September Business Meeting Summary
by Andy Thompson, MSDC Secretary
President Dan Teich called the Zoom attendees to order and welcomed everyone back for the start of the club’s new September through June 2026-27 season. Referring to tonight’s program about the mines and minerals of Bisbee, Arizona, Dan said “We are kicking things off with my favorite subject, copper-based minerals.”
He thanked everyone who has served on the MSDC club’s board of directors and who has volunteered and kept the organization running since 1942. He wished club regular Dave Hennessey a happy birthday and for his service as a former club president, thanked him and the other three past presidents attending the meeting.
Dan asked for a motion to approve the June Business Meeting minutes as published in the September Mineral Minutes newsletter by editor Ken Rock. The motion was made, seconded, and unanimously approved.
Reports from the Club Officers
John Weidner, Treasurer, reported that the club’s finances remained solvent with no problems or fiscal concerns for the current and following year.
Dan asked John for an update on the “Junior Geologists Lab” which John has kindly led for the last two years at the Kings Park Library in Virginia. In most months, John and a group of dedicated volunteers meet to share their knowledge of rocks, minerals, and fossils with kids, typically with ages in the single digits.
John described the many tools, methods and resources they provide to help the children learn about the rocks and fossils they bring to the meetings. John and his fellow volunteers make sure the children and their parents leave the meeting having had a good time playing with the rocks and fossils.
Starting in October, the Junior Geologists program will expand to a second location in Alexandria. More on this in the next issue of the newsletter.
Andy Thompson, Secretary, had nothing new to report this month.
Ken Rock, Editor, reported that he sent the September Mineral Minutes newsletter to the club’s subscription list of 279 people. To date, it had good open and click rates on the diverse articles. He renewed his call for a volunteer(s) interested in learning to use the newsletter’s excellent software so perhaps sometime down the road, “no time soon,” he or she can share the workload.
Ken Reynolds, VP for Programs, and Laura Dwyer reported that the speaker lineup is now booked nearly a full year out, through March 2027:
• Oct 7 — Dr. Jacob (Jake) Margolis: “Siderite, Barite, and Millerite from the Mount Savage Clay, Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland.”
• Nov 4 — Dr. Bob Farrar will speak on the amethyst deposits of southern Brazil.
• Dec 2 — Dr. Dave Mauney, retired Army Colonel, on the evolution of USGS topographic mapping technologies. He was named the “Father of LiDAR” by LiDAR Magazine in 2018.
• Jan 6 — MSDC member Beth Heesacker: “The uncollectible is sometimes collectible – the minerals of Sardinia."
• Feb 3 — Dan Teich on “Last summer’s extensive field trips and the most interesting collecting sites.”
• March 3 — John Betts, a back-to-basics class on identifying the 100 most common minerals.
Dan thanked Ken and Laura for lining up nearly a full year of what promises to be some excellent presentations.
Old Business
Dan said that Andy, as Secretary, would be sending out another note asking members for their help with reviving and staffing our club’s committees, including responding to club members’ interest in field trips.
New Business
Upcoming shows: Dave Hennessey reminded participants of several shows coming up: one in Howard County and one in Fisherville, Virginia, both in mid-September, and the Waldorf Club’s one-day mineral show on Saturday, October 3, which happens before MSDC’s next meeting.
Meeting up in Tucson: In response to MSDC’s members interest in having more in-person local gatherings in the DC, VA, and MD areas, Dan also raised the idea of an MSDC get-together at the Tucson Gem & Mineral show in 2027. Since he, Shawn, and several club members will be there, Dan asks that members who are planning to attend the Tucson show to let him or Andy know, with the thought of our club arranging a group dinner. Andy will include a note about this in an upcoming club communication. The main Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show set of shows and events runs from January 27 through February 14, 2027.
Geology in the News
Dan reminded members to keep sending Ken Rock items for the newsletter’s “Geology in the News” feature. This is one of our newsletter’s most popular items and needs your input to maintain the great variety of items included in each issue’s set of newsworthy links.
Welcome to First Time Attendees
Dan invited first-time and other interested attendees to introduce themselves:
• Wayne Geller, of Pennsylvania, belongs to a several local clubs including a microscopy group focused mainly on micromounts. He said he’s enjoyed being able to join MSDC’s Zoom presentations.
• Kat, was a first-time MSDC attender. She said she is a part-time engineering student at George Mason University who recently became head of social media for the university’s Geology Club.
Other Business
Ken Reynolds reminded members of our club’s request for mineral donations intended for sale at coming the Northern Virginia Mineral Show at George Mason University, on the weekend of November 21–22. Those willing to donate should contact Dan, Ken, or Andy.
Adjournment
With no further business, Dan asked for a motion to close the meeting. The motion was made and unanimously approved, and Dan turned the mic over to Laura Dwyer to introduce the evening’s presentation by Les Presmyk.