Expanded News Briefs

April 3, 2006

CCFMS Collecting Dates at Beamsville and Dundas are Confirmed

The annual CCFMS spring quarry collecting dates at Beamsville Quarry and Dundas Quarry have now been confirmed and are as follows:

Saturday, May 13 ~ Beamsville (aka Lincoln) Quarry - Nelson Aggregates Ltd.
Sunday (Mother's Day), May 14 ~Dundas Quarry - LaFarge.

This trip is open to all CCFMS members in good standing. Current 2006 Club membership cards need to be shown at the quarry gates prior to entry. Arrive before 8:30 a.m. Sign in as soon as you arrive. Safety talk at 8:45 a.m. sharp. Safety gear must be worn including safety vests. Sign-in, sign-out policy is in effect Liability waiver must be signed. Collectors need to be over 16 years old.

For more information, maps, etc., please visit the Beamsville Quarry and the Dundas Quarry pages

Contact: Jim Glen jrglen@sympatico.ca

March 20, 2006

Two New Clubs Join the CCFMS Family

The CCFMS is proud to welcome both the Northern Ontario Rock & Mineral Club and the Winnipeg Rock & Mineral Club to the CCFMS family. Both clubs were ratified at the CCFMS Annual General Meeting held in conjunction with the Willowdale Club show on March 19, 2006.

The Northern Ontario Rock & Mineral Club (NormC) usually meets the second Sunday of every month from October until May at 7 Prospect Avenue, Cobalt. The club is dedicated to stimulate and promote an interest in the study of rocks, minerals, gems, fossils and artifacts of Northern Ontario and elsewhere. Ralph Schroetter is the president and club contact available via email at ralph @ normc.ca. The mailing address is NormC, P.O. Box 89, Cobalt, Ontario, Canada, P0J 1C0. NormC has an extensive website available at http://www.normc.ca/

The Winnipeg Rock & Mineral Club was formed in 1961, to create and further interest in all forms of Earth Science education, especially in the fields of Mineralogy, Geology, Paleontology and the Lapidary Arts. The mailing address is The Winnipeg Rock & Mineral Club, c/o 23 Amundsen Bay, Winnipeg, MB, R3K 0V1. The Winnipeg Rock & Mineral Club has an extensive website available at http://members.shaw.ca/grantrondeau/

March 20, 2006

2006 CCFMS Award Winners Announced

The CCFMS is proud to present four well-deserving individuals with Outstand Service Awards for the year 2006.

Dr Donald “Digger” Gorman Walker Mineral Club

Dr. Gorman is well known to all mineral clubs in southern Ontario. Over his many years at the University of Toronto, he always made time in his busy schedule to teach mineralogy to the amateur mineralogist, at local club meetings, at mineral symposia, special lecture series, and any venue where he was invited to participate.

For many collectors, Digger will always be remembered as Dr. Bancroft, for the many years he spent identifying specimens for collectors at the annual Gemboree. He always made time to patiently answer questions and always encouraged the collector to increase his own knowledge base.

Nominated by Malcolm Back, President Walker Mineral Club

Dr Joe Mandarino Walker Mineral Club

Dr. Mandarino is known to most collectors because of his work with the International Mineralogical Association, as co-author of the Fleischer Glossary of Mineralogy, and the book Monteregian Treasures, but locally because of his long term as curator of Mineralogy at the Royal Ontario Museum. During his term there he managed to find time to spend many years on Council guiding the Walker Mineralogical Club through some difficult times. As Curator he also found time to give talks to other clubs when invited, and conduct tours in the Mineral Galleries at the museum for collectors because he realized the importance of close ties between the Royal Ontario Museum and the collecting community.

Nominated by Malcolm Back, President Walker Mineral Club

Dr Robert Gait Walker Mineral Club

Dr. Robert Gait is also known to the local collecting community because of his long association with the Royal Ontario Museum as Curator of Mineralogy. He also spent many years on the council of the Walker Mineralogical Club. He always made time to speak to local Mineral Clubs when invited to do so, and was responsible for many travelling exhibits that were enjoyed by collectors at many of the local shows. He also hosted many of the visits of clubs over the years to the Galleries at the Royal Ontario Museum again recognizing the importance of close ties between the Royal Ontario Museum and the collecting community. He authored many "popular" level articles, particularly in Rocks and Minerals, a magazine that he was also an editor for.

Nominated by Malcolm Back, President Walker Mineral Club

June Ramsay Barrie Gem and Mineral Society

The Barrie Gem and Mineral Society (BGMS) officially recognizes the contributions of June Ramsay, our Secretary/Treasurer.

June has been an active participant in BGMS beginning her term as Secretary/Treasurer in 1991, and has held the position since that time. June has been the clubs foundation of schedule, the banker, and communicator.

June and her husband Ray joined the BGMS in September of 1989. Ray was an avid prospector, and June and Ray joined the BGMS after Ray was invited as a guest speaker. June is neither a rock collector. lapidarist, or micromounter.

Now retired from a career of teaching June continues to be truly interested in the happiness and success of others. June is an advocate of education and a genuine philanthropist of time.

Nominated by Rob Higginson, President and David J Ross, Vice President Barrie Gem and Mineral Society

February 14, 2006

CCFMS AGM - March 19, 2006 at the Willowdale Show

Information regarding the Annual General Meeting has been sent to the Club Contacts for each club. Contact Randy Ernst at web_admin @ ccfms.ca if your club did not receive a package.

January 30, 2006

Articles Needed for Winter CCFMS NEWS

The CCFMS NEWS is in need of some articles to be published in the Winter 2005 Edition. Some topics to write about might be: field trips (past or planned); recent shows (a report on Quartzite would be nice); your favourite mineral, fossil, collecting locality; and any other hobby news. Contact Randy Ernst at editor @ ccfms.ca for details how.