Let The Joy Of Finding Rocks Begin
Programs
To educate, entertain, and demonstrate the many aspects of geology and the rockhound hobby
Field Trips
To gather agates, petrified wood, fossils, minerals, and other interesting rock specimens
Classes
In cabochon making, sanding and polishing thundereggs, bead stringing and jewelry making
A Hobby like no other
Do you like combing beaches for translucent stone that glows when you hold it up to the sun? In the Rock Hobby, you can polish your finds to golden, blue, and clear orbs that can sit on your shelves, stand collected in jars, or shimmer in a fountain. OR, do you like hunting and then digging out of the ground globe like thundereggs that hold a different picture in each when sawed in half? In the Rock Hobby, you can easily sand and polish to bring out the hidden shine that makes the thunderegg’s picture glisten. Do you like shaping the hundreds of different types of geological material - jaspers, agates, quartz, and more into ovals, squares, and crosses to show or place in a belt buckle, on a necklace, or earrings? Oregon Agate has renowned cabochon artists you can learn from. If you like making jewelry out of precious stones; if you like faceting gemstones; or if you like getting dirty digging for buried treasure, or just one of those who just has to pick up that one rock that caught their eye, the Rock Hobby is for you. There are so many different rocks out there, so many colors and shapes. One can never tire of looking for just one more.
About Us
Oregon Agate and Mineral Society began in January 1933 when 12 local rock hounds met and decided to form the first lapidary club in the US. By the end of that first year, the club had over 100 members! From its earliest days, OAMS focused on gathering the best rock material the Northwest had to offer. Sharing valuable information through club programs and teaching members to create objects of beauty with the rocks they had collected. This continues to be our goal to this day. Oregon Agate was involved in the formation of several northwest rock and mineral societies. These include: The Northwest Federation of Mineralogical Societies, the Oregon Council of Mineralogical Societies, and even helped provide funds and exhibits when OMSI first opened. OAMS continues to support OMSI through the Thomas J. Bones Scholarship Foundation Trust Fund. Funds are given each year to provide scholarships for children to attend OMSI’s Camp Handcock, an outdoor science camp. Oregon Agate has many award-winning lapidarists who enjoy passing their knowledge on to anyone interested in learning.
Meet the Officers and Chairman of OAMS
President: Jim Urbaniak. Jim has been a member since 2010. President 2014, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Vice President 2012-2013, Director 2019 and our Jr program director 2015 to present, Chairman of the board for the Tom Bones Foundation 2014, 2022, 2023,2024, and many more accomplishments.
Vice President: Open
Secretary: Priscilla Hall-Ford. Priscilla has been a member since 2019, NFMS Director 2019 to present, Secretary 2020 to present, Tom Bones secretary 2020 to present. Newsletter editor 2019 to present. NFMS Bulletin Aids Chair.
Treasurer: Geoff Lind. Geoff has been a member since 2015. He has been our treasurer since 2022.
Board of Directors: Bernice Hall. Bernice has been a member since 1990. She has served as Secretary a few years.
Board of Directors: Barry Cohen. Barry joined the society in 2023. He and his wife have been active in meetings and field trips
Board of Directors: Rick Mauer. Rick joined us in 2023. His knowledge of rocks and minerals is very valuable to the lapidary community.
Other Chairman and Standing Committees:
Jr. Program: Director ………..#1. Jim Urbaniak, ……..Director #2. Norm Ernst.
Northwest Federation: .....Director: Priscilla Hall-Ford, ....Delegate: Open
Oregon Council: ...............Delegate: Sonia Watt, .......Alternate: Open
Portland Regional: ............Advisor #1 Joyce Willing, .....Advisor #2. Open
ALAA Representatives: .....#1. Open, ................#2. Open
Annual Show @ OMSI: Rose Cohen
Annual Auction: Collin Kaeder
Christmas Banquet:
Newsletter Editor: Priscilla Hall-Ford
Education:
Field Trips: Kendra Winter
Historian/Librarian:
Hostess: Amber Lewis
Nominations:
Parliamentarian: Priscilla Hall-Ford
Property / Inventory: Sonia Watt
Annual Picnic:
Storage Unit: OAMS
We are Affiliated With
AFMS promotes popular interest and education in the various Earth Sciences, and in particular the subject of Geology, Mineralogy, Paleontology, Lapidary and other related subjects, and to sponsor and provide means of co ordinating the work and efforts of all persons and groups interested therein; to sponsor and encourage the formation and international development of Societies and Regional Federations and by and through such means to strive towards a greater international good will and fellowship.
The Northwest Federation of MIneralogical and Lapidary Societies, Inc. was organized in 1938 to bring about a closer association of Clubs and Societies devoted to the study of the Earth Sciences and the practice of the Lapidary Arts and related crafts in the northwest portion of the United States. Beginning with seven "founding" clubs and seven "Charter" clubs, the NFMS has now grown to approximately 60 affiliated clubs and societies with a combined membership of well over 5,000 individuals. The NFMS is a member of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies, the Umbrella association for the seven regional federations in the United States. It joined the AFMS in 1947
The Rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals exists to engage, inspire, and educate on the wonder and complexity of our Earth.
