The December Meeting will be the Society’s Annual Christmas Social and will be held from 11.00 am to 3.00 pm on Sunday the 5th of December in the car park outside the clubrooms of the Parramatta and Holroyd Lapidary Club at 73 Fullagar Road, Wentworthville.
The Social will comprise the sale or exchange of mineral specimens and mineralogical material, books, magazines and equipment. This year again due to the pandemic restrictions the Lapidary Club rooms cannot be used for the Social sales which will be held in the car park area outside the club building. The Lapidary Club will be open to allow access to the kitchen and toilets but in respect to social distancing rules only limited numbers of people can be allowed inside at any one time.
The arrangements will obviously be dependent on the weather being fine but as was provided last year, awnings will be set up over the tables. There should be adequate table space provided for sellers but members intending to sell are asked to notify the Vice-President, John Chapman, on (02) 9808 3481 or the Secretary, George Laking, on (02) 9636 7145 so that sufficient tables can be organized.
Due to the pandemic restrictions still in in place solid refreshments other than biscuits cannot be provided at the Social and members are advised to bring their own food although hot and cold drinks will be available. There will be no entry charge levied; the hot drinks and cold beverages will be free. If anyone needs solid food and chooses not to bring their own the Wentworthville Shopping Plaza with cafeterias and takeaway service is about a ten-minute walk away.
Because the Lapidary Club car park is being utilized for the Social, car parking cannot be allowed on the Club premises but nearby street parking is available. The Club car-park will be open from 9.30 am to allow workers to set up the tables and awnings and members with material to sell should arrive early to set out their sales but are asked not to start selling before 11.00 am. Members with sale material to unload should drive into the car park but after unloading must move their cars outside the grounds. Other members arriving before 11 am are asked not to approach the sales areas which may still be getting set up, so please don’t arrive too early.
In view of the pandemic regulations the Society must maintain a register of all attendees and in particular the Committee insists that all attendees be fully vaccinated, and should provide proof of this by showing their certificate if asked. Everyone must sign in upon arrival, (names should be printed), and give a contact number. The wearing of masks outside the clubhouse will be a matter of personal choice but should be worn all the time when going inside. Some hand sanitizing dispensers will be available but sellers are recommended to bring their own sanitiser and set it out on their sale table. Members looking at sales material and congregating at tables are advised not to crowd too closely and observe social distancing.
Members are reminded that the Society Committee has previously determined that anyone attending the Christmas Social who was not currently financial may buy but would not be allowed to sell minerals.
Any members who were unsure of their current financial status could pay their subscriptions for 2022 only and they would then be taken as financial. Cash payments for subscriptions will not be accepted at the Social. Members are recommended to pay their subscriptions only by direct-debiting since this will provide both the member and the Society separately with bank account records of their payments.
In direct-debiting, the payer should make certain to add their name to the payment panel to show who the payment is from.
To direct-debit the Society account the details are:
Bank: Commonwealth Bank
Account Name: Mineralogical Society of NSW Inc.
BSB: 062016
Account number: 28023647
