1st post on rockhoundblog.com :)
Greetings from Vernon BC Canada…This is a copy of an email I am sending out to as many rockclubs as possible. If your club has yet to receive this information, just bring it to your next meeting to be discussed. Also if your club has a site, I would appreciate it if you would put the www.rockhoundblog.com link on there. Thanks to everyone in advance for your help and here’s to making this blog a great one 
here it goes-
Hi, My name is Gary and I am starting a rockhound blog (Sept 06).
What is a blog you might ask?
A blog is an “online” magazine/journal written online relating to a specific topic. This blog is about rockhounding/lapidary and anything and everything pertaining to it. It’s a free service and if you subscribe to it, you can get updates sent to your email regularly so that you never miss a post. You don’t have to subscribe though, simply just come to the site and catch up whenever you feel like it. www.rockhoundblog.com
Why am I creating this blog?
I realized the wealth of knowledge within my rockhound club and I found that if I missed a meeting I missed out on valuable information. Then I started thinking… imagine the wealth of information in EVERY rock club around the world, just waiting to be tapped! What if I could bring everyone together to share/help each other out for the benefit of everyone?
What will be the content of this blog?
I want to start by introducing rockclubs that contact me that are reading/submitting articles to this blog. I would like them to share info about their club, personal stories, where they are located, what they find in their area, any great finds and pictures, and any secret places around them that they would like to share with fellow rockhounders. I would love to build a “best places to find” archive where anyone who is going to travel to a certain area can instantly access this blog and find where to rockhound on their vacation. I have a wealth of “secret” maps for all of BC Canada but not for anywhere else, so I will start sharing in hopes that other people send in their great spots to share as well.
How do I help out with this blog? You might ask…
I would like for everyone reading this information to bring this post into their rockhound meeting and let people know about this blog and how to access it. I encourage anyone who wants to check it out, or submit something to join in. If you think that your information and story is interesting and related to lapidary, please submit it even if I haven’t suggested a specific topic.
This is just a sample of what I am requesting. What I am looking for people to submit:
1- Greetings from all the clubs that are reading/subscribing to this blog.
2- Any great finds in your area (I would love to post pictures if possible).
3- Any interesting stories, club news/events/awards etc.
4- Lapidary articles-does anyone in your group give talks on lapidary? I would like for them to write an article for everyone to read and learn about here.
5- Does anyone in your group give lessons on making/designing jewellery? A step -by- step lesson with pictures if possible would be interesting.
6- Secret/great spots in your area to rockhound, so that when people are going on vacation they can search for a city in the area on this blog and see where they can rockhound and for what specimens.
7- Anything interesting with regards to Lapidary
thanks, Gary.
If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the above information, please don’t hesitate in contacting me
Gary, I just got your e-mail. This is my very first blog message. I am the editor for our club newsletter the “Yellowstone Deposit”, Billings Montana. Our meeting is tonight and I will pass the information along to members. There are several rockhounders who submit and are published in national magazines and organizations. I will get their permission to post back issues here. I think this is a great idea and wish you well with this. Bentley
Comment by Bentley — September 7, 2006 @ 6:05 pm