Please scroll down for the easy on-line membership application form.
The Worcester Mineral Club has over 300 members with interests in minerals, gems, fossils, lapidary, jewelry making, treasure hunting, mineralogy, geology, paleontology, and other Earth sciences. People of all ages are welcome and encouraged to share their interests in and through the club.
MEMBERSHIP
All are welcome to join the Worcester Mineral Club. The cost for individual membership is $15.00 per year and $20.00 per year for family memberships (2 adults 18+ and 2 minor children). If your family has more than 4 people, add $5 for each additional minor child, up to $30.00 max per family. Dues are payable at the time of membership and cover your membership for the calendar year.
Membership dues for WMC cover your membership through the calendar year. You will have to renew each calendar year to continue as a club member. If you are a new member that joins after our annual show, your membership can be rolled over to cover the next year. Please see the chart below:
Membership Benefits Include:
- Access to the “Members Only” section of the website
- Monthly meetings from September through June featuring talks with experts in the field and various educational opportunities
- Ten issues of the club’s e-newsletter, NEW DIGGINGS.
- Eligibility to participate in all club sponsored field trips and, by arrangement, field trips sponsored by other EFMLS member clubs
- Eligibility to collect at the club’s claim at Diamond Acres in Fonda, NY for a small fee.
- Membership cards to the club and to the EFMLS (upon request)
- Liability insurance coverage provided through the EFMLS
- Opportunity to win door prizes at in-person monthly meetings
- Opportunity to buy, sell, or swap specimens with other members at monthly meetings
- Addition to our club’s email list
ONLINE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
*Required Fields
**By clicking “submit”, you will be brought to the PayPal payment page**
MEETINGS
The club generally meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM (except December it’s the second Tuesday; no meetings July and August). During the Covid-19 pandemic, meetings have been held via Zoom. Login information is shared with members prior to each meeting. Ordinarily meetings are held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 440 Main Street, Shrewsbury. Trips to collecting sites, museums, and special events are planned throughout the year. Despite Covid-19, we were able to conduct field trips in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York. All field trips were held at outdoor mineral collecting sites without any known transmission of Coronavirus by following carefully prepared coronavirus guidelines.
The meetings generally consist of a short business agenda followed by an educational or informative program. Programs presented may be speakers often with slides, specimens, or other visual aids, films, or demonstrations.
Speakers talk on a variety of topics and range from our own club members with experiences or expertise to share to prominent researchers that work in an Earth science field. Children’s educational programs and activities are planned for meetings as interest arises. There are door prizes drawn at the in-person meetings and everyone is encouraged to bring in specimens or their lapidary work to display to the members.
FIELD TRIPS
Many of our club members enjoy field collecting trips as well as visits to museums and shows. Museum, shows, or special event trips may range from local colleges to New York City or New Jersey. Collecting field trips attempt to accommodate all levels of collectors with tips and techniques to make the trips both successful and safe. They range from local sites to most of New England, New York, and occasionally to the New Jersey fluorescent mineral mines. The club provides these opportunities throughout the year as the weather allows. Other collecting trips and events are made available to us through the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies and participating EFMLS clubs.
COLLECTING CLAIM
Members are eligible to collect on their own or with a club field trip at the club’s own claim at Diamond Acres in Fonda, NY for a fee of $5.00 per day. The claim has produced quartz var. Herkimer Diamonds in single crystals and clusters ranging in size from micro to nearly a foot across.
SWAP / AUCTION
The club holds public swaps and auctions based on member interest and informs members of area swaps, auctions, and shows through our newsletter and meetings. The club generally holds an annual auction at the December club meeting.
ANNUAL SHOW
The centerpiece of the club’s year is our Annual Show held in November. The show provides members and the general public an opportunity to purchase gems, jewelry, fossils, minerals, lapidary, and related publications and equipment. The show features dealers with a wide range of material from children’s and beginner level items to advanced collector’s items. Prices range from less than a dollar to hundreds of dollars.
We encourage club members to assist in the planning and operation of this event. Our annual show is the club’s largest source of operating funds.
APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP
Please use the membership application below to apply for club membership. The preferred payment method is via PayPal, where you may use a credit card. Use Google Chrome for best results. It’s really easy! Many versions of Microsoft Explorer will not work properly for payments.
Applications for membership will be voted on by or before the next regular club meeting, which you are welcome to attend.
Paying by check? Please make Checks Payable To “Worcester Mineral Club” and Mail to the Address Below:
Worcester Mineral Club
Attention: Naomi Campbell Siok
17 Westview St
Groton, MA 01450
Need more info?
Contact our Membership Chair:
Amanda Aker
Email: wmcemails@gmail.com