MEMBERSHIP – Join Today
Membership in the El Dorado County Mineral and Gem Society is open to people of all ages and family participation is welcomed. Special Junior Rockhound memberships are also available for children ages 5-17.
Membership Benefits Include
MONTHLY MEETINGS: Our monthly general membership meetings are open to the public and visitors are always welcome. Come by to meet us and enjoy a presentation from talented guest speakers and learn about upcoming events, classes, and rockhounding field trips. Members are always sharing latest rock hounding finds and field trip stories and each month there’s competitions related to various rock and lapidary topics. Special meetings are also available for our Junior Rockhounds ages 5-17. We also have our Annual Picnic at the July meeting and our Annual Dinner & Installation of Officers at the December meeting.
- Monthly Meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of each month starting at 7:00 pm. at the American Legion Hall, 4561 Greenstone Rd, Placerville, CA (near the town of El Dorado).
LAPIDARY ARTS: Lapidary workshops are two or three times each month to help participants learn to cut and polish their own rocks or rock slabs provided by the Society.
JEWELRY ARTS: Jewelry Arts classes are hands-on activities to learn other jewelry-making techniques, such as wire-wrapping.
FIELD TRIPS: Leader-guided rockhounding field trips range from one-day trips to 3- and 4-day trips, often over long holiday weekends. Learn about rocks, minerals, petrified wood, fossils, and geology, and get to know your fellow rockhounds.
JUNIOR ROCKHOUND PROGRAM: Monthly meetings are held for young members ages 5 – 17. Activities and presentations focus on the “Future Rockhound of America” program and other topics.
SCHOOL EDUCATION OUTREACH: Society members work with the El Dorado County Office of Education and western-slope school district teachers to provide mineral and mining lessons and resources. Our emphasis is on El Dorado County minerals, mining, and history. Volunteer members bring Next Generation Science Standards-based lessons to classrooms upon request.
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS: Our annual Student Scholarship Program is available to students who have graduated from an El Dorado County high school and are majoring in earth sciences or lapidary arts.
ANNUAL ROCK & GEM SHOW: The Society hosts an annual Rock & Gem Show, which includes displays, children’s activities, and commercial dealers featuring: minerals, faceted gems, jewelry, beads, fossils, petrified wood, lapidary material, equipment, geodes, and meteorites. There is something for everyone.
COUNTY FAIR: Stop by the Mining and Mineral displays at the annual El Dorado County Fair to explore over 30 display cases exhibiting minerals, faceted gems, jewelry, beads, fossils, petrified wood, geodes, lapidary material, and equipment.
WEBSITE and SOCIAL MEDIA: Our website and social media resources help members stay up to date on the latest Society news and provide outreach to the community
INFORMATIVE NEWSLETTER: The Society’s monthly newsletter, Petroglyphs, includes an activities calendar, event notices, committee reports, fun photos, member activities, and articles about the hobby.
LENDING LIBRARY: The Society’s library contains reference materials helpful in exploring rock and mineral identification, geology, mining history, paleontology, collecting localities, lapidary, and jewelry- making techniques.
JOINING IS EASY & AFFORDABLE: Membership includes all the above benefits. Current membership fees and participation requirements are listed on the application.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please attend one of our monthly meetings or contact us.
