The Board meets every month only, the Thursday before the monthly Club Meeting.
All are invited to attend. Access the Zoom meeting here.
Meeting Minutes
2025–January • February • March • April • May • June • July • August • September • October • November • December
2024–January • February • March • April • May • June • July • August • September • October • November • December
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Minutes: February 27, 2025
President Mitch Elwood conducting.
Open Discussion
- Ed K raised questions during an open discussion period at the beginning of the meeting:
Where are we with the polling? Amber said she would get it to him. - He brought up the question about eliminating the Facebook feed items on the web home page and suggested that he find an appropriate place on the web site (e.g. on the What’s Happening page) so that can stream there. Those interested in posting happening to be posted there can do so by emailed them to communicaiton@southernutahrockclub.org.
- The By-Laws have been posted on the web site, the ones established when the club was made a non-profit (in 2017). There have been updates. Amber said that she could get them to Ed for updating on the web.
- Ed said the he set up a Pinterest account for the club with over a dozen boards of the top interests to members of the club. A YouTube channel was also established. These are to be developed as an effort to create funnels to feed people to our web site.
Anouncements
- Club Presentation presentation to be given by Lily Hunt at the next meeting. Use your club email account for communicating with each other; for security reasons
- DoBel Ranch trip was great. Good trip.
- Mataqua field trip next month. Waiting for response from Peacock Opal.
Vice President (Allison)
- Question on the liability on the field trips. Liability can take a unity down in a heartbeat.
- Seen incredible teamwork to pull the show together. We will do what we can. Let’s just have some fun.
- She ran down the $6K grant and found it. Pulled from the 2025 Grant. We still can apply for the 2026 grant.
Show Chair (Rafael)
- Official address for club for the non-profit status address is listed as 495 N. 100 W., (Box 10), Cedar City 84721. EdB said that is show as 497 N. Mitch said that it needs to be updated/corrected. Assigned to Allison.
- Scott Karkos brought up that the Diamond Z contact needs proof of insurance. Mitch said that the liability insurance for last year goes through April, which is why Diamond Z hasn’t been asking for it.
- Mitch said he will put together the liability form for the show and the trips.
- Allison said that we are getting a lot of feedback from vendors about last show. Probably be wise after the show the talk to the vendors. There is a lot of unsureness coming back from the Fall Show. We have to win a lot of people back. In the past years, the show was stronger and people were more happy about it.
- Mitch: Crystal Palace is a power house. A lot of people are assuming that THE Hurricane Rock Show is ours.
- Allison is going to the Vegas Rock Show. Amber will get some contact cards available to Allison.
- Rafael discussed the signage for the show and that he has 6×4 banners for the show. Cannot put them out until a week before the show.
- Need to get input on how attendees found out about the show.
- Discussed last-minute details for setting up the show. Electrical.
- Currently sitting at 16 vendors, 3 not sure about,
- Lost a few because of the Fall results.
- Application for vendor for Fall will be at the Spring show.
- Need to make some changes on the current application form.
- VOTED: Propose that vendors can share space. “One way to attract new vendors.”
- QR code on poster not working. EdK will fix. (NOTE: it turned out he could not fix it)
- RV Camping at Diamond Z grounds will cost $20/night. They can pay us or the venue.
- Lynn said that he needs space to sell shop equipment.
- Main complaint last year was the venue was chilly. Need additional space heaters.
- Amber has club brochures. Amber to send out an email requesting any propane/diesel/kerosine heaters.
Shannon (Treasurer)
- Table clothes for show are are at Shari’s place.
Lynn (Shop Foreman)
- A lot of people have come in to help out.
- 18” and 20” saws are now up again, thanks to Grant
- Trying to put together a video for how to use the machines. Next on my list. I don’t cab any more, I just fix machines.
- Rockhounding Utah (Jared) has some videos.
Classes
- Eric Vogt has put in a lot of work into Silversmithing. He needs about $500 for incidentals to get the classes going.
- VOTED: unanimous to make the $500 purchase.
- Allison suggest keep the deposit for No Shows.
- Got a lot of things we have that wears out
Shari (Membership)
- Most people did not sign up for auto renewal.
- Paper applications needs to have who took the application, payment typed.
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Minutes: January 30, 2025
Mitch announced that Rafael Araega is willing to take on the responsibility of the Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Show.
Upcoming Show
Rafael Araega (Show Chair)
- Rafael, first president and founder of the club, said that he has been a club member on and off over the years. He was announced as the new Show Coordinator. He said that he was “glad to see that it has grown as large as it is now.”
- Reporting on the upcoming show he said that at the present moment, with the way the club has scheduled for second week of March, I am not sure that the show is feasible.
- Amber reported that a lot of vendors have emailed her asking about the show.
- A couple of vendors at Quartzite were also expecting to come.
- It was also considered delaying the show by two weeks, since there is no heating in the Diamond Z facility and that there is a higher chance of warmer weather then. Rafael suggested “in the future, we should aim for April.“
- For this year, If we can get 12 vendors it would be possible, though no vendors have signed up yet.
- We need to create an updated application form. Current one is in Google Docs.
Update any information for liability, cost. - It cost $350/day to use the facility at the Diamond Z (scheduled for 4 days). One of the days is free. Club has charged $150 for 10×20 space.
- The first few years it was a 3-1/2 day event. Last year there was a full day for set up; the show was F, Sat, and Sun.
Expenditures Decided
- Voted to buy 60 black linens for tables ($500) to be included with table and space rental.
- Voted to pay 20% of proceeds to the Show Chair.
There will be a meeting on Sunday with Bennetts.
Club Meeting Presentations
February—Astrid Cawley scheduled to report on Utah’s Minerals
March—Alison committed to present
April—Jacob Crump (SUU Geo Club President) would like to present on Varisite
Quartzite Report
- Mitch reported that he had spent $2000 for 12 boxes of raffle prizes (and for the Show silent auction) at the recent Powwow. “Shopping was fun.” Rough rock, slabs, specimens were part of the purchases.
- Among the treasures is some amethyst from Brazil, smokey quartz, and celestite.
Field Trips
Next trip is Feb. 15 is at DoBel Ranch in Arizona. 26± have signed up as of this meeting.
Mitch said a list of field trip for 2025 is being made. Future trip possibilities were discussed.
FYI: Opalized Fluorite in Nevada ($200 / heaping bucket). It is an expensive dig, but it is a new find located north of Tonopah. Rob on Minerals in Motion has a sphere of it. Alison shared this photo of a raw sample (see below).
- Peacock Opal mine in Northern Nevada is worth it. Best place to dig is at the base of the wall. Free camping. Showers. Hot springs.
- Bonanza mine (can collect only from tailings). There are carnelian and opalite just north of the turnoff to the mine; camping south of turnoff
- Hyalite opal claim (Bigfoot Crystals) also has obsidian, apache tears. $100 for the day
- Suggested local trips
- Leeds site (right next to the Tortoise Preserve) and
- Motoqua, Utah in Washington County has petrified wood on BLM land
- Cedar City agate, which Lynn earmarked for May 17
Officer Reports
Vice President (Allison)
- I have the paperwork for the shop payments, but I haven’t made the deposits
- Voted to give Alison signing authority to pay people (write checks) on the club account account
Secretary (Amber)
- Bylaws, Meeting notes/outlines are in a binder which Amber will locate
Treasurer (Shannon)
- Gave thanks to Alison’s and Amber’s help at every turn.
Shop (Lynn)
Reported the following:
- The 20” and 18” saws have issues. A couple new parts need to be machined by Grant
- Report that the lab machines are being pushed too hard. Newer members are aggressive and they are going to burn them out. They are putting their weight into it. He gives a pitch about how to use the machines. Did this the last 2 meetings. He said he would write down a script for a video.
(The club used to have a 2-hour training class. Sandio:We had classes on how to use the machine. - Classes
- Eric Vogt has rejoined the club and wants to offer a jewelry class.
- Scott Karkos is also willing to teach silver soldering
- There are several people who want to teach wire wrapping.
- Everyone who is supervising at the shop needs a partner.
- Recommended that a centrifuge for each saw to filter the oil would make the cost of oil to go down. They are expensive (Ed Bennet suggested to start with one or two for the most heavily used machines)
- Lynn bought new blades and oil at Quartzite
Communications (Ed K)
- Discussed benefits for Google for Nonprofits. Kanet was to investigate the details.
- Brought up information about the SNGMS Ore Car Mining Claim, another potential club trip.
- Amber said she would call the field trip guy for SNGMS
- Question as to whether the club registered for Google for Nonprofits. (Ed Bennet assured we have.)
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