Palos Verdes Gem and Mineral Society Celebrates Education and Rocks By Writer and Contributor Emily McGinn
Each month, a small but passionate group of rock enthusiasts centered in the Palos Verdes Peninsula area gathers at the Peninsula Center Library to gain and exchange knowledge about rocks, minerals, gemstones and geology.The Palos Verdes Gem and Mineral Society is a social club that is 25 members strong and is extremely active in the local geological community. At their monthly meetings, they come together to socialize, share their appreciation for gems and minerals and listen to experts in the field lecture about their own experiences. They also go on excursions and field trips together to get out in nature and learn about geology in the field. Their meetings and field trips are organized by Flying Tiger, the program director. She says that, ultimately, the club’s main goal is to explore, to learn and to connect with others.
“We just gather and exchange information informally,” says Audrey Ledford, a self-proclaimed geology buff who has been a member of the club for about a year. “There’s a national study out that says people live longer when they have friends, so we’re a very friendly group.”
The Gem and Mineral Society meetings consist of lectures by geologists, often from nearby universities such as the University of California, Los Angeles, and California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). Ledford herself was first attracted to the club when she learned that there would be a lecture by Dr. Rick Behl, a geologist at CSULB. After attending that lecture, Ledford continued to return for the community and the atmosphere.
The society aims to bring in diverse speakers that often not only share valuable information about geology, but also tell the society members about interesting stories and experiences. Lectures are not limited to geology and can contain a mixture of culture and personal experiences. For example, the club invited a speaker to share about Mongolia, as well as one from Pakistan, to share about geology and culture from different areas of the world. Meetings also provide an opportunity for members of the society to share their own collections of rocks, minerals and gems with fellow geology aficionados.
“A lot of people bring rocks, and we love that,” Ledford says. “We love to look at the rocks.”
Flying Tiger plans the field trips for the group, usually organizing at least one but up to four or five per month. California is a geologically diverse place, which provides many opportunities for exploration. They regularly go out on hikes with geologists in the Palos Verdes area to explore the rocks and minerals of the Peninsula, but they also like to venture further into the Southern California region. Some of their past excursions have included trips to the La Brea Tarpits, the Los Angeles Natural History Museum, the Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center and the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology. They recently visited Joshua Tree National Park to explore rocks and stargaze. Flying Tiger says she aims to choose field trips that will further club members’ curiosity and wonder for the earth.
Overall, Flying Tiger’s goal as program director is to try to make the club events interesting and fun. She has found a passion in finding ways to improve and grow the society. She says that community outreach is another major aspect of the society’s role on the Peninsula — they provide an audience to all sorts of people with something to share, from educators and scientists to artists and musicians. Ultimately, the club’s goal is for everyone to walk away having gained community and knowledge.
“Anything that promotes geology is important to me,” Ledford says. “And I think geology is important to everybody else because it mandates how you live. Geology factors into every part of how people live in that it decides the food they eat, the weather they experience, disasters — all of those things are part of geology, so learning about it is really important.”
Emily McGinn: A Dedicated Journalist
Fueled by passion and curiosity, Emily McGinn is a fervent journalist whose heart beats for truth and creativity. As a graduate of California Baptist University, Emily’s academic voyage is adorned with rich interests in environmental science, political science, and graphic design. Her portfolio is a mosaic of hard work and dedication, evidenced by a repertoire of content that stands as a testament to her journalistic commitment and academic pursuits.
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