Mark and his daughter Christina have been members for 6 years together. Mark was previously a member back when he was a student. Christina was 9 when they joined looking for an activity they could enjoy together. She wasn't hooked initially until she started coming to meetings and won some of the raffles prizes. Now they are fixtures at meetings and invaluable volunteers at the show in February.
They both have slightly different focuses, he in minerals and she in fossils. They have both recently have begun photographing their collection and are now totally into it. They love getting a great shot of a mineral, sometimes even a micro mount through a microscope.
When not perfecting their photography techniques they are busy. Christina has been dominating the Science Olympiad for the past three years running, with no end in sight. Mark has been on the Society Board for the past few years, helping to arrange guest speakers.
Mark and Christina both serve every year at the show. They are there early and stay late setting up and tearing down all the many displays and equipment. He also serves as a docent during the show and Christina helps a family friend who comes from Missouri to be a vendor at the show.
They have been on various Society trips to find and collect. They've found pertrified wood, explored fat jack mine, silverbell mine, mission mine and others. During the school year they have less time to go on the trips with her school studies, but enjoy the trips they can join. They still make meetings regularly.
Christina offers one tip to other young collectors: "Rock Hounds are very generous to kids, often giving away good stuff at the show!"
Mark & Christina
Ages: 59 and 15
Primary focuses: minerals and fossils (respectively)
Society Members since 2008