March, 2018

Cache Rock & Gem Club Volume 6, Issue 3

Editor Jessica Vahsholtz 53 North 200 West, Brigham City Utah 84302

From the Top of the Rock Pile

Meetings are on Gary Warren – Club President
the 2nd Thursday
of the month at March Madness days of when we leave. Either way
WE WILL be going rock hounding
Summit
I am ready to get out and start this month. When we are out
Elementary rock hounding. I hope most of you there we will be getting Topaz,
7:00pm are feeling the same way. For our Apache tears and a lot of other
meeting in March, we will be rocks and minerals for you
80 West Main
Smithfield, UT
talking about the tools we will collection. Be sure and bring the
need to take with us when we go Kids to this one as there is enough
rock hounding and we will also for everyone. When we are out on
Junior club members talk about the bylaws that we sent our field trips, we would like you
meet separately after out to you with the last newsletter. to take the first 20 to 30 minutes
opening I hope everyone had a chance to to help fill up the club buckets
announcements. look them over. Luann will be at then you can have whatever is
the meeting with posters and left…… If we can do this for every
Visitors are welcome.
flyers so that you can start handing trip, we can have more than
Annual Club them out to the businesses that enough material for our show. Just
Membership you go to and we can start getting get the bucket from me or Dave
ready for the show. We will also be Nielsen and start filling.
Individual $15.00 doing rock bags at the meeting as
Family $20.00 we are going to need at least 200 As you can see, our meeting this
this next month as we go out to month will be a busy one and we
Calendar the schools to tell them about want everyone to come and join
of Events rocks and minerals. If anyone of with us. We will be doing a work
you would like to help with this meeting next month also to fill
Club Meeting project and go with us to the more bags and getting our things
Thursday March 8th schools, please come and see me ready for the show. We are down
@7pm at the meeting to only 2 months away and there is
Summit Elementary
plenty to do. We have all of our
For our trip this month, we will be vendor space filled with some on
All content is by the going down to Topaz mountain the waiting list and we will have
editor with the area. We have it on the calendar demonstrations and other things
exception of where it for March 16th weekend, but we going on. We always have the kid’s
is denoted other wise. are going to talk about this in tables which we can really use the
meeting as the plans may change help on and then the snack bar will
down to March 23rd to go. This be available also. We need you to
will depend on the weather and come and help us with whatever
we will have to call it within a few (continued on Page 2)

http://cacherockgemclub.weebly.com
 From the Top of the Rock Pile (continued) Page 2

you feel you can and help take a shift at the calendars for our field trip on the 16th as of
tables. We will be starting a list to go around this right now…..
month to sign up.
Gary Warren
Remember to come out to club meeting on President
Thursday the 8th of March at 7:00 pm at Summit Cache Rock and Gem Club
Elementary School in Smithfield and mark your (435)720-1775 cell

http://cacherockgemclub.weebly.com
March, 2018
 Page 3
March Birthstone Junior Members
Aquamarine

What are fossils and what is paleontology?

Paleontology is the branch of biology that studies the forms of life that existed in
former geologic periods, primarily by studying fossils.
The only direct way we have of learning about dinosaurs is by studying fossils.
Fossils are the remains of ancient animals and plants, the traces or impressions of
living things from past geologic ages, or the traces of their activities. Fossils have
been found on every continent on Earth.
The serenely colored
aquamarine invokes the
The word fossil comes from the Latin word fossilis, which means, "dug up". Most
tranquility of its namesake, fossils are excavated from sedimentary rock layers (Sedimentary rock is rock that
the sea. In fact, the name has formed from sediment, like sand, mud, and small pieces of rock).
aquamarine is derived from Over long periods of time, these small pieces of debris are compressed (squeezed)
the Latin word aqua, meaning and are buried under more and more layers of sediment that piles up on top of it.
water, and marina, meaning Eventually, they are compressed into sedimentary rock.
the sea. The fossil of a bone doesn't have any bone in it! A fossilized object has the same
shape as the original object, but is chemically more like a rock.
Aquamarine is most often
light in tone and ranges from
How are fossils formed?
greenish blue to blue-green;
the color usually is more
Some animals were quickly buried after their death (by sinking in mud, being buried
intense in larger stones, and in a sandstorm, etc). Over time more and more sediment covered the remains. The
darker blue stones are very parts of the animals that didn't rot (usually the harder parts like bones and teeth)
valuable. This gemstone is were encased in the newly formed sediment. In the right circumstances (when
mined mainly in Brazil, but there is no scavengers, quick burial, not much weathering) parts of the animal
also is found in Nigeria, n
turned into fossils over time.
Madagascar, Zambia, After a long time the chemicals in the buried animals bodies underwent a series of
Pakistan, and Mozambique. changes. As the bone slowly decayed, water infused with minerals seeped into the
bone and replaced the chemicals in the bone with rock-like minerals. The process
Like emeralds, this gemstone
of fossilization involves the dissolving and replacement of the original minerals in
is actually a variety of a
mineral called beryl. Large
the object with other minerals (and or permineralization - the filling up of spaces in
stones have been found all fossils with minerals, and /or recrystallization in which a mineral changes its form).
over the world, including one In the end we get a heavy, rock-like copy of the original object - a fossil. The fossil
stone found in Brazil that has the same shape as the original object, but is chemically more like a rock!
weighed over 240 pounds.
Aquamarine grows in large, Other ways fossils form: Petrification
six-sided crystals that can be Petrification can preserve hard and soft parts and slowly replaces organic material
up to a foot long, making it a with silica, calcite or pyrite, forming a rock-like fossil. Wood is often found petrified.
great gem to be cut and Some organisms are embedded in Amber (a hardened form of tree sap). This
polished in larger carats for
usually preserved insects or pieces of plants.
statement pieces.
Fossils of imprints may form, like casts of dinosaur footprints. The impressions, in
Not only is aquamarine one of the right circumstances, fill with sediments that fossilize.
the March birthstones, it’s Most animals did not fossilize, they simply decayed and were lost from the fossil
also used to celebrate 19th record. Paleontologist’s estimate that only a small percentage of the dinosaurs that
wedding anniversaries. It’s a ever lived have been or will be found as fossils.
beautiful stone with little or
no yellow in it, so it looks Courtesy: sciencekids.co.nz
great in many settings with
different colored metals and
gemstones.
http://cacherockgemclub.weebly.com
Copyright: March, 2018
Americangemsociety.org
Junior Members (continued page 3)
Page 4

Reminder to Club Members

Please read through the bylaws
that are attached to this
newsletter. We will be voting on
them at the next club meeting.
Courtesy: supercoloring.com

I have
Cache Rock & Gem Members Rock Shed
Rocks in my
Shed! 400 West ~60 South The shed is currently closed and will be
Hyrum, UT opened again in March. Use of the shed is
by appointment on Wednesday 5-8 pm
and Saturday 10-2 pm with the exception
of field trip days and holidays.
Shed Crew:
Larry Christopherson 435-723-6476
Bret Fonnesbeck 435-757-4927
Only trained shed crew are authorized Email: bsjunkstop@gmail.com
to set up and run the saws. Gary Warren 435-720-1775
Cost is ; Adults Jr. members .
Slab saw cost 0.10 per inch of rough
Wheels $2.00 $1.00

Upcoming Club Shows in the Neighborhood

Idaho Gem Club Annual Rock and Idaho Falls Gem &
Annual Show Gem Show Mineral Society
Expo Idaho, Spanish Fork Fair 54th Annual Gem &
Boise Grounds, Spanish Mineral Show
February 24-25 Fork Idaho Falls
March 16-18 Recreation Center
April 21-22
http://cacherockgemclub.weebly.com
March, 2018
 Club Officers
Bob & Maria Stewart
Club President Gary Warren rock_hunter1@hotmail.com Mexicanroseagate.com

1st Vice President Anita McCollum anitamccollum@comcast.net We have been assembling

a large collection of
2nd Vice President Dave Nielsen dsnielsen@live.com silicates, mainly agate,
jasper and quartz from
Secretary Dawnette Hunter Mexico for over 10 years.
We are now offering our
Treasurer Kathy Farnsworth dfarnsworth@hotmail.com collection for sale online
and at various rock and
gem shows. Our mission is
to find, collect and sell the
Board Members finest agate, jasper, geodes
and other forms of
Head Chair Dave Farnsworth dfarnsworth@hotmail.com chalcedony, mainly from
family-owned property in
Shed Mngr. Larry Christophersen Larry-0021@comcast.net Mexico, to offer to you at
Assist. Bret Fonnesbeck bsjunkstop@gmail.com affordable prices.

Trip Mngr. Dave Nielsen dsnielsen@live.com

rip Assist. Dustin Lofthouse

Jr. Member Mngr. Shawndra Johnson calandshawn@gmail.com

Assist. Sally Warren and Shelly Lofthouse

Rock Show Mngr. Gary Warren rock_hunter1@hotmail.com

Assist. Jay Anderson
Rock Buckets
The club has 3 gal buckets
Advertising Mngr. Craig Stewart candmstewart@msn.com of rough rock for sale. The
Assist. Luann Wilmore rough is a varied collection
from club trips and include
Social media Mngr. Jessica Vahsholtz iwannarockandgolf@yahoo.com petrified wood, palm, agate,
etc. The cost of a bucket is
Welcoming committee Debra Fabre` n/a $10.00 to club members. If
Assist. Marsha Christophersen interested, contact one of
the club officers.
News Bulletin Editor Jessica Vahsholtz iwannarockandgolf@yahoo.com

Special Congress
Rocky Mountain Federation of Representing Involved American Federation of
Mineralogical Societies, rmfms.org Bulletin Editors Mineralogical Societies, amfed.org
scribe.rbnet.net
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March, 2018 Page 5
 Cache Rock and Gem Club
By-laws 2017

Article l. Name and General Purpose

Section 1.01. This club shall be known as the Cache Rock and Gem Club
which was founded in and established as a non-profit organization in
1983, Tax ID 870397018.

Section 1.02. The purpose of this club is to foster interest and

appreciating the earth sciences of geology, fossils, minerals, and
gemstones as well as lapidary arts. Members will have the opportunity
to enjoy and learn in community atmosphere through field trips,
meetings, lectures, workshops, special shows and events.

Article ll. Membership

Section 2.01. Any person(s) who is interested in upholding the purpose

of the club is eligible to apply for membership.

Section 2.02. There are four categories of membership: adult, family,

charter and honorary.

Section 2.03. Annual membership fees will be in effect for one year
beginning January 1 through December 31 of the current year.

Section 2.04. Membership fees will be considered delinquent if not paid

by the March meeting.

Section 2.05. Fee costs will remain constant regardless of date of joining
the club.
Article lll. Fiscal Year

Section 3.01. The fiscal year of this organization begins on the first day
of January each year and ends on the last day of December each year.

Article lV. General Meetings

Section 4.01. Roberts Rules of Order, revised, unless otherwise

provided for in these By-laws, shall govern all meetings of this
organization, its Executive Board, and the duties of the officers.

Section 4.02. Annual Meetings: This organization’s annual meeting is

the regular club meeting in November with elections occurring every
other year.

Section 4.03. Regular Meetings: Regular meetings are held monthly

throughout the calendar year on the second Thursday of each month.

Section 4.04. Junior Meetings: Children of paid members, in K-12

programs, are encouraged and may participate in a structured program
in line with the purpose of this club. Parents or guardian must be in
attendance either in the adult meeting or the junior meeting.

Section 4.05. Younger Members may participate in junior meetings but

must be accompanied by an adult or responsible caregiver.

Article V. Officers and Elections

(a) Election of officers, and selection of Board Members, is held at the
annual meeting of the organization.
(b) Officers are voted in for two-year terms.
(c) Board members at-large are selected by officers for an undetermined
period of time.
(d) Officers and Board members serve in a voluntary capacity only and
do not receive monetary award.
(e) The line of office succession is; President, 1st Vice-president, 2nd
Vice-president, Secretory, Treasurer and Head Committee Chair
(previous president).
(f) Should an office position become vacant during a term, the officer
directly under that position would move forward as would all other
positions move forward.
(g) In the event a position cannot be through succession, a special
election will be called.
(h) Officers, board members and committee chairs are encouraged to
recruit an assistant(s) from the club membership at large.

Section 5.02. Officers include: President, Vice President, Secretary,

Treasurer and Head Committee Chair.
They shall hold office from the date of installation until the next date of
installation, or until their successors are elected and qualified. The Office
of Secretary may be split into Corresponding Secretary and Recording
Secretary, as necessary. The Office of Vice President may also be split
into two co-Vice Presidents.

Section 5.03. All elected officers and other Board Members shall be
installed for their term of office at the annual installation. The
installation meeting is the regular January meeting.

Section 5.04. Nominations may be made from the floor at the annual
meeting, with approval of the nominated person. A member may
nominate her/himself.
Article VI. Executive Board

Section 6.01. All of the affairs, properties and assets of the organization
shall be managed by the Executive Board, unless otherwise noted here.
The Board consists of:
(a) Elected officers.
(b) The immediate past president serving as Head Committee Chair.
(c) News Letter Editor, Junior Club Advisor, Media Staff.
(d) Fieldtrip and annual show assistants.
(e) Others assigned as needed.

Article VII. Duties of the Officers

Section 7.01. President

(a) Presides over all regular and special meetings including Board
meetings. Casts tie-breaking vote.
(b) Brings before the membership all matters that come to attention,
which may have a bearing upon operations or functions of the club.
(c) Appoints an auditing committee to audit financial records, annually.
(d) Signs all legal documents and fund withdrawals in conjunction with
the Head Committee Chair.
(e) Signs checks.
(f) Assists the Head Committee Chair in planning for annual club show.
(g) The current President is the Head Committee Chair in waiting.
(h) Acts as intermediary between other clubs.
Section 7.02. The Vice President (Combined)

(a) Assists the President in her/his regular duties.

(b) Perform assignments as needed and requested by the President.
(c) Actively assists in annual club show.
(d) Heads meetings when the President is unavailable.
(e) The office of Vice President is co-shared with specific focuses.

Section 7.03. First Vice President

(a) Arrange for speakers and presentations for regular club meetings.
(b) Attend meetings, regular, board and planning.
(c) Coordinate community outreach requests i.e, schools, clubs and
special events.

Section 7.04. Second Vice President

(a) Schedules and heads all fieldtrips.

(b) Maintains safety and whereabouts of club members.
(c) Assures all safety equipment is available and in working condition.

Section 7.05. Secretary

(a) Assists the President at all times.

(b) Takes minutes of all meetings, both regular and board.
(c) Reports minutes to officers, board members and the editor of the
newsletter.
(d) Presents club minuets for approval at successive meeting.
(e) Assists in annual club show.
Section 7.06. Treasurer

(a) Receives all moneys from club functions.

(b) Keeps records of expenditures, receipts and balances.
(c) Treasury report will be presented on a quarterly basis at club
meetings.
(d) Maintains record of members and paid dues.
(e) Makes all records available to the auditing committee.
(f) Assists in the annual club show, records costs and profit.

Section 7.07. Head Committee Chair

(a) The Head Committee Chair is the immediate past president.

(b) Acts as an advisor to the current elected officials and club in general.
(c) Appoints all committee chairs who in turn may appoint their
committee members and alternates. All members are encouraged to
join a committee.
(d) Signs all legal documents and fund withdrawals in conjunction with
the President.
(e) Signs checks.
(f) May be given assigned duties.
(i) Assists the President in planning for annual club show

Article Vlll. Liability

The organization carries liability insurance coverage through charter

membership of Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Society to
cover the organization only.

Section 8.01. Due to unique activities of the organization, only paid

members in good standing may participate in field trips and use of the
organization’s equipment.
Section 8.02. Upon membership, members recognize they are
responsible for their personal safety and those in their care.

Section 8.03. Members will be required to sign liability waivers

acknowledging potential hazards of participation in the field or use of
equipment.

Section 8.04. Fieldtrips: Road, weather and unknowns may pose

inconvenience, injury, or in some circumstances, fatality. Members will
be made aware of such potential conditions in advance of participation
or as they become known.

Section 8.05. Equipment: Members must receive and acknowledge

training before using the organization’s equipment.

Article lX. Field Trips: The focus of our fieldtrips are to educate, build
comradery and collect minerals and rocks while having fun.

Section 9.01. Plants and animals found during our trips must not be fed,
harassed and be left in the environment in which they are found.

Section 9.02. Members are responsible for their trash removal and are
encouraged to police the area as an act of general good stewardship.

Section 9.03. All holes created by members are to be filled in before

leaving the field site.

Section 9.04. Due to the limited nature of some trips, some fieldtrips
will have a capacity cap and will be filled on a “first come” basis.
Section 9.05. Members bear the sole burden of costs to participate in
fieldtrips.

Section 9.06. Members must check themselves and their party into the
fieldtrip when joining the fieldtrip and check themselves and party out
when departing the fieldtrip, this includes both joining and departing at
any juncture of the fieldtrip.

Section 9.07. Members shall recognize all state and federal laws and
abide by guidelines established by private property owners.