General Meeting 7p Oct 26, 2016

HMCC, Zeeland, MI

Evansville, IN,Davenport, IA

Oct 29-30, 2016Annual Show

Cleveland, OHNov 4-6, 2016Annual Show

Blue Lake Twp, MINov 5, 2016

Basement Field Trip

Freeport, ILNov 12-13, 2016

Annual Show

Board MeetingNov 16, 2016

HMCC, Zeeland, MI

St. Louis, MO, Crystal, MNNov 19-20, 2016

Annual Shows

This EditionLive Auction, Jean Prys........... p1Club Calendar/Board............... p2Thank You!/Articles/Winner...... p2Larry Graves............................ p2Graves Estate Sale................. p3Tailgate Review...................... p4August Board Minutes... …..... p5Nominating Cmte.Report......... p6Midwest Federation Convention p6Alpena Trip............................... p7Show Photos............................ p8Juniors:Hiddenite...................... p9About Us............................. p10

October 26: Live Auction!

Eleven Pieces of Equipment plus various

Cabinet Specimens

Equipment and select specimens have been chosen to be auctioned from the estate of recently deceased Tulip City Club member Larry Graves. The equipment will be sold 'as is' without beingchecked for working order. Some specimens are pictured below, but they must be seen in person to be truly appreciated.

The receipts from the auction will be shared equally between the family and the Club, with the Club portion to be donated to the AFMS Scholarship Fund. This national fund benefits geology majors working on advanced degress in all seven Regional Federations. To date, the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies has distributed 1,500,000.

This is a great opportunty to obtain Christmas gifts for friends and family. Bring your checkbook!

Equipment includes three different tumblers (two 3-barrel and one single barrel), three trim saws (7-inch, and two 10-inch), a 12-inch saw, a Dremel drill press w/various points, a Diamond Pacific Vibra-Lap, a 6-wheel arbor, a flexible hand held grinder, and various grit andpolishing powder. (More information and pictures on page three.)

In Memoriam: Jean Grace Prys

Jean Grace Prys, who celebrated her 90th birthday last May, joinedher beloved husband Henry in death on October 1. She and Henry joined the Tulip City Club in 1972, when the Grand Haven Club disbanded. In 1993, Jean began serving as Club Secretary for 3 years. That same year, Henry began three years of serving as Show Chair and was VP the following year, 1996. While these were the spotlight years of activity in the Club, Jean, who loved sewing, worked behind the scenes to make additional Show aprons as the Club grew. Jean so loved the Club, its members and activities that she always came to the Show, even when she required the assistance of a walker. This year was no exception, see photo, when her daughter Rachel brought Jean and her fellow member Janine Wolff to see all the displays, demonstrations and dealers. We will miss that bright smile and warmth of attitude.

Bulletin of the Tulip City Gem & Mineral Club, PO Box 2082, Holland, MI 49422 Website: www.Tulipcity.or g

September/October 2016 Volume 49, Edition 9

THE

TULIP CITYCONGLOMERATE

Page: 2 Tulip City Conglomerate Sep/Oct 2016

Club Calendar

Nov 30 (Wed) – General Meeting, 7p, HMCC

Dec 7 (Wed) – Board Meeting, 7p, HMCCDec 21 (Wed) – General Meeting, 7p, HMCC

Jan 11 (Wed) – Board Meeting 7p HMCC (TENTATIVE)Jan 25 (Wed) – General Meeting, 7p, HMCC (TENTATIVE)

Feb 8 (Wed) – Board Meeting, 7p, HMCC (TENTATIVE)Feb 22 (Wed) – General Meeting, 7p, HMCC (TENTATIVE)

The "HMCC" is the Howard Miller Community Center, located at 14 South Church Street, Zeeland, MIItalic listings are non-Club events.Major source material was from: http://www.amfed.org/mwf/Calendar/

2016 Officers and Board of DirectorsPresident Bob Sherwood bobandjulia@accn.orgVice President OpenSecretary OpenTreasurer Julia Sherwood bobandjulia@accn.orgFld Trip Coord. Bob Sinke bobsinke@comcast.netHistorian Betty Hoekstra kbhoek@att.netJr. Club Coord. Rick Smith smithr@hope.eduJr. Club Coord. Linda Winkelmann lindawinkelmann@att.netLiaison Linda Plumert rlplumert@gmail.comMembership Christine Silich CSDS77@icloud.comNewsletter Ed. Rudy Silich tulipcitygemnews@charter.netShow Coord Sue Goedert sonbeams2000@yahoo.comSocial Coord. OpenDir. at Large Patti DeGroot dgrootd@sbcglobal.netDir. at Large Art Edson art@aedson.com

For 2016, there are fourteen (14) positions, which have one vote each. There are currently (12) persons on the Board (two persons share one position, and three positions are open).

Thank You For Helping With The Show!

I want to thank all of you that helped with the show this year. It was an amazing time and we couldn't have done it without you! So many people stepped up and filled in whereever they saw a need. It was so cool to see. I've heard really good things from everyone I've talked to about it. We are still waiting for final numbers, so we will share that when it's available. We know we were down about 300 people from last year, but Club Sales and Silent Auction were actually up a bit. Thank you so very much.

– Sue Goedert

Articles

It's all right to write!! Articles from Club members are always welcome!

Send them to tulipcitygemnews@charter.net.

Grand Prize WinnerDarren Bennett was the Grand Prize

winner of the crystal cathedral given away at the 2016 Show. Congratulations!

Larry Anthony Graves

Larry Anthony Graves, age 76 of Saugatuck died suddenly on Saturday, April 30. He was a Club member for nine years, joining in 2007. Preceded in death were his parents, Loretta Miller and Jewell Graves, Sr. and brothers, Jewell, George and Allen Graves. Survived by his sisters Lorraine Moore Knoll and Janice (Howard) Crawford, children, Susan, Michael and Mark Graves.

Open Positions

The Nominating Committee are looking for three members interested in joining the Board. If interested, please contact Julia Sherwood, Shari Luttikhuizen, or Rudy Silich. They will be happy to answer any questions!

Grand Prize Winner Darren Bennett

Page:3 Tulip City Conglomerate Sep/Oct 2016

Larry Graves Rock Estate SaleBy C.H. Falstad

The family of Larry Graves graciously asked the Tulip City Gem and Mineral Club if we would helpfind suitable homes for the many specimens collected by their father over many years. What an honorand privilege! I was asked to help in transporting the rocks to a temporary home and also to auction some of the equipment and special collected specimens. Another two privileges!

Among the specimens was, for a lack of better terms, an extensive collection of Lake Superior agates. Now, I’ve been up in that territory trying to collect “Lakers” before with my family. Even with my kids being closer to the ground the best we might do in a day of searching was one or two smallerpieces about the size of a grape. Don’t get me wrong. I am very pleased with our efforts, but as I looked over Larry’s collection I am unbelievably and ecstatically impressed.

Larry collected these “Lakers” through many trips over many years and at a time when collecting must have been much easier. Even now I shake my head and the sheer volume of “Lake” material.

Through this auction and some possible upcoming sales these Lake Superior agates we have the single opportunity to own some unique and beautiful specimens.

Pictures of some of the materials will be available on the Tulip City Gem and Mineral website.Have fun bidding, and hope you can bring some of these beauties that Larry collected home for yourselves. I’m sure Larry would be glad to know his rocks are going to be appreciated by others in the TCGMC, which he was a member for nearly a decade.

Datolites Chrysocolla

Indiana Geodes Agate Bookends

Dinosaur Bone Fossil Crab

Page:4 Tulip City Conglomerate Sep/Oct 2016

The FOURTH Annual Tulip City Tailgate – A Reviewby Shari Luttikhuizen

The 4th annual Tulip City Tailgate took place on August 13th , 2016. There were 4 clubs represented, and 16 booths. Some of our members had loaded their vans but did not want to set up due to the inclement weather (you know who you are!) Regardless, it was a wonderful day.

We had rain, clouds, wind, and construction on US31, but for all that, we had a pretty good turn out, and lots of different material available for sale. It was worth going just to see how many rock hounds it took to set up the club sales tent! I really thought poor Brenda Sinke was going to blow away....

I saw a lot of different material for sale, Fossils, rough rock from all over, agates, petrified wood, lots of treasures from the recent U.P. trip, jewelry, rough petoskeys, and much more. I also saw lots of new faces, and at our booth we were handing out lots of flyers for the upcoming show, and Christine Silich was there to hand out membership applications. One of my favorite parts of the day was connecting with friends, helping everyone set up their booths, seeing all the new people who wandered in to see what we were doing, a few club members who were giving out free samples to thekids who attended, and watching Julia Sherwood and Bob Sinke cracking geodes with the younger crowd. There was a lot of laughter and cheering coming from the Club Sales tent!

I want to personally thank Rance Westover for coordinating this wonderful event, for it would not have gone on without his perseverence. It is a wonderful opportunity to unload some of the stuff taking up the space in your shed or garage, and pick up some great bargains. I know Rance was talking about doing it again next year, and perhaps getting members from other clubs across Michigan to attend. I know that I would love to do it again next year....I better start cleaning my garage!

Shari gives the Tailgate a 'thumbs up'! Remember, articles, reviews, summarizes, stories, and editorials directly and tangentially related to Club activities are welcome! - Editor

Larry Graves Jean Prys and friend at the 2016 Show

Page: 5 Tulip City Conglomerate Sep/Oct 2016

Tulip City Gem and Mineral ClubBoard Minutes

August 17, 2016Call To Order

Members Present: Liz Hoekstra, Linda Winkelman, Linda Plumert, Patti DeGroot, Julia Sherwood. Bob Sherwood, Rudy Silich, Christine Silich, Bob Sinke, Rick Smith, Sue GoedertMembers Absent: Art EdsonVisitors: Dan DeGroot, Ken Hoekstra

Officer Reports:Secretary: Krystin was not present and has submited her resignation for the position of secretary. After much discussion and sadness Krystin's resignation was accepted. Rudy made a motion and Rick seconded. The resignation will be accepted. Minutes of Board Meeting were reviewed and corrected. Linda Winkelman made a motion to accept the corrected minutes and Rudy seconded the motion. Minutes of the Board Meeting were approved.The minutes of the General Meeting were reviewed and corrected. Julia motioned to accept the corrected minutes and Liz Hoekstra seconded the motion. Minutes of the General Meeting were accepted.

Old BusinessTreasurer: Julia Sherwood discussed the purchase of a DVD about the Agate Expo.Should we purchase the other DVD's or wait to check the quality before purchasing the others? It was decided that we should wait to purchase any moreof the Agate Symposium DVDs until we view the one that we purchased. Can we get them from Zeeland Library on a Herrick library card? Bob Sherwood will check on this. The Lakeland Co-operative includes several libraries and lends these DVD's to all for free. We will wait to view the DVD and use it as a possibleclub program before it is given to Zeeland Library. Julia next presented the Financial Report. The financial report was received and filed for audit.Vice President: Position remains open.Editor: Rudy Silich reminded everyone that the TCGMC Conglomerate deadlinefor articles is Saturday, 5PM.Field Trip : Field trip coordinator Bob Sinke discussed signup for the Alpena quarry on September 24 from 9am to noon. We are visiting the Ben E Clement Museum and fluorite dig in Marion Kentucky, October 15, ($25 fee in advance). The trip to Kentucky is about eight hours. November 5th there is a trip to Vondalee's. Check with Bob Sinke for directions. Maps will be provided. We are looking for volunteers for basement winter field trips to members homes.Historian: Liz Hoekstra had nothing new to report.Hospitality: Position remains Vacant.Junior Leaders: Linda Winkelman and Rick Smith agreed to present a programat the general meeting for November. There will be a program for the Juniors onPyrolusite for August (donated by Dan DeGroot). There was a discussion about adults who go with the juniors and miss out on all our announcements, club business and volunteer opportunities. How do we propose to keep them in the general meeting?Dan suggested that we offer the opportunity to attend Kreigh Tomaczewski's classes in Grand Rapids. Maybe we could have him come and do a program for our club. Bob Sherwood said that Kreigh has an article in the MWF newsletter that just came out. Julia asked if some club members with the technical background could present lapidary classes on a quarterly basis from fall to spring.Linda Plumert Liaison : The MWF convention will be attended by the Sherwoods and the Plumerts. Chris and Rudy Silich might also be attending.Membership Coordinator: Christine Silich reported that a new couple joined the club at the Swap that was held at Sam's Club on August.13, 2016.Show Coordinator: Sue Goedert spoke about sending out mass mailings and keeping a database of addresses and emails. There is a show meeting next week. The Linda gave an up on the signage for the show.Director at Large: Patti DeGroot had nothing new to report.Correspondence : Virginia Cistaro, sent a nice thank you to the club for her scholarship.

New Business :

Nominating Committee appointments - Julia, Rudy, Sheri Consider serving in an office.New Trailer : We need a covered trailer to transport 2000 pounds of rock and other materials for the show. We will check various vendors for prices and sizes. We are looking for a 8 X 12 or an 8 X 14. We only have a couple of people that can tow a large loaded trailer. Steve Miller will look for a trailer and decide if it will hold shelving. Steve put in all the special interior shelves in the first trailer to contain allof the show display boxes. We will need similar interior shelving in the new trailer. Most of the heavy rock totes how ever will be on the floor. Sue made a motion to not exceed $5000 for a new trailer. Patti seconded the motion. Motion approved. We need thetrailer ASAP to take care of hookup connections and interior framing. Sue suggested to the board that we need a new club sales tent for the tailgate swap. BobSinke said that the old one was hard to put up and the top support was broken. We should get one that will hold up in the wind and not get a cheap aluminum tent that will collapse like an umbrella in the wind. Bob Sinke and Dan DeGroot will check intopricing and availability. Sue made a motion to purchase and Bob Sinke seconded. Motion approvedfor a new club tent for next years tailgate sales and any other club event where it is needed.

The meeting was adjourned.

General Meeting AgendaAugust 31, 2016, 7 p.m.

Zeeland Community Center

Welcome: Recognition of New Members; Dan Nevins from Grand Haven, Jessica from Hamilton, and Doug,.Visitors: Kimberly Caswell, Lois Hecksel from the Indian Mounds Club.Dismiss JuniorsBoard meeting summary:Secretary Kristen Grenon resigned her position as secretary but will continue to run the monthly raffles at the General Meetings.Open Board positions: Social Coordinator & Vice PresidentMWF Convention & Show: August 19-21, S. B. LindaPlumert, rep.New Cargo Trailer was purchased and delivered by Steve Miller. The cost was $3200 and workhas been started to paint the interior.President’s Remarks:The Nominating Committee Julia, Rudy and Shari have been requesting members to serve on the Board of Directors. Please volunteer if asked.The Exhibit case work group met at Plumerts farm and stained the interiors of all the cases. A few casesneeded new hasps and other repairs. The electrical lights for each were all checked and parts replaced. Work was done by Bob and Julia Sherwood, Ray Plumert, Dan DeGroot, Rudi Silich, Steve Miller, Ken Hoekstra, and Dave Nienhuis.Treasurer – Financial Report Show Chair - Sue reportField Trips – Bob Sinke report: Trips planned for Alpena, Michigan for fossils and to Kentucky for Fluorite.Liaison – Linda P. MWF Delegates ReportCorrespondence: None

Page: 6 Tulip City Conglomerate Sep/Oct 2016

Unfinished Business:We will load the trailers before the show on September 11th, about 2pm at Plumert's Farm. There are plenty of rocks to load up and cases that must be put back in the trailers. Please come out and help.New Business:DeGraaf Nature Center Clean up crew needed: Dan D, Ray P and Gail? Volunteered to weed and trim bushes around our rock garden at the nature center. Volunteers needed to bring treats/refreshments to the October meeting: check the sign-up sheet on the back table.October program: Silent Auction by Rudy.Any questions or comments from members?Adjournment of Business Meeting: 64 Adults and 15 childrenBreak – buy raffle ticketsDoor Prize Drawings: 1 Adult, 1 JuniorRaffle – Krystin: Rudy won a rock slab, Ray Plumert won the nice Lamp.Program – Mike Larson “Hungry Hollow, Arkona Ontario - Fossils”The meeting was adjourned.

Nominating Committee Report

(Rudy Silich, Julia Sherwood, Shari Luttikhuizen)

PRESIDENT OpenVICE PRESIDENT OpenSECRETARY Dan DeGrootTREASURER Patti DeGrootPAST PRESIDENT Bob SherwoodFIELD TRIP COORDINATOR Bob SinkeHISTORIAN Betty HoekstraJR CLUB COORDINATORS Rick Smith

Linda WinkelmannLIAISON Jackie HelderMEMBERSHIP COORD. Christine SilichNEWSLETTER EDITOR Rudy SilichSHOW COORDINATOR Sue GoedertSOCIAL COORDINATOR Linda PlumertDIRECTORS-AT-LARGE Art Edson

Open

If you are willing to serve the Club by stepping up to one of the Open positions, please contact one of the members of theNominating Committee. The Club will be better for your participation

Midwest Federation Conventionby Linda Plumert

This is an article to report on the Midwest Federation Convention that was held in South Bend Indiana on August 19, 20 and 21. I've been trying to think of a way to write so everyone will cling to every word and read it to completion! Well, tobegin with this convention is NOT a large group of people meeting in a large hall with large signs and loud voices. The Midwest Federation is a stable organization that aims to help all the clubs in 11 midwest states. "How are all the clubs doing?" was one of the first questions we were asked by one of the Federation officers. Another officer talked about the rockhounds "Code of Ethics" which we should take seriously. This code in summary says I will observe the Golden Rule and will conduct ourselves in a manner which will add to the stature and public image of rockhounds everywhere. Simply said--use good manners!

Other subjects discussed were:1. The rise in insurance rates.2. The ways we can use our new 2016 directory of clubs.3. The decline in money received from clubs that is used for scholarships.4. How to win the "Rock Hound of the Year" award.The next Midwest Federation Convention will be held in Brainard , MN on May 6, 2017.We ate delicious food. At noon a potluck style meal was provided by the South Bend host club. A Polish style meal

was served in the evening.I am grateful for the work the Midwest Federation does for our club even though the convention is not a horn blowing,

foot stamping event.

This newsletter typically publishes the Code of Ethics in the spring, just before the field trip season begins. - Editor

4th Annual Tailgate - Geode Cracking!

Page: 7 Tulip City Conglomerate Sep/Oct 2016

The Alpena Trip 2016by Bob Sinke

Once again some of the members of the Tulip City Gem and Mineral Club ventured out into the great outdoors to enhance our collections, this time to the Lafarge Alpena Quarry for a fossil collecting excursion. Dressed in the usual safety equipment of hard hats, reflective vests, safety glasses, long pants, covered toe shoes/ boots, and collecting buckets, we eagerly anticipated enjoying the great weather and hoped that the collecting would be fruitful. On September 24, 2016 those that needed more or just wanted to see what it was like to collect their own went in search of Devonian fossils. Sixteen members that had not collected with us before joined the ten other ‘veterans’ to search the rock berm within the quarry. In virtually no time we began to find a large number of Michigan’s fossils.

We found brachiopods, mucrospirifers, crinoid stems including two calyxes and one hold fast, sponges, stomatopora, Petoskey stones, Favosites, atrypa, strophodonta, many athyris, horn corals, and fenestella (sea fan like fossil). Not so bad a collection for less than 3 hours of fun. Our buckets were filled very quickly with some of the easiest collecting most had seen in some time. Everyone hada great time and would do it again soon.

After leaving the quarry some went to Rockport, others went to the Besser Museum to investigateadditional collecting but their pile had been depleted significantly, though the museum was a great experience with much of Michigan memorabilia and a gallery of Salvador Dali’s paintings of the Inferno. One new family went to see the dinosaur park, located nearby. All in all a very good trip with a five gallon bucket full of material donated to the club by each member giving a handful from their own buckets. Plan on joining us on the next adventure coming soon.

Just Too Heavy to Take! Look at the Size of That Petoskey Head!

LaFarge Quarry, Aplena, MI A Display at the TCG&M 2016 Show

Page: 8 Tulip City Conglomerate Sep/Oct 2016

Photos from the 2016 Show

Page: 9 Tulip City Conglomerate Sep/Oct 2016

JUNIOR ROCK CLUB PAGE

Hiddenite – A Special Gem… just for Juniors!

Linda Winkelmann & Rick Smith

Thanks to Dan and Patti DeGroot, our Junior members will receive a rare, light green gem (a crystal of Lithium Aluminum Silicate) called “Hiddenite”. It’s sometimes called a “lithia emerald”because it’s green and chemically similar to real emeralds.

This green Hiddenite gem is from a mountainous area of western North Carolina, where it was discovered in exposed pegmatite veins by farmers inthe 1870s. A mining company was established by W.E. Hidden and the nearby town renamed itself Hiddenite, N.C. It is considered rare because it is found in small areas of North Carolina, India and Siberia. Another lithium gem, Kunzite is pink or lilac colored.

The mineral Spodumene is also a Lithium Aluminum Silicate, but it is not rare in its white, tan and gray colors. In years past, huge crystals were mined for lithium in the Black Hills of South Dakota.Spodumene once served as the most important ore of lithium metal. Today, most lithium is produced from subsurface brines in Chile, Argentina and Chinadue to lower production costs. Manufacturing industries are using lithium-power batteries for carsand cell phones (sometimes not successfully, if you listen to recent news reports). Lithium is also used in medicine, heat transfer, and in alloys.

At the meeting, Juniors will be able to touch lithium minerals, learn a bit about how geology plays a role in making gemstones and how minerals are used to create the products used in everyday life... plus take home a true Gem! Spodumain from EVE Online

Spodumene

Spodumene var. triphane (Hiddenite)

| || || |

Our club is a non-profit organization sponsored by the Holland Recreation Department. it is a member of the Midwest Federationand the American Federation ofMineralogical Societies. The generalpurpose of this club is to develop interest in and increased knowledge of minerals, rocks, gems, fossils, andthe lapidary arts. The objectives of this club shall be promoted wheneverPossible, through family participation.

Meetings are held monthly on the last Wednesday of the month at the Howard Miller Community Center, 14 S. Church Street, Seeland, MI at7pm, unless announced otherwise in the TULIP CITY CONGLOMERATE.Junior Club welcomes young rockhounds and meets separately duringthe meeting.

To become a member,complete the form at

www.tulipcity.org

The deadline for submissionsis 5p the Thursday after the Board Meeting.

Advertising rates for club members are: $5 for businesscard size, $10 for ¼ page, $15 for ½ page, $30 for fullpage. non-member rates are double. Make check payableTo: TCG&M with ad copy to Editor.

Tulip City Conglomerate Rudy Silich, Editor 416 West Mae Rose AveHolland, MI 49424

:aFarge Quarry, Alpena, MI