NVMC Show Highlights from George Mason University

by Ken Rock, MSDC Editor

MSDC Board Member, Andrea Lubawy and Dan Teich, MSDC President Elect at the MSDC table.

The Northern Virginia Mineral Club (NVMC) hosted the 32nd annual Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show on November 23 and 24. This well-attended show, held at the Johnson Center at George Mason University, included approximately 20 dealers with gems, minerals, and fossils for sale, as well as a large area for kids that featured demonstrations, exhibits, activities, and door prizes. There was even a mini-mine for kids to dig in and get free fossils and minerals. Show attendees include people of all ages, geology students from George Mason, serious collectors, not-so-serious collectors, and many people simply curious about the many beautiful rocks, gems, minerals, and fossils for sale at the show.

Lots of coloring opportunities at the NVMC show.

The kids area was crowded for almost the entire weekend and, thanks to careful planning and generous volunteers, there was plenty of supervision for all of the activities. Hats off to Jason Zeibel, NVMC President, and John Weidner, MSDC Treasurer, for organizing and managing such a great area for kids with so many things to do.

**John Weidner, MSDC Treasurer, and Susie Weidner in the kids area at the show. Participating in the strategy discussion is Celia Zeibel.**

**A fossil challenge: matching the fossil to the right description.**

MSDC members selling minerals at the show were Dave Hennessey, Kenny Reynolds, Ken Rock, and Casper Voogt. Kenny Reynolds was kind enough to share some of his space with MSDC which sold mineral donated to the club on both days of the show. Many thanks to Susan and Ed Fisher, Dave and Leslie Nanny, Andrea Lubawy, and Dan Teich for donating their time to the worthy cause of supporting MSDC.

**MSDC Co-webmaster Casper Voogt showing some fine minerals for sale at the NVMC show.**

**Lots of free stuff for kids at the show! Pictured is Dave Fryauff, from the Gem, Lapidary, and Mineral Society of Montgomery County, MD.**

A very nice feature of this show is that there are drawings for door prizes every hour. This ensures that most people keep their tickets and listen carefully when the numbers are called. The final drawing of the show featured the grand prize pictured below – a large, beautiful pyrite specimen from Peru.