The Mount Baker Rock & Gem Club runs entirely on volunteers. Without new volunteers it will wither and die. The purpose of this page is to describe some of the many ways that members can contribute, in ways big and small, to keeping our club vital and lively. Firstly will be descriptions of the elected officer positions, then descriptions of various unelected positions and then the less formal ways to help.
Elected Officers
President: The president conducts the monthly general meetings and presides at meetings of the governing board. The president must be able to attend the majority of those meetings, be able to speak in public and understand the basics of Robert’s Rules of Order.
Vice President: The vice president will assume the duties of the president whenever the president is unable to perform them. The vice president takes the lead in periodically arranging for programs to be given at monthly meetings.
Secretary: The secretary records minutes of the general and board meetings. The secretary publishes those minutes via email to the members and optionally to the announcements area of the website. The secretary also receives the club’s mail and email and responds appropriately.
Treasurer: The treasurer has the care and custody of the club’s funds. This includes keeping the accounts, paying bills, reporting to the board and the members, providing cash to various club tables at the annual show and collecting such cash periodically. The treasurer also pays out the club’s annual student scholarship. Integrity is absolutely essential.
Federation Director: The director is the liaison between the club and Northwest Federation of Mineral Societies.
Directors-at-large: The directors represent the membership as a whole at meetings of the board.
For more information see the club’s constitution:
Other opportunities
- Wagonmaster: research and lead field trips for collecting.
- Kitchen: set up and clean up for the refreshments at the monthly meetings.
- Chairperson for the club’s annual Gem and Mineral Show: arrange for vendors, arrange for rental of a truck, tables and other items. Publicize the event. Mobilize members to help with running the show. Usually there is a co-chair needed to share the responsibilities.
- The annual show: Members are vitally needed to help set up for the show, run various tables at the show, and to tear down the show. This means bringing in the tables, show cases, electrical cables, signs and other material for the show, setting up same, and moving that material out at the end of the show.
- The Rockhound Rendezvous: This is an event where club members can offer their rock-related items for sale to the public. There must be someone to lead the organization of the event. That includes arranging renting the venue, managing the sign-ups and collection of fees, opening and closing the event.
- Information Technology Administrator: The administrator holds the credentials for the club’s website, email and Facebook pages. The administrator assures continuity of business by providing the secretary with credentials for accessing those resources. The administrator updates and improves the club’s website and Facebook page as well as monitors the Facebook group. The administrator is responsible for assuring timely payment to the company hosting the club’s website and email account.
- Retail Store: Members wishing to sell their items at the store must commit to covering shifts staffing the store. Duties include helping customers with sales, being vigilant about shoplifting, managing cash.
- Lapidary Room Managers: After training and demonstrated experience members may be authorized to run the large rock saws, maintain equipment, assist members and oversee sessions. Members using the lapidary room are expected to clean up at the session end.