September 2023 Calendar of Events
Monday September 4: Labor Day Time to honor America's workforce.
Thursday September 7: General Meeting 7:30 pm in our regular meeting room at Northridge United Methodist Church
Saturday September 9: Del Air Rock Sale
Friday September 15: Rosh Hashanah Celebrate the Jewish New Year
Thursday September 21: Board Meeting 7:30 pm at Bernadette Friedman's home
Saturday September 23: First Day of Fall My favorite time of the year!
Saturday September 23: Thornhill Broome Field Trip
Sunday September 24: Yom Kippur A holy day of atonement.
*************************************************************
September 2023 General Meeting Program:
The Death Valley Rock: Wingate Plume Agate Presented by Charles O. Walker Jr.
15 years of collecting hard to find specimens from the United States. I started collecting petrified woods, off-limits rocks, and specimens from exhausted collecting sites. Some examples are Death Valley, Porterville and Morgan Hill. I have read and have an almost complete set of lapidary journals. I spent many hours listening to those that were the founding members of some Southern California Gem Clubs and Societies. A plethora of information about the old days and the good times collecting the most popular agates in harsh environments back in the 1950's 1960's and 1970's.
*************************************************************
The Rockhound Dennis Miller Show
Dennis will fill us in on September's birthstone, Sapphire. Dennis also asks all members to bring in their summer finds for show & tell and share with our members and guests. Dennis will share his summer finds as well.
*************************************************************
Del Air Rockhounds Club - Early Club History Compiled by - Carolyn Morris - Del Air Historian, 1974
The Del Air Rockhound Club was founded by James Moore in October of 1954, with 12 members. These were all fellow employees of the Adel Precision Co. At this time the “Club “ was called the “Adel Rockhounds” and Jack Reynolds was the first President. The first meeting was held at a local rock dealer store and the first field trip was in November 1954. This first field trip was to Gem Hill near Rosamond, CA. It is obvious that everyone enjoyed this trip and the club really officially started. Jack Reynolds was authorized to set up the first Club “By-Laws”. In 1955 the club grew to 17 members, with more field trips. The camping at this time was done in motels or tents. In 1956 a group from Hydro-Aire Co. joined the club (10 members). The club then voted to drop the “A” from Adel and added Aire, dropping the “E” to become known as the “Del Air Rockhounds Club”. From here the club became more active and attracted more members. At this time the club started going on a field trip each month, as we also do today! Then on July 6, 1957 the Del Air Rockhounds Club became affiliated with the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. In 1961 the club voted to allow 50 members, instead of 40, because it was growing each year. The club became Incorporated and filed as a nonprofit club in that same year. Also in 1961, the club became involved with the “Golden Bear Gem Fair” and made 1750 prizes for the show! We had our 1st workshop in 1964. It is noted that on early field trips the club would show slides in the field. This was before campers. The club had a portable generator which ran the slide projector. It also heated tents on cold nights. In 1966 the extra rocks collected on their various field trips were boxed and donated to the Los Angeles Zoo, which were used in the early reptile cages. 1967 had the club involved in a campaign supporting the recommendation of the State of California adopting ”Benitoite” as the state gemstone. In 1968 the Del Air Rockhounds formed its first Junior group, called the Pebble Pups. It had 13 juniors present at its first meeting. At this first meeting, the juniors voted to change their name to the "Air-Dels”, which has been changed at the present time to “The Rock Finders”. In 1968 the first official San Fernando Valley “Gem Fair” was held, with the Del Air Rockhounds Club as one of the 5 club sponsors. As you know, this Gem Fair is still an annual show today, with 3 sponsor clubs, Del Air Rockhounds, being one of them. The first “San Fernando Valley Gem Fair was held on Feb. 22 and 23, l969. In 1971, the Del Air Rockhounds won the “BEST OF SHOW” at the Gem Fair and was awarded an engraved, gold plate as the prize. This brings us to 1974 and through the first 20 years of our club. This year, 1974, we are still going on monthly field trips - from Castle Butte to Salton Sea and still involved in the annual “Gem Fair” as well as our club picnic’s and Holiday Parties. I hope you liked this early history of our club as it helps you see where we came from and how we started. Also I hope it helps us all understand where we are today, still a very active club and a group who likes to be together doing things together.
**********************************************************************
Del Air Rockhounds Rock Sale Saturday September 9 - Setup 7:00 am - Sale Starts 8:00 am 10037 Louise Ave., Northridge, CA 91325
Attention all club members! We will be needing help running our rock sale. We need people beginning at 4:00 pm on Friday September 8, the day before the sale, to organize and price the inventory and again on Saturday September 9 beginning at 7:00 am, the day of the sale, to help run the sale and help customers with their purchases. Cashier services will be handled by our treasurer, Shellie Van Winkle. Please find a little time in your busy schedules to come and help us out.
**********************************************************************
September Field Trip - Thornhill Broome Beach Saturday September 23, 2023 - 10:00 am 9000 Pacific Coast Highway in Point Mugu State Park.
We will meet up in the parking area which is either directly across PCH from the beach entrance. (Be extremely careful when crossing the highway) Or, to be on the safe side, you can park on the beach side of PCH just a bit down the road from the beach entrance. Google Maps will get you there. Just enter Thornhill Broome Beach in the search box. Look for the cars with the blue and red Del Air Flags on them. Do not park in the campground parking area. This is for paid reservation guests only. It is just about an hour drive from Northridge. Bring lunch and drinks with you as there is no shopping nearby. Also bring a bucket or sack to carry home your finds. We will be hunting for Coquina, a beach tumbled conglomerate made up of a host matrix rock and small skeletal remains of long dead sea life and crushed sea shells. Non members will be required to sign a waiver of liability form to participate.
**********************************************************************
