President’s Message
Dear club members,
Again, I start this message with a plea for you all to consider volunteering for offices and/or positions needed greatly by your club. First, we still do not have a secretary. This position is vital to the continuance of the club to function properly under the by-laws. Second, we need an education chair (not a difficult position). We will, at the end of the year, need a newsletter editor. And another pressing need for now is volunteers for the show.
Not done with needs. Since I will be at Wildacres during the time of the SFMS Annual meeting, (Phase I) in Nashville, August 18-20, I must have someone to be an alternate. You will get to vote. This needs to go to the SFMS secretary soon. So, if anyone can help here, please let me know this meeting. Thanks in advance.
At a recent meeting, there was a membership profile sheet available. I received two back. Hope there are more. If you would like to fill out one, it will be a great help in future meetings and activities.
It is also time to consider where we will have our Christmas Banquet. This too must be done soon. So, suggest somewhere, please.
Hoping to have celebrations for filled positions next month.
Flora Lee Walker
President, KGMS
July Local Field Trip
The local field trip for the month of July is to the shows at Franklin, TN. While you may physically only travel over the mountain, you can travel all over the world through the items you find there.
For four days beginning on Wednesday, July 26 through Sunday July 30, the Gem & Mineral Society of Franklin (NC) and Franklin Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring the 41st Annual Macon County Gemboree at the Macon County Community Bldg., US 441 South. 26th-29th, 10-6; 30th, noon-5. 800-336-7829.
For those who have attended only the Knoxville show, visiting a show sponsored by another club is a very interesting experience. You’ll see a different combination of dealers with a different selection of items for sale.
What will YOU collect there? Fossils? Minerals? Beads? Jewelry?
June Local Field Trip Report
The June field trip to Gallatin, TN was attended by Danny Griffin, Daniel Miller and Lee and Janice Erickson. A side trip was made on the way back to a quarry near Crossville to collect blastiods.
The initial appearance of the site itself was “underwhelming” (a ditch very close to the roadway), but we soon became enthralled with the goodies we found. Yes, there were crinoid stem segments ranging in size from single disks to segments 4 inches long, the “heads” in various conditions, platyceras, brachiopods and something for which we don’t yet have a positive identification—perhaps the central body of a brittle star and sections of arms.
We had a great time and plan to go back after good rains expose more surface area to collect more specimens, chiggers and ticks.
Well, maybe no chiggers or ticks next time.