Staying Connected and Inspired
In its July-August newsletter, Flatirons Facets, the Flatirons Mineral Club of Boulder County, Colorado, shared examples of how their club members are staying connected and enjoying their shared rockhounding and lapidary interests in today’s socially distant world.
Like many other clubs, the Flatirons club is hosting virtual monthly meetings, and another way the group’s Junior Geologist members are staying connected is through the club’s weekly mystery mineral contest. A photo of a mineral is sent via email to each Junior Geologist member, along with some clues to help in their identification research, according to the report in the newsletter. Each member who correctly identifies the mineral is entered into a drawing for a chance to receive that week’s mineral.
Another way the club is striving to keep members inspired and excited about rocks, minerals, gems, and fossils, is by sharing tips about virtual resources and entertainment that speaks to these shared interests. The July-August issue of Flatiron Facet contains an excellent recommendation for anyone interested in fossils, check out Public Broadcasting Station’s “Prehistoric Road Trip.”
As explained in the newsletter, the program “With views from the sky, the highway, and the dirt, the show follows host and executive producer, Emily (Graslie), as she uncovers the history and mystery of North American dinosaurs, ancient mammals, and other prehistoric creatures.”
The program focuses mainly on the Northern Great Plains of the United States, as the group travels and visits nearly 40 different sites. All of the episodes of this program are available for free viewing on the PBS website, but some require you to purchase a PBS Passport membership to access for viewing.
Be sure to check the expiration date for each video within its details to determine if it is free to access.
The Flatirons Mineral Club (www.flatironsmineralclub. org), which was established in 1957, is affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies (www.rmfms.org), which is associated with the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (www.amfed.org).
KEEPING AN EYE ON NATURE & SCIENCE AUCTIONS
Keeping with the theme of clubs finding and developing ways for members to stay connected, inspired, and encouraged, the July/August issue of the Oregon Agate & Mineral Society’s newsletter for the club’s junior members includes a great suggestion for virtual rockhounding appreciation.
Among the notes shared by newsletter editor, Jim Urbaniak, in his letter to readers, was information about the auction house, Christie’s, offering a 29-pound (yes, pounds) meteorite discovered in the Sahara Desert of Africa a few years ago, Urbaniak writes. The meteorite is presented through Christie’s private sales platform. This news mention is a great reminder that perusing the Nature & Science sections of auction house websites not only will deliver what Bob Jones’ calls mineral eye-candy but an excellent resource from which to learn. Often the descriptions that accompany the photos of each lot (the item featured in the auction) contain a tremendous amount of geologic and historical details. Heritage Auction holds weekly online Nature & Science auction and signature auctions in the category a few times a year.
The Oregon Agate & Mineral Society (www.oregonagate.org) is affiliated with the Northwest Federation of Mineralogical Societies (www.northwestfederation. org), which is part of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (www.amfed.org).