A rock hound is someone that makes a hobby of collecting rocks and/or mineral specimens from the earth. And for some the hobby becomes their sport!
The Raft River Rockhounds offer the opportunity to join a group of people who provide a great source of motivation to find the treaures of the earth. They can help you identify rocks, show you where to find more, and provide field trips where everyone finds them together.
Enthusiasm grows for rock hounding when you find others that can appreciate and admire your finds. Rockhounding is healthy for the body and spirit, since you have to get outside and walk around. You get great exercise, and it works well in groups, so your family or friends can all get involved. Kids seem to have a natural affinity to dirt and digging in dirt. You not only have the opportunity to find natures awesome treasures, but also get the health and social benefits as a side effect.
On Jan. 26, the Raft River Rockhounds will be presenting “Treasures from the Earth”, a family fun day with something for everyone. It will be held at the Elks Hall in Clearwater, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., with admission by donation.
One of the venders, R&L Gemsentials from Lumby, will be bringing numerous stones and jewellery for sale. They will also be offering a basic wire wrapping workshop for $45 (you must pre-register). There are also numerous activities planned for children for a small fee. There will be a snack bar, displays, an identification corner for those people who have found stones and are not sure what they are. There will be demonstrations on metal detectors, rock polishing, Rock - a talk with Yukon John who has a claim in the Yukon and mines for gold. There will be a gold ticket rock auction, door prizes and more. Memberships will be available at $30 single or $50 for a family. The club enjoys collecting rocks, fossils, mineral, gold panning, field trips, social gatherings and more. People who have, or who are, interested in metal detectors are invited to join. For more information or to register call Fay McCracken 250-674-2700 or email raftriverrockhounds@gmail.com