[Rockhounds] 2007 Mobile Rock and Gem Show Report

[Glenn Wimpee]

This was the 13th annual show for our club. It was held at the Fairgrounds at the edge of the Mobile City Limit which has become the custom in recent years. It is also held regularly on Thanksgiving weekend. There is definitely much to be said for consistancy. Our show has been growing steadily each year.
 
We had a full and varied compliment of dealers with terrific wares of jewelry, minerals, fossils, and rock creations. Most are regulars at the show each year with only a few new and a few sadly gone. One of the dealers who retired is sincerely missed even though his stock was bought by one of the "new" dealers. Another new dealer is a long time club member.
 
All our display boxes were nicely filled with items of beauty and interest to our hobby. Demonstrators cabbed, faceted, wire wrapped, beaded, and even opened pearl oysters. I think every oyster held at least one nice pearl and some had multiple treasures.
 
As usual our gem dig and sluice were big hits. The sluice has been updated and improved. It now has 2 complete runs to accommodate more screeners. The water was recycled by 2 pumps and large drums caught the muddy sludge and let reasonably clean water overflow into a larger tub from which it was pumped back to the top of each sluice. Screens were provided and bags of dirt were found to contain valuable stones hidden in their dirt. Club members used charts to help identify the finds. Lots of folks got dirty and wet.
 
Door prizes were donated en masse and given away about each half hour. 
 
The club raffle also attracted lots of attention and yielded 5 very valuable prizes.
 
Geodes being cracked, UV displays by dealers, the Rock Food Table, carvings, fossils, lots of mineral specimens, beaucoup jewelry items, and way too many things to name were among the sights and offerings during the event. Even a gourmet food vendor added to the enjoyment.
 
People who come leave looking forward to coming back next year.
 
It should be noted that many along the Gulf Coast are still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Katrina that struck in August of 2005. Several rock clubs, private dealers, and individual members are included in this group.
Glenn 
_________________________________________________________________
Share life as it happens with the new Windows Live.Download today it's FREE!
http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_Wave2_sharelife_112007

--- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
multipart/alternative
  text/plain (text body -- kept)
  text/html
---