PROGRAMS

July 2008
Dan & Kim Gray – Flat Lapping

Nov 2008
Trish Henson – Favorite Places

Let us take a minute to talk about the Badge program. At this time, a pebble can earn up to 17 badges. If you earn four badges a year, in four years you will have all of them. To earn a badge you can pick the ones you want to work on. You need to complete three of the subjects off a list of 5 to 10 subjects. Then talk to me and I will grade them, fill out the forms, and mail them in. A full list of badges for copying can be found in the Pebbles library at the meeting.

The June 7th activity will be a field trip. We will meet at the Gorman building on Main Street in Nicholasville around 9:00 AM for a short meeting. We will depart at 9:30 AM. We are going south, if you live south of the meeting place give me a call about an alternate meeting place further south.

NOTE: At the June 19th R.O.C.K.! club meeting I will give a test to any Pebble who wants to at the meeting to earn a badge. You do. not need to bring anything for the test all materials will be provided.

Youth Leader, Nan Mink

Future Rock Hounds of America

AFMS Merit Badge Program. Each youth R.O.C.K club members will be know as a Pebble

The first badge is just for being a Pebble. We offer nine badges to earn. You can earn badges on your own at your own pace. Badges can be earned as a group at the club meeting also. Call Nan Mink with all your questions or comments to learn more about the youth Merit Badge Program. Nan would like everyone to earn badges, build great rock collections, learn about rock, and have fun doing it.

To earn a badge, Nan will guide the youth in completing at least 3 activities for each category. To earn the Rockhounds badge, youth will need to earn at least 6 of the 9 badges.

Achievement Checklist
1. Rocks & Minerals
1.1 Learning the characteristics of minerals.
1.2 Making and using a mineral ID kit.
1.3 Building a mineral collection.
1.4 The three rock types.
1.5 Crystal shapes.
1.6 Growing crystals.
1.7 State rocks, minerals, and gemstones.
2. Earth Resources
2.1 Everyday uses of rocks and minerals.
2.2 Minerals in the home.
2.3 Collecting everyday objects and the minerals that went into them.
2.4 Field trip to a mine or quarry.
2.5 Field trip to a hardware store.
2.6 Careers in the earth sciences.
3. Fossils
3.1 The geological time chart.
3.2 Types of fossilization and making a fossil.
3.3 The forms of life.
3.4 Collecting fossils.
3.5 A fossil-collecting field trip.
3.6 Your state fossil.
4. Lapidary Arts
4.1 Learning about lapidary rocks.
4.2 Choosing a lapidary project.
4.3 Workshop safety and maintenance*
4.4 Completing a lapidary project*
4.5 Sharing your lapidary project.
5. Collecting
5.1 Building a collection.
5.2 Cataloging and labeling your collection.
5.3 Storing a collection.
5.4 Displaying your collection.
5.5 Reporting about your collection.
6. Showmanship
6.1 Techniques for effective displays.
6.2 Holding a workshop on display ideas.
6.3 Observing and evaluating displays.
6.4 Making your own public display*
6.5 Entering competition.
7. Communication
7.1 Oral report.
7.2 Written report or newsletter article.
7.3 Bulletin board display.
7.4 Corresponding with
7.5 Holding a symposium.
* required to earn this badge

Jun 2008 Review
Nan Mink - Are you smarter than a Pebble and Rock Identification Test. At the June 19 R.O.C.K. club meeting Nan gave a test to all club members in attendance and any pebbles to earn a badge.

May 2008 Review
In an effort to get to know our club members a little better, the program was wood carving demonstration given by club member Larry Smith Sr.
retired from Lexmark in 1999
took wood carving class at EKU
like to carve Folk Art
mentor; John Adams
Number of pieces carved ~ 400
taught wood carving at EKU
don't carve much since he began collecting and cutting Kentucky Agate
Large Santa ~ 5 hours to cut, 2 hours to paint
Santa carved from sweet potato then hung up to dry sort of like apple head dolls
Keys to woodcarving - Use a sharp knife & cut soft wood
tools; Kevlar gloves, leather belt on a board with chrome oxide to sharpen the knife
use basswood, hard & small grain;carve in the round; - cut shape with band saw, carve in the details
3 type of cuts; 1. Pairing, 2. Stop Cut, 3. Thumb Push
finish; dip in linseed oil, paint with water based acrylic
Types of wood used; basswood, catalpa, cedar
Number, sign, & date each piece

Supplies - Manny's Woodworking
Lexington Wood Carvers Guild; 4144 Palomar Blvd., Lexington, KY 40513; (859) 223-1892
Berea Welcome Center Carvers; Berea KY

April 2008

The Pebble-Hounds had their first meeting on April 26 in Nicholasville. In attendance were 9 pebbles, and 8 rock hounds. The theme of the program was the types of rocks found in Kentucky.

Limestone is at the top of that list. If you have limestone, you have fossils. KY agate, pyrite, flint, quarts of all colors, mica, sand stone, iron, and so on can be found in KY. The previous week I went rock hunting in my yard, house, buckets, boxes, out building, friend's yards; to find KY rocks I have picked up over the years.

The highlight of the meeting was picking out from these KY rocks to design, and make your own stepping-stone. All went well, and we had a great first meeting.

Youth Leader - Nan

DECEMBER 2007 PROGRAM

White Elephant Gift Exchange.
Please be sure to bring a gift that you would not mind taking back home yourself. This is a hilarious, fun exchange and that guideline helps keep it that way. Feel free to wrap up any rock & gem item you have taking up space in your house. Or, wrap up a batch of home made cookies. If you just have to purchase something, please don't spend more than $10.00. Anyone who wants to participate must bring a gift. Kids are welcome.

NOVEMBER 2007 PROGRAM

Richard Smath from the University of Kentucky Geological Survey was our featured guest. He presented a very interesting overview of the geological formation of Kentucky. He had lots of maps and pictures to show the geological formation of Kentucky. He explained why various are have different kinds of rocks and minerals.

Surface rocks in the western Lake Cumberland area
Clinton, Russell, and Wayne Counties, Kentucky
Guidebook and roadlog for Geological Society of Kentucky 1978 field conference
(choose the 3rd one on the list from the following link)

MAY 2007 PROGRAM - Alice Bradshaw shared her newly aquired wire wrapping skills that she learned at Wildacres.

APRIL 2007 PROGRAM - John Wright demonstrated faceting a Blue Sapphire into an Square clipped corner Ascher Cut.

MARCH 2007 PROGRAM - Nan Mink shared information about Kentucky field trips.

Nan Mink shared information about Kentucky field trip opportunities. She gave information about the kinds of fossils, rocks and minerals that we collected on our trips over the last year. In addition, she gave an important field trip preparedness demonstration including tools/equipment needed and general collecting protocol. A great overview for those new to field trips and a super refresher for seasoned veterans as well.