You are right. This beautiful whale is not constructed of rocks, gems or silver. It is a shining example of the newest craft offered by the Sun Lakes Rock, Gem and Silver Club (SLRGS): working with gourds. Last year, Nancy Espy-Martin decided to teach gourds to beginners. Since then, the gourd classes have been enormously popular. The whale was created by Barbara Thompson and is on display at the Cottonwood restaurant, along with other pieces by the gourd students.

Other Displays: There are other SLRGS displays in cabinets in the Sun Lakes Country Club (glass and copper jewelry) and at the Cottonwood Restaurant (gourds, lost wax jewelry, precious metal clay jewelry, stained glass). There are also two large display cabinets in windows of the Cottonwood Shop (silver jewelry, dichroic glass, stone and lapidary projects). Stop by the exhibits. Most are projects completed by students. If there is someone working in the shop, come in and say hello. We love to show off our work to interested people.

Open Houses: Saturdays in October are very special. Each of the three country clubs host an Open House where members of clubs and organizations spend the morning talking with any other Sun Lakes residents. The purpose is to recruit new members and to introduce new classes. So, if you’ve always wanted to try making holiday gifts for the family but aren’t sure you have the talent, this is your time to talk to club members and some instructors. Open House dates are as follows: October 7, IronOaks; October 14, Cottonwood; and October 21, Sun Lakes Country Club. Watch the Splash for times and places, or contact the administration of one of the country clubs.

Dues and Fees: We are currently collecting dues for the 2017-18 calendar year. This includes general membership dues at $25 per year. If you want to work in the shops, you will have to take club classes on the particular craft and purchase a “sticker” once the class is completed satisfactorily. The stickers are, on average, $20 per year. Class fees vary by craft. To download the application for annual membership and stickers, go to www.slrgs.com. Click on “2017-2018 Membership Application.”

Dues can be submitted several ways: they can be paid at the general meeting at the membership table, when you come to a class and/or they can be left in the locked boxes in either of the three shops. Everyone, including instructors and club officers, must have paid all dues and fees before participating in shops or classes.

Meeting: The general meetings are on the third Monday of the Month at 10:00 a.m. in the Navajo Room at the Sun Lakes Country Club. The first meeting is on October 16. Hope to see you there. For additional information, contact Geri Hall at 480-802-1674 or [email protected].