Jewelry, Gem, Fossil & Mineral Show- Freeport IL

Click here for directions: Map to HCC (Pearl City Road is closed at Kiwanis)

PSA for Gem, Jewelry, Fossil and Mineral Show and Sale

“Northwest Illinois Rock Club will hold its annual Holiday Gem, Jewelry, Fossil and Mineral show and sale, November 9th &10th, at Highland Community College Student/Conference Center in Freeport, IL. Vendors from the Midwest will offer an array of fossils, minerals, gem stones, beads, jewelry, and gift items perfect for holiday gifts. Also featured are displays, lapidary demonstrations, a fun-filled children’s area, and geode opening.

Prestigious speakers for the event include:

Saturday, November 9 (in H127)

10:30 a.m. Volcanoes of the Solar System: From Earth to Neptune and Beyond

Steven M. Battaglia, Graduate Student, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL

1:30 p.m. Dinosaurs on the Rocks: New Fossil Discoveries and Insights from the Frozen Continent

Josh Mathews, Research Assistant and Antarctic researcher, Augustana College, Rock Island, IL

3:30 p.m. Close Encounters of the Solar Kind: Comet Ison’s November Rendezvous with the Sun

James Dole, Highland Community College Astronomy Instruction

                                                Sunday, Nov. 13 (in H127)

11:00 A.M.  The Business of Rocks: Stone Excavation, Cutting, Engraving and Sales in NW Illinois

Brandon Farnsworth, Fischer Companies, INC., Freeport, IL

2:00 p.m. Highway to Hell Creek 2013: An Example of Successful Collaboration, Education and Big Discoveries.

Scott Williams, Collections Manager, Burpee Museum of Natural History, Rockford, IL

Show hours are from 9 a.m. -5 p.m. Saturday and 10-4 p.m. Sunday in the Student/Conference Center. For more information call Brian Green at 815-745-2228.”

2013 Rock and Mineral Auction Amana Iowa

For more information:

http://www.cedarvalleyrockclub.org/auction.html

September 2013 meeting

Well gang it's time for summer to come to an end and for fall to creep in so that means our September meeting time is here, this Thursday the 19th 7:00PM at the Community Reformed Church 1421 W. Galena Ave. Freeport. If you have any new finds from the summer or even some old ones bring them along for show and tell to share with everyone. We have the show to discuss and get rolling on as well as other business. This weekend is the big lapidary auction out in Amana Iowa sat the 21st and sun. the 22nd. They have about anything you can think of for equipment and material to fine specimens. I will have the auction flyers at the meeting. Hope to see you Thursday.

Geode Field Trip

Here are some pictures of our geode hunt field trip near Nauvoo IL.

 

 

Members from both NW IL Rockclub, (Freeport IL), and Badger Rock Club, (Monroe WI), made the trip. 

May Meeting and Club Field Trip

It is time for our May club meeting this Thursday the 16th at 7:00PM. at the
Community Reformed Church
1421 West Galena Ave.
Freeport IL. 61032
This month we have Ralph Taylor to speak to us about growing up in the Hamilton/Keokuk area
and finding Geodes. To go along with our field trip to Hamilton on Saturday the 18th he is going to bring some maps of places we can go look for geodes for free.
  We have placed an ad in a couple of papers to invite the public so bring some of your favorite geodes for show and tell for everyone to see.

For the field trip on Sat. we will plan to meet at the Wild Cat Springs Park in Hamilton Sat. morning at 9:00AM.
HWY 136 goes east- west through Hamilton,  the park is north of the HWY you have to watch for the sign for where to turn.
Drive down to the stream and park in the parking area. You are allowed to collect geodes in the park so we can practice 'til we are ready to leave.  Cell phone # to call if you need help finding us.
Brian Green                     Tom Gitchel
 815-821-2208                 815-238-6216

Things to bring;
good rubber boots, work shoes or hiking boots, shovels, hammer, a good scratching tool, buckets, gloves, safety glasses, hat, and of course a sack lunch and plenty of water to drink.
Hope to you  Saturday.

Brian Green

April Meeting and a Lapidary Public Auction

Well gang it's time for our April meeting this thursday the 18th at 7:00PM at the
Community Reformed Church
1421 W. Galena Ave.
Freeport IL. 61032

Geode 'Splode 2013

The 2013 Geode 'Splode was a little different this year.  The Northwest Illinois Rock Club members were joined by the Badger Rock Club members and a few new faces from as far as Milwaukee.

We had a wonderful time, as always there are plenty of geodes to open up and admire God's hidden handiwork that comes to life when the crystals see daylight for the first time.

There were many huge geodes to open this year, and some didn't open without a fight!  A few of us were even propelled forward at the same time we got them to crack!

 

The smaller geodes didn't take as much work, but sometimes great beauty comes in small packages.

For the third week of March it was still quite cold but this gathering

kept everyone warm with laughter, great discussions

and good cheer.

Everyone brought a dish to pass, and there was plenty to go around.

 

   Taking pictures of people taking pictures, Geode 'Splode is an annual rock hound holiday!

It was nice seeing everyone, and we were glad for the new friends who came to share the in the fun.

Hope to see you all next year!

Geode 'Splode 2013

A reminder that the G'ode Splode is this Sat. the 23rd of March at
Brian and Cindy's.

It starts at 12:00 noon and we  eat at 1:00.
Bring a dish to pass, table service, your own beverage, and we may not have enough chairs so if you have a folding chair that might be helpful.  Meat will be provided (pulled pork). Bring your Geodes, a cracker if you have one and anything for show and tell.

                                      All area rock club members welcome.
Hope to see everyone next saturday.

Monroe WI Rock, Gem & Mineral Show 2013

Would like to remind everyone that the Monroe club is having their show March 9th and 10th this year.
Because of a last minute discovery of a conflict at the high school the show has been moved to the Monroe Middle School
1510 13th. Street,  Monroe

Located 2 blocks south of the square downtown Monroe

Click below for details:
http://badgerrockclub.org/images/PrinterLong2013.pdf

Chicago Rocks & Minerals Society Announcement

Chicago Rocks & Minerals Society

Announces

64th Annual Silent Auction of

Rocks, Minerals, Fossils and Lapidary Treasures

 

Saturday, March 9, 2013

6 to 9 p.m.

 

St. Peter’s United Church of Christ gymnasium

8013 Laramie Ave., Skokie

(across the street from the public library on Oakton)

 

Bid on rocks, crystals, minerals, fossils, geodes, handmade jewelry, lapidary materials, books, magazines and much more! Special selection just for kids. First table closes at 6:30 p.m. Free admission and parking. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Refreshments available. For more information, call Jeanine N. Mielecki at (773) 774-2054 or email jaynine9@aol.com. Visit www.chicagorocks.org.