THE BACKBENDER’S GAZETTE
Volume LVI ----- Houston Gem & Mineral Society ----- May 2026
Table of Contents
Click a Table of Contents Entry to jump to that article.
President's Message
by Jeanean Slamen
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.
Vice-President's Message
by Julius Albonetti, 1st Vice President
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?
A Rockhound Trip to Alpine and the Davis Mountains
by Steve Blyskal
Spring in Houston brings the return of humidity, prompting the need for a journey to desert areas of Texas. Our excuse – the Chihuahuan Desert Gem and Mineral Society Annual Show in Alpine, Texas, held annually on the 3rd weekend of April. We left on a Thursday and made it to Ozona, Texas for a layover at a nice Hampton Inn there. Friday morning, we headed for Fort Stockton on I-10. Crossing the valley of the Pecos River we knew we were “west of the Pecos”. Outside of Fort Stockton we caught our first glimpse of the Davis Mountains, always a welcome sight, before turning SW on US 67. The outcrops seen on US 67 are limestone of the Cretaceous Edwards formation, but as we got closer to Alpine the western hills of the volcanic Davis Mountains and the eastern range of Permian Capitan limestone replaced them. At the intersection of US 67 and US 90 we were clearly in a volcanic terrain.
The first thing we did was head into Alpine, a small town nestled in a flat erosional basin surrounded by volcanic neck mountains and mesas of rhyolite rock. The show is held on the western side of town at the Community Center, across from the library and the Post Office. An open area outside next to the Center was filled with booths selling minerals, slabs, rough and polished specimens and jewelry, all under various popups to protect everyone from the hot desert sun. Inside (in air conditioning!) were more dealers selling fossils, minerals, decorator specimens, slabs, turquoise, painted ceramics, and rugs. Over 40 dealers set up at this show, coming from all over Texas.
While many of the dealers had things you would see at any mineral show in Texas, there were unique items, including materials from the Davis Mountains. This is a show for people who like agate – as specimens, cutting rough, slabs and finished cabochons and jewelry. We were there for the agate, so that’s where we concentrated our time and $$$. Bean Designs from Monahans, Texas is one such dealer. She cuts her own slabs from old stock agate from Texas and Mexico. We chose slabs of black plume agate from Hart Ranch near Van Horn and Crazy Lace Agate from Chihuahua, Mexico. Doc’s Rocks is another dealer to check out. He has been to Australia many times and had a good supply of Agate Creek, Queensland rough and finished specimens. His son is a sphere-maker, and we saw beautiful spheres of Arizona petrified wood.
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.
While the weather in Alpine is usually sunny and warm in April, we had lots of disturbed weather as a front came through Friday night, dropping temperatures and threatening to blow away the outside dealers with gusty west winds. We bundled up and went back to the show. One of the dealers outside was Chris Van Cleave from Colorado who had a nice selection of self-collected smoky quartz and microcline, amazonite cabochons and faceted stones he had done himself. This was a nice surprise to find self-collected specimens from an area we both collect. We spent more time indoors on Saturday to avoid the winds. Sigrid found a dealer from Arizona with high quality turquoise, chrysocolla and other cutting rough, cabochons and jewelry. One local lady made square tiles of clay, then added carved figures of animals and plants from the Chihuahuan desert, which she colored and glazed. There was a fossil dealer with great Texas fossils and an illustrated book he had written. We spent time discussing macro photographic techniques until Sigrid pulled me away to visit other dealers.
We spent as much time talking to old and new friends and rockhounds as we did looking at rocks. It is a great show for renewing contacts and making new ones. I got to meet several people I knew online from the Texas Rockhounds Facebook group.
On Sunday we met Teri Smith (Teri Smith Rock Hunts on Facebook), and other rockhounds at the appointed place in Alpine and after introductions and signing releases we drove an hour north of Alpine to the small town of Balmorhea to meet the rest of the collecting group. After a pretty drive up 118N past mesas, Mitre Peak and rhyolite cliffs, we turned NE at Fort Davis on 17 and drove through Wild Rose Canyon, cut by Limpia Creek, to Balmorhea. From Balmorhea we drove north on a FM road and then started winding west, north and back east on gravel roads to the Pigmon Ranch, where we hunted rocks for the day. It is an area of low hills and draws covered with eroded gravel from the Davis Mountains, which we could see in the distance. While most of the gravel is rhyolite, about 1% or less is agate and chert. The area is known for black plume agate. We collected about 60 lbs. of nodules between us. Hopefully some will be good black plume agate! This was a cloudy and windy day, not the best conditions for hunting agate and we were tired by 3:00. It was a long 1.5+ hours back to Alpine, so we broke it up with a stop at an outcrop in Wild Rose Canyon. This is the spot where I found an 80 lb. moss agate in 2009 on our honeymoon! The outcrop itself is a conglomerate of rhyolite and ash, but agate from the hills above washed down and got distributed on the outcrop. We hunted the opposite side of the road in the right-of-way, and I found 10 small tumbling size agates.
On Monday we joined friends who had gotten permission to have a private hunt on a large ranch near Alpine. It sure was nice not having to travel an hour or more to hunt agates! We started out exploring the hills we passed along the ranch road. The first hill was a bust, so we moved a half mile further down the road and started finding small agate nodules, mostly red and gold moss. Another stop and climbing the hill I found a deposit of red and gold seam agate in an outcrop of red basalt boulders in pieces up to 20 lbs. but fractured. We moved farther down the ranch road and hunted up another hill, finding small “biscuits” and float pieces of the red/gold moss. Our friend searched more widely and found another red basalt outcrop with lots of pieces the fractured jasper/agate. Finally, we moved on to the corral and hunted the slope while our friends climbed to the top of the hill and out of sight. It initially looked like the afternoon storms would pass us by but then they shifted right over us with a steady light rain. It was like having a giant spray bottle! All the rocks started glowing and the agate really stood out. I found thin (1/4” to 1”) seam agate in an outcrop and followed the gully upslope where I found several agate nodules. These had traveled down the slope because our friends reported seeing many small to very large nodules, many of which had been busted by previous collectors. Most of the large nodules were all quartz with geode centers in many of them. It was 5:00 before we quit for the day and met the ranch hand for weigh out. Our total for the day was 151 lbs.!
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 20th 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!
Section News
Beading – Second Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Starting in April 2026 the Beading Section Meeting will start at 10 AM rather than Noon. We will meet from 10 AM to 1 PM and those who choose to can join us for lunch afterwards.
Janine Calmes will be teaching a USA Flag bracelet using Peyote stitch by OKSana, who has approved the use of her pattern for this meeting only. We will not be selling kits for this class; or, handing out pre-printed patterns. Each participant must print the pattern e-mailed to you and bring it to the meeting. This project uses 11/0 Delica beads in Red, White, & Blue and a border color your choice. You must provide the Delica beads in 4-colors, clasp, thread & beading needle. This is your chance to learn odd count Peyote stitch with an easy shortcut to make it painless. Join us for lunch afterwards, if you wish.
If you will be attending this class and you are not on the E-mail list you must RSVP to Beading@hgms.org and we will send you the pattern which you must print and bring to the meeting.
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!
Lapidary and Silversmithing – Third Monday, 7:00 PM
The next meeting will be on May 18th at 7:00 pm.
- to be announced
Email Lapidary@hgms.org if you have questions, and check out the Lapidary and Silversmithing Section page.
Day Light – First Wednesday, 12:00 PM
The Daylight Section meets the first Wednesday of the month from 12 to 3 PM.
The next meeting of the Daylight Section is Wednesday, May 6th at 12 PM.
In May, the Daylight project will be a Beginner’s stained glass sun catcher. This simple project is limited to 8 working spots.
Others, including experienced stain glass people, are encouraged to attend as observer/listeners. If applicable, bring one of your completed SG projects to share with the group.
The working project fee is $5.00. Please RSVP to Lindak.hgms@gmail.com by Sunday, May 3rd .
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.
Mineral – Third Wednesday, 7:30 PM
The next meeting is Wednesday, May 20th at 7:30 pm.
We will have a talk about sulfide mineral specimens. These generally come from ore bodies – think pyrite, galena, sphalerite and lots of rare minerals.
There will be many specimens to examine. We will have a door prize and snacks, and Silent Auction. Come check it out!
Zoom link for the meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4517997588?pwd=SnZjckZBTnRMbHRxZitScE9WU3RWUT09
or
Meeting ID: 451 799 7588
Passcode: 623955
If you’d like to join the Mineral Section email list, send an email to mineral@hgms.org 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.
Gemstones and Faceting Section Grows!
from Randy Carlson
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!
FIeld Trips
by Matt Sklar
Field Trip Chair
We are planning many new collecting trips! Watch this space and our member eBlast for news.
When we have announced a trip, you want to go on, email me at field_trips@hgms.org or hgms.trips1@gmail.com with the subject line “Trip on date just advertised”, for that specific trip.
You MUST include how many people are in your party. Kids are OK as long as they’re around 8 and have to be supervised at all times. When I get your email I’ll reply with more details.
Mike Dawkins will still be leading Paleo specific trips.
Education
Wire-wrapped Tree of Life Pendant Class (May 9, 2026)
$42.00 (members) – $52.00 (non- members) @ 10:00 am – 1:30 pm
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Wide Band Textured Rings Class (May 9, 2026)
$130.00 (members) – $163.00 (non- members) @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
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Wire-wrapped Tree of Life Pendant Class (May 11, 2026)
$42.00 (members) – $52.00 (non- members) @ 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
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Cabochon Wire-Wrapped Ring (May 16, 2026)
$52.00 (members) – $62.00 (non- members) @ 10:00 am – 2:30 pm
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Forged Dangle Earrings (May 17, 2026)
$94.00 (members) – $117.50 (non- members) @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
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Cabochon Wire-Wrapped Ring (May 18, 2026)
$52.00 (members) – $62.00 (non- members) @ 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Corpus Christi Gem & Mineral Show
by Sigrid Stewart and Steve Blyskal
Gulf Coast Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. on Facebook. Check out their Facebook post on March 8th thanking people for visiting.
Bench Tips
Drill Press Vises
A drill press vise is a versatile tool to hold a workpiece securely and in precise alignment. It reduces the risks of working with high power motors, using larger drill bits, and dealing with heat generated in the operation.
The vise can be clamped to the drill press table if needed and is quite handy for use at the bench to hold things for sawing or riveting.
You can find them at stores that carry machine tool supplies. My feeling is that the best ones are made from steel.
In particular, I like the ones with V grooves cut into the jaw plates. That lets me hold a punch straight upright or hold a rod horizontal. To find a supplier, search on “drill press vise” at sites like micromark.com mscdirect.com/enco smallparts.com grizzly.com
Dental Gold
You might think that a couple pieces of dental gold would be valuable, but if you only have a small amount, it can be a problem. Sending it to a refiner is expensive for small amounts of metal.
I made the mistake of thinking I could melt it and roll it out as sheet. It turns out the trace metals in dental gold make it a good material in your mouth but cause it to crack if you try to forge it or roll it out as a sheet.
So what to do with a couple gold crowns? A reasonable alternative is to try incorporating the metal into your jewelry. If you have enough material to do a casting, that’s probably the best use for dental gold.
If you’re not into casting, try melting it on a solder pad and while molten, divide it into small pieces with your solder pick. Then re-flow each piece to make little gold balls for use as accents on your designs.
The balls can also be planished a bit to make small discs or struck with a design stamp to add texture on the top.
The Livermore Cache
by Sigrid Stewart
One of the most interesting exhibits in the Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine, Texas is that of the Livermore Cache, believed to have been a ritual deposit to honor the gods. Native Americans lived in the Big Bend for at least 12,000 years before Anglo and Mexican settlers moved in. Many different cultures have been described by archaeologists as inhabiting the general area between the Rio Grande and Guadalupe Mountains, east to the Pecos River and west as far as Hudspeth County. The Livermore People, named for 8378-foot-high Mount Livermore, the highest peak in the Davis Mountains, roamed the area in small bands from about 700 AD to 1300 AD. They were hunter-gatherers, hunting game with distinctive arrowhead points, and harvesting pinon nuts, acorns and prickly pear tunas.
A woman named Susan Janes moved from New Hampshire to Fort Davis in 1893 with her husband. In 1895, her son and a friend found a cairn on the top of Mount Livermore and broke into it, finding arrowheads beneath it. They returned with Susan and her husband. Susan was interested in Native American artifacts and was building a small museum at home. Over the next eleven years she made six more trips to excavate arrowheads, even photographing the site to prove that cairn at the top of the mountain had indeed contained arrowheads. Some had been collected by other people, but she convinced them that the collection should stay together.
Susan corresponded with an archaeologist at the Smithsonian, who believed it was simply for storage of useful tools, but she was convinced that it must have religious meaning because of the beauty of the site and the fact that it was buried at the highest point. She moved to El Paso after her husband died but donated her collection, including the cached arrowheads, to the new museum at Sul Ross State University, now the Museum of the Big Bend.
Archaeologists continue to study the cache, which contains arrowheads that appear to have been deliberately broken, says Robert J. Mallouf, former director of the Sul Ross Center for Big Bend Studies. He was able to match many of the pieces together. Some have gone missing over the years, and other arrowheads found in the area added, causing some confusion. In 2002, another mountaintop cache was found west of Mount Livermore, where Malouf and others excavated 1250 Livermore points and fragments.
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
Club Memorabilia
by Sigrid Stewart
Here is a sad club memory from the past. The first HGMS show I ever went to was in September 2004. I became a member and was involved with the 2005 Show, which was cancelled due to Hurricane Rita. That just about broke Show Chairman Carol Thompson’s heart, because she had worked hard to make it a great show only to lose it to Rita. That is why we now have our shows in November, when hurricanes are much less likely.
As a bonus, people are starting to shop for Christmas in November!
I still have a ticket for the 2005 Show, which showed an admission price of $5.00.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Rita
HGMS Board of Directors Meeting
Meeting Minutes forApril 7th, 2026
submitted by Debbie Seid
| Board Member | Section Board Member | ||
| X | President – Jeanean Slamen | X | Beading – Lillian Skogsberg |
| X | 1st Vice President – Julius Albonetti | X | Day Light – July Olsen |
| 2nd Vice President – vacant | Gemstones & Faceting – vacant | ||
| X | Treasurer – Rhett Cooper |
X | Lapidary & Silversmithing – Richard Good |
| X | Secretary – Debbie Seid | X | Mineral – Ray Kizer |
| Past President – by invitation | X | Paleontology – Al Robb | |
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.
HGMS General Meeting Minutes
submitted by Debbie Seid
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
2ND Vice President (VP) Position Vacancy and Candidate: President Slamen was pleased to introduce the 2nd 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:
1st 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.
Upcoming Shows
May:
Waco Gem & Mineral Society
May 2-3, 10:00am – 5:00 pm.
Lee Lockwood Library & Museum, 2801 W. Waco Drive Waco, TX
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
Club Information
Houston Gem & Mineral Society
Regional and National
American Federation of Mineralogical Societies
(AFMS) https://www.amfed.org
South Central Federation of Mineral Societies
(SCFMS) https://www.scfms.net
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