Category: Events

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2024 Annual Auction

A friendly reminder about the details of our annual fundraising auction:

When: Monday, October 21st

Time: 6:30 pm – 9 pm

Where: Ferndale Pioneer Pavilion Community Center, 2007 Cherry St, Ferndale, WA

What: Rocks, minerals, jewelry, books, equipment, misc.

How: Live auction

Payment: Cash or check only

Note: Doors will open at 5:30 pm. Please bring donations and register for a bidding paddle between 5:30 – 6:30pm.

This event helps support our scholarship program for WWU students. We need donations!

Side note: 2025 club dues are “due.” Annual membership is $20/family. Dues can be paid at monthly meetings, in our retail store, or by mail.

  • Mail: P.O. Box 30324, Bellingham, WA 98228
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October Meeting – Annual Auction, 10/21/24

October Meeting: Monday, October 21, 2024. Annual auction to benefit our WWU scholarship fund. Please bring donations of rock, tools, rock-related items by 6 pm.

6-6:30 pm is registration to get a bidding number/ paddle. 

The auction starts promptly at 6:30 pm.

Bring cash or check. Card payments are not accepted.

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Saturday, Sept 7th Field Trip

You need to add a widget, row, or prebuilt layout before you’ll see anything here. 🙂

Sept 7th: O’toole Creek Mt Baker Rock & Gem Club field trip on the South Skagit Hwy. I propose a 10AM meeting point at REI on southside Bellingham to carpool to the site. I think there is only room for around 5 vehicles. I will have maps to the area and samples of material to be found.

Material to collect: There is a large iron deposit in this area that extends to the other side of the Skagit river to Hamilton area. The guide books list the material as Hematite. However, is strongly magnetic so I suspect Magnetite-Hematite combo. Hematite is only slightly magnetic when heated. There is a large amount of this black rock to be found the last time I was here a couple of years ago. I filled 5 gallon bucket in less than 1/2 hr.

Rockhound tools, etc: Bring boots since you will have to cross the stream in spots. A magnet would be handy also. Eyewear if you want to break any larger rocks.

I use a Harbor Freight magnet with about a 30″ handle which makes it easy to identify the magnetite. Almost anything dark colored in the creek seems to be this material. There is also some Serpentine and Jade in the nearby creeks (like Gilligan) we might also stop at. This is an easy newby rockhound trip for anyone to find magnetic rocks. Please respond here that are you are interested in this trip so I can get an idea of how many people to plan for. I believe we also have a preliminary date of Oct 6th for Rosario Beach field trip.

~Michael L

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Annual Picnic: Sunday, 8/4/24

Annual Picnic: 8/4/24 (one week from Sunday) – this is a family/ kid-friendly event. The club will supply water, hot dogs, chicken – please bring a side dish for the potluck style picnic. Bring your own beverage.

Meet at the Gerard’s at 10 am to tail gate (Sell rocks out of your car, or bring your own table), be sure to bring cash to go shopping. Then help us organize the club’s buckets in prep for our next show.

Lunch will be at 1 pm.

Address: 1371 Paradise Rd, Ferndale, WA, 98248

Please note, this picnic is in lieu of a monthly meeting on the third Monday of August. (Which means there is no regular monthly meeting in August.) Update your calendars!

Regards,

Trevor

club secretary

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Rockhound Sale 2.0, and Field Trip 6/22

Hello ‘Hounds,

I have a message from our President, Candi Gerard:

We will be making another trip to the Rockhound Sale in North Whatcom County on Saturday, June 22nd at 10 am.  Please RSVP to Candi at 360-366-0121, as the number of attendees is limited.

For those who RSVP, meet at the Gerard’s (1371 Paradise Rd, Ferndale, WA 98248) on Saturday at 10 am to carpool/ convoy to the location.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daniel Doering is leading another field trip the same day, this Saturday, June 22nd on Bailey Trail to source Rainbow Chert. To participate, meet at the Verlot ranger station at 9 am to convoy to the dig (~90 minute commute.)

Bring a chisel, small crowbar, crack hammer, rock hammer. Gloves, buckets, eye protection, etc.

(If anyone has a large sledge hammer, that would be useful as well.)

This is hard rock mining, but there is a lot of material to collect just off the road as well, so all skill levels are welcome to attend!

For more information, contact Daniel directly at: 360-319-4722

Warmly,

Trevor Duncan

club secretary

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Field Trip, Saturday, May 4th

Daniel Doering is taking folks out for another field trip to Swift Creek on Saturday, May 4th.

If you’d like to join, meet at the Concrete Grocery Store at 9 am. 

Road conditions: 4×4 recommended, will need a vehicle with high clearance due to 6-8″ deep potholes.

Bring a backpack and some water, but tools are not necessary. Any questions or concerns, contact Daniel ahead of time, at 360-319-4722. (There is no service near the actual site. )

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Work Party Saturday, 3/2/24 @ 11 am

On Saturday, March 2nd at 11 am, there is a work party at the Gerard’s to help clear and organize the conex for the day of the big show. 1371 Paradise Rd, Ferndale.

Directions: Take exit 262 off I-5. At the McDonalds turn north on Barrett and follow the road to Candi’s Jewelry Gallery on the right. About 1-11/2 miles from McDonalds.

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February Meeting; Silent Auction of lapidary arbors

Hello Rockhounds,

A friendly reminder that our next meeting is on Monday, February 19, 2024, at 7 pm, in Ferndale. We will be going over details for the March show, and Todd will be presenting about fossils of WA and OR.

Exciting news; we have been approved to move forward with the purchase of 3 new, 6-wheeled, 8″ cabbing machines for the lap room.

We will be silently auctioning off the (4) 8″ Lortone arbors that have been in the lap room to date. Bidding will occur at the February 19 meeting, and the bids will be sealed. The starting bid is $225/ arbor. Each interested member will write their highest bid and place it in their bidding envelope. In the event of a tie, top bidders will resubmit their highest bid to determine the winner. Winners, please be prepare to collect your arbor directly at the mall shop.

Members are welcomed to come by the mall to view the machines in advance. Photos/videos will be added to our Facebook this afternoon (2/6/24).

Rock on,

~Trevor

club secretary

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Flint Knapping Lesson with Jim Fackler, 10/28

Hello Rock hounds,

Exciting news from Jim Fackler, who shared with us the history, and a demonstration of flint knapping in September:

“I have received  permission to use the Unity of Bellingham parking lot, at 1095 Telegraph Rd in Bellingham, from 10:00 to 2:00 on Saturday the 28th. I have several 10×20 canopy’s that will be set up if the weather requires. I will be providing the materials and tools. “

Please respond to Jim directly if you have questions and/or to RSVP:

Jim Fackler

360-434-0554

jimfackler60@comcast.net

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Club picnic Sunday, 7/30

Hello Rock Hounds,

Here is your reminder that our club picnic is this Sunday, July 30th, at Candi and Gordy’s house. (1371 Paradise Rd, Ferndale, WA 98248).

Arrive as early as 10 am to socialize and/or tailgate. This is a potluck, so please bring your own chairs, beverages, and a main dish to share.

Hotdogs and water will be provided. Lunch is being served at 1 pm, so please arrive with your dish by then.

Folks are welcome to stay and socialize and/or continue tailgating after we eat.

Looking forward to seeing your friendly faces!

~Trevor, club secretary