PORT ST. LUCIE — What begins as a rough rock pulled from the ground can end as a polished gemstone, a piece of jewelry or a treasured keepsake.
For members of the St. Lucie County Rock and Gem Club, that transformation is at the heart of a hobby that has brought people together for more than five decades.
The club, founded in 1975, will showcase that passion during its annual Rock and Gem Show Oct. 17 and 18 at the MIDFLORIDA Event Center. The show runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
The club’s mission states that they exist “simply to provide a gathering place, forum, and network to promote lapidary and related arts. The St. Lucie County Rock & Gem Club welcomes members from the counties of Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Brevard, and beyond.”
Club president Meri Jo Theobald, who has been involved with the organization since 2000, said the club currently has 118 members, ranging from beginners to experienced collectors and artisans.
Visitors will find more than 35 vendors offering an array of treasures, including rough and polished rocks, faceted stones, crystals, fossils, opals, sterling silver jewelry and handmade creations. There also will be Oriental carvings, including jade, as well as a vendor selling tools, supplies and materials for those who want to try their hand at creating their own pieces.
Some club members take the process from beginning to end, venturing out to find and dig their own rocks before cutting, polishing and transforming them into finished projects. Theobald is a longtime rock hound herself and recalls family trips to North Carolina for gem mining. Her husband even learned the art of faceting.
The show also will feature demonstrations of wire wrapping and weaving, chainmaille and rock polishing, along with a showcase of member-made creations.
A treasure table will offer donated rocks, tools, containers and other items for sale to raise funds for the club.
Raffle prizes will include five prizes, including polished geode bookends.
The club also offers classes throughout the year, including beginner wire wrapping and chainmaille, when volunteer instructors are available. Five eight-week sessions are offered annually, with classes meeting once a week for three hours.
For Theobald, the club’s purpose goes beyond rocks and gems.
“It’s a gathering place,” she said, where people of all abilities can discover a hobby, learn new skills and share their enthusiasm with others.
For more information, visit slcrockandgem.org, email slcrockandgem@gmail.com, or find the St. Lucie County Rock and Gem Club on Facebook.