Topic Schedule for Meeting Presentations

These meetings will continue both online through Zoom and in person simultaneously for the first meeting of the month. Everyone is welcome (including non-members) to join us at the Forest Grove Senior Center for either meeting.

All members, please check your email spam for both club announcements and newsletters, so you won’t miss out, especially on planning for field trips, which are for members only. If you are not receiving these and you are a member, you need to contact either the president or us through the website. Once accepted, it will no longer go to spam, and you will always be informed.

Below is our presentation topic schedule, or check out our web calendar for updated Rock and Gem shows, member activities, and events to be held at the Forest Grove Senior Center unless otherwise specified.

Date – Activities

  • August 14-16 Glen’s Rock Sale
  • August 13 – General meeting at fgsc 7:30
  • August 23 – TVGC Picnic and Rice Museum Tour (Tentative)
  • August 27 – social meeting at fgsc 7:00pm
  • September 7-12 – NFMS Rockhound Retreat
  • September 26 – OCRMC Hampton Butte
  • September 30 & October 1 – PRGMS Setup
  • October 2-4 – PRGMS

If you were not a member from last year use the form on this page =>Membership – join us

If you were a member from last year and wish to renew, go to this same page link above, but click on the renew form to send in dues; all dues are due now.

📣 The Junior Geologist program is typically at the Brookwood Library.in Hillsboro. Exact dates TBD, 2:00-3:00 pm, Kids 5 and up. Parents are required to attend along with their child. Please RSVP (at the link below) to “Gordon / Junior’s program” with any questions and include in the description the names and number of people attending at https://tvgc.org/contact/.

This program is open to non-members and members who can RSVP through the contact because of space availability.

On the left are badges from the American Federation that can be earned throughout the program.

In Appreciation of Rocks and Minerals

For anyone who already collects them that is already considered an appreciation, however AI chimed in with a great answer that I would like to share (in short) and maybe for some of you it already matches your own reason.

“Studying rocks and minerals can help you appreciate the natural world’s beauty and complexity. You can learn about earth science, chemistry, physics and math and gain insights into the planet’s history, the evolution of the solar system and the presence of life in extreme environments.”

If that was not deep enough, then one could think about the value it gave and continues give to society, such as the development of new technologies. As a matter of fact one of the movies I watched entitled “Life’s Rocky Start” a 2016 PBS/NOVA film related the development of life on earth in relation to mineral processes and changes in the past.

Having worked in a rock and mineral museum some visitors would talk to me about how certain inorganic rocks and minerals were toxic. Some minerals you might appreciate being aware of, but they’re not that common and remember that organic plants and animals can be poisonous/ toxic also.

Despite all that, I appreciate the fact that no single rock, mineral or crystal is ever exactly alike and as one person once told me – each one seems to have something special (kind of like the uniqueness in every person, tree, plants, animals and so on). So why not have them as jewelry, decorate our houses, collect them or study them. They are still finding more new minerals as a write this.

Some of the very best ones are the ones you find or discover for yourself. As a matter of fact, some places can produce similar gemstones, but move to a different place in the same area and you’ll find something completely different. Take for example, fire obsidian found in Oregon.

Below is my favorite rock that I found, nothing fancy, but to me something special. So I hope you all continue to share (also with your rock clubs) why you love this wonderfully diverse hobby and follow you hearts.

Finally, I would like to say please support your local rock shows as much as you can. Appreciate those beautiful displays. Because if we don’t, they just might not be there in the future and that would be very sad, not to be able to share what you love.