Members,

We have joined a new inter-club mineral & fossil exchange program initiated by the Western Dakota Gem & Mineral Society of South Dakota.

Here's how it works:

(1.) Two clubs on the list contact each other and agree to a trade.

(2.) One club sends a box to us full of specimens from their area.

(3.) Our club lays out our gifts on the entrance table at our club meeting. (first come, first serve)

(4.) You take one specimen.  You leave one specimen from your collection to mail back. 

• It is a one-for-one swap. 
• If you want to do more swaps, bring in more to trade. 
• Junior members may opt to trade, or to take one specimen each meeting for free.

(5.) We mail your trades to the other club.  There, we have completed a full exchange.

(6.) We choose another club, and do it again.  The number of swaps is endless!

Current Status:

• We have received our first box from the WDG&MS (September 2008)

• We have our return box almost full (January 12, 2009); to finish on January 18th.  Our box is full.  Thanks to: Bob Asreen, Sophie Homesy, Teddi Silver, and all of us.

• We have agreed to a trade with the McPherson Club in Kansas (January 12, 2009)

• We have the McPherson box filling up (January 12, 2009)

Proposal to join program:

Hi, All 

As result of the interest from our last board meeting, we are now part of a fun, voluntary exchange of rocks, minerals, and fossils
from other clubs.

Around mid-September, we've received a USPS Priority Mail box chock full of South Dakota fossil and mineral specimens!

This is our first exchange with the folks at the Western Dakota Gem & Mineral Society in South Dakota.  They had asked around to clubs across the U. S., generating interesting in a multi-club specimens and lapidary material exchange.

Here is what we got: 

Rose Quartz, White Quartz, Petrified Wood, Prairie Agates, Bubblegum Agates, Black Agates, Various small fossils and corrals, Feldspar, Pyrite, Barite Desert Rose, Marcasite, Rattle Rocks, and Mica.

The Black Hills, National Grasslands and Badlands areas offer a very wide variety of materials, which are represented in our box
this time.  The material is about 50/50 in fossils and minerals.

Our next step is to look at our new specimens, decide on how to distribute them, then collect exchange specimens from members who choose to participate to fill one similar-sized return box to the WDG&MS.

The WDG&MS has successfully traded with 11 clubs/individuals, so far.

We can offer whatever material we choose, in addition to some that represents our area.

To be timely, I offered that we might bring a few specimens to our October 13th general meeting to send shortly, thereafter, if that is agreeable.  (I've attached photos from the box we received.  I've also posted photos at: http://www.delminsociety.net/exchange.htm.)

Since last June, the WDG&MS has enjoyed running this program, and promotes the hobby well, in my estimation.  They have used some of their exchanged specimens in their annual show display cases, and have circulated a CD with photos from their show and fieldtrips, along with a show program.  (We can circulate this CD, if your interested in seeing their show and displays.  I can make copies for all who want them.)

They even packed their box with green peanuts (or biodegradable packing material).

Their club distributes specimens as meeting bingo prizes.  Members get 1 free card, and collects $0.50-$1.00 per card for their kitty in addition, if a member wants to increase their odds.

Perhaps we may want to balance participation by a one-for-one exchange.  That is, if you take a specimen, you contribute one, as a level of participation towards filling the box for trade.

Maybe we'll want to give a bunch to junior members, etc.  So, we'll need to discuss how we want to proceed.

There is no limit to how times we arrange to exchange to the many participating folks involved.  Of course, if you want to arrange your own personal or dealer exchange, I'll give you contact info.

They've even invited any of us who are traveling to South Dakota to hook up with their club to get us out to collecting in their area.

Hope to hear from you soon.

--Ken