Arlington Gem & Mineral Club
Minutes for the July 11, 2006
General Meeting
The meeting was called to order by Rick Litsinger, President.
The Guests were welcomed and introduced. They were:
Tommie Lang
Bryanna Etter
Lirisa Rivera
Betty West
Danny Lee
Ashley Stone
Tiffany Stone
Anita Fowler
Lee An Balalar
Riley Worm
Haley Williams
David Alerant
Leonard Lee, a long time member was welcomed back.
Rick announced that the 501(c)3 papers were sent in and we are still waiting to hear from the IRS on reinstating our 501(c)3 status. Sue Lynes has been working on preparing the necessary paperwork, and thanks to her hard work we are now officially ARLINGTON GEM AND MINERAL CLUB again. She has been filing and refiling the needed documents with the proper agencies. Last month Rick requested anyone who knew a CPA who could help us to let him know, but he got no response. We must file a 990EZ by August 1 and it must be done the first time by a CPA. The reason we must file this form is because our gross receipts were in excess of $25,000 in 2005. That does not mean we have to pay taxes on that amount, but we do have to let them know
about it. .Rick’s CPA said if everything is in order and all that is needed is filing, the cost would be $75 but if not in order the cost will be $500-600 to get it done.
Pat Vaughan said that summer is usually slow for classes but they will pick up in the fall. She asked any members who want a particular class to let her know and she will schedule a class. The current class schedule can be found on the bulletin board, web, and in the Hound’s Tale.
Dale Miller asked if we were having the Ice Cream Social next Saturday and Rick said “no”.
Irene was not at the meeting, so Carl Wells reminded everyone of the scheduled field trip to TCU’s Monnig Meteorite Museum in Ft. Worth Saturday at 10:00 A.M.
Tray Bradford has a Quartz Dig planned at a private quarry in Arkansas October 28-29. It will be near Hot Springs and further details will be given later. New members were encouraged to join in the field trips because we always have a good time.
Kay Lopez reported that the Juniors met last Saturday, made silver rings, and wore them home proudly. Kay’s husband taught the class.
Kris Galbrith reported on the show status. She desperately needs a volunteer coordinator.
We have ROTC groups coming to help with the crowds as well as member volunteers.
We need someone to chair the competition cases or we won’t have any competition. We need help with flyer distributions. Jeremy has agreed to coordinate but needs helpers. Club Demonstration Booth will be coordinated by Frank O’Donnely. The sign up sheets are posted for everyone who wants to demonstrate to sign up. There will be NO SELLING at the Demo Booth. If you want to sell, see Bob Boyd about tables. They are $200 each. The Silent Auction needs more donations. It can be Jams, Plants, equipment you no longer use, whatever, as well as rock related items. Jeremy has been slicing for 6 months and Dale Miller has been identifying the stones. A great THANKS was given to them. The income from the show each year pays our taxes and other expenses. This year our taxes will be$7,000 so we need to make as much as possible. Pam will be handing out the presale tickets at the next meeting on August 1. We will also be using that meeting to address, stamp & prepare cards for mailing. If anyone can help, contact Kris.
Rick reminded everyone that 30-40 people wrote down on their applications and renewals that they would help with the show. We need you now!
The man from Victoria will be coming with rough material. We just heard he would be able to come. We have 45 vendors so far with 28 tables still available. If you know anyone who wants a table, tell them to contact Bob Boyd. Kris related that Bob’s son has been in the hospital twice in the last two months and just got back home.
Molly Emmons, a new member, requested the dates and location of the show. It will be held at the Arlington Convention Center, Labor Day weekend, September 2-4, 2006. We need volunteers for lots of stuff. Parking for volunteers and vendors will be free. The volunteers must work a minimum of two hours to qualify for free parking. We hope to shuttle folks from the Club to the show and back. We need hospitality volunteers to help dealers at their booths, loading and unloading.
The Rangers were not supposed to have a game during our show but they changed their schedule and will have a game Sunday afternoon. There was concern that last year the parking lot people turned away some wanting to attend our show. This has been addressed and we hope most people will have the flyers, coupons or cards to show where they are going.
Kris said that she received many helpful suggestions for advertising the show. We are getting lots of hits on the web site and actually got twelve dealers from it. The people are reading the web and copying the coupons.
Delbert Speed said that he and Joyce set a goal of getting at least ten people who would not normally attend the show to come. He suggested that if the members would do this also it would be a great show. If we don’t get outside participation and the dealers don’t make money they will not come back. Joyce said that we need 75-100 visitors per dealer for a good show. Harold Hoskins is in charge of the competition and he has the rules, patterns and sign up sheets. Judging will be at 1-1:30P.M. on the Saturday of the show. Entries will be put in cases. We still need three more judges.
Dale Miller told everyone that fourteen years ago the first meeting she attended was the preparation meeting for the show. She didn’t know anything but she volunteered. She said that she has gotten so much more out of this club than she has given.
Dale needs slabs for the cab classes for the students.
The August meeting will be the Show heads reporting where they are and what they need.
Tonight’s program is Show & Tell, and twelve people brought their work for all to see.
Marge Harrand gave a report for two months – she has sent get well cards to Frances Johnson and Barbara Duddie, both who have been in the hospital, G.H. Fuller, Errol Faith’s wife Shirley, and a sympathy card to Delbert who lost his step-dad. She reported that Gordon Launders is slowly improving and she welcomed Leonard Lee whom we have all missed and wished him a happy ninety-fifth birthday. Dale Miller’s husband is in the hospital.
The drawing for attendance was a cigar box won by George Ricks and name tag was San Carlos Agate won by Loren Lopez.
The raffle took in $96.00:
Donated by Item Won By
Lynn Mathis Cigar Box Mark Brownmiller
Leonard Lee Necklace Mark Brownmiller
Kay Smith Agate Kay Lopez
Grady Shults San Carlos agate Rick Kepke
Marge Harrand Dad’s Bola Sue Lynes
Delbert Speed Anamooka Opal Sandra Brazzele
We need hospitality volunteers for August. There are vegetable plates and peach pie left over for anyone who wants to take it home.
Sam Howeth, delegate at large, reported that someone is making coffee on Saturday morning and everyone drinks it but nobody cleans the pot and empties the grounds. Please do so. J.K.Hudson wasn’t at the meeting because it is her birthday. The newsletter was mailed today. Two people came to have their work photographed. Membership is currently 172. The directory is ready and will be available at the clubhouse for those who don’t have e-mail.
The Library has received donations from Steve Stephenson’s estate and also Gold of The Pharaohs.
The yellow box is still back there for donations. We now have $75 earmarked for a water heater in the cab room. They have one at Lowe’s for $110, so we are over halfway there.
Joyce Speed reported that someone purchased five tickets for the Federation raffle and paid $20 for them. The stubs that show the purchaser’s information was not turned back in and the tickets are useless without those stubs.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:07 P.M.
Submitted by,
Pat Ross, Secretary