Click a Table of Contents Entry to jump to that article.

President’s Message

Vice-President’s Message

A Rockhound Trip to Alpine and the Davis Mountains

Section News

Volunteering

Gemstones and Faceting Section Grows!

FieldTrips!

Upcoming Classes

The Gulf Coast Gem & Mineral Show

Bench Tips

The Livermore Cache

Minutes of Board Meeting

Minutes of General Meeting

Upcoming Shows

Club Information

Rebuilding Our Community Outreach

A recent increase in requests from regional libraries has prompted me to focus this month’s message on the state of our Society’s educational outreach. As an educational nonprofit, outreach is central to who we are.

I encourage you to share your thoughts so we can continue this discussion in upcoming General Meetings, Section meetings, and other forums.

We support education in many ways, but our direct outreach to schools and community groups has declined as key volunteers have stepped back or moved away.

Steve Blyskal and the Mineral Section continue to assemble rock kits for school groups visiting our annual Show, and Steve generously offers classroom presentations. At present, he is the only member I am aware of who regularly responds to teacher requests outside of the Show setting.

The Paleo Section has received multiple requests from libraries across Harris County and surrounding areas for their 2026 summer programs built around the theme “Unearth a Story.” These programs are centered on fossils and paleontology for a range of age groups.

With Neal Immega’s retirement from active involvement, we have struggled to recruit enough members who feel comfortable presenting these topics—leaving us unable to meet current demand.

We are at our best when communicating our love for rocks, gems, fossils and earth science in general.  Lapidary, beading and jewelry making show how beautiful items can be created from the earth’s resources.  Every Section can be a part of this rebuilding effort.

I would like to invite all Sections to help rebuild a strong “presenter volunteer group,” and I welcome your ideas as we reinvigorate outreach to both students and adults.

Here’s a proposed framework:

• Develop specific programs and train presenters at the Section level, around Section interests.
• Create program content for schools, Scout packs, and youth groups aligned with Texas TEKS curriculum standards. (I’m currently extracting earth science TEKS concepts by grade level and will make them available.)
• Identify existing grade-level earth science resources from internet and other sources and adapt them for our use.
• Consult current or retired teachers within our membership for guidance.
• Assemble a coordinated “teaching collection” of materials in portable containers.
• Use portable visuals such as retractable, self-supporting banners or posters to support presentations. If Section funds are scarce, the club could help with costs and sourcing.
• Adapt selected topics for adult audiences, as well.
• Start with one or two topics and define key points for a set timeframe (15 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.). Let Section members suggest how to build out the key points further.
• Practice presentations within Section meetings so speakers become comfortable.
• Remember: enthusiasm, accurate information and clarity are what our community is looking for.  You can provide all of that.

If Sections commit to organized outreach, we will not only serve our community more effectively—we will strengthen our own knowledge, confidence, and connection to the Society.

I encourage you to share your ideas, volunteer your interest, and take part in shaping this effort. Let’s be strong ambassadors for the science, the arts, and the Society we value.

Colin Diggins, the paleontologist for the Houston Museum of Natural Science, will speak at our next General Meeting on May 22nd.

This should be an exciting talk! And isn’t that a great name for a paleontologist?

One of our friends, Aaron Thomas, who used to lead agate hunting trips to the Kokernot o6 ranch, had a booth selling slabs, polished nodules and rough from the Kokernot and from “Muddy Creek”, a private ranch location producing plume agate like what came from the Woodward and Walker ranches.  I spent time at his booth picking out polished specimens and looking at cut nodules in water. After a long afternoon we checked into our Airbnb place on the north side of Alpine.  A converted garage, it had a lot of space with a comfortable bed and an attached kitchen area and bathroom.  The covered carport next to the door to the garage was an added benefit.

Tuesday was a rest day, so we enjoyed a visit to the Museum of the Big Bend, a very nice small museum adjacent to the campus of Sul Ross University.  They have well-done exhibits documenting the Native American cultures that called the area home over the last few thousand years, the Spanish explorers, the Buffalo Soldiers, and the ranchers and cowboys who developed the area in the 20^th century.   After lunch with a friend, we spent time in the local gallery that features artists from the area.  The art is of a high quality and of many types, painting, jewelry, sculpture, photography and ceramics and glass.  With the disturbed weather again producing rain and clouds in the area we headed south on 118 for a few miles, stopping to look for agates and taking photos of interesting cloud formations.

Wednesday, we headed home after a visit to the Alpine Visitor Center to get our photos taken with the cowboy/cowgirl cutouts and pick up additional information about the area. On this visit we didn’t have time to go to Big Bend National Park, the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute or the McDonald Observatory, which are worth a visit of several days.  With our late start out of Alpine we decided to skip rush hour traffic in San Antonio by turning off I-10 at Comfort and traveling on 2 lane roads to Sisterdale, Kendalia, across the Devil’s Backbone to San Marcos and down to Luling, where we picked up I-10 again.  This route will test your driving skills with the ups and downs and turns, but road quality is excellent.  It doesn’t save you any time, but it is noticeably less stressful than stop and go traffic through construction zones while surrounded by 18-wheelers!

Gemstones and Faceting – Third Thursday, 6:00 PM

Our next meeting will be May 21st at 6:00 pm.

Paleontology – Third Tuesday, 7:30 PM 

The next meeting is Tuesday May 19th,  at 7:30 pm.

• to be announced

Zoom link for the meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85692818950?pwd=mijgbIGoUS4wYNmuzC2905fyFcTbnq.1

or

Meeting ID: 860 5377 1923
Passcode: 826994

If you’d like to join the Paleo Section email list, send an email to hgmspaleosection@gmail.com and ask to be added.

Youth, First and Third Saturdays, 10:00am – 12:00pm

Next meetings will be on May 2nd and May 16th.

Mostly we will be working on cabochons. Children must be accompanied by parents.

Opportunities to Get Involved

We still have several important roles to fill:

Social Committee (Chair + Members)
Help organize meeting refreshments, support club events, and manage the Show hospitality room. A great fit if you enjoy welcoming others.

Shop Supervisor
We need a committed volunteer to help resume Thursday shop days.
Ask the current supervisor during Wednesday, Saturday, or Sunday shop hours for details.

Publicity Committee 
Additional volunteers are needed across all media channels
Contact publicity@hgms.org for more information.

The night before the November 2025 annual show for HGMS, I decided to type up a sign that basically said “Would you like to learn how to cut gemstones?”, with a few pictures of cut gemstones.

I printed it out, put it in an upright frame and also made a sign-up sheet to go with it. I set it up on our display table and let it do its work for the 3-day show. By the end of the show, I had 47 people that signed up! I was amazed! I took their contact information and put it in a spreadsheet, then used that to communicate with this group.

Our “Faceting 101” class is an 8-hour class that teaches the student the entire process to cut a gemstone, from beginning to end. It’s a simple design, but the process of teaching properly takes that much time for students. In addition, we will only teach two people at the most, at one time. There is so much that the instructor needs to explain, as well as watching the student to ensure they are doing the process correctly, that teaching more than two is extremely difficult and, in my opinion, not possible to do correctly.

To be expected, not all that signed up will carry through and go through the class. Possibly due to the length of time it takes, cost, location of the class, etc. Anyway, we have trained about 20 people since the show (5 months back) and we have 3 still scheduled in the next few weeks. The result is that we have also seen a number of new members join HGMS and new members are the majority of our attendees to our monthly meetings!

I didn’t imagine that that little sign would generate so much interest, but just letting others know that they too can also do faceting, in my opinion, was the key to the success!

Wire-wrapped Tree of Life Pendant Class (May 9, 2026)

$42.00 (members) – $52.00 (non- members) @ 10:00 am – 1:30 pm

——————————————————————————————

Wide Band Textured Rings Class (May 9, 2026)

$130.00 (members) – $163.00 (non- members) @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

——————————————————————————————

Wire-wrapped Tree of Life Pendant Class (May 11, 2026)

$42.00 (members) – $52.00 (non- members)  @ 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

——————————————————————————————

Cabochon Wire-Wrapped Ring (May 16, 2026)

$52.00 (members) – $62.00 (non- members) @ 10:00 am – 2:30 pm

——————————————————————————————

Forged Dangle Earrings (May 17, 2026)

$94.00 (members) – $117.50 (non- members) @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

——————————————————————————————

Cabochon Wire-Wrapped Ring (May 18, 2026)

$52.00 (members) – $62.00 (non- members) @ 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Back to Table of Contents

In a cave nearby, facing Mount Livermore, an ancient painted rock was found that was shaped to resemble the mountain. Very likely the mountain did indeed have religious significance to the inhabitants of the region.

References:

Texas Monthly, September 2014

Museum of the Big Bend, Campus of Sul Ross State University, Alpine Texas

Back to Table of Contents

President Jeanean Slamen called the meeting to order at 7:36 pm. A quorum was present.

Debbie Seid reported that the March Board Meeting Minutes were approved by majority vote and published in the April BBG as were the March General Meeting Minutes.

Rhett Cooper presented the treasurer’s report, showing current budget status with total revenues at $3,230 and expenditures tracking normally, though he noted a minor discrepancy in HVAC utility charges that would result in a difference of approximately $2.

Rhett noted that most items were on track except for some concerns about MailChimp subscription payment setup and instructor payments for education classes that had not yet been paid. The group discussed a $500 grant from CAS that needed further investigation to understand its purpose and requirements. Jeanean had questions about a $250 PayPal donation from December that the organization was unaware of, highlighting the need to contact PayPal to obtain details about the donor and send a thank you receipt.

Rhett discussed financial concerns, particularly regarding shop repairs and supplies, and proposed creating procedures for sections to submit receipts and documentation for reimbursements to maintain tax-exempt status.

Jeanean supported this idea, emphasizing the need for clear documentation to help the bookkeeper close the organization’s books accurately. Rhett agreed to draft a proposal for these procedures and address the issue of incentivizing section financial independence, especially regarding shop supplies. Jeanean also mentioned ongoing discussions with Scott Singleton about the show budget, noting some discrepancies in expense categorization and revenue estimates that need to be resolved.

The team discussed streamlining the process for show-related expenses and revenue tracking, with Jeanean proposing that accounts be assigned based on detailed breakdowns provided by the event organizers. Rhett reported on PayPal transactions for the recent auction, noting discrepancies in payment totals and fees that would need further investigation. Ray Kizer inquired about PayPal deposits from the auction, and Rhett agreed to check on this.

Julius Albonetti provided updates on upcoming speakers, including a representative from Johnson Space Center and Colin Diggins from the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Jeanean presented membership data showing 400 total members, with 314 active memberships, and addressed questions about couple memberships and recent renewals.

Debbie Seid provided an update on the ventilation project, noting that the team had conducted a walkthrough and met with maintenance staff about potential solutions, with plans to benchmark best practices across different shop types and establish monthly review meetings. Although the focus of the committee is on ventilation, Al Robb expressed a need for establishing a health and safety officer role with accountability for ensuring safety issues are adequately addressed. Jeanean clarified that such a role was not currently in place but could be formalized through the ventilation committee’s work and recommendations. The group addressed specific safety issues including securing compressed gas cylinders and meeting distance requirements for separation of oxygen cylinders from acetylene cylinders. The group discussed completion of action items, with Debbie suggesting that assigning specific due dates and responsible persons would help ensure completion. The Board agreed with Julius’ suggestion that the shop would close if safety requirements could not be met by a certain date.

Richard Good discussed the structural integrity of the second floor, explaining that while it was built in 1980 and shows no signs of deformation, it was designed for storage and should have proper load limits posted. He emphasized that other safety concerns, such as gas cylinder handling and equipment usage in the shop, pose greater risks than the ceiling structure.

Jeanean brought up Randy Carlson’s letter requesting a review of the second floor by an external third party tp ascertain the structural integrity of the space, which the Board was asked to consider. The Board would like to know what event or near-miss triggered Randy’s concern and request for third party review.

The group discussed concerns about storing materials in the attic, with Richard explaining that the current storage does not approach the 24,000-pound threshold that would pose a safety risk. The Board agreed to post a load notice with specific language about weight limits and periodic inspections, rather than implementing a gate or barrier that would need to be removable during show preparations. Richard recommended conducting an initial inspection first to assess the current condition before determining any further actions.

Richard will obtain a reference book to review and document load limits for attic space and will work with another professional to assess the structure to ensure continued safe operation and loading. Jeanean will ask HGMS member and former Board member, Maggie Manley, an architect, for assistance with the review.

Jeanean provided an update of the formation of a new club-wide field trip committee, confirming its launch after ensuring that Committee Chair Matt Sklar has included provisions for fair participation practices and committee structure.

Regarding shop policies, Jeanean reported she would work with July Olson to refine the operating instructions for equipment and separate liability information, while also noting the need to develop procedures for the non-working TIG welder.

The board discussed several open leadership positions, including the need for a new membership chairman and social committee chair. Jeanean highlighted that while the current three board members are managing membership registration accurately, they lack capacity for member orientation sessions and other outreach activities planned for 2026. The group also addressed library management transition, with Clyde McMeans offering to remain a resource while others take on leadership of the library operations.

Finally, the Board reviewed concerns about recent bylaws revisions, particularly regarding budget responsibility shifts from the president to treasurer and changes to asset distribution provisions upon club dissolution.

Jeanean presented research on nonprofit asset distribution rules, explaining that federal and Texas law requires charitable assets to be permanently dedicated to public purposes and cannot be distributed to members or private individuals upon dissolution. She also introduced a comprehensive governance manual template with policies and procedures for board operations, officer transitions, and organizational controls. The board discussed the need to document their educational activities to maintain compliance with nonprofit status requirements,

The meeting adjourned at 9:53 pm.

President Jeanean Slamen called the meeting to order at 7:37 pm. She welcomed 25 in person attendees and 5 online attendees.

Approval of Minutes: The March General Meeting Minutes were approved by President Jeanean Slamen prior to posting  in the April Backbender’s Gazette.

President’s Comments: Jeanean Slamen spoke about the importance of Community Outreach as part of the Education mandate for non-profit organizations.  She recognized Steve Blyskal for his work in providing mineral kits to schools.  While the annual show and the Scouts badge program clearly qualify as educational programs, there are other opportunities for outreach such as presence at other gem shows such as the Clear Lake Show and speaking at local organizations and schools. Tracking time spent in these types of activities may help with eligibility for education grants and equipment purchases.

Committee Chair/Section Reports:

Minerals Section: Steve Blyskal, Minerals Section Chair, announced that the Minerals Section has been discussing common minerals in their monthly meetings. The May meeting will be about sulfide minerals.

Membership Committee: Jeanean Slamen reported that there are 400 total members and 314 active memberships.

Old Business:

Ventilation Committee: Dean Wix provided an update on the visit to The Makery, a jewelry /metal arts studio in Bulverde, TX, to look at how a newer facility handles ventilation needs. The Makery was rebuilt in 2024 following a devastating electrical fire in 2023.  The studio has dedicated work stations for soldering and annealing, and uses portable air purifying units to capture fumes and emissions from metal forming operations using torches. The owner, Francesca Watson, was very open to questions and will be a valuable resource for further questions about safe and effective jewelry shop operations.

New Business

2^ND Vice President (VP) Position Vacancy and Candidate: President Slamen was pleased to introduce the 2^nd VP candidate and membership chair, Joann Koonce-Hamar who will be formally voted onto the Board in the May 5 Board of Directors meeting.  Joann joined HGMS in 2024 when she was President of the Houston Beading Club.  She was instrumental in merging the Houston Beading Club with HGMS’ Beading Section in 2025.

Joann took the floor and spoke about her vision for expanding membership engagement, and the opportunity for cross connections to allow for broader member interests and engagement.

Field Trip Committee Launch: President Slamen was happy to introduce Matthew Sklar as the Chair for the newly formed Field Trip Committee.  Matthew took the floor and shared his plans for future field trips, with hopes to host a number of trips this year to accommodate club interests.  The first trip is planned for June 6 to Llano, TX to look for llanite, look for details in upcoming eBlasts.

Key Volunteer Positions Available: President Slamen spoke of the need for filling the open position for Social Committee Chair and an additional need for members to work on the Publicity Committee with chair Jacob Walters. Workshops on taking photos and videos will be given to enhance skills if necessary.

Show-n-Tell: Joe Otillar showed the Big Sur jade pieces that he collected at the Jade Cove, Big Sur, CA and provided a history of jade collecting at Big Sur under harrowing conditions.

Steve Blyskal recounted his and Sigrid’s recent trip to Alpine, TX and shared their finds from their trip to the Pigmon Ranch with Terry Smith, and the Boxcar Ranch for nodular agate and veined agate.

Door Prizes Drawing: There were 5 door prizes given, the winners were July Olson, Rey Espinosa, David Pawek, Jonathan Winata, and Nicole Garcia.

The next Board of Directors meeting is on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.

The next Hybrid General Meeting will be on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.

Adjournment: President Slamen adjourned the meeting at 8:40pm.

Many thanks to the members who made the meeting a success:

Julius Albonetti and July Olson for the tech support

Sigrid Stewart for the door prizes

Debbie and William Seid for refreshments*

Julius Albonetti for the guest speaker and program

Program:

1^st Vice President Julius Albonetti introduced the speaker, Jessica Bamford, HGMS member and Space Center Houston education instructor.  Jessica gave an informative presentation of the Apollo Missions and their challenges and successes in collecting moon rocks.

*At the risk of suspending refreshments at the general meetings, I (Debbie) provided the April refreshments.  After hearing that refreshments might be suspended going forward if we don’t have volunteers to bring them, several members including Sigrid Stewart and Lisa Mochizuki offered to bring refreshments. July Olson and Jeanean Slamen provided refreshments for the Jan, Feb, and March meetings. I personally enjoy the refreshment break to allow 10 – 15 minutes to socialize with other members, and refreshments can be whatever you want to serve, as simple as picking something up at the store, or if you’re in the mood to try out a new recipe and don’t want to eat all 24 servings yourself, feel free to bring it to the general meeting where it will be much appreciated! Please let me or Jeanean know if you’re interested in volunteering to keep the refreshment break going.  Expenses are reimburseable up to $55 per meeting.

May:

Waco Gem & Mineral Society

May 2-3,  10:00am – 5:00 pm.

Lee Lockwood Library & Museum, 2801 W. Waco Drive Waco, TX

email babydocmac@aol.com

https://wacogemandmineral.org/

Fort Worth Gem & Mineral Society Annual Show

May 23-24, Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pm,. Sunday 10:00am – 4:00pm

Roundup Inn at Will Rogers Memorial Complex

3401 W Lancaster Ave, Fort Worth, Texas

email Glenda Bradley  fwgmc.info@gmail.com

fortworthgemandmineralclub.org

2026 CONVENTION of:

The American Federation of Mineralogical Societies

and Midwest Federation of Mineralogical and Geological Societies

Hosted by Chicagoland Gems & Minerals Association

UNITED WE ROCK!

49th Annual Show, May 23 & 24, 2026

Prairie Arts Center @Kane County Fairgrounds

525 S. Randall Rd., St. Charles, IL  60174

Sat. 10 am – 6 pm, Sun. 10 am – 5 pm

Adults $5, 2 day pass $8; Seniors (62+) and students $3; Kids under 13 free

June:

Arlington Gem & Mineral Club Annual Show

June 13-15, Saturday 9:00am – 6:00pm, Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm

Grapevine Convention Center, 1209 South Main St, Grapevine, Texas

email Terri Brewen, (817) 939-1100 or tbrewen@sbcglobal.net

fortworthgemandmineralclub.org

Sublette County Gem & Mineral Annual Show

June 19-21, Sublette County Fairgrounds

Marbletown, Wyoming

The Show will host the Wyoming State Gem & MIneral Soicety

East Texas Gem & Mineral Society Annual Show

June 27-28, Saturday 9:00am – 6:00pm, Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm

Tyler Rose Garden Center, 420 Rose Park Drive, Tyler, Texas

Click a Table of Contents Entry to jump to that article.

President’s Message

Vice-President’s Message

Houston, We Have a Problem -Meteorites!

Section News

Donation Sale

Rick Rexroad

Bender’s Cave

Bench Tips

The Nimrud Lens

Memory Lane

Minutes of Board Meeting

Minutes of General Meeting

Upcoming Shows

Club Information

Rebuilding Our Community Outreach

A recent increase in requests from regional libraries has prompted me to focus this month’s message on the state of our Society’s educational outreach. As an educational nonprofit, outreach is central to who we are. I encourage you to share your thoughts so we can continue this discussion in upcoming General Meetings, Section meetings, and other forums.

We support education in many ways, but our direct outreach to schools and community groups has declined as key volunteers have stepped back or moved away. Steve Blyskal and the Mineral Section continue to assemble rock kits for school groups visiting our annual Show, and Steve generously offers classroom presentations. At present, he is the only member I am aware of who regularly responds to teacher requests outside of the Show setting.

The Paleo Section has received multiple requests from libraries across Harris County and surrounding areas for their 2026 summer programs built around the theme “Unearth a Story.” These programs are centered on fossils and paleontology for a range of age groups.

With Neal Immega’s retirement from active involvement, we have struggled to recruit enough members who feel comfortable presenting these topics—leaving us unable to meet current demand.

We are at our best when communicating our love for rocks, gems, fossils and earth science in general. Lapidary, beading and jewelry making show how beautiful items can be created from the earth’s resources. Every Section can be a part of this rebuilding effort.

I would like to invite all Sections to help rebuild a strong “presenter volunteer group,” and I welcome your ideas as we reinvigorate outreach to both students and adults.

Here’s a proposed framework:

• Develop specific programs and train presenters at the Section level, around Section interests.
• Create program content for schools, Scout packs, and youth groups aligned with Texas TEKS curriculum standards. (I’m currently extracting earth science TEKS concepts by grade level and will make them available.)
• Identify existing grade-level earth science resources from internet and other sources and adapt them for our use.
• Consult current or retired teachers within our membership for guidance.
• Assemble a coordinated “teaching collection” of materials in portable containers.
• Use portable visuals such as retractable, self-supporting banners or posters to support presentations. If Section funds are scarce, the club could help with costs and sourcing.
• Adapt selected topics for adult audiences, as well.
• Start with one or two topics and define key points for a set timeframe (15 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.). Let Section members suggest how to build out the key points further.
• Practice presentations within Section meetings so speakers become comfortable.

Remember: enthusiasm,  accurate information and clarity are what our community is looking for.  You can provide all of that

If Sections commit to organized outreach, we will not only serve our community more effectively—we will strengthen our own knowledge, confidence, and connection to the Society. I encourage you to share your ideas, volunteer your interest, and take part in shaping this effort.
Let’s be strong ambassadors for the science, the arts, and the Society we value.

For our April 28th General Meeting, Jessica Bamford, a member of HGMS, will make a presentation about the Moon. With the recent launch of Artemis II, the Moon is back in the news! She will talk to us about the surface of the moon, how NASA is looking at living on the Moon and other topics. She has a true passion on this subject and members are sure to enjoy her talk. We’ll see you there!

Gemstones and Faceting – Second Thursday, 6:30 PM

Our next meeting will be April 9th at 6:30 pm. Topic to be announced.

Paleontology – Third Tuesday, 7:30 PM 

The next meeting is Tuesday, April 21st at 7:30 pm. After Show ‘n’ Tell, we will have a talk.

Zoom link for the meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83086910829?pwd=Oi4rVSgg9nXjRAmtqXovLLwFnOC2GX.1

or

Meeting ID: 860 5377 1923
Passcode: 826994

If you’d like to join the Paleo Section email list, send an email to hgmspaleosection@gmail.com and ask to be added.

Youth, First and Third Saturdays, 10:00am – 12:00pm

Next meetings will be on April 4th and 19th.

Mostly we will be working on cabochons. Children must be accompanied by parents.

Register and see prices and content of upcoming classes here.

Taught by Susan Burch:

Beginning Wire-wrapped Pendant (Apr 11, 2026)

Taught by Carmen Fraticelli:

Textured Stacking Rings (Apr 19, 2026)

Twisted Hoop Earrings Class (Apr 26, 2026)

Wide Band Textured Rings Class (May 9, 2026)

Forged Dangle Earrings (May 17, 2026)

References:

https://www.jsg.utexas.edu/news/2026/03/new-ice-age-animals-and-slice-of-earth-history-found-in-central-texas-water-cave/

https://www.livescience.com/animals/extinct-species/it-blew-my-mind-long-lost-ice-age-ecosystem-including-fossils-of-lion-size-armadillo-and-giant-ground-sloth-discovered-in-texas-water-cave

https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/texas-water-cave-unique-ice-age-fossils/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pampatheriidae

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesperotestudo

Purposely crafted lenses may date back to 4,500 years to the 4th Dynasty of ancient Egypt and 3500 years ago in the city of Knossos on the island of Crete. Although many objects which could be evaluated as lenses have been found, the British Museum considers them not useful for that purpose. It might mean that they did understand the concept and were trying to achieve a practical prototype. Perhaps future archaeological investigations will clarify the matter.

image: The Nimrud lens. Source: The British Museum / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

“World’s oldest telescope?” In BBC News 1 July 1999. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/380186.stm

No name. No date. “Ancient Lenses” in Ancient Wisdom. Available at: http://www.ancient-wisdom.com/optics.htm

“The Nimrud Lens” in The British Museum. Available at: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_-90959

Call to order: President Jeanean Slamen called the meeting to order at 7:41 pm. There was a quorum in attendance.

Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting, if needed: Debbie Seid reported that the February 2026 Board meeting minutes were approved by majority and published in the March 2026 Backbender’s Gazette.

review of Treasurer’s Report: The meeting began with a discussion about financial reports and budgets, where Jeanean shared that she had reviewed February financials with the bookkeeper and discussed scholarship funds and budget monitoring. The Board discussed reviewing budget categories, showing variances of greater than 10% from the budget, including the need for review of section budgets and authorizations. The discussion was tabled until a later date.

Treasurer Rhett Cooper presented the treasurer’s report which showed total income of over $12,500 and total expenses of $14,334.39 since January 1st. He reviewed various expenses, including electricity, internet, and fees related to building operations which were as expected due to running equipment and services.

Rhett covered financial updates, including a net income of $4,363.50 from show revenues. Jeanean confirmed that she has provided Scott Singleton with the budget for the upcoming 2026 show.

Program Committee Update: Julius Albonetti, provided an update on the program committee, mentioning speakers for March, April, and May, and work on one for August. Upcoming programs are announced in the weekly eBlast.

Membership Update: Jeanean Slamen provided an update as of February 16, 2026. The Membership Chair position is currently vacant due to Second Vice President, Sarah Metsa’s, resignation. The Board is actively recruiting to fill the position, but until then, membership roster updates will be handled by other Board members.

Announcements and reports of other Officers, Committee Chairs, or Section Board Representatives (as needed):

Faceting Section Chair (via Randy Carlson email): 14 new members have joined the Gemstones and Faceting Section since mid 2025.

Old Business:

Ventilation project status update: Debbie Seid reported that Al Robb has joined the Ventilation Committee providing his professional experience in safety and security management to the team. The team met with Tony Lucci and Richard Good to conduct a walkthrough of the HGMS shops on March 1 to assess ventilation needs in the jewelry, lapidary, and air abrasives shops. The team identified several quick fixes to address issues relating to securing oxygen and argon cylinders, and installing self closing hinges on the doors of the lapidary shop to contain noise, dust and oil mist within the shop. The team will explore the installation of an exhaust hood for venting ovens and kilns in the jewelry/silversmithing shop with benchtop ventilation for soldering at the benches.

Shop training and shop policies in development: Jeanean Slamen reported that work continues on development of Shop training and shop policies with final review and approval provided by Jeanean Slamen. Policies and procedures will also be needed for the TIG welder.

New Field Trip Committee: The Board is awaiting a proposal from the Co-chairs for the New field trip committee, Mathew and Allison Sklar, to provide a system for informing members of upcoming field trips with an equitable way to allow broader access to the trips.

IT issues and email changes: Jeanean Slamen continues to address ongoing HGMS email and IT needs.

New Business:

Account for Shop Maintenance (proposed): Jeanean Slamen proposed the creation of a new bank account for shop maintenance in order to expedite shop maintenance needs and ordering of equipment and supplies without using personal funds to buy the materials before submitting an expense report. A credit or debit card would be provided to the Shop Maintenance Manager for this purpose. July Olson moved to create the shop maintenance account with Al Robb seconding. The motion carried unanimously.

Information and Discussion on current Board Issues:

Board Policy and Roles and Responsibilities Documentation: Due to the short tenure of board positions and the need for institutional memory, good documentation of board decisions via written policies, procedures, and authorizations is warranted instead of putting everything in the bylaws. This documentation would include roles and responsibilities for Board and Section Leader positions to ensure that changes in key roles are well understood and transitions are seamless for operational and financial purposes.

The Board agreed that policies should be documented in writing on HGMS letterhead, and reviewed annually to determine which policies/records to maintain or modify.

Member Concerns: Jeanean Slamen discussed a member’s concern regarding the load capacity for the second floor and asked for verification of load capacity. HGMS member and Board Section Representative for the

Lapidary Section, Richard Good, a retired licensed Professional Engineer, will draft the Board’s response to this concern for review at the April Board Meeting.

Addition of Fourth Scholarship: Jeanean reported that money accrued in the account provided by Art Smith’s royalties has reached the threshold of $2500, and can be used to award an additional scholarship this year. July Olson motioned to

award the scholarship, and the motion was seconded by Al Robb. The motion carried unanimously.

Adjournment: President Slamen adjourned the meeting at 9:33 pm. She informed the Board that per Robert’s Rules of Order, it is not necessary to make a motion to adjourn once there is no further business to conduct. The President or Presiding Officer will adjourn the meeting in future meetings without the need for a motion.

President Jeanean Slamen called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm.

She welcomed 21 in person attendees and 2 online attendees. New members Madison Guinn and Jacob Berry introduced themselves as Paleo enthusiasts who were encouraged by Mike Dawkins to join HGMS when they attended the 2025 Show.

Approval of Minutes: The February General Meeting Minutes were approved by President Jeanean Slamen prior to posting in the March Backbender’s Gazette.

Committee Chair/Section Reports:

Minerals Section: Steve Blyskal, Minerals Section Chair, announced that the Minerals Section has been discussing common minerals in their monthly meetings. The April meeting will be about zeolites.

Scholarship Committee: Mike Sommers, Scholarship Committee Chair, is happy to have a 4th scholarship to award this year. Anyone interested in joining the Scholarship Committee and reviewing scholarship applications with him and his team can contact him at scholarships@hgms.org.

Membership Committee:

Jeanean Slamen reported that there has been 32 new or renewed memberships since the February General Meeting, bringing the total number of members to 276. A complete reconciliation of members will be done at the end of March.

Old Business:

Ventilation Committee:

Debbie Seid provided an update on the ventilation needs assessment for the HGMS jewelry/silversmithing, lapidary, and paleo air abrasives shops. While direct exhaust appears to be the obvious solution for ventilation, the ventilation team will benchmark other facilities for best practices.

Safety Committee:

Jeanean Slamen reported that safety procedures and training for shop users is in review. They will be published following her approval.

New Business: Jeanean Slamen

The April Club Cleanup is deferred until there is sufficient volunteer support; no volunteers have responded to date.

The 2nd Vice President and Membership Chair position remains vacant. The responsibilities for managing membership updates are currently being handled by volunteers on the Board.

Please encourage any member with an interest in outreach and good social skills to follow up with Jeanean Slamen at president@hgms.org.

A new account for shop maintenance will be created to facilitate the ordering of supplies and equipment. This will allow the Shop Maintenance Manager to purchase supplies with a debit card without having to front the money for the purchases before getting reimbursed. The creation of the new account was approved by the Board in the March Board meeting.

HGMS policies and roles and responsibilities that are not described in the Bylaws will be documented for better transparency and will be reviewed annually. While documentation may be found in the back copies of the Backbender’s Gazette, ready documentation of key Board policies, decisions, and authorizations will facilitate ongoing operations especially during key role transitions.

An additional 4th $2500 scholarship will be awarded this year in addition to the three annual scholarships that HGMS grants. The 4th scholarship account is funded by the royalties from the Art Smith estate and after the account has reached the threshold amount of $2500.

Show-n-Tell: Steve Blyskal presented an azurite specimen from the Milpillas Mine in Mexico among other pieces he brought to the meeting, Holly Gardner described a dinosaur bone found by her husband David Gardner in Colorado’s Morrison Formation, and David Fitzhugh described his display of African specimens.

Joe Otillar showed and described the fifty-pound meteorite that he bought in Tucson, the 2 years of cleaning required to bring it to its present condition, and its history dating back to its founding in Argentina in 1576. Joe was prompted to bring his meteorite to show and tell following the recent incident involving a meteorite striking a home in the Houston area.

Door Prizes Drawing: Julius Albonetti won the sodalite door prize.

The next Board of Directors meeting is on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.

The next Hybrid General Meeting will be on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.

Many thanks to the members who made the meeting a success:

Karl Schleicher for the tech support

July Olson and Jeanean Slamen for refreshments Julius Albonetti for the guest speaker and program

Members were encouraged to feed the kitty to defray the costs for refreshments.

Adjournment: President Slamen adjourned the meeting at 8:03 pm.

Program:

1st Vice President Julius Albonetti introduced the speaker, Rebecca Hunt-Foster, paleontologist at Dinosaur National Monument who presented a compelling history of the site which predates the formation of the National Park Service, and the many dinosaur discoveries there which were transported for display at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the American Museum of Natural History. Rebecca encourages people to visit Dinosaur National Monument for its diversity of fossils, its accessibility, its campsites, and to experience its dark sky status.

Golden Spread Gem, Mineral & Treasure Society

Friday, April 3rd, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm and Saturday, April 4th, 9:00 am -4:00 pm

Arts in the Sunset, 3701 Plains Blvd;

contact Kassidy Barlow, Kassidy.gsgmts@outlook.com

https://amarillotreasureclub.org/

64th Annual Fiesta of Gems,  Southwest Gem and Mineral Society

Saturday, April 11th – Sunday, April 12th, 2026

Freeman Coliseum Exposition Halls, San Antonio, TX

35th Annual Show Chihuahuan Desert Gem & Mineral Club

April 17, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, April 18,  9:00 am – 5:00 pm, April 19 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Alpine Civic Center, 801 W Holland Ave

contact Lisa Nix, (303) 818-5500; Rocksofalpine@gmail.com

Texas Mineral & Fossil Show

RMGM Productions

April 24-25, 10:00am – 6:00pm, April 26 10:00am – 4:00pm

Lonestar Convention Center.

9055 Airport Rd, Conroe, Texas

May:

Waco Gem & Mineral Society

May 2-3,  10:00am – 5:00 pm.

Lee Lockwood Library & Museum, 2801 W. Waco Drive Waco, TX

email babydocmac@aol.com

https://wacogemandmineral.org/

Fort Worth Gem & Mineral Society Annual Show

May 23-24, Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pm,. Sunday 10:00am – 4:00pm

Roundup Inn at Will Rogers Memorial Complex

3401 W Lancaster Ave, Fort Worth, Texas

email Glenda Bradley  fwgmc.info@gmail.com

fortworthgemandmineralclub.org

026 CONVENTION of:

The American Federation of Mineralogical Societies and the Midwest Federation of Mineralogical and Geological Societies

Hosted by Chicagoland Gems & Minerals Association

UNITED WE ROCK!

49th Annual Show, May 23 & 24, 2026

Prairie Arts Center @Kane County Fairgrounds

525 S. Randall Rd., St. Charles, IL  60174

Sat. 10 am – 6 pm, Sun. 10 am – 5 pm

Adults $5, 2 day pass $8; Seniors (62+) and students $3; Kids under 13 free

June:

Arlington Gem & Mineral Club Annual Show

June 13-15, Saturday 9:00am – 6:00pm, Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm

Grapevine Convention Center, 1209 South Main St, Grapevine, Texas

email Terri Brewen, (817) 939-1100 or tbrewen@sbcglobal.net

fortworthgemandmineralclub.org

East Texas Gem & Mineral Society Annual Show

June 27-28, Saturday 9:00am – 6:00pm, Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm

Tyler Rose Garden Center, 420 Rose Park Drive, Tyler, Texas

Click a Table of Contents Entry to jump to that article.

President’s Message

Vice-President’s Message

The S-Curve of Beauty

Section News

Jim Johnson

Another Midlothian Trip!

Statia Beads

Bench Tips

The Clear Lake G&MS

Minutes of Board Meeting

Minutes of General Meeting

Upcoming Shows

Club Information

The weather is warming, the trees are beginning to bud, and it’s a welcome change of season. I hope everyone is enjoying a little more time outdoors.

The Clear Lake Show has just concluded, and it was a success for HGMS. We collected more than 200 email addresses from attendees who signed up for November Show updates and our prize drawing.
There was strong interest in fossils and paleontology, and next year we plan to have a representative from the Paleo Section at our table to share more about that exciting area of our club.

As we look ahead, please consider volunteering for a Spring Cleanup work party at the clubhouse in April. Our focus will be refreshing the warehouse entrance so that visitors and new members see us at our best. We’ll be decluttering, painting, and improving the path to the Meeting Room and Lapidary Shop. I

If you have experience in refurbishing spaces—or creative ideas beyond cleaning and painting—we would love your input. Even small improvements can make a big difference. Take a fresh look at our entrance and imagine how we might make it feel more welcoming. Please email your suggestions to president@hgms.org. Once we finalize plans and materials, we’ll announce one or more April work dates—before the summer heat sets in.

Let’s work together to put our best foot forward in 2026.

We also have a vacancy for Membership Chairman, the elected Board position of 2nd Vice President. This is a wonderful opportunity for a member who enjoys welcoming newcomers and maintaining our membership roster. The Board will appoint someone as soon as a volunteer is identified. In the meantime, several Board members are ensuring that membership duties continue smoothly. Watch the Event Blast and BBG for details.

The presenter for our General meeting on March 24th will be Rebecca Hunt-Foster, who is the Dinosaur National Monument park paleontologist. This is a great National Park and I can’t wait to learn more about the different dinosaurs that have been found at this site.

In April HGMS member Jessica Bamford will talk about the dust and the rocks from the moon. She sent an outline of her presentation and you will enjoy this talk.

Colin Diggins is the paleontologist laboratory manager for the Houston Museum of Natural Science and will be our presenter in May.

We had a great and informative meeting in February with Jacob Proctor and we found out that Texas has the biggest formations of Microbialites in the world. If anyone at the meeting took any pictures of Jacob’s presentation please pass them to me. He would like some pictures of his presentation. There are some very interesting talks and presentations coming up for our General meetings, so make plans to attend.

Gemstones and Faceting – Second Thursday, 6:30 PM

Our next meeting will be March 19th at 6:30 pm. Topic to be announced.

Paleontology – Third Tuesday, 7:30 PM 

The next meeting is Tuesday, March 17th at 7:30 pm. After Show ‘n’ Tell,

Zoom link for the meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85692818950?pwd=mijgbIGoUS4wYNmuzC2905fyFcTbnq.1

or

Meeting ID: 860 5377 1923
Passcode: 826994

If you’d like to join the Paleo Section email list, send an email to hgmspaleosection@gmail.com and ask to be added.

Youth, First and Third Saturdays, 10:00am – 12:00pm

Next meetings will be on March 7th and 21st.

Mostly we will be working on cabochons. Children must be accompanied by parents.

Jim Johnson, husband of Pat Johnson, both former HGMS members, passed away on February 17th. The service will be Monday, March 2nd, at Veterans Cemetery, American Heritage Funeral Home.

His obituary is available at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/houston-tx/james-johnson-12753493

The service will be available online.

References:

https://www.uncommoncaribbean.com/st-eustatius/statia-blue-beads/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sint_Eustatius

Thanks to Pam Hullinger, who lives in St. Maarten.

1. Call to order: President Jeanean Slamen called the meeting to order at 7:31 pm. A quorum was present.

2. Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting, if needed: Debbie Seid reported that the January 2026 Board meeting minutes were previously approved by a quorum and published in the February 2026 Backbender’s Gazette.

3. Review of Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Report review was deferred for discussion with the 2026 budget.

4. Announcements and reports of other Officers, Committee Chairs, or Section Board Representatives (as needed)

Membership Update: Sarah Metsa was absent due to a business dinner conflict and sent the membership report in advance for review.

The team reviewed membership numbers showing 271 total members as of January 31, with single adults being the largest group at 96 members, representing about a 20% increase year-over-year. Jeanean Slamen explained that fourteen single adult memberships and four couples memberships from Houston Bead Society members covered the period from mid-2025 to the end of 2026.  The number of members will remain stable but 2026 revenue for those eighteen members will not be available because of the extension of their 2025 membership fees through 2026.

Beading Section Update: The Board welcomed Lillian Skogsberg as the new Board representative from the Beading section which has about 15 active members at their monthly meetings. Lillian shared her experience with the group since joining in 2025, and expressed satisfaction with the HGMS community, noting that it has provided stability and new opportunities for collaboration.

Lapidary Section Update: Richard Good reported good attendance at the January lapidary meeting where members made cowboy hat earrings. He highlighted upcoming activities, including a February workshop on cutting opal.

5. Unfinished (Old) Business

Bylaws Revision: Vote by membership delayed due to weather cancellation of January General Meeting.

Ventilation Project Update: Debbie Seid and Lillian Skogsberg provided an update on the Ventilation Committee which was formed to address safety and ventilation issues in the jewelry silversmithing studio, lapidary, and air abrasive shops. They will address the jewelry studio as a priority and plan to conduct a walkthrough of the area with shop manager Tony Lucci to assess work processes and explore short-term fixes like local ventilation units. The committee will also work with the A/C contractor to understand general ventilation capabilities. Ray Kizer reminded the group about the need to include the air abrasives room in the ventilation assessment. The team will address securing compressed gas cylinders in all shops as a key priority. Team meeting frequency will be determined after the initial jewelry shop visit.

Shop training and shop policies development update: July Olson discussed creating safety rules and guidelines for the lapidary shop, which she based on existing documents from California and input from shopkeepers and equipment maintainers. Jeanean Slamen mentioned that similar procedures were already provided to Elliot Payne and his supervisors in December and shared with Carmen Fraticelli and Tony Lucci, with Carmen planning to implement them in mid-February. The group agreed to include the Paleo air abrasive shop in the safety documentation.

New Field Trip Committee: Jeanean Slamen updated the board on the establishment of a new field trip committee to formalize hosting of HGMS sponsored field trips. She will follow up with Allison and Matt Sklar for their proposals on the committee’s goals and structure.

The board discussed the history of organized field trips, with Ray Kizer recalling that Neil Immega arranged paleo and agate collecting trips, while Mike Dawkins handled fossil trips. Jeanean Slamen discussed the yearly estimate of field trip participants provided to SCFMS to calculate HGMS’ costs to participate in the SCFMS landowner insurance policy. She will coordinate with Sigrid Stewart to confirm the current status of the SCFMS policy.

6. New Business

2026 Budget: Jeanean Slamen presented a proposed 2026 budget for adoption; it will be reviewed in the May Board meeting for potential adjustment. Julius Albonetti motioned to approve the budget, and it was seconded by Al Robb.  The motion passed unanimously.

IT Issues: Jeanean discussed ongoing IT issues with Microsoft services and will explore options for resolution, including potentially hiring IT support.

Treasurer reporting Changes: Jeanean Slamen reported that the adoption of the 2026 budget and use of Quickbooks will facilitate monthly treasurer review and reporting.

Section Bank Account Reporting for 2026: Jeanean Slamen delayed the agenda item meant to discuss the details of information needed to accompany the monthly Section bank statements provided to Rhett Cooper.  She will disseminate the information by email to board members before the next board meeting.

Urgent Member Issues: Ray Kizer presented a member’s request to continue to use the middle library space as a library. Ray noted that the door to the middle library does not fully open because it is blocked by a bookcase, and that needs to be considered for any potential changes in space utilization. Jeanean Slamen encouraged members to read her recent message in the BBG on space utilization, and to provide feedback on the matter.

7. Adjournment: The motion to adjourn was made by Julius Albonetti and seconded by Ray Kizer. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:23 pm.

President Jeanean Slamen called the meeting to order at 7:32 pm.

She welcomed 25 in person attendees, 2 online attendees, 2 new members, Nicole Garcia, a recent geology graduate from University of Houston Downtown, and high school student Zoey Lee, who attended with her grandfather, Jonathan Mineta, and 1 guest, Aeowynn Skubal.

President’s Comments:

The Safety Committee has been working on creating safety procedures and content for training which will be provided to all members to ensure members are trained to work safely while at the clubhouse. The committee is modeling information from the SCFMS Safety Manual and will include a signed liability release for each member using the shop.

Acting on member comments regarding the need for sprucing up and housekeeping, President Slamen will schedule an April Work Party to make the clubhouse a more inviting, comfortable, and safe environment for all members.

To accommodate requests for creating more meeting space for section activities, an evaluation of how current library spaces might potentially be reconfigured to accomodate growing section needs will be made. Members can submit suggestions to President@hgms.org.

The 2026 Budget was passed at the February Board meeting. With the exception of increasing electricity and insurance costs, most other budget items are held at the 2025 actual levels. The budget will be reviewed in May, and budget adjustments made at that time as necessary.

Approval of Minutes: There were no minutes to approve as the January meeting was cancelled due to weather.

Committee Chair/Section Reports:

Donations Committee:

Ray Kizer reported that the 6” Cab King donation made by former member Vicky Springer has been installed in the lapidary shop following commissioning by David Pawek.

Randy Carlson purchased a donated Raytech Faceting machine for the Faceting Section.

Show Dealer Chair:

Steve Blyskal shared the new dealer flyers that will be used at the Clear Lake show for recruiting dealers for the annual show.

Steve Blyskal is appraising the Cecil Cosse collection which includes geological publications which will be added to the library; other items will be made available pending appraisal.

Membership Committee:

President Jeanean Slamen shared the February 16, 2026 membership data provided by Sarah Metsa.

The numbers above represent about half of the 2025 membership. Please encourage members to renew their membership by March 31, 2026. Members who have not renewed their 2026 membership by March 31 will no longer have access to the clubhouse shops, and will no longer receive HGMS communications including the weekly eBlasts.

Old Business: None reported

New Business: Bylaws revision and General Meeting vote

In the January Board of Directors meeting, the Board approved a revision to the Bylaws to allow the President to vote and to make motions pending a vote by the membership at the January General Meeting. The January General Meeting was cancelled due to weather, and the vote delayed until the February General Meeting.

Nancy Fischer motioned to accept the bylaws revision (below) allowing the President to vote and to make motions. Ray Kizer seconded the motion, and the motion passed by unanimous vote.

The President presides over all General Meetings and Board of Directors Meetings and serves as the Chair of the Board. The President’s primary responsibility is to ensure the creation of the annual budget by the Treasurer and its submission to the Board for approval during the February Board meeting. Additionally, the President has the authority to appoint Chairs of Committees not explicitly provided for in these Bylaws and to establish special committees as necessary.

Furthermore, the President is responsible for upholding all rules and laws of the Society, signing documents and papers requiring their signature, and performing other duties as per the Society’s rules and usages, including the installation of new Officers. During General Meetings and Board Meetings, the President may not make or second motions, but they can call for someone to do so. The President can also engage in debates on the merits of any motion. However, the President is prohibited from voting on a motion unless there’s a need to break a tie vote. During General Meetings and Board Meetings, the President is allowed to vote and to make motions.

Show-n-Tell: Mike Sommers shared rock specimens that he collected on side trips in Arizona and Texas during his trip to the Tucson Gem Show.

Door Prizes Drawing: Nancy Fischer and Mark Seagall won the banded agate and quartz geode door prizes.

The next Board of Directors meeting is on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.

The next Hybrid General Meeting will be on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.

Many thanks to the members who made the meeting a success:

Karl Schleichter for the tech support

July Olson and Jeanean Slamen for refreshments

Julius Albonetti for the guest speaker and program

Adjournment: Debbie Seid motioned to adjourn, and James Eleckel seconded the motion.

The meeting adjourned at 8:12 pm. There was a 15 minute refreshment break before the evening program.

Program:

1^st Vice President Julius Albonetti introduced the speaker, Jacob Proctor of the Katy Rock Shop, and his program on Microbialites.

Clear Lake Gem and Mineral Society Annual Show

02/28/2026 – 03/01/2026

Feb. 28, 10:00am – 6:00pm, March 1, 10:00 – 5:00pm

Pasadena Convention Center,

7902 Fairmont Pkwy, Pasadena TX.

clgms.org

63rd Annual Gulf Coast Gem & Mineral Society Show

March 7th, 10:00am – 6:00 pm and March 8th, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall A

1213 Terry Shamsie Blvd, Robstown, TX 78380

57th Annual Big Spring Prospectors Club Show

March 7th, 9:00am – 5:00 pm and March 8th, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Howard County Fair Barn, Big Spring, TX

Central Texas Gem & Mineral Annual Show

March 14, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and March 15th, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Taylor County Expo Center, 1700 State Highway 36, Abilene, TX

contact Linda Walker ctgms50@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/events/570895179418845

Golden Spread Gem, Mineral & Treasure Society

Friday, April 3rd, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm and Saturday, April 4th, 9:00 am -4:00 pm

Arts in the Sunset, 3701 Plains Blvd;

contact Kassidy Barlow, Kassidy.gsgmts@outlook.com

https://amarillotreasureclub.org/

64th Annual Fiesta of Gems,  Southwest Gem and Mineral Society

Saturday, April 11th – Sunday, April 12th, 2026

Freeman Coliseum Exposition Halls, San Antonio, TX

35th Annual Show Chihuahuan Desert Gem & Mineral Club

April 17, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, April 18,  9:00 am – 5:00 pm, April 19 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Alpine Civic Center, 801 W Holland Ave

contact Lisa Nix, (303) 818-5500; Rocksofalpine@gmail.com

and farther out:

• May 2-3 Waco, Texas, Waco Gem & Mineral Society
• May 23-24 Fort Worth, Texas, Fort Worth Gem & Mineral Society

2026 CONVENTION of 

The American Federation of Mineralogical Societies

and Midwest Federation of Mineralogical and Geological Societies

Hosted by Chicagoland Gems & Minerals Association

UNITED WE ROCK!

49th Annual Show, May 23 & 24, 2026

Prairie Arts Center @Kane County Fairgrounds

525 S. Randall Rd., St. Charles, IL  60174

Sat. 10 am – 6 pm, Sun. 10 am – 5 pm

Adults $5, 2 day pass $8; Seniors (62+) and students $3; Kids under 13 free

Click a Table of Contents Entry to jump to that article.

President’s Message

Vice-President’s Message

January Field Trip to Midlothian 

Section News

New Member Orientation

Slab thickness Guides for the HGMS Shop

Bench Tips

Can I Interest You in a Field Trip to South Texas?

Mineral for Winter

Terror Birds

Minutes of Board Meeting

Minutes of General Meeting (Cancelled)

Upcoming Shows

Club Information

Winter weather!

The club’s closures and cancellations due to the late January freezing temperatures will hopefully not be repeated in February. Everyone is grateful for all the help and cooperation from those members who actively worked to make sure the clubhouse was prepared and members were given as much notice of cancellations as possible.

Getting the word out to everyone via the Event Blast is our most reliable way to communicate late-breaking notices to all club members. Always check your email for notices from the Event Blast that could give you valuable information about cancellations or closures. Is it time to review utilization of the clubhouse?

Judging from comments I received in the last few months, some members think we’ve become so accustomed to current arrangements in the clubhouse that we don’t see things that should be addressed. Here are some common (and sometimes competing) themes:

The Meeting Room:

Contains equipment and other inappropriate items that should be stored in other parts of the club; has table and chair storage that interrupts aisles; needs more flexibility to give privacy to small groups or meetings.

The main Library:

Needs books reviewed to remove those that are not being accessed by members; needs remaining historical mining books returned to the library; needs the master catalogue (spreadsheets) updated for accuracy; needs the beading books from the Houston Beading library added to shelves.

The “middle” Library space:

Currently used as storage for items that belong elsewhere; could hold the remains of the historical mining books; “would make a good meeting space for Sections or classes”; “needs to be put to better use.”

The Office:

Full of rocks; has a storage rack with things that have nothing to do with an office.

The Middle Classroom:

Overcrowded to the point of being unusable as a classroom; used for storage of rocks; contains equipment that gets very little use; needs cleaning and sprucing up.

The Clubhouse Entry:

Not inviting for visitors or new members; cluttered and “scruffy”; needs better signage labeling adjacent spaces; needs cleaning/painting/updating to be an attractive entry.

Whew! That’s a lot of things to consider. I will promote discussion of these ideas at the General meeting and in our publicity outreach. We need a full airing of ideas to create Spring Cleaning projects. If you have opinions about these or other ideas, drop your comments in an email to president@hgms.org; I will collect and publicize them (without names) so our conversations can reflect members’ ideas.

• Popular ideas that emerge could prompt a quick survey via MailChimp to prioritize a list of our Spring projects.

Jacob Proctor will be our speaker at the general meeting in February.  Jacob is a geologist and the owner of Katy Rock Shop, which has had many recent improvements. He will speak to HGMS about microbialites, their growth and their diversity with modern and ancient examples. Microbialites are the oldest life form known on Earth.  A recent discovery has revealed they date back as far as 3.7 billion years.

Make plans to attend the February general meeting and let’s have a big attendance for our speaker!

One of the great things about the trip is that we brought our own experts along.  There is so much individual and collective knowledge in HGMS.  Mike Sommers and Dean Lagerwell were generous with their knowledge of pyrite and Ray Kizer and Mike Dawkins were so patient, answering questions at the paleo site.

11:45 came too soon.  There was a time limit on the trip.  We all reconvened and caravaned back to the parking lot/office.  We got together one last time to take a group picture, then headed out.  It was a great trip! Mike said he will try to get another trip together soon, perhaps to the shark tooth area.

Gemstones and Faceting – Second Thursday, 6:30 PM

Our next meeting will be February 12th at 6:30 pm.

The topic will be recognizing common mistakes made by beginning and even experienced gemstone cutters.

Randy Carlson and John Lee have been busy training people who signed up at the show in basic faceting! And we had 9 first time visitors to our Jan 15th meeting!

Paleontology – Third Tuesday, 7:30 PM 

The next meeting is Tuesday, February 17th at 7:30 pm. After Show ‘n’ Tell, Jeanean Slamen will present the program “Five Times that Life Hit Reset”,  a review of the “Big Five” extinctions of life over the last 445 million years of Earth’s history.
Zoom link for the meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83086910829?pwd=Oi4rVSgg9nXjRAmtqXovLLwFnOC2GX.1

Zoom link for the meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86053771923?pwd=ek5lNlk5SGFYNjN6U29ONU4xVElyQT09

or

Meeting ID: 860 5377 1923
Passcode: 826994

If you’d like to join the Paleo Section email list, send an email to hgmspaleosection@gmail.com and ask to be added.

Youth, First and Third Saturdays, 10:00am – 12:00pm

Next meetings will be on February 7th and 21st.

Mostly we will be working on cabochons. Children must be accompanied by parents.

On Sunday, February 8^th, from 1-3 PM at the Club, Sarah Metsa, Vice-President of Membership, will be holding HGMS’s first New Member Orientation meeting; sorry we had to cancel our first date in January due to the winter storm. This is a new program for 2026 and going forward. There will be snacks.

Each New Member Orientation will follow this agenda:

For each of the following officers, Section representatives, and committee members, Sarah will introduce that person if they can be present, and then they will say a few words about their role in the Club. Otherwise, Sarah or another representative will provide welcome and history

President of the Club

Sections (Beading, Day Light, Faceting and Gemstones. Lapidary and Silversmithing, Mineral, Paleontology, and Youth Section)

Education (mission, classes, libraries and scholarships)

The Backbenders Gazette (BBG) (our newsletter)

Weekly eBlast (what is happening in the next week or two)

Volunteering (There are many opportunities!)

Publicity (for the Annual Show, plus Facebook and Instagram)

Lapidary shop (sawing and grinding, silverworking, air abrasive)

Tour of the club

Sarah will end with a tour of the club and will thank everyone for coming. If the President is there, our President will say a few final words.

One of the most beautiful natural objects that you will ever see is a snowflake. A snowflake is a dendrite form of Ice. The angular separation of the hydrogen to oxygen bonds in a water molecule is 104.5°. With only a little distortion, water molecules can easily form a six-sided hexagon with legs separated by 120°. As the plate grows, it sinks further in the atmosphere. When the temperature and pressure reach a critical point, the hexagonal core stops growing and starts forming dendrites at its vertices.

These dendrites continue to grow symmetrically as the snowflake falls through the atmosphere. It is possible to capture a single snowflake. We used to capture them on our knitted gloves. We could look at them for a few seconds before they started to melt. It is also possible to capture them on a cooled microscope slide for viewing under a microscope. I have also seen a single flake adhere to a cold, vertical window pane and remain visible for an extended period. The crystal is colorless, but diffraction of the light from the faces of the crystal causes it to appear white. The problem with Ice minerals, including snowflakes, is that they melt.

As indicated above, Ice forms in hexagonal crystals. Generally, these crystals are microscopic, but under certain conditions, they can grow into visible hexagonal crystals.

Reference: Wikipedia, various topics, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Picture: Picture by brianjobson, released to Public Domain, from Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/

Have you ever watched a chicken chasing a grasshopper? If so, you may have been glad the hen or rooster was a relatively small bird, no danger to a human being. This image will, however, give you a little insight into the Terror Birds. Just imagine them upsized to 10 feet tall and up to 1000 pounds! Their heavy, curved beaks and the sickle claw carried above three “running” toes would certainly have inspired a little respect. Where have you seen a claw like that? Think Jurassic Park.

1. Call to order

President Jeanean Slamen called the meeting to order at 7:37 pm. A quorum was present. Lillian Skogsberg was welcomed as a guest and potential Beading Section Board Representative.

2. Approval of Previous Minutes

No action required. December 2025 minutes were previously approved and published in the January 2026 Backbender’s Gazette.

3. Treasurer’s Report

Treasurer Rhett Cooper presented the financial statement as of January 6, 2026, noting that the organization is in strong financial position.

4. Officer and Section Reports

Membership: 417 memberships, 553 authorized members as of December 31, 2025.

Monthly reporting and a new member orientation (first session January 24) were announced. Membership renewals are encouraged with multiple payment options available.

Programs: Upcoming speakers include Jessica Bamford (Space Center Houston) and Jacob Proctor (Katy Rock Shop). Coordination with sections for future topics is ongoing.

5. Unfinished Business

Bylaws Revision: The Board discussed and approved an amendment restoring the President’s right to vote and to make motions, to be voted on at the January 27 General Meeting. The motion to reinstate the President’s right to vote and to make motions was made by Sarah Metsa, and seconded by Ray Kizer. The motion was approved unanimously.

Houston Gem and Mineral Society

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

January 6, 2026

Prepared by Debbie Seid

Ventilation Project: A three-person team will reassess the project. Lillian Skogsberg and Debbie Seid expressed interest in being involved.

Standing Committees: Expansion to include more members with leadership and relevant experience was discussed.

Shop Training and Policies: Progress on shop safety training and policy manual. Shop access will be restricted for members not current on dues after March 31, 2026.

Meeting Protocol: Efforts to streamline meetings and expedite minutes and action items using AI tools.

Field Trip Committee: Plans to formalize field trip organization and registration, with a focus on equitable access and proper documentation.

6. New Business

2026 Budget: The President and Treasurer expect year-end figures by mid- January and will begin drafting the 2026 budget once they are in hand. They will status the effort at the February Board meeting, and hold whatever interim meetings necessary with the

Board to complete a proposed budget for Board approval.

IT and Email: Officer email addresses will transition to role-based accounts pending Microsoft authorizations.

The Board discussed restricting eBlasts to members only as a benefit of membership. A motion to limit eBlasts to members only was made by Sarah Metsa and seconded by Maggie Manley. The motion was approved unanimously. A separate motion to revise the By-Laws to include the emailing of eBlasts to members only was made by Sarah Metsa and seconded by Maggie Manley. The motion was approved unanimously.

Treasurer Reporting: Future reports will be streamlined for timely communication.

Section Highlights:

Beading: Successful integration of former Houston Beading Club members and heightened visibility through multiple events generated high level of interest.

Daylight: Strong participation in 2025 projects and strong anticipation for 2026 activities.

Adjournment: Sarah Metsa made a motion to adjourn, and it was seconded by Ray Kizer. The motion passed

The January 27th meeting was cancelled due to the winter storm.

Stone Crystals

Rose Garden Center, 402 Rose Park Dr,

Tyler, Texas

02/07/2026 – 02/08/2026

Sat. 10:00am – 5:00pm, Sunday 10:00 – 4:00pm

Contact Keith Harmon, TX, (903) 316-2967

Email: keithharmon19@gmail.com

Jasper, Texas, Rock and Gem Exhibition at 324 W Gibson St, Jasper, TX

Williamson County Gem & Mineral Show

02/14/2026 – 02/15/2026

Sat. 10:00am – 6:00pm, Sunday 10:00 – 4:00pm

San Gabriel Park Community Center

445 E Morrow St, Georgetown TX 78628

https://www.facebook.com/WilliamsonCountyGemSociety

wcgmsgemboree@gmail.com

wcgms.org

Clear Lake Gem and Mineral Society Annual Show

02/28/2026 – 03/01/2026

Sat. 10:00am – 6:00pm, Sun. 10:00 – 5:00pm

Pasadena Convention Center,

7902 Fairmont Pkwy, Pasadena TX.

clgms.org

Support our sister club!

And farther out:

• Mar 7-8 Corpus Christi, Texas, Gulf Coast Gem & Mineral Society
• Mar 7-8 Big Spring, Texas, Big Spring Prospectors Club
• Mar 14-15 Abilene, Texas, Central Texas Gem & Mineral Show
• Apr 11-12 San Antonio, Texas, Southwest Gem and Mineral Society
• Apr 17-19 Alpine, Texas,Alpine Gem & Mineral Show at the Alpine Civic Center Email: Rocksofalpine@gmail.com
• May 2-3 Waco, Texas, Waco Gem & Mineral Society
• May 23-24 Fort Worth, Texas, Fort Worth Gem & Mineral Society

Click a Table of Contents Entry to jump to that article.

President’s Message

Vice-President’s Message

Pink Diamonds from Lesotho

Section News

New Member Orientation

Education

Bench Tips

Field Trip News

2025 Scholarships

2025 Volcano News

Minutes of Board Meeting

Minutes of General Meeting

Upcoming Shows

Club Information

January 1st, 2026

As we begin a new year, I am honored to serve as the new President of HGMS and excited about what lies ahead for our organization.  2026 will offer us many opportunities to grow our membership and strengthen the benefits we offer our long-term members.

This year, the Board will focus on enhancing our educational outreach, becoming more visible in our community and ensuring that HGMS offers plenty of fun and engagement for all the age groups in our club.  From programs and classes to outreach events and our annual Show, there is much to look forward to.

I encourage you to stay engaged, share your ideas, and take part in the many ways HGMS brings people together through a shared love of earth science. Thank you for your continued involvement and support—I look forward to working with you in the year ahead.

Regards,
Jeanean Slamen
President, Houston Gem & Mineral Society

Jessica Bamford will be our speaker at our general meeting on January the 27th. Jessica is employed by Space Center Houston as an educational instructor. She has worked as a geologist for Columbine Corporation, has experience with various telescopes at Bridgewater State University and has done her Exoplanetary Undergradute research for Tabby’s Star. Her hobbies are 3D design and printing, Lapidary(cabochons and facets) and Houston Robotics. Jessica has a degree in Earth Science with geology concentration.

Here are some of the topics she will talk about. Moon Missions (rockhounding on the moon!), lunar geology, possible resources of future missions and proposed ideas for lunar base development. She will also cover many other interesting topics. Show up and enjoy the informative talk by Jessica.

Significant finds of pink diamonds in Lesotho:

• A Type IIa 39 carat “Fancy Intense Pink” diamond was found in 2023 at the Kao mine.
• The Graff Lesotho Pink . a 33-carat rough pink diamond from Letseng was found in 2019.
• Pink Storm (2013): A 36.06-carat fancy pink diamond found at the Kao mine.
• Pink Dawn & Pink Palesa (both 2021): These finds from the Kao mine weighed 25.97 and 21.86 carats respectively.
• Rose of Kao (2018): a 29.59-carat pink diamond, also from the Kao mine. 

Why are they so special?

• Pink diamonds are very rare, only a tiny percentage of the rough diamonds found.
• Many of Lesotho’s pinks are Type IIa, clear and without flaws.
• Their unique pink hue comes from distortions in their crystal lattice, not from chemical impurities as in other colored diamonds. 

• Studies show that narrow color bands created by plastic deformation change a crystal’s internal structure. The bands reveal where intense stress squeezed and stretched the lattice, long after the diamond first formed. Alternating bands of pink and clear diamond can also create problems for facetors.

They are so special it is hard to find non-commercial photographs of them!

See the brochure:

https://www.mining-outlook.com/mining-brochures/storm-mountain-diamonds-brochure

Gemstones and Faceting – Second Thursday, 6:30 PM

Our next meeting will be January 8th at 6:30 pm.

Topic to be determined.

Paleontology – Third Tuesday, 7:30 PM 

The next meeting is Tuesday, January 20th at 7:30 pm.

Topic to be determined. Zoom link for the meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86053771923?pwd=ek5lNlk5SGFYNjN6U29ONU4xVElyQT09

or

Meeting ID: 860 5377 1923
Passcode: 826994

If you’d like to join the Paleo Section email list, send an email to hgmspaleosection@gmail.com and ask to be added.

Youth, First and Third Saturdays, 10:00am – 12:00pm

Next meetings will be on January 3rd and 17th,

Mostly we will be working on cabochons. Children must be accompanied by parents.

On Saturday January 24 from 1-3 PM at the Club, Sarah Metsa, Vice-President of Membership, will be holding HGMS’s first New Member Orientation meeting. This is a new program for 2026 and going forward. There will be snacks.

Each New Member Orientation will follow this agenda:

President of the Club

If the Board President is there, Sarah will introduce the President so the President can say a few words of welcome, share some history, etc.

If the Board President cannot attend, she will provide welcome and history.

Sections

If a representative of the Section is there, Sarah will introduce them and have them cover meeting dates, times, Section purpose, etc.).

If a representative is not there, she will cover the above items herself.

Education

If the Education Chair is there, Sarah will introduce the Chair so the Chair can say a few words about classes, upcoming plans, ask for ideas, etc.

If the Education Chair is not there, she will cover the above items herself.

BBG

If the BBG editor is there, Sarah will introduce the Editor so the Editor can say a few words about the BBG. History, awards, importance of sharing articles, deadline to submit, etc.

If the BBG editor is not there, she will cover the above items herself.

Volunteering

If the Volunteer Chair is there, Sarah will introduce the Chair so the Chair can say a few words about importance of volunteering. How it helps the club, and how it can help them (looks good on a resume or college application), what sort of roles need filled permanently or temporarily, reminder to be available for the annual show each November, etc.

If the Volunteer Chair is not there, she will cover the above items herself.

Publicity

If the Publicity chair is there, Sarah will introduce the Chair so the Chair can say a few words about the eBlast, how it differs from the BBG, remind people about our Facebook page, Instagram page, and Youtube page.

If Publicity chair is not there, she will cover the above items herself.

Lapidary shop

If the Lead Shop Supervisor or any Supervisor is there, Sarah will introduce the Supervisor so Super can say a few words about the shop. Covering safety (hair must be back, glasses must be worn), how to pay for time, who to ask questions of, importance of being trained on tools before using them, etc.

If a supervisor is not there, she will cover the above items herself.

Tour of the club

Sarah will end with a tour of the club and will thank them for coming and if the President is there, will have the President say a few final words.

CABS 101 Class with Sharon Halton
Friday, January 9th from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. This is an introduction to using the equipment in the Lapidary Shop. Register Here

CABS 101 Class with Sharon Halton
Tuesday, January 13th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. This is an introduction to using the equipment in the Lapidary Shop. Register Here

CABS 101 Class with Sharon Halton
Tuesday, January 30th from 2:00PM  to 6:00 PM. This is an introduction to using the equipment in the Lapidary Shop. Register Here

Small Cabochon Wire-Wrapped Ring Class with Susan Burch. Register here.

Intermediate Level (Due to size of stone) in small classroom.

Cost $52 which includes the CC processing and HGMS class fees, $57 with tool rental.

For the 2025-2026 academic year, the Houston Gem and Mineral Society is pleased to announce the award of three (3) $2,500 scholarships to deserving students in or from the Houston region! We received a record 16 applications this year, besting our previous record in 2022 by 1. This record was possibly improved by initiating an online application process using Google Forms. There were many more well-qualified candidates than we are able to assist. Of course, while we are disappointed that we cannot help each of them, we are pleased to lessen the financial burden of achieving educational goals for the following awardees:

I would like to take this time to personally thank fellow committee member Nancy English, who is stepping down from her role on this committee after having volunteered with me for these past 11 years. She is such a tirelessly cheerful, good meaning, pleasant, loving person, and her support has been immeasurably valuable. Our fellow hale and hearty, enthusiastic, and immensely personable volunteer Daniel Rodriguez and I will miss having you by our side in this task, but look forward to continuing with new volunteer Karl Schleicher for the 2026-2027 scholarship. Anyone else with any interest in serving, please let me know!

Krasheninnikov volcano on Kamchatka, Russia is showing new lava flows, and 3 others are also erupting on the peninsula.

Japan has its share, with 6 active volcanoes.

Mexico has Popocatepetl, Guatemala has 2, Costa Rica has 2 and Nicaragua has 4.

Columbia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Ecuador all have volcanic activity.

Something is always erupting in Alaska, but nothing major right now!

For Stromboli map

https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/stromboli.html

Taal Volcano Island credit: TheCoffee (Mike Gonzalez), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

2^nd Vice President Sarah Metsa called the Zoom meeting to order at 7:45 p.m. A quorum was present.

Approval of Minutes – Secretary Nancy English

There are three months of Board meeting minutes to be approved: June, July, and November.

On December 2, 2025, Nancy English emailed the June 3, 2025, Board of Directors meeting minutes to the Board.

MOTION: Ray Kizer moved to approve the minutes of the June 3, 2025, Board of Directors Meeting. Rhett Cooper seconded the motion, and it passed.

On December 2, 2025, Nancy English emailed the July 1, 2025, Board of Directors meeting minutes to the Board.

MOTION: Ray Kizer moved to approve the minutes of the July 1, 2025, Board of Directors Meeting. Richard Good seconded the motion, and it passed.

On November 29, 2025, Nancy English emailed the November 4, 2025, Board of Directors meeting minutes to the Board.

MOTION: Ray Kizer moved to approve the minutes of the November 4, 2025, Board of Directors Meeting. Richard Good seconded the motion, and it passed.

Treasurer’s Report – Treasurer Rhett Cooper sent the October 30 Treasurer’s Report to Secretary English on November 26, 2025. Ray Kizer asked for the October 30 Treasurer’s Report on screen to view. Rhett will send it to all Board members in the future. The Board reviewed the Statement of Financial Position as of October 31, 2025.

Treasurer Cooper reported that the Show’s bottom line has not been figured yet, but it looks favorable.

Chase Bank pending account fees: Nancy English pointed out that the Section accounts’ and the Club accounts’ balances add up to nearly $100,000. All the accounts are under the HGMS tax ID number. There should be no fees on any account. Treasurer Rhett Cooper asked Nancy to look into it when she goes to the bank on December 3.

Treasurer Cooper also asked Nancy to investigate the $100.00 withdrawal on September 11 from the account ending in 5510. The withdrawal is labeled Legal Processing Fee.

Treasurer Cooper announced that reimbursement money can now be paid through PayPal without fees.

Scholarship Donations: Treasurer Cooper told the Board he has two envelopes of money he received at the Show that are specifically addressed to Ray Kizer to be donated to the Scholarship fund. Ray asked him to video the opening of the envelopes. After determining how much money it is, please send the “Thank you and Tax deduction” letter to the donors. Deposit the money and record it all as Scholarship donations in the spreadsheets.

Signature Changes to HGMS Accounts

Jenean Slamen and Debbie Seid need to become Authorized Representatives of and signers on the Chase HGMS accounts.

MOTION: Richard Good moved to add Jenean Slamen and Debbie Seid as Authorized Representatives and signers on the accounts ending in 7598 and 5510. Debbie will need to sign documents showing she is Secretary of the Corporation, Houston Gem and Mineral Society, effective January 1, 2026. Jenean Slamen is President Elect for 2026. As of January 1, 2026, remove President Logan Wilcox and Secretary Nancy English as signers and Authorized Representatives on the accounts ending in 5510 and 7598.

Ray Kizer seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

Nancy English will accompany Jenean and Debbie to Chase in December to add them to the HGMS accounts, so it will all be taken care of before year’s end.

Nancy does not need to be a signer on the Paleo account anymore.

MOTION: Ray Kizer moved to remove Nancy English from the Chase account ending in 2263, effective January 1, 2026. This is the Paleo account.

Rhett Cooper seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

Add Jody Beck to View Only the savings account ending in 5510.

MOTION: Rhett Cooper moved to add Jody Beck to View Only, the savings account ending in 5510, effective immediately.

            Ray Kizer seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

The Day Light Section elected a new treasurer during their November 12, 2025, meeting. Please approve a motion to make Sandy Cline the Authorized Representative and signer on the Day Light checking account.

MOTION: Nancy English moved to approve Sandy Cline as the Authorized Representative and signer on the Day Light checking account ending in 8762. Also, remove Nancy English as signer on the account ending in 8762.

Richard Good seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

Nancy English will accompany Sandy Cline to Chase Bank on December 3 to change signatures.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Donations, Sales, Auction Committee (DSAC) – Ray Kizer has posted 30 pictures of auction items for the Holiday Party on December 13, 2025. Ray has three potential donations coming to the Club. James Cordona is bringing his donation to the December Paleo meeting. Former members Vicky and Tim Finnery moved to Florida. They are donating a practically new Genie to HGMS via their daughter, who lives in Magnolia. Ray will pick it up. No details on the third donation.

Education Committee – Maggie Manley has four classes listed on the E-blast and Website.

Safety/Policy Committee –

• Rhett Cooper will be conferring with Debbie Seid about the new ventilation system and HVAC review in 2026.
• Maggie Manley proposed installing solid insulated doors between the shops and in the garage. This would isolate the noise of the saws from classes and meetings. July Olsen suggested repelling foam.
• Rhett had talked about new 360° cameras, postponed until 2026.
• Ray Kizer said he was not saying no to the insulated doors project, but he has waited a long time for the Ventilation system and the new cameras. The priorities for 2026 should be:
  • HVAC and Ventilation first.
  • Security Cameras and lighting
  • The doors and other improvements.
• Nancy English told the Board that she and Jenean Slamen had worked on new Policy and Procedures for HGMS, with emphasis on the Shops two years ago. Nancy reminded the Board that she discussed a future “Shop Rules and Regulations” project with Elliot during the Board meeting he attended. Elliot was very interested in the idea.

Membership Committee – Sarah Metsa reported new and renewed memberships in November.

Single Adult – 222

Couples – 64

Families – 22

Students – 7

Youths – 15

Lifetime members – 70.

30 of the new members signed up since the Show.

Totals: 460 Adults, 56 Youths, 524 Members.

Volunteer Committee – Nancy English and Daniel Rodriguez

Nancy English is delighted to announce that July Olsen is taking over the Volunteer Coordinator position for 2026. July has seamlessly assumed duties for the upcoming Show Volunteers. She has years of experience coordinating volunteer events. Nancy highly recommends her.

2^nd Vice President Sarah Metsa appointed July Olsen as the Volunteer Coordinator for 2026.

Scholarship Committee – Mike Sommers and Daniel Rodriguez. Mike Sommers sent a write-up and pictures of the scholarship winners to the BBG. Nancy English sent it all to the Event Blast.

Show Committee – Scott Singleton: Be sure to send Scott your expenses now.

SECTION REPORTS

Beading Section – Maggie Manley in person: second Saturday, noon to 3:00 p.m., December 13, after the meeting, they will Carpool to the HGMS Holiday party. The next meetings will be on January 10 for a Holiday Party and February 3, 2026.

Day Light Section – Linda Krzywicki in person: first Wednesday, noon to 3:00 p.m., December 3 Holiday Party, January 7, February 4.

• The Board approved the new signer on the Chase Day Light account: Treasurer Sandy Cline.
• Fred Brueckner announced that this is his last Board meeting. He has enjoyed working with the Board for many years. We all thanked him for his years of service. A new Board Rep will be announced at the December 3 Day Light meeting.

Gemstones and Faceting Section – Randy Carlson Zoom Hybrid: third Thursday, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., No December meeting, No January meeting, February 19.

• On November 29, Randy Carlson emailed the Board. “Effective immediately, I will no longer represent the Gemstones & Faceting Section on the HGMS board.” No replacement has been chosen yet.

Lapidary and Silversmithing Section – Tony Lucci in person: third Monday, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. No December meeting, January 19, February 16.

• Richard Good is stepping down as Treasurer of the Lapidary Section.
• Steve Wilkerson is taking his place. The Board approved the change in Chase checking account signers during the October Board meeting.

Mineral Section – Steve Blyskal Zoom program planned: third Wednesday, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., December 14.

• Holiday Party at Steve Blyskal’s home, all Mineral Section members are invited; January 21, February 18.

Paleo Section – Mike Dawkins, Jeanean Slamen, Ray Kizer in person: third Tuesday, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., December 16, January 20, February 17.

• They are having a Potluck and Secret Santa on December 16.

Youth Section– Beverly Mace in person: first and third Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to Noon. December 6 Holiday Party, no other meeting in December, January 3 & 17, February 7 & 21.

OLD BUSINESS

During the July 1 Board meeting, we discussed outdoor lighting. Nancy English contacted Audrey Kelly at Coir Property, our business park management company. “Dunn Southwest (Business Park) takes care of the 2 LED lights near the overhead doors – these are considered common areas. Anything else is the owner’s choice to alter or replace. Dunn Southwest has recently started replacing the old LEDs with more powerful lights as they burn out.”

If we need a replacement, we will send a pic, and they will take care of it.

If we want to add lights, there is no issue or need to ask for permission.

Ray Kizer said we need a brighter light under the awning. We probably need to hardwire it through the building wall.

NEW BUSINESS

Membership Process Improvements: Sarah Mesta is planning these changes in 2026.

• Paper-based memberships are an ongoing challenge. Sarah would like to encourage members to use the online application if possible.
  • For this, she proposes to come to the club several weekends during January as a “membership renewal day.” She will help people get their memberships done electronically. This will cut down on the paper applications as well as remind people to renew.
  • Before I roll this out, does this sound like an acceptable plan? The Board agreed.
• Sarah is planning New Membership Welcome Parties. The first is on January 24, 2026.
  • She will cover some history.
  • Go over some rules.
  • She has speakers lined up for brief talks about Sections.
• This is all part of her January Membership drive.

Tasks and Timelines: Sarah Metsa is planning to make a list of tasks and the times they are due or should be started. This may be a committee and would meet outside of the Board meetings.

• Formalize Policies and Procedures.
• Engage a volunteer to function as an HGMS Historian.
• Engage a volunteer to be the Librarian.
• Organize warranties and save electronically.

Restripe parking lot: Maggie Manley plans to measure the parking lot to see if diagonal parking spaces would offer more parking in our lot.

Safety Posters: July Olsen is committed to making professional safety posters for the Shop.

New Field Trip Committee: Sarah Metsa is creating a Field Trip committee for all members, not specifically tied to Paleo or Mineral Section members. They had their first meeting. Allison and Matthew Sklar, and others attended. They are putting together a plan for the first Trip. There will be more information after the New Year.

The next Board of Directors Zoom meeting is on the first Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. January 6, 2026.

The next General Meeting will be on the fourth Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. January 27, 2026.

Program topic: Moon rocks/dust. Presented by Jessica Bamford

Adjourn: Fred Brueckner moved to adjourn. Ray Kizer seconded the motion, and it passed. The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted

Nancy English

Nancy English

Houston Gem and Mineral Society Secretary

December 11, 2026

There was no General Meeting in December. That’s when we have our Holiday Party.

Fredricksburg Rockhounds Annual Show

01/17/2026 – 01/18/2026

Saturday 9:00am – 6:00pm, Sunday 10:00am – 4:00pm

Lady Bird Johnson Park (Pioneer Pavilion), Hwy 16 South

Fredricksburg, Texas

Contact Frank Rowell, (325) 248-1067

Email: hcgms20@gmail.com

fredericksburgrockhounds.org

Stone Crystals

Rose Garden Center, 402 Rose Park Dr,

Tyler, Texas

02/07/2026 – 02/08/2026

Sat. 10:00am – 5:00pm, Sunday 10:00 – 4:00pm

Contact Keith Harmon, TX, (903) 316-2967

Email: keithharmon19@gmail.com

Williamson County Gem & Mineral Show

02/14/2026 – 02/15/2026

Sat. 10:00am – 6:00pm, Sunday 10:00 – 4:00pm

San Gabriel Park Community Center

445 E Morrow St, Georgetown TX 78628

https://www.facebook.com/WilliamsonCountyGemSociety

Clear Lake Gem and Mineral Society Annual Show

02/28/2026 – 03/01/2026

Sat. 10:00am – 6:00pm, Sun. 10:00 – 5:00pm

Pasadena Convention Center,

7902 Fairmont Pkwy, Pasadena TX.

clgms.org

Support our sister club!

Click a Table of Contents Entry to jump to that article.

President’s Message

Hunting Mammoth Teeth

Section News

Houston Matters Link

Membership

Education

Christmas Rocks and Minerals – Continued

Bench Tips

Volunteers Needed for Holiday Party

Federation News – Rock Safety

Minutes of Board Meeting (not yet availaable)

Minutes of General Meeting

Upcoming Shows

Club and Federation Information

Our Annual Holiday Party will be held at the Unitarian Fellowship of Houston Hall, 1504 Wirt Road, Houston, Tx 77055 on Saturday, December 13, at 6:00 PM.

Volunteers needed! See all the yummy details here.

Beading – Second Saturday, 12:00 PM  

• NEXT MEETING:  On December 13th, we will have a White Elephant gift exchange. Gifts should be bead-related with a value of $20.00.
• We will car pool to the HGMS Christmas party on Wirt Road on Dec. 13th after the meeting.
• We are making preliminary plans for another Beading Retreat at Camp Allen for late Summer or early Fall of 2026.

NOTICE: Do you have a bracelet or necklace that needs restringing?  The Beading Section will carefully restring your piece at an hourly rate of $15.00 + materials.  Contact Beading @HGMS.org to make arrangements.  All funds will go to the Beading Section.

Always bring beading mat, scissors, wire, wire cutter, round nose and needle nose pliers, thread, and beading needles if you have them.  

Find out more about the Beading Section!

Gemstones and Faceting – Third Thursday, 6:30 PM

Our next meeting will be January 8th at 6:30 pm.

• Our January meeting will be a Gem I.D. theme, using multiple instruments to identify different gemstones.

Learn more about the Gemstones and Faceting Section here.

Mineral – Third Wednesday, 7:30 PM 

The next meeting is Wednesday, January 21st, at 7:30 pm. Topic to be announced.

Zoom link for the meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86053771923?pwd=ek5lNlk5SGFYNjN6U29ONU4xVElyQT09

or

Meeting ID: 860 5377 1923
Passcode: 826994

If you’d like to join the Mineral Section email list, send an email to mineral@hgms.org and ask to be added.

Paleontology – Third Tuesday, 7:30 PM 

On December 16th, we will not have a regular meeting (and no Zoom); instead we will have a Potluck and Secret Santa.

The next meeting is Tuesday, January 20th at 7:30 pm. Topic to be announced.

Zoom link for the meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86053771923?pwd=ek5lNlk5SGFYNjN6U29ONU4xVElyQT09

or

Meeting ID: 860 5377 1923
Passcode: 826994

If you’d like to join the Paleo Section email list, send an email to hgmspaleosection@gmail.com and ask to be added.

Youth, First and Third Saturdays, 10:00am – 12:00pm

Mostly we will be working on cabochons. Children must be accompanied by parents.

September meetings will be on Saturday September 6th and 20th

At the show this year Brenda Valdivia from Houston Matters came and interviewed our club members and some vendors at the show. The show has multiple segment and our segment is around 45 minutes in.

Check it out! Houston Matters – HGMS Segment

Hello HGMS Members!

It is getting close to the end of the year which means it is coming up to Annual Membership Renewal time! Please take a moment and renew using our online application, which allows you to pay online using your credit card (via a PayPal service). Here on the website

We will also be having Membership Renewal Drives at the club in January. Each Saturday, I or another volunteer, will be at the club to help you process your membership online and you can pay in cash or check at that time.

Please remember, if your membership is not renewed by March 31, 2026, you will no longer be able to use club facilities.

Thanks so much! Sarah Metsa HGMS 2nd VP and Membership Chair

Beginning Wire-wrapped Pendant with Susan Burch on Saturday, December 13th from 10:00 AM to 3 PM in the small classroom.  This is an introduction to wire-wrapping.

Beginning Wire-wrapped Pendant with Susan Burch on Monday, December 15th from 3:30 PM to 7:30 PM in the small classroom.  This is an introduction to wire-wrapping.

CABS 101 Class with Sharon Halton on Friday, January 9th from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM.  This is an introduction to using the equipment in the Lapidary Shop.

CABS 101 Class with Sharon Halton on Tuesday, January 13th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.  This is an introduction to using the equipment in the Lapidary Shop.

Sign up here.

Our Annual Holiday Party will be held at the Unitarian Fellowship of Houston Hall, 1504 Wirt Road, Houston, Tx 77055 on Saturday, December 13, at 6:00 PM.

• The meat, sodas, water, tea, and coffee will be provided by the Club. YOU get to show off your favorite side dish or dessert. Our members make some terrific dishes!
• You can bring food at 5:30, but we need volunteers to set up tables at 5:00 and decorate before the party.
• We also need people after the party to reset the sanctuary for Sunday’s service.
• This year the Auction will be especially good due to some excellent donations.

Why Rock Safety? It’s not a long story, but it does take some background. Safety concerns abound in most everything we do. Take breakfast, for example – we want our foods to be safe. We are careful not to touch the hot cooking surfaces. We try to cook the foods the correct way. We use special caution when fishing the toast out of the uncooperative toaster. We carefully wash the eating utensils afterward. We may not think excessively about making sure breakfast is safe, but we do want it to be a safe and healthy activity.

All around us are activities that are in need of constant safety interaction. We get on an airplane, and we receive safety instructions. People who work in an automobile repair shop are reprimanded if their efforts do not follow safety protocols. Where would we be if no drivers followed the safety rules of the road? Many people who are employed in grocery stores are schooled in how to safely lift heavy loads. Even working in an office has its safety concerns – using scissors, office machinery safe operation, being careful of pinch points, break room health safety, and so on.

A great many of the products we purchase come with a set of operating instructions, and those invariably begin with a set of safety guidelines. Yes, the manufacturers of those products want you to be safe and have a great user experience with their product. Safety matters abound. People engage in an astoundingly diverse number of hobby interests and activities – every one of which has its own safety concerns. Being a race car driver, rock climber, quilter, bee keeper, oil painter, you name it, and there are, no doubt, safety concerns. Even stamp collectors have matters of safety in their activities. The rock, mineral, fossil, bead, lapidary, and jewelry activities are no exception to having safety matters of concern to us.

In the rock and mineral hobby, we engage in numerous and very different kinds of activities, each with its own safety concerns. Here is a short list of our major activities: driving to our events, collecting, working in rock quarries and mines, putting on shows, mineral cleaning, stone cutting, jewelry work, working with ultraviolet light, lapidary effort, rock trimming, and lots and lots of lifting.

All of these activities have a laundry list of safety concerns unique to the activity. Lest one be discouraged from participating in the mineral hobby due to too much concern with matters of safety, being safe can be as simple as:

• Try not to work on something while tired — Take a break instead
• Pay attention to what you are is doing
• Have sufficient lighting
• Ask for help if a project needs an extra set of hands or opinions
• Read the directions for proper use of machinery and chemistry
• Think before acting

That’s TTPHART for short! These and more are the essence of being safe in most any activity. Future safety articles are planned for fire safety, chemical safety, collecting safety, pet safety, show safety, meeting safety, mineral cleaning safety, vision safety, and more in our hobby-related activities. Ours is a great hobby with a rich variety of activities. Encouraging people to be safe in all we do within those hobby activities is the goal of these safety matters articles. Please make matters of safety your concern as well. Please take safety matters to heart because your safety matters.

Key Takeaways:

Secretary Nancy English called the Zoom meeting to order at 7:53 p.m. A quorum was present. Non-voting members in attendance: Mike Dawkins. Mike was not at the October meeting when we welcomed his replacement, Al Robb, to the Board. The Board was glad for the opportunity to thank Mike Dawkins for fifteen years of service as the Paleo Board Rep. Mike continues to be the Field Trip Chairman for Paleo field trips.

Approval of Minutes – Secretary Nancy English

BBG Editor, Sigrid Stewart, asked Secretary Nancy English for Board minutes from April, May, June, July, and September in an email. She asked for the General Meeting Minutes for June and August.

Secretary English sent September’s minutes to Sigrid on November 1. The April, May, and October Board meeting minutes are presented for approval tonight.

On June 5, 2025, Nancy emailed the minutes for the April 1, 2025, Board of Directors meeting to the Board for email approval. She received one response.

MOTION: Maggie Manley moved to approve the minutes of the April 1, 2025, Board of Directors ’Meeting. Ray Kizer seconded the motion. It was the motion passed.

On October 28, 2025, Secretary English emailed the combined minutes for the May 6, 2025, Board of Directors meeting to the Board for review.

MOTION: Maggie Manley moved to approve the minutes of the May 6, 2025, Board of Directors ’Meeting. Rhett Cooper seconded the motion. The motion passed.

On Saturday, November 1, Secretary English emailed the minutes of the October 7, 2025, Board of Directors meeting to the Board for review. After reviewing the issues from the August Treasurer’s report, Nancy withdrew the minutes to correct them.

Treasurer’s Report – Treasurer Rhett Cooper reported that the Treasurer’s Report for October is not available yet. He was asked again to provide information regarding the negative $945 line item on the August Statement of Financial Position report. He will investigate it for the December 2 Board meeting.

Rhett reminded the Board Reps that he needs the October month-end statements from the Section accounts.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Donations, Sales, Auction Committee (DSAC) – Ray Kizer reported that Richard Good donated some tumbled rocks for the Show areas: Dino Dig and Youth Area. Ray is gathering the 25 items for the Holiday Party Auction. Ray finished renovating a saw. It is at the back of the main hall.

Safety/Policy Committee – Rhett Cooper did not have a report on proposals to improve circulation and ventilation, and exhaust.

Membership Committee: Sarah Metsa reported new and renewed memberships effective November 4, 2025.

Single Adult – 210

Couples – 61

Families – 21

Youths – 14

Students – 4

Lifetime members – 69.

Overall Members: Adults – 444 and Youths – 54.

Total membership 499

Sarah announced that she is working on Welcome Member Meetings that will start early next year, 2026. She will collaborate with the new Volunteer Coordinator to share new members’ skills and interests in volunteering. Sarah suggested working on the colleges for new members.

Volunteer Committee – Nancy English, Daniel Rodriguez, and July Olsen: Nancy said, “My cup runneth over for most shifts. I’m still placing late applicants.” She still needs people on Sunday.

Scholarship Committee – Mike Sommers and Daniel Rodriguez, and Nancy English.

Nancy English reported that during the October General Meeting, Sigrid Stewart presented Michael Sommers for the American Federation Scholarship Foundation 2025 Honorary Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Field of Earth Science. Michael shared that 30 years ago, as a graduate student, he received an AFMS scholarship.

Michael Sommers was nominated by HGMS because he has been the head of the HGMS Scholarship Committee for 12 years. Michael explained that the HGMS Scholarship program has grown due to the efforts of himself and Daiel Rodriguez over the last few years. Sixteen students applied in 2025 for three HGMS scholarships. Nancy English reminded the group that there is about $10,000 more in the Scholarship fund from 2024. She hopes more scholarships will be available next year. Sigrid emphasized the importance of expanding the scholarship program to accommodate more applicants.

Security – Fred Brueckner called the entry lock technician to troubleshoot intermittent problems with the lock. The 5 AA batteries need to be changed every year. The batteries were original to the installation four years ago. Fred or Dean Wix will schedule the annual replacement.

Show Committee – Scott Singleton: We are ready for lift off!! The Show Committee Chairmen went to HGMS on Saturday to label their supplies and bring them down from the attic. Movers will pick it all up on Wednesday afternoon, for delivery on Thursday morning at the Humble Civic Center. Volunteers will shuttle supplies from the dock to the Show areas on Thursday morning.

SECTION REPORTS

Beading Section – Maggie Manley in person: second Saturday, noon to 3:00 p.m., November 15, December 13, January 10. The November meeting was changed because the Show date was November 8, the second Saturday.

Day Light Section – Linda Krzywicki in person: first Wednesday, noon to 3:00 p.m., November 12, December 3 Holiday Party, January 7, 2026. The November meeting changed because the Show supply setup was on the 1^st Wednesday.

Gemstones and Faceting Section – Randy Carlson Zoom Hybrid: third Thursday, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., No November meeting, No December meeting, January 15, 2026.

Lapidary and Silversmithing Section – Tony Lucci in person: third Monday, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., November 17, No December meeting, January 19, 2026.

Mineral Section – Steve Blyskal Zoom program planned: third Wednesday, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., November 19, December Holiday Party to TBD, January 21, 2026.

Paleo Section – Mike Dawkins, Jeanean Slamen, Ray Kizer in person: third Tuesday, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., November 18, No December Meeting, January 20, 2026.

Youth Section– Beverly Mace in person: first and third Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to Noon, November 1 & 15, December 6 Holiday Party, January 3 & 17, 2026.

OLD BUSINESS

2026 Slate of Officers

The Nominating Committee presented its nominations for the 2026 Board of Directors officers to the General Meeting on October 28, 2025

MOTION:

Ray Kizer moved to approve the nominations listed, to be voted on by the General Meeting attendees on November 25, 2025: President Jeanean Slamen, 1^st Vice President Julius Albonetti, 2^nd Vice President Sarah Metsa, Treasurer Rhett Cooper, and Secretary Debbie Seid. Al Robb seconded the motion. The motion passed. Scott Singleton will remain Show Chairman, and Sigrid Stewart will remain Assistant Show Chairman.

Outreach for Rice University

Sarah Metsa was not in attendance at the October meeting, and this is her presentation. So, we postponed it until the November Board meeting. She will be late tonight. So, Secretary English suggested it might be more important to address the request in January.

SHU Affiliate Club

Randy Carlson emailed that “after a discussion with Dr. Moss yesterday, we agreed to withdraw our request to HGMS, so you can dismiss any further work concerning this matter.”

Neal Immega’s progress from Foster Kneeland.

In mid-October, Neal suffered from severe abdominal pain and was taken to St. Luke’s. They found gallstones in one of the ducts and had surgery to remove them. Some days later, the doctors felt that the gall bladder in total should be removed in total, and he underwent a second surgery. Then later, it was discovered he had a large aortic aneurysm and again, still another surgery. Just recently, there was also a blood clot in the right arm, which is being treated with medication.

Neal is quite alert and talkative and sends his best to his HGMS friends. Neal has an excellent appetite, but he’s a bit dismayed with the “Five Star” hospital food. He’s anxious to return to his home at the Brazos Towers, where the food is superb!

2025 Holiday Party: Join HGMS members for the HGMS Annual Holiday Potluck Dinner and Auction at the

Unitarian Fellowship of Houston Hall, 1504 Wirt Road, Houston, TX 77055

Saturday, December 13, at 6:00 PM. The meat, sodas, water, tea, and coffee will be provided. Members get to show off their favorite side dish or dessert. Bring food at 5:30. This year, the Auction will be especially good due to some excellent donations, but only 25 items. We need volunteers to set up tables at 4:30 or 5:00 and decorate before the party. After the party, we need people to tear down the tables and reset the sanctuary for Sunday’s service. Contact Nancy English to volunteer and name your dish. volunteercoordinator@hgms.org.

Nancy English resigned from numerous responsibilities effective December 31, 2025. She explained.

I am encouraged that Debbie Seid has agreed to be the HGMS Board Secretary in 2026. July Olsen has been a huge help to the Volunteer Coordinator Team for the Show and is a good candidate for the Volunteer Coordinator position. These are the two biggest responsibilities I have. I resigned from the Scholarship Committee, the Show Committee, and the Donations Committee.

I emailed resignations to the Board for my positions as the HGMS representative to the Dunn Southwest Management District and the Registered Agent to the State of Texas for HGMS.

Maggie Manley volunteered to be the v HGMS representative to the Dunn Southwest Management District. Sarah Metsa volunteered to be the Registered Agent to the State of Texas for HGMS.

MOTION: Richard Good moved to appoint Maggie Manley as the HGMS Representative to the Dunn Southwest Management District. Al Robb seconded the motion, and it passed.

MOTION: Maggie Manley moved to appoint Sarah Metsa to be the Registered Agent to the State of Texas. Al Robb seconded the motion, and it passed.

NEW BUSINESS

SCFMS Convention in 2026. Sigrid Stewart emailed, “I want the Board to agree to sponsor the SCFMS Convention in 2026. As of the October Convention, SCFMS does not have a club to sponsor this meeting. I have spoken to Scott about this.”

MOTION: Sarah Metsa made a motion for HGMS to sponsor the SCFMS Convention during the 2026 HGMS Annual Show. Al Robb seconded the motion. The motion passed.

Display Cases:

The Austin Gem and Mineral Society told Sigrid Stewart they have 4 display cases they will give HGMS if we can get them. Sigrid will tell Scott Singleton about the offer, also. Ray Kizer said he would need someone with a truck. Al Robb offered to help load and unload them. Sigrid will send them a picture of the cases. Ray Kizer said HGMS needs to reimburse for gas.

The next Board of Directors Zoom Meeting will be on the first Tuesday, December 2, 7:30 p.m.

The next General Hybrid Meeting will be on the fourth Tuesday, November 25, 7:30 p.m. Program Lifetime member of the HGMS, Chris Garvie, will present “A Lifetime Among Fossils.”

Adjourn: Ray Kizer moved to adjourn. Richard Good seconded the motion, and it passed. The meeting adjourned at 9:30.

1^st Vice President John Moffitt called the meeting to order at 7:32. He welcomed 24 attendees: 19 in person and 5 online.

One guest attended: Member Karl Schleicher’s daughter, Lisa, is visiting from San Francisco for Thanksgiving. Lisa belonged to the Youth Section as a child. Field trips with her dad and other HGMS members began her interest in geology and led her to her current career. Lisa helped Karl set up the technology for the ZOOM meeting and the program.

Door Prize: Lisa Mochizuki won the pair of crystal votive candle holders in the door prize drawing.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Secretary Nancy English asked for motions to approve two separate months of minutes.

John Moffitt moved to approve the minutes of the August 26, 2025, General Meeting as recently published in the September 2025, BBG and posted on the November 23, 2025, weekly Event Blast. Ray Kizer seconded the motion, and it passed.

Approval of Minutes: Ray Kizer moved to approve the minutes of the October 28, 2025, General Meeting as recently published in the November 2025 BBG and posted in the November 23, 2025, weekly Event Blast. Sigrid Stewart seconded the motion, and it passed.

COMMITTEE/SECTION REPORTS

1^st Vice President John Moffitt invited Section Chairs and Standing Committee Chairs to make any additional announcements.

Donations, Sales, Auction Committee (DSAC): Ray Kizer

The Holiday Party Auction will be fun but limited to 25 items.

Education Committee: Maggie Manley. Please watch the Sunday Event Blasts and the Education Section of the BBG under classes for upcoming classes.

Website Committee: Scott Singleton/Sigrid Stewart are looking for more volunteers to assist with the Website updates. Contact webmaster@hgms.org

Safety/Policy Committee: Ventilation upgrade on hold until 2026.

Mineral Section: Steve Blyskal announced the Mineral Section Holiday Party is scheduled for December 14 at his house. All Mineral Section members are invited to attend.

Membership Committee: Sarah Metsa reported new and renewed memberships effective November 4, 2025.

Single Adult – 210

Couples – 61

Families – 21

Youths – 14

Students – 4

Lifetime members – 69.

Overall Members: Adults – 444 and Youths – 54.

Total membership 498

Show Committee: Scott Singleton/Sigrid Stewart

Nancy English wants to thank the volunteers in the room for their help with the Show. 160 volunteers filled 432 shifts. The Show made good money for the 2026 Club expenses. Dealers are happy with their sales, and especially with the hand-delivered drinks, and offer to provide breaks for them. The Appreciation Party at Scott Singleton’s house provided door prizes for all 53 attendees. Greek food, homemade appetizers and desserts, and wine set the stage for a great time. Some volunteers gave us ideas for improvements for volunteers and for the Show for next year.

OLD BUSINESS

Nominating Committee: 1^st Vice President John Moffitt invited the Nominating Committee member to announce the 2026 Slate of Officers. All of the candidates agreed to accept the positions. Sigrid Stewart presented the list:

• President: Jeanean Slamen
• 1^st Vice President Julius Albonetti
• 2^nd Vice President Sarah Metsa
• Treasurer Rhett Cooper
• Secretary Debbie Seid
• Scott Singleton will continue as Show Chairman, and Sigrid Stewart will continue as Assistant Show Chairman.

1^st Vice President John Moffitt invited any additional nominations from the floor. There were no additional nominations.

1^st Vice President John Moffitt called for a motion to approve the 2026 nominees as presented by the nominating Committee.

MOTION: Sigrid Stewart moved to approve the 2026 nominees as presented. Sharon Halton seconded the motion, and it passed.

Shop News: Please consider volunteering as a Shop Foreman. We need permanent volunteers and fill-in Shop Foremen. Steve Blyskal suggested the Shop purchase 10“saws and 14“saws. He saw them in use in the Austin Gem and Mineral Shop. He said they would take care of most of the rocks that are cut on the HGMS’s big saws.

2025 Holiday Party: Join HGMS members for the

HGMS Annual Holiday Potluck Dinner and Auction at the

Unitarian Fellowship of Houston Hall, 1504 Wirt Road, Houston, TX 77055

Saturday, December 13, at 6:00 PM

The meat, sodas, water, tea, and coffee will be provided.

You get to show off your favorite side dish or dessert.

The food is always good. You can bring food at 5:30.

This year, the Auction will be especially good due to some excellent donations.

We need volunteers to set up tables at 5:00 and decorate before the party.

 And after the party, people reset the sanctuary for Sunday’s service.

Contact Nancy English to volunteer and name your dish.

volunteercoordinator@hgms.org

1st Vice President John Moffitt asked members to look for the progress of Old Business items in the Board of Directors’ Meeting Minutes in the latest BackBenders Gazette (BBG) on the HGMS Website https://hgms.org under Publications.

NEW BUSINESS

Nancy English asked to speak about her pending resignations from several positions.

During the November 4, 2025, Board of Directors meeting, Nancy English resigned as the Volunteer Coordinator. July Olsen stepped into the position and will be confirmed at the December 2 Board of Directors meeting. Debbie Seid was just voted as the new Board Secretary. These two ladies will do an excellent job.

Nancy emailed resignations to the Board for her positions as the HGMS representative to the Dunn Southwest Management District and the Registered Agent to the State of Texas for HGMS.

In two separate motions, Maggie Manley became the HGMS representative to the Dunn Southwest Management District, and Sarah Metsa became the Registered Agent to the State of Texas for HGMS.

Nancy praised the volunteers who make HGMS the terrific Club it is. She said she has enjoyed all the positions she has held over the years. She is looking forward to polishing rocks, wire wrapping, doing jigsaw puzzles, and reading, all without HGMS responsibilities.

1st Vice President John Moffitt asked for any further New Business. There was no other New Business.

The next Zoom Board of Directors meeting is on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.

The next Hybrid General Meeting will be on Tuesday, January 27, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.

Show-n-Tell: John Moffitt asked presenters to limit items to 3.

Steve Blyskal shared three of the beautiful agates he purchased at the Austin Gem and Mineral Society Show.

• He showed a 2.5’ square flat of Prehnite noodle-looking pieces.
• He had a 1.5” thick log of snakewood.
• The Laguna agate was especially colorful.
• He invited us to look at his other specimens during the break.

1st Vice President John Moffitt reminded everyone:

Debbie Seid provided refreshments. This is her last General Meeting refreshment commitment. If you are interested in providing refreshments for the January meeting, contact volunteercoordinator@hgms.org or Secretary@hgms.org.

John Moffitt asked members to do the following during the break.

Feed the Kitty! Your donations offset the cost of the snacks.

Thank the volunteers who made tonight possible.

Thank the volunteers who make all of what HGMS is available.

Adjourn: Nancy English moved to adjourn the meeting. James Eleckel seconded the motion, and it passed. The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.

1^st Vice President John Moffitt introduced the Program after the break. Chris Garvie presented “A Lifetime Among Fossils.”

December 6-7, DeRidder Gem & Mineral Society, Sat 9-5, Sun 10-4, West LA Forestry Fair Grounds, Leesville, LA.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064473110778

Click a Table of Contents Entry to jump to that article.

President’s Message

Nature’s Treasures New Space

Section News

Gem Capers

Education

Did You See It in Your Neck of the Woods?

Shop and Building News

Bench Tips

Volunteering

SCFMS Convention Highlights

Minutes of Board Meeting

Minutes of General Meeting

Upcoming Shows

Links for HGMS and Regional/National Societies

The Slate of Officers for 2026 was presented at the October 2025 General Meeting.

• We will vote on that slate at the November General Meeting.
• Nominations may also be made from the floor.
• Rules for elections can be found in Bylaws of the Houston Gem & Mineral Society.

Beading – Second Saturday, 12:00 PM  

• The November Beading Section Meeting will occur on the 3rd Saturday because of the Humble Civic Center Show on our regular meeting date. We will meet on November 15th from Noon to 3 PM. The project will be a Brick Stitch Christmas Tree broach. A supply list will be sent to those on the Beading Section E-mail list.
• On December 13th we will have a Christmas pot luck luncheon and we will finish the Christmas broach project.

NOTICE: Do you have a bracelet or necklace that needs restringing?  The Beading Section will carefully restring your piece at an hourly rate of $15.00 + materials.  Contact Beading @HGMS.org to make arrangements.  All funds will go to the Beading Section.

Always bring beading mat, scissors, wire, wire cutter, round nose and needle nose pliers, thread, and beading needles if you have them.  

Find out more about the Beading Section!

Gemstones and Faceting – Third Thursday, 6:30 PM

Our next meeting will be November 13th at 6:30 pm.

• Topic to be announced

Learn more about the Gemstones and Faceting Section here.

Mineral – Third Wednesday, 7:30 PM 

• The next meeting is Wednesday, November 19 at 7:30 pm. The topic of this meeting will be a discussion of the Annual Show and what we saw and what we bought.
• Bring specimens! Also, what did you think of the minerals on offer?
• No December meeting – we will have a Christmas Party instead.

Zoom link for the meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86053771923?pwd=ek5lNlk5SGFYNjN6U29ONU4xVElyQT09

or

Meeting ID: 860 5377 1923
Passcode: 826994

If you’d like to join the Mineral Section email list, send an email to mineral@hgms.org and ask to be added.

Paleontology – Third Tuesday, 7:30 PM 

The next meeting is Tuesday, November 18that 7:30 pm. Topic to be announced.

Zoom link for the meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86053771923?pwd=ek5lNlk5SGFYNjN6U29ONU4xVElyQT09

or

Meeting ID: 860 5377 1923
Passcode: 826994

If you’d like to join the Paleo Section email list, send an email to hgmspaleosection@gmail.com and ask to be added.

Youth, First and Third Saturdays, 10:00am – 12:00pm

Mostly we will be working on cabochons. Children must be accompanied by parents.

September meetings will be on Saturdays,  November 1st and 15th.