Colleen Vinje and Carol Stagger love to “rock out” in their classes of Silver and Lapidary. Colleen is famous for making the popular “spinner rings” out of sterling silver, and Carol is having a blast cutting and polishing onyx in the shape of a heart (and she intends to be quite famous for her “hearts of stone”).

If you haven’t heard the news, the Sun Lakes Rock, Gem & Silver Club is once again open for business! That means we are excited to be meeting in person at 10 a.m. in the Navajo Room every third Monday from October through April, 2022. But that is just the start of it. First, you come to the general meeting and join the club for a small $25 annual fee. And then you’ll want to meet the instructors and check out all of the 23 different classes offered, where you will sign up for your “newest passion,” which begins with a four- or five-week series of instruction, followed by your graduation and the good news … you are now qualified to attend Open Shops and work independently (with a watchful eye of monitors) on your own choice of projects!

While we are soon to announce a fourth Crafts Shop, we currently have three shops open in three of our homeowner communities, i.e., Oakwood, Cottonwood, and Sun Lakes Country Club.  All members are entitled to work in all three of the shops—not just in the one where they live. Oh, by the way, that is our only prerequisite for joining the club—you must reside as a homeowner in Sun Lakes.

There are five major divisions of our craft categories: Lapidary, Silver, Lost Wax, Glass, and Creative Crafts. Lapidary has seven classes, Silver has seven classes, Lost Wax has two classes, Glass has three classes, and Creative Crafts has four classes. And here they are: Lapidary classes are Lapidary I, Lapidary II/Bears, Stone Handles, Faceting, Field Trips, Minerals & Mineral ID, Rocks & Rock ID. Silver classes are Silver I, Silver II, Inlay, Silver Wire Bracelet/Necklace, PMC I, PMC II, Copper Bracelets. Lost Wax classes are Lost Wax I, Lost Wax II. Glass classes are Stained Glass, Dichroic Glass, Fused Glass. Creative Crafts classes are Gourds, Ming Trees, Beading I, Wire Wrap/Woven Bracelets.

As one of the largest and very best clubs in Sun Lakes, we have 18 dedicated professionals who make up our board of directors: President Anita Metzbower, Vice President Nancy Hibbard, Secretary Ellen Hellman, Treasurer Karen Wollsheid, Membership Coordinator Sheila Buscaglia, Class Coordinator Sandy Peterson, Creative Crafts Coordinator Kathy Norman, Lost Wax Chair Jim Marquis, Glass Chair Nancy Hibbard, Silver Chair Gail Wilder, Lapidary Chair Vic Herman, Equipment Manager Don Hall, Website Administrator Karen Wollsheid, Hospitality Coordinator Nancy Frayer, Raffles Coordinator Pat Marquis, Museum Coordinator Suzanne Close, Field Trip Coordinator (open), Publicity Coordinator Doug Williams. How lucky we are to be living in Sun Lakes!