The Kitchener-Waterloo Gem and Mineral Club was formed in 1965. For over fifty years, our club has brought together people who have an interest in the lapidary arts and in collecting rocks, minerals, and fossils. Most members are residents of Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, and other communities in Waterloo and Wellington Counties, Ontario.
Starting in September 2022 we have resumed in person meetings and plan to continue doing so going forward subject to the guidance of local health authorities. Meetings are held the 2nd Friday of every month at the Lion’s Arena, 20 Rittenhouse Road, Kitchener, N2C 1J3. (The arena is located on Rittenhouse Road, off Block Line Road near Strasburg Road.)
Typically members would meet our guest speaker for dinner at a nearby restaurant. Meetings would begin informally at 7:00 pm to allow for socializing, swapping, show and tell, etc. The formal meeting would start at 7:30 as follows:
| 7:00 – 7:30 | trading and socializing |
| 7:30 – 7:45 | a mini-talk by a club member on a topic of interest |
| 7:45 – 8:00 | announcements |
| 8:00 – 8:15 | raffle |
| 8:15 – 9:00 | featured presentation |
Often times the featured presentation is an activity such as a how-to demonstration, a voice or silent auction or a “slide show” on a topic related to our hobby.
In addition to monthly meetings, a highlight for many club members is our field trip schedule. In the past, the club has arranged field trips to collect minerals or fossils in nearby quarries (eg. Guelph, Flamboro, Dundas) or further away (eg, Bancroft, Cobalt, Herkimer). From time to time the club has also arranged group visits to museums, private collections and mineral shows. We look forward to resuming these activities when it is safe to do so.
