President Dianna Ahart (far right) introduces the new life members of the Sun Lakes Rock, Gem & Silver Club. From the left are Sheilah Buscaglia, Nancy Hibbard, Larry Portschi and Ron List.
The Board of the Sun Lakes Rock, Gem & Silver (SLRGS) Club honored four members of the club with life membership. Life membership is awarded to long-standing members who have consistently gone above and beyond in supporting club members and activities: teaching classes, monitoring activities in the shops and dropping what they are doing to help students at a moment’s notice. Many held offices and have served as craft chairs. Craft chairs are responsible for facilitating classes, including ordering new equipment and making sure old equipment is serviced and that an appropriate amount of space is available. Others administer club business including membership, treasury, record-keeping and the many chores associated with meetings. So this month, we wanted you to meet the four new life members:
* Sheilah Buscaglia is our tireless membership and class completion coordinator. Sheilah makes sure you pay your dues and shop fees. She designs and revises membership forms and keeps the databases regarding membership, fees paid, classes completed and many others. This year, in addition to these responsibilities, she is helping with the overhaul of the constitution and bylaws books and has taken on updating our website, www.slrgs.com.
* Nancy Hibbard is a long-time member who chairs both creative crafts and glass. Nancy chaired glass for many years and teaches amazing stained glass. When there was a need for a chair for a new area, creative crafts such as beading or gourds, Nancy stepped forward to help organize and administer. Nancy has served on the board of the club for many years. She is a “go to” source of information on most things that happen. Nancy also convinces people in the lapidary section to donate cabochons to a summer camp for disabled children and their parents in Maine (where she spends the summer).
* Larry Portschi is a club mainstay. Along with teaching lost wax 1, twisted necklaces and woven bracelets at the Oakwood shop, he also monitors. He is particularly adept at helping students who require a little extra help. Larry has served the club in many ways.
* Ron List is a long-time member who has mastered most of the crafts. His special talents include lost wax and silver construction. Ron helps with silver and lost wax activities and monitors at the Cottonwood Shop. He is always ready to drop what he is doing to help others with complicated construction issues. He is a past chair for lost wax and has served on the board.
We would love to have you stop by and meet these and other wonderful people who make our club so special. While you are in the shop, look around and talk to people. Doesn’t that look like fun? The club motto is, “The fun is in the doing,” so stop by!
If you need more information about the crafts and activities (or you just like the people), visit www.SLRGS.com and make plans to join us.