President's Message
TBFC’s 2012-2013 Season Comes to an End, Almost!
Wow. It feels like just yesterday that we were busy making plans for TBFC’s 25th season, and just like that, it’s over. We are wrapping up the season, but there are still plenty of events left before TBFC takes a much deserved summer hiatus. If you’re new to TBFC you may not know that we shut down for the summer. TBFC will host our end of the season dinner on June 8th, but there will be no regular monthly meetings held in June, July, and August. But that doesn’t mean we’re finished yet. This will be your last edition of the Tampa Bay Fossil Chronicles for the 2012-2013 TBFC season. So be sure to check the calendar and field trip pages in this edition because there are still a few TBFC events remaining.
May 4thMeeting
Pierce - A Phosphate Town
with Richard Fifer
Richard Fifer grew up in the phosphate mines. He lived in the phosphate mining town of Pierce, Florida, until the age of eight and both his father and his grandfather worked for the American Agricultural Chemical Company, a heritage company of Mosaic. In 1953, his family moved to Lakeland, where he graduated in 1963. In 1968, Mr. Fifer graduated with High Honors from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering. He received a Master of Science in Engineering degree from the University of Florida in 1969.
Mr. Fifer’s presentation will chronicle the history of Florida’s phosphate mining and its paleontological impact. Over the last twenty years, Mr. Fifer developed a strong interest in the history of the phosphate industry in Central Florida. His interests extend to the history of the early mining companies, the industry pioneers, and the company towns that were created to support the mining industry. He has published over two dozen articles on these topics and has contributed to several books, including Around Mulberry and Boca Grande – Lives of an Island.
Mr. Fifer is president of the Mulberry Historical Society and is on the Board of Directors of the Polk County Historical Association.
TBFC’s End of the Season Banquet
June 8th at Nature's Classroom
Now, don’t let the “banquet” thing impress you too much. It’s just a fancy word for TBFC’s annual end of the season informal dinner and get together (with a scholarship presentation, fossil auction and some door prizes thrown in for good measure). It doesn’t matter if you’ve been a member of TBFC for ten years or ten minutes, everyone’s invited. The dinner is a great opportunity for fossil friends old and new to get together for a final evening of fun and fossil tales as we wrap up the 2012-2013 season. And there’s always a bunch of great fossils and “paleo” related items in the auction (if you have anything you’d like to donate, just bring it along to the dinner). This is a great event for the entire family and cheap too. Keep in mind that Nature’s Classroom is not normally open to the public. Take this opportunity to visit their animal preserve and aviary.
We’ll cater in spaghetti, pizza, wings, salads, dessert and drinks. The cost is just $5 per person which makes for an inexpensive family outing.
TBFC’s End of the Season Banquet will be held at the TECO Center for Environmental Studies at Nature’s Classroom at 6PM on June 8th. Nature’s Classroom is located at 1300 Verges Road, Thonotosassa, FL 33592. This is only about ten minutes from where we normally meet at USF.
RSVP is not required just show up and pay at the door. But… If you know for sure that you will be attending, please send me an email to let me know (fossilnerd@msn.com). This will help out a lot with knowing how much food to have on hand when everyone arrives. Don’t miss it! This really is the last event of the season, whew!
Closed for Summer
As I close this edition of the Tampa Bay Fossil Chronicles, the 2012-2013 season comes to an end for this publication. As I have reported to you many times in the past, it is an honor and a privilege to serve and represent the Tampa Bay Fossil Club and its many fine members.
I want to thank the great support staff behind me in the Officers, Directors, and many of you members who volunteer to help TBFC excel to the exceptional level it has in both the public and scientific communities. Without all of you, none of what TBFC accomplishes each season would be possible.
Thanks for the adventure TBFC!
Michael Searle
President 2001- Present