November - West Suburban Lapidary Club

November/December 2009 THE OPAL
page 1
Mary Prosek, Opal Editor
P.O. Box 783
Lyons, IL 60534
mitty27@sbcglobal.net
Official publication of the West Suburban Lapidary Club
Elmhurst, Illinois
Volume XXXXVIII, Number 8
First Class Dated Material
50 years
1959-2009
and still rockin’!
The Opal is published January
thru May; September thru
November
Next Club Meeting
Friday, November 28, 2009
8 pm, doors open at 7:00
The Abbey
407 W. St Charles Rd
Elmhurst, IL 60126
Next Board Meeting
Friday, January 8, 2010
meeting starts at 7:30
The Abbey
407 W. St Charles Rd
Elmhurst, IL 60126
Meetings are usually held the 4th Friday of the month, January thru
May, Sept thru November. Please check The Opal for changes.
West Suburban Lapidary Club Membership Info
Membership in the
WSLC is $17 per year,
per household/family.
Student memberships
are available for $10.
Students are identified
as 22 years of age and
younger and currently
enrolled in an accredited
school and have a
valid school I.D. Dues
are payable by January
31st for that calendar
year regardless of the
date you joined. Please
submit a completed
application for Board
Approval to the WSLC
Treasurer, Jose Ponce.
This is to be done at any
General Meeting. Applications
will not be
accepted via mail or at a
WSLC function other
than a meeting.
Visitors are welcome at
all General Meetings.
Members of the WSLC
are expected to serve
on various committee’s
and volunteer their
time where needed.
Applications may be
found on the WSLC
website (see pg 2)
Members of the WSLC
receive in district rates
with the Elmhurst
Park District for classes
taken at the Lapidary
School, regardless of
their residence. Contact
information for all
Board Members are
located on page 2 of
The Opal

page 2
THE OPAL
November/December 2009
WEST SUBURBAN LAPIDARY CLUB
A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION INCORPORATED IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS
Mission Statement:
To foster the development of the lapidary arts and the jewelry craftsman's and to increase public interest
in handcrafted gems, jewelry, and their materials
Regular meetings of the West Suburban Lapidary Club are held on the fourth Friday of the month at 8 p.m. with
the exception of June, July, August & December at The Abbey, 407 W. St. Charles Road, Elmhurst, Illinois. Parking
in the East and West parking lots. Visitors are welcome. Board meetings are held as announced in The OPAL.
Annual member ship dues are $17 per household/family. Dues are due January 1, delinquent January 31.
President
Vice- President
Treasurer
Secretary
(shared position)
OPAL Editor
MWF Liaison
Board Member (3rd of 3 year term)
Joanne Samuel
Don Shore
Jose Ponce’
Barb Freeman
Arlene Blaha
Mary Prosek
Lee Herrera
Terry Licko
Board Member (2nd of 3 year term) Barb Petry
Board Member (1st of 3 year term)
Past President
Karen Dave’
Ed Gallagher
CGMA Delegate:
Rich Dillon
CGMA Alternate:
Lynn Dempsey
Kitchen Supplies:
Ed Gallagher
Gem of the Month:
Tony Gass
Historian:
Joanne Samuel
Publicity:
Lee Herrera
Webmaster:
Don Shore
Committee Chairpersons
Hospitality:
1 person from the month’s team
The OPAL:
Mary Prosek
Librarian:
Gwyn Kaitis
Activities Coordinator:
Karen Dave’
MWF Liaison:
Lee Herrera
Lizzadro Museum Liaison:
Jack Maher
Silent Auction/Club Show: to be
announced
Field Trip:
position open
Lapidary School:
Karen Dave’
Instructors:
Tony Gass
Max Schultz
Assistants:
Jose Ponce
Mary Prosek
Alberta Schultz
Don Shore
The OPAL is the official publication of the West Suburban Lapidary Club and is issued September through May with
the exception of December. It is mailed, one copy per household, without further charge to members of the WSLC.
Email in addition to or in place of mail is also available by contacting the Editor. Articles may be copied provided
full credit is given to the author and this bulletin. The deadline for material to be published is the fourth Friday of
the month prior. Visit the WSLC website at: www.westsuburbanlapidaryclub.com

November/December 2009
THE OPAL page 3
Proudly celebrating our 50th anniversary
1959 to 2009
STONE OF
THE MONTH - FOSSILS
The stone of the month for November
is Fossils. The word Fossil
can evoke many images since
there are so many and are found
everywhere in nature. Fossils can
mean specimens, petrified woods,
dino poop, shells. The possibilities
are endless.
Please bring in your specimens or
jewelry pieces that fall under this
category. Be sure they are clearly
marked and labeled as yours.
Also check out the great story on
page 8 that was submitted by Don
Cronauer on Fossils and the one
on page 7 by Karen Dave’ which
focuses on Fossils in Jewelry.
Thanks to Don & Karen for making
my last issue a good one! Mary
OCTOBER PROGRAM
The History and Collection of
the Lizzadro Museum
of Lapidary Art
The program for November will be
a presentation on the history and
collection of the Lizzadro Museum
of Lapidary Art.
Dorothy Asher, Graduate Gemologist
and Director of the Lizzadro
Museum of Lapidary Art has lectured
around the country on the
Museum's collection. She will present
the history of select pieces in
the Museum's permanent collection
and also provide insight into
Joseph Lizzadro's life and his connection
to the West Suburban
Lapidary Club
President’s Message - by Joanne Samuel
Hi everyone!
Hope everyone is doing great.
November has arrived, and now
we are going to start seeing
Christmas things being put up.
Wow! Where did the year go?
To start, I would first like to
thank Terry Licko for a wonderful
presentation. She does
some great work doesn’t she! I
would also like to thank the October
team for the great snacks,
they really out did themselves.
I would also like to send out a
special thanks to all the participants
in moving the items from
the shed. It was a big job but
we got it done.
But now to more important
matters, we are coming to the
end of our 50 th Anniversary
year. It would be great to do
something nice at the annual
meeting. We are currently taking
donations of items cut or created
by club members for door
prize drawings during the Holiday
Luncheon meeting in December.
Please give your items
to Jose.
Also remember that Lapidary
Day at the Lizzadro Museum is
on November 21 st .
As a reminder, if you have photos,
newspaper articles, or even
miscellaneous items (CGMA flyers,
or Curry’s Action flyers) it
would be great if you could get
me copies or even e-mail them to
me. It would appreciated. I
have started the club’s scrap-
book with what
I have so far,
but more material
would be
nice. I am sure
everyone is going
to love how
it turns out.
Another great
way to commemorate
our
50 th Anniversary year.
For the month of November the
stone/ activity of the month are
“Fossils”. Since the club is less
focused on Fossils, it is nice to
highlight something different.
Fossils are great because they
are similar to books as they can
tell stories of the past. Some
stones can also be fossils for example,
turtella. So if you have
any interesting fossils bring
them to the meeting.
It cannot be overstressed that
while the Club Board members
provide much of the planning
and organization of these events
for your enjoyment, none of it
would be possible without the
participation of the club members
as a whole group. If you
have any special skills, knowledge,
resources or even just some
spare time to volunteer, please
contact a board member and let
us know.
If you plan on attending the
Holiday Luncheon, please let
your intentions be known to
club Treasurer, Jose Ponce.
Happy Creating! – Joanne

page 4
Minutes of the October 2, 2009 Board
Meeting - by Mary Prosek
The October 2, 2009 WSLC Board meeting was
called to order by the President, Joanne Samuel,
at 7:40 PM, at the Abbey.
Attendance included: Joanne Samuel, Karen
Dave, Mary Prosek, Ed Gallagher, Barb Freeman,
Don Shore, Jose Ponce, Lee Herrera.
Minutes of the May board meeting as published in
the OPAL were approved following a motion by
Karen Dave and second by Jose Ponce.
Treasurer’s report: Jose gave a verbal report.
Noted recent income from the Split the Pot and
the mini auction. Discussion was held about the
club finances. Jose agreed to report monthly at
the general meeting on the income from the split
the pot and mini auction. It was noted that over
the year, those activities generate more income
than the special event of the auction. The report
was approved and filed for audit following a motion
by Karen and second by Mary.
Midwest Federation report: Lee, as federation liaison,
will pursue obtaining his copy of the minutes/
newsletter.
Opal Editor report: Mary will continue to forward
other club’s newsletter to members who have their
e-mail on record. This is another advantage of e-
mail. Please notify Mary if you have a change of e
-mail address during the year. Mary informed the
board that this will be her final year as editor, after
several years of service. Fortunately, Pat Koko
has stepped forward to continue this responsibility.
Mary will continue to assist Pat for a seamless
transition.
Webmaster report: Don Shore encourages others to
submit club photos for inclusion on the website.
Previous Business meeting: The recent presentation
by the President on the financial history and
trends of the club was discussed. Hard copies of
the data will be available at the next general meeting
for members to review. A brief summary article
will be presented in the Opal
Next general meeting: Program: Terry Licko has
graciously offered to present her recently created
DVD on the process of jewelry design. Terry will
share her expertise that was developed over several
years.
THE OPAL
November/December 2009
New Business: WSLC club members will demonstrate
their skills at a lapidary day at the Lizzadro
Museum on Saturday 11-21-2009. Special thanks to
the members who volunteer their expertise to the
public. Other members are also encouraged to attend
to support club efforts.
There was discussion about special activities to celebrate
the club’s 50 th anniversary celebration. The
finale is planned for the December holiday meeting
and party.
Work on the Constitution will reconvene so the revision
can be brought to the members for review.
Lapidary school: Revisions to classes may occur to
offer options to the public.
New members: Elaine Sinclair’s application for
membership was approved, following a motion by
Karen and second by Jose.
There was discussion and planning about moving
items out of the current storage shed and transferring
the quantity to another location. Thank you to
Ruth & Paul Pavesich for storing items on his property
for the past several years.
Election of officers for 2010 was discussed. A nominating
committee is being formed.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:02
November team - Amethyst
Team members: please remember to come early for
set up and stay after the meeting for take down. If
you have questions about the team you are on,
please talk to Vice President, Don Shore. A member
from each team is expected to serve as Hospitality
chair a the entrance to greet members & guests.
Dempsey, Lynn & Brian
Musker
Giannoni, Ed
Muskus, Meryl
Nordquist, Dan
Petry, Leroy & Barbara
Prosek, Mary
Quail, Mary
Roland, Gwyn & Randy
Bultman
Sinclair, Elaine
Sobczak, Bernie & Irene
Wilson, Susan

November/December 2009
Minutes of the General Meeting, Oct 23, 2009 - by Barb Freeman
P r e s i -
d e n t
Joanne
Samuel
c a l l e d
t h e
meeting
to order at 8:02 PM.
Minutes of the September
general meeting, as
published in the Opal,
were approved following
a motion by Jack
Maher and second by
Terri Licko.
Treasurer’s report: provided
by Jose Ponce.
The report was approved
and will be filed
for audit following a
motion by James Maple,
and second by Pat
Koko. The sign-in book
showed 37 members attended,
and two guests.
Library report: Gwynn
Kaitis reported that a
new book about rings
has been added to the
library.
Lapidary school: no
news per Karen Dave.
Midwest Federation liaison
report: Lee Herrera
reviewed important issues
which were contained
in the recent
newsletter. The newsletter
is available for
review in the binder
which Lee keeps updated.
Members may
nominate others for the
Rockhound of the Year
award. The Code of
Ethics has recently
been approved, and is
in keeping with national
trends to specify
ethics statements. The
American Federation of
Mineralogical Societies
has streamlined the distribution
of the scholarship
awards to 2 years
instead of annually.
There will be no change
in the total dollar
awards. The judging
criteria and process was
reviewed to encourage
additional entrants. Criteria
were modified and
judging will be more
uniform. Beading was
approved for inclusion
in competition. There
was also an informative
article about diamonds
which was geared toward
youth, but includes
information worthy
of review. The entire
newsletter is available
on line for review.
Members are encouraged
to participate in
the Federation competitions
and events.
THE OPAL
Old Business: The
Holiday Meeting and
dinner will be held at
Villa Nova on Sunday,
December 6 with social
hour starting at noon.
One lucky member who
paid for the dinner in
Oct. or Nov. will receive
two free dinners at a
drawing to be held at
the November meeting.
Come and join the
group for this fun annual
event The food is
always good and plentiful.
Joanne Samuel is
gathering special gifts
to be included in a
drawing in recognition
of the club’s 50 th year.
Donations are welcome.
If you have contacts
with businesses which
deal with lapidary or
other appropriate
items, let Joanne or
Mary Prosek know and
a letter will be sent, or
they will be contacted,
to seek donations. You
are welcome to solicit
for gift contributions.
Contributors will be recognized
at the holiday
party. The more gifts,
the better!
Joanne Samuel is also
compiling a club scrapbook
for 2009. Please
forward any photos
from this year, which
may be included in this
document.
Lapidary Day will be
held at Lizzadro Museum
on Saturday, November
21. Come and
bring a family member
or friend. Members will
provide demonstrations
of their skills, to encourage
interest in our
club and hobby.
Dues are now being accepted
for 2010. Hoping
to see each member
next year and additional
members as well.
Early payment by the
November meeting
credits the member
with a chance to win
free tickets to the holiday
meeting and banquet.
New Business: Congratulations
to Erik
Spande on his award
from the American Federation
for the article
written on Kunzite and
published in The Opal,
March 2008. The arti-
page 5
cle garnered 2 nd place for
all submissions, nationwide.
Erik received a
certificate and special
name tag as a featured
writer. Congratulations!
Can we bring our copies
of the newsletter to have
you autograph them?
Mary Prosek announced
that after four years as
editor of The Opal, she
will retire from that position.
Patricia (Pat) Koko
has been appointed to
take the position..
Thanks to both members.
In years past, member
Don Cronauer also functioned
as Editor. Mary
has done an outstanding
job in creating the newsletter
which includes
many items of interest,
information, upcoming
events, and sense of humor
scattered throughout.
Mary has consistently
won awards for
our publication. The editor
spends considerable
time monthly in creating
the newsletter and attends
Board meetings.
Please thank both members
for their contributions.
Stone/technique of the
month: Thanks to members
who brought examples
of the repousse’ technique
and process. Also,
to Carl Housman who
exhibited many of his
cabochons which were
cut with rough that he
found on his vacation
this past summer. The
search requires careful
observation. Carl is refining
his techniques, and
the displays show a wide
variety of color, pattern,
and shapes. Thanks for

page 6 THE OPAL
November/December 2009
October Meeting Minutes continued from page 5
bringing in the specimens. Members are encouraged
to bring in specimens of your finds or work to
share with the group.
Split the Pot: Congratulations to long time member,
Clete Davis, who won nearly enough for two
people to enjoy the holiday meeting. Thanks to all
who purchased chances.
Program: Long time WSLC member, Terry Licko,
presented a professionally produced DVD depicting
her abilities as an award winning artist. The
program highlighted the source of inspiration, and
challenges in the actual creation of the piece. It
was an amazing history of samples of her work
over the years. Thanks for sharing samples, the
stories of how the piece was created and the beautiful
photography. Some of the items were also on
display, so members could see and appreciate the
actual item.
Special offer: Thanks to Don Cronauer who offered
his two tickets to a special exhibit at the
Field Museum. It was a thoughtful gift to a member
who can attend the event which occurred in a
few days.
The meeting was adjourned at 9 PM following a
motion by Jose Ponce and second by Lee Herrera.
OCTOBER PROGRAM
REVIEW - by Barb Freeman
Long time WSLC member Terry Licko
provided the October Program entitled,
Jewelry Design and Inspiration. This professionally
produced DVD provided a pictorial survey of some
of Terry’s jewelry created over a span of approximately
35 years. Terry relates that she created the
jewelry as a creative outlet, for its beauty, technical
challenge, and to compete in regional and national
events. Competition in the past was a grand event
with numerous submissions.
The quality of the DVD was excellent, with meaningful
content and professional photographs. Several
of her items were on display so members could
view the actual pieces included in the DVD program.
The narrative not only sounded good, but
also stressed the creative aspects, techniques, and
technical challenges. These are high quality items
that are visually outstanding.
The following review encapsulates several components
of her body of work. This will be a brief re-
view to bring back to mind the wonderful depictions
of the jewelry. Several pieces won awards, including
one’s at national levels. Another item was published
and highlighted in the Lapidary Journal.
Many techniques were depicted including casting,
chasing, repousse’, gold plating, free form wax in hot
water, etching in acid, pierced wirework, reverse patterns,
pegging of gems and intricate linkages. Layering
created visual depth but required extensive planning
and how to fit the sections together. A variety
of stones were included such as black jade, black
mother of pearl, coral, blue lace agate, and various
colored stones.
There is also great variety in inspiration including
the dusty miller plant, items associated with the sea
and oceans, and birds such as the peacock. Even the
holiday or seasons became a feature such as hearts
and snowflakes. Art Deco style was also incorporated
in a few pieces.
Terry’s work includes simplicity and complexity.
Each item in itself is a work of art. This description
merely highlights and gives a small idea of the
breadth of Terry’s collection. Recognition and thanks
to Terry Licko for sharing her extraordinary history
with our group.
2010 Dues & WSLC Holiday Meeting
Membership dues for 2010 are
due by January 2010. Information
on dues can be found on
page 1 of The Opal. There will
be an early bird drawing at the
November meeting for those
who have paid their 2010 dues. One lucky member
will get 2 tickets to the WSLC Holiday Meeting. Payment
should be made to WSLC Treasurer Jose Ponce'
at a meeting or via mail. All board members contact
information can be found on page 2 of The Opal.
This year’s Holiday Meeting will be held at The Villa
Nova Restaurant, located at 237 W. St Charles Rd in
Villa Park on Sunday, December 6th. Doors will open
at 12 noon. Cocktails (cash bar) from noon until 1
p.m. The dinner will start with the serving of the entree'
at 1 pm.
The General Meeting and election of next year’s officers
will follow at 2. The cost is still just $20 per person.
Dinner is served family style and has historically
proven to be delicious and plentiful.
If you plan on attending, please let WSLC Treasurer
Jose Ponce' know so a head count can be kept. Payment
is due by the November general meeting.

November/December 2009
THE OPAL
page 7
FOSSILS IN JEWELRY - by Karen Dave’
Fossils and jewelry, what’s up with that? Well, you’ve got to admit, there’s something kind of neat about
having a gazillion year old animal or plant piece with you. Like wearing shark teeth or a meteorite – it's
just kind of cool.
So, what qualifies as a fossil? Are they rare? Is it unethical to use them in jewelry? Are they difficult to cut
and set?
Fossils are the preserved remains, or trace, of a prehistoric plants or animals. Prehistoric is older than
10,000 years 1 – not so old in the grand scheme of things. The most commonly known are dinosaur bone
and petrified wood. Dinosaur footprints are also fossils.
Most fossils used in jewelry are petrified; the original organism has been replaced by minerals. The exceptions
are old amber 2 and defrosted mammoth ivory.
Just as with gemstones, some fossils are rare and some are not. Some are plentiful and of good quality and
many are not. In the U.S., fossils collected on private property belong to the land owner and can be legally
traded. Caution must be used when on government land, however.
High quality specimens are not generally used in jewelry as their value is higher uncut. A complete identifiable
dinosaur bone is worth more intact than its jewelry sized pieces would be. Mammoth and fossil walrus
ivory are being used in place of elephant ivory. Petrified wood and fossil sea creatures are not particularly
rare.
Most petrified fossils can be worked with the same methods that we know and love, and would use for a
non-fossil stone. Hey, it is a stone!
From the Forest: Wood - Palm Wood from Australia, Arizona petrified wood (very colorful).
There are so many types that originate from all over the world.
From the Sea - (left) The stem pieces of crinoids have naturally occurring center holes and
are great for beads. Crinoid marble is a pretty pink on black and sprinkled with crinoid
pieces.
Cephalopod: (right) You’ve probably
seen this one in huge wall décor and tape
tops. Individuals are cut from matrix
and hung as pendants. >>>>>>>>
Turitella agate: (below)
We all know this one.
It’s not rare at all. This
version from Wyoming
contains fossil shells of
gastropods, not
turitella.
Ammonites come in many
forms; they may be merely
petrified, druzzyed or pyritized.
The Koirite ammonite
(Canada) has many peacock
colors.
Baculite (right) looks
similar to an uncoiled
ammonite >>>>>>
«««««««Agatized fossil coral, (left) Tampa Bay,
Petoskey, Indonesian Fossil Coral covered with a
starburst pattern and comes in white, pink, purple,
red and shades of gold
Shark teeth and some fossil teeth also make striking
pendants.
1. Merriiam - Webster Dictionary
2. Semi-fossilized resin or sub-fossil amber is known as copal

page 8
THE OPAL
November/December 2009
FOSSILS - by Don Cronauer
A fossil can be defined as a remnant or trace of an organism of
a past geological age. These fossils may include: bones, skeletons,
leaves, stems, and imprints such as trails (including footprints)
and bark impressions. Many other articles have been replaced by minerals and they are considered
“fossilized.” In summary fossils are almost classified as anything “old.” Some of these things may be colorful
and pretty, while some are dull. Some even are used in making good jewelry.
Considering that the universe is believed to be more than 13 billion years old, and the solar system and the
earth older than 4 billion years, there ought to be a lot of fossils. The real challenge is to find them, identify
them, and try to understand how things have changed over time. Yes, I do enjoy using fossils to make
unusual jewelry.
Chicagoland is fortunate to be located near the Mazon Creek site of the Illinois
Basin outcrop of Pennsylvanian sediment. Mazon Creek is located in
the vicinity of Coal City and Braidwood, IL. You may remember the location
of the picnics that we held at the Abrell’s summer home. The area was
mined in the period of about 1870 through 1930. During the mining, a
great number of concretions were brought to the surface and fell into spoil
piles, creek beds and the like. These concretions or nodules are composed of
siderite (iron carbonate) that formed around animal and plant parts. During
the decay of these parts, they hardened up due to release of carbon
dioxide that reacted with iron-containing silt. Generally speaking, these
Pecopteris -ref 5 Neuropteris -ref
specimens were formed about 300,000,000 years ago. They are representative of animals and plants that
lived near or in the water at that time.
This area was part of an in‐land sea located near the equator. The surface of the area changed somewhat,
and it moved quite a bit north due to plate tectonics and the shifting of the earth. To an extent, it’s just
luck that these fossils formed here and they are available for us to examine.
There are other sites throughout the world with ages between 700 million years
and even 20 thousand years Their characteristics are often very different than
those from Mazon Creek.
The first aspect is that Mazon Creek fossils can be found within about 50 miles
of Chicago. I found it was best to join a club like ESCONI (Earth Science Club
of Northern Illinois) to get to the right places. My first search was at a mine tailings
pile. It happens all the time – specifically, I found a beautiful shrimp fossil!
Shrimp I’ve been trying to find something better since, but nothing has come close! The
most common finds have been jellyfish (sometimes considered “blobs”), clams,
parts of shrimp and other animals, and a few worms and sea cucumbers. I have found few plant remains in
part due to the locations that were chosen. Additional specimens have been obtained through purchases
and trading. Selected pictures are attached to present representative Mazon Creek fossils.
Of all of the fossils found at this site, the most interesting is the “Tully Monster”
that is found only in Illinois. The Tully Monster (Tullimonstrum gregarium) was a
soft bodied animal that was probably an active, swimming carnivore. It was
round or oval in cross section and tube-like with a tail that had horizontal fins and
a dorsal fin, all of which were triangular. It also had a long neck with a "jaw" that
contained eight small, sharp teeth. There is no evidence that the throat went
down the neck. It seems more likely that the neck or proboscis was a muscular organ
used to pass food to the mouth. Of particular interest, there was transverse
bar that passed through the body. This bar had “eyes” on the ends. My Tully
Monster specimen is about 1 inch in diameter by about 7 inches in length when
the neck is considering. The following are recommended references:
1. Jack Wittry, The Mazon Creek Flora, ESCONI, Associates, Downers Grove, IL.2006.
2. C.W. Shabica & A.A. Hay, ed., Richardson’s Guide to The Fossil Fauna of Mazon Creek, Northwestern Illinois Univ., Chicago, IL, 1997.
3. —, Keys to Identify Pennsylvanian Fossil Animals of the Mazon Creek Area, ESCONI, Downers Grove, IL, 1989.
4. —, Keys to Identify Pennsylvanian Fossil Plants of the Mazon Creek Area, ESCONI, Downers Grove, IL, 1989.
5. http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/mazon_creek
Tully Monster

November/December 2009
THE OPAL
page 9
GET WELL WISHES
Please send your get well wishes to
Tony Gass, who is recovering from
his run in with a car that left him
with a badly fractured ankle as
well as cuts and heavy bruising.
Send your cards and letters to:
Tony Gass - 5342 S. Mason—
Chicago, IL 60638
Get better Tony!
it dawned on me exactly how “unprepared” I was
to make such a stop. My daughter was wearing
shorts and flip flops, and I didn’t have my medical
kit! So I was definitely prepared to hunt, but not
my daughter, and definitely NOT to deal with the
consequences of something bad happening.
In the future I am going to give a good bit more
forethought to my impromptu stops especially if I
have my kids in tow and I would strongly encourage
you all to do the same. If she had been bitten
by that little snake it could have been very bad!
Be safe on your trips and travels, and always consider
how you can better prepare for events you
may encounter in the field!
Always Prepared! Are you
Sure? A Safety Note
by Owen Martin, AFMS Safety Chair
I like to think that I am always prepared to make a
quick stop at any out crop of opportunity that I encounter
in my travels around the country. Rock
hammer, bucket, loupe, I usually have all those
things with me.
So it was this last month when we were picking up
my daughter from a summer camp in central Texas.
While waiting to check in at the hotel I spied a beautiful
looking road cut about a half mile from the hotel.
I wouldn’t be able to look at it that night, but on the
way back home I was sure I could convince my wife
to stop for a few minutes.
The following morning that is exactly what we did.
My daughter even thought it looked good so she decided
to join me while the rest of the crew stayed in
the minivan and listened to the Jonas Brothers or
Miley Cyrus. I got pretty excited since within about a
minute on the outcrop I found my first loriola echinoid.
It was a really cute little one and better than
what I was hoping for. My daughter came over to see
it and we promptly found 3 more in the next couple
of minutes. Things were going really well!
Or so they seemed, but then a few minutes later I
heard my daughter scream and she was only about 10
feet away from me so it gave me quite a shock! I was
immediately on top of the situation (or so I thought)
and discovered that she had just had her first encounter
with a baby diamond back rattler. Luckily
they scared each other and the snake quickly headed
under a rock.
So as I picked her up and hauled her back to the van
Thank you Everyone!
Hard to believe this is my last issue
of The Opal as Editor. Seems
like I just took it over recently,
but also seems it has been a large
part of my life forever. It actually
has been 5 years! A lot has happened to me in
those 5 years. Some good and some not so memorable.
But I still come out swinging, so I guess that ‘s
good.
Thanks to all of you who have contributed various
articles, book review, meeting minutes, board meeting
minutes, President messages and the like. I
hope you extend the same graciousness to the new
Editor, Pat Koko. I leave you in good hands.
I’m outta here - thank you Mary Prosek
MORE THANKS FROM
LYLE & LUCY BACKUS
We want to express our gratitude to our friends at
the West Suburban Lapidary Club and School for
the wonderful retirement dinner they treated us to
on October 16th. For he last 10 years, Lyle and I
have enjoyed meeting so many students and hope
they received the knowledge and the desire to continue
cutting stones. Also, we shall never forget
your kindness given to us through the years. In
all, we appreciate your generosity inviting us to a
wonderful dinner. The food and company were
excellent and we could not have asked for a better
evening as the weather cooperated to make for a
perfect night. Thank you friends!
Lyle & Lucy Backus

page 10
THE OPAL
Proudly celebrating our 50th anniversary
1959 to 2009
November/December 2009
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
LIZZADRO MUSEUM
HAPPENINGS
Special Exhibit: Oct 6 thru Jan 3, 2010: “Jeweled Objects of Desire”: From
the gem collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
The exhibit features ordinary objects made into extraordinary jeweled
pieces. Included in the exhibit are pieces created by San Francisco
jewelry designer, Sidney Mobell, famous for his jewel encrusted chess set,
trashcan, and gold mousetrap with a diamond wedge of cheese.
Dec 5th: “Create a Gem Tree” Back by popular demand lapidaries Bill and
Lois Zima of the Des Plaines Valley Geological Society teach how to create
a small tree using gemstones and wire. These beautiful trees never
need water and make a great gift. All materials are included. Activity: 1
pm to 3 pm. Ages 9 yrs to Adult. Fee: $20 per person, Museum Members $15.
Reservations required 630-833-1616
Dec 19th: “Nature’s Dollhouse Miniatures” - Miniaturist, Edie Rodriquez
teaches participants how to create accessory items for a doll house. Create
unique arrangements including plants, fruit bowls, flower vases and more
using stone, shell, wire and other materials. Take home 4 miniature creations.
All materials are provided. Activity: 1 pm to 3 pm. Ages 10 yrs to
Adult. Fee: $20 per person, Museum Members $15. Reservations required
630-833-1616
PROPOSED SLATE OF OFFICERS FOR 2010
Board Position
President
Vice President
Past President
MWF Liaison
Treasurer
Secretary 1
Secretary 2
First Year Board Member
Second Year Board Member
Third Year Board Member
Nominee
Joanne Samuel
Don Shore
Ed Gallagher
Lee Herrerra
Jose Ponce
Barbara Freeman
Arlene Blaha
Mary Prosek
Karen Dave
Barbara Petry
Members of:
American Federation of Mineralogical Societies,
Midwest Federation of Mineralogical and Geological Societies,
Chicagoland Gem and Mineral Association,
and Scribe