45 before our General
Meeting, unless the stay at home order has us meeting online again.
June program: To be determined since the Silent Auction has been cancelled.
Meeting was adjourned at 9:16 PM
Respectfully submitted, Rick Kennedy SCVGMS Secretary
Breccia
June 2020
Page 15
15
Board Meeting Minutes May 30, 2020
The meeting was called to order at 7:33 PM via the Zoom application so that the board could be in com-
pliance with the governor’s stay at home order.
Roll Call: All board members were present except for Billie Gordon, Stephen May and Dean Welder.
Reading of the minutes from the April 30th Board Meeting: M/S/P to approve the minutes as read. (F.
Mullaney, S. Dyer).
New Members: No new members.
Correspondence: Rick Kennedy reported that there was no new correspondence since the General Meet-
ing.
Treasurer’s Report: Presented by Missy Fox.
All refunds due the club after our Festival’s cancellation have been paid with the exception of the Fair-
ground’s deposit, which was voted on to remain with the Fairgrounds for next year and $201.00 that
Missy has contacted the Fire Inspector about.
Committee Reports:
Federation: Frank Mullaney reported that there is nothing new.
Field Trips: Stephen May is still keeping tabs on which field trips are being canceled and which ones will
still happen. Please refer to the Breccia for the most up to date information.
Old Business:
Website: In progress, result have been very positive so far.
Founder’s Day Picnic: M/S/P to cancel the picnic due to the Coronavirus, vote was 7 for cancellation, 2
against (F. Mullaney, R. Kennedy).
Demonstration day: That has been moved off to October 17 due to the coronavirus.
Community outreach: Considered an additional award for something to support nurses or first respond-
ers during the pandemic by feeding the health care workers at Valley Medical Center. Michele Smith has
gotten in touch with the person who is responsible for coordinating food to the Valley Medical Center
workers. She is working with El Amigo Burrito to order a day of burritos – breakfast, lunch, dinner.
New Business:
Camps Zzyzx and Paradise: There was discussion about the cancellation of this year’s camps and the
rollover for next year
Demonstrator’s idea: There was discussion about the potential of adding food or other activities to the
Demonstrator Day.
General Meetings on Zoom: Frank Mullaney congratulated Michele Smith on the great job she has done
getting the membership involved for the meetings on Zoom. It was also suggested that we put an article in
the Breccia with a contact email for guests who might want to join our online meetings.
Programs: Here is a list of the upcoming programs:
June – Silent Auction or Missy Fox: Agates
July – Noel and Deb Runyan – Carving and polishing Obsidian
June Board Meeting: Will likely be done on Zoom again.
Meeting adjourned at 8:05 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Rick Kennedy
SCVGMS Secretary
Breccia
June 2020
Page 16
16
Santa Clara Valley
Gem and Mineral Society
P.O. Box 54, San Jose, CA 95103-0054
Website: www.scvgms.org
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number (408) 265-1422
Like us on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/santaclaravalleygemandmineralsociety
An Invitation This society is pleased to invite guests to attend general meetings, study groups,
and field trips. General meetings are normally held the fourth Tuesday of every
month with meet and greet time beginning at 7:15 followed by the meeting at
7:45 PM at 100 Belwood Gateway (the Cabana Club), Los Gatos, CA 95032.
Belwood Gateway is just south of Blossom Hill Road between Leigh Avenue and
Harwood Road.
The next General Meeting is scheduled for June 23 at 7:45, and the Board
Meeting is scheduled for June 25 at 7:30. Both will be held using Zoom.
Our Society’s Purpose: The inculcation of a love of rocks and minerals by the
furtherance of members' interests in the earth sciences and by education in all
facets of related educational activities with the promotion of good fellowship,
proper ethics, and conduct.
Our Membership Requirements: Attendance at two general meetings within
twelve months. This society is a member of the California Federation of
Mineralogical Societies (CFMS) and is affiliated with the American Federation of
Mineralogical Societies (AFMS). Dues per year are $5.00 for Junior, $20.00 for
an individual, and $30.00 for the household.
Our Newsletter, the Breccia, is published ten times annually. The deadline for
all articles is the Sunday after the general meeting. The Breccia editor is Jo
Borucki who may be contacted by email at [email protected] or by phone at
(408)245-2881. Leave a message if no one picks up the phone. The Breccia is
proofread by Pat Speece. Exchange bulletins may be sent to Jo Borucki, 1196
Sesame Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94087. Permission to copy is freely granted to
American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (AFMS) affiliated clubs when
proper credit is given.
Study Group Leaders For information, please contact the leader listed below.
Smithies: Pat Speece 408- 266-4327 [email protected]
Cabbers: We need a leader. Can it be you?
SCVGMS ELECTED OFFICERS
President: Michele Smith (408)374-1897
Vice President: Billie Gordon (408)356-3406
Secretary: Rick Kennedy (408)529-9690
Treasurer: Missy Fox (408)356-7711
Editor: Jo Borucki (408)245-2881
Federation Director: Stephen May (669)248-3993
Alternate Fed. Director:
Paul Kidman (408)356-4995
Board Members at Large
Jim Fox (408)356-7711
Sonia Dyer (408)629-5735
Alan Achor (408)749-0771
Frank Mullaney (408)691-2656
Cal Hansen (408)394-4642
Parliamentarian: Dean Welder (408)353-2675
Historian: Jacquelyn Calderon (408)995-5211
SCVGMS COMMITTEE HEADS
Bragging Rights Chair: Alan Achor
Donation Receiving Committee Chairs:
Michele Smith and Jim Sugiama
Festival Chairpersons 2020: Jim and Missy Fox
Field Trip Coordinator: Stephen May
Founder’s Day Picnic Chairman: Sonia Dyer
Founder’s Day Raffle: Pat Speece
Founder’s Day Bingo: Stephen May
Hospitality: Pat and Louis Schuesler
Installation Dinner: Rick Kennedy
Member Displays: Rick Kennedy
Refreshments: TBD
Silent Auction: TBD
Sunshine: Margo Mosher
Trophies: Frank Mullaney
Webmaster: TBD
Note: Some of these committee heads may
change. Michele Smith and Stephen May are
working to fill all positions.
Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society
San Jose, CA Breccia
June 2020
