April 27, 2001

For those of you who missed it, our Symposium was a resounding success.  I want to again extend my thanks to the Mesa Southwest Museum for hosting us this year.  Ray Grant pulled together an excellent group of speakers even if most of the minerals shown were micromounts.  Next year will be the 10^th anniversary of the Symposium and will be back at the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum.  Let's make it a special one.

Our spring weather this year has certainly been interesting.  With the alternating weeks of first 70 degree and then 90+ degree days, I was not sure when to think that spring was over.  As I write this, we have just hit our first 100 degree day so I guess summer is here.  It has been a good time of the year to get out and enjoy our countryside. 

The Foundation Board has already gotten a lot of work done since the start of the year.  The poster and book sales at the Tucson Show brought approximately $2500 into our coffers so we are in the black on that project.  My thanks again, go to Janice Coggin and her daughter Diane, and Genie Howell, for their help in the poster booth.

In January, the Foundation was offered the opportunity to partner with W.R. Russ to put on a joint tailgate show in January.  The Board spent part of one meeting and all of another discussing the issue.  The ultimate decision was to stay with the A.L.

Flagg show the first weekend in January.  As a result of this discussion, I gained a greater appreciation for what this show means to our members and the direction they would like to see it take.  What is even more important is the recommitment to the show a number of the members made to make it the best it can be.

I would like to encourage everyone to take a chance to meet Scott Poland, the new Education Curator.  He is still learning the difference between gypsum and quartz but he does know marketing and education.  Let's work on teaching him minerals and he can show us how to promote the museum.

I had the opportunity recently to witness one of our local mining companies really putting a positive foot forward with one of the grade schools in Gilbert.  An aggregate and concrete company has a cute video about the importance of mining that really captured the attention of over 100 third graders.  Then, after showing the kids how minerals touch us everyday (toothpaste, kitty litter, soap, etc.), they gave them an aluminum pan, brought in the concrete truck and put enough concrete in each pan to allow each child to take home a personalized (complete with handprint) stepping stone.  By the time you read this, I will have turned over the names to Scott so he can continue foster this relationship.  They even brought in their head educator from Los Angeles just for this presentation.  Finally, I have an example of how being a town council member can help the museum.

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