

DAYS OF SILVER
A Jewelry, Gem, Mineral, and Fossil
Show Celebrating the
25th Anniversary of the
Southeast Federation of
Mineralogical Societies
And
The Annual Conventions of the
American Federation of
Mineralogical Societies
and the Southeast Federation

The annual Convention for the AFMS and the SFMS will be held in
Nashville, Tennessee beginning on Monday, July 5, 1999. The Convention headquarters
will be at the Ramada Governors House and Conference Center located at 737 Harding Place
in Nashville.
The current schedule for the conventions and show follows:
1999 AFMS-SFMS Annual Convention & Show Agenda
Nashville, Tennessee
Monday, July 5, 1999
Convention Check In: 7:30 AM - 9:00 PM,
Host Hotel Lobby.
Riverboat Casino Tour: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM,
Depart from the Host Hotel parking lot.
Tuesday, July 6, 1999
Convention Check In: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM,
Host Hotel Lobby.
AFMS Uniform Rules Committee Meeting: 9:00 AM -
12:00 Noon, Host Hotel Conference Room.
Flair Bus Tour of Nashville: 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM,
Depart from the Host Hotel parking lot.
Wednesday, July 7, 1999
Convention Check In: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM,
Host Hotel Lobby.
AFMS Registration: Host Hotel Conference Room
AFMS Annual Convention Meeting: 9:00 AM - 12:00
Noon, Host Hotel Conference Room.
AFMS Scholarship Board: 12:00 Noon - 1:00 PM,
Host Hotel Conference Room.
Thursday, July 8, 1999
Convention Check In: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM,
Host Hotel Lobby.
Gem Show Dealer and Display Setup Begins:
10:00 AM, Tennessee State Fairgrounds
ALAA Meeting: 7:00 PM, Host Hotel Conference
Room.
Friday, July 9, 1999
Convention Check In: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM,
Host Hotel Lobby.
Gem Show Opens: 9:00 AM, Tennessee State
Fairgrounds.
SFMS Competitive Judges Meeting: 8:00 AM,
Tennessee State Fairgrounds.
State Director/Regional Vice Presidents
Seminar:
9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon, Host Hotel Conference Room
AFMS/SFMS Past Presidents and Delegates
Luncheon:
12:00 Noon, Host Hotel Conference Room.
Editors Seminar, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM,
Host Hotel Conference Room
Gem Show Closes: 6:00 PM
Grand Ole Opry: 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM,
Transportation on your own.
Saturday, July 10, 1999
Convention Check In: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM,
Host Hotel Lobby.
AFMS Competitive Judges Meeting: 8:00 AM,
Tennessee State Fairgrounds.
SFMS Registration: 8:45 AM, Host Hotel
Conference Room.
SFMS Annual Convention Meeting: 9:30 AM - 12:00
Noon, Host Hotel Conference Room.
Gem Show Opens: 9:00 AM, Tennessee State
Fairgrounds.
SFMS Delegates Luncheon: 12:00 Noon, Host Hotel
Conference Room.
Gem Show Closes: 6:00 PM
AFMS/SFMS Awards Banquet: 7:00 PM, Host Hotel
Conference Room.
Sunday, July 11, 1999
AFMS/SFMS Editors Breakfast: 8:00 AM,
Host Hotel Conference Room.
Gem Show Opens: 10:00 AM, Tennessee State
Fairgrounds
Gem Show Closes: 5:00 PM

CONVENTION HOTEL
Ramada Governors House & Conference Center
737 Harding Place
Nashville, Tennessee 37211
(615) 834-5000 Hotel
(800) 272-6232 Central Reservations
Convention room rate has been reduced from $59.00 to $49.95 per night.
The special rate is for Sunday, July 4th through Sunday, July 11th.
You may make reservations by calling the motel at (615) 834-5000 or by calling the
central reservations number (800) 272-6232.
You must provide the property number 1198 and the group code American
Federation to obtain this special room rate.
The motel will be remodeled by the time of the convention.
All scheduled meals and most meetings will be held at the motel. The Show and
Convention Schedule indicate the locations of all meetings
Directions to the show

Silent Auction
We need help! To assist the Middle Tennessee Gem & Mineral Society with
expenses of this undertaking, we are requesting donations of hobby related items (i.e.
cabs, slabs, cutting rough, mineral specimens, extra tools, etc.) to be sold at a silent
auction at the show in July. Please look around and find something that you believe
someone else would want and donate it.
We would like to have the items ahead of time if possible, but will be
glad to take them at the time of the show.
State Directors Seminar
On Friday morning at 9:00 AM we have made arrangements for a seminar of all persons who
hold the position of State Director (or Regional Vice President named by some
Federations). John Wright, Second Vice President of the Southeast Federation is
assembling a panel of speakers to provide helpful information to those in these positions.
Many others will also benefit from the program. Feel free to register as we
have a large, comfortable meeting room.
We will have folders with handouts and writing pad for each person attending.
Come on in and join us for this session.
Editors Seminar
Leo Morris, retired Editor of the Lodestar, the newsletter of the Southeast Federation,
will conduct an Editors Seminar on Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM at the Host Hotel.
Leo is busy signing up a very good panel of experts to speak on copyrights, how to design
and format a newsletter, how to use computers to our advantage, and a number of other
subjects.
As above, we will have folders with handouts and writing pad for each person attending.
Don't miss this one. It will help you with everything you do for a newsletter
whether you are an editor or a contributor.
Grand Ole Opry
We have made arrangements for you to attend the Grand Ole Opry on Friday, July 9, 1999
if you should so desire. You must call the Grand Ole Opry Ticket Office to purchase
your own tickets. The cost is $20.00 per person, plus a $2.00 per ticket telephone
fee. If you send a check or money order, there is no fee charged. The phone
number is (615) 889-3060. When you call, tell the operator to include AFMS in your
address and that you want to be seated with others of the same group. They are going
to seat as many of us together as is possible.
At this time there are a large number of seats available. You should not rely on
this state continuing as the Opry is normally sold out well in advance of show dates.
If you want to attend, then you should call at the earliest possible date.
Transportation is on your own. Parking at the show grounds is free. The
show building opens at 6:30 PM, and the show runs from 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM.
Stars who appear on a regular basis include, but are not limited to, and may or may not
be on the program that night are:
Porter Wagoner
Jimmy Newman
Skeeter Davis
Oswald & Charley
Little Jimmy Dickens
Jeanne Pruett
Osborne Brothers
Bill Anderson
and Many Others
Sounds like a Lot-O-Fun doesn't it?
Riverboat Casino Tour
We have arranged for you to take a Riverboat Casino Tour at no cost.
The tour will be on Monday July 6, 1999 at 9:00 AM. We will depart from the
host hotel parking lot. Arrival in Metropolis, Illinois will be at 12:00 Noon and we
will enjoy a free lunch buffet and the go on a four hour river cruise with returns at 5:00
PM. The bus will return to Nashville at 8:00 PM.
We must have a minimum of thirty (30) persons to have this charter bus.
A smaller number can still go, but not on a charter bus. I do not believe we
will have any problem getting this number and may have to have two busses.
If you want to go, then "mark the spot" on your registration
form and tickets will included in your packet.
Nashville Bus Tour
We have arranged with Flair Tours of Nashville to offer you a tour of
Nashville. They promise to show you "everything you could ever want to know
about Nashville." Included, will be visits to the Ryman Auditorium (original
home of the Grand Old Opry), the Nashville Parthenon (copied after an ancient Greek
Parthenon, restored and quite worth while seeing) and many other sights. Included
will be lunch, paid for in you ticket, at a Nashville Restaurant such as the Piccadilly
Cafeteria.
You will see Music Row, much of Historic Nashville, Centennial Park, the
new Bicentennial Mall and much more.
The tour will board the bus(ses) at the Host Hotel at 9:00 AM and will
return at 3:30 PM. the cost will be $39.00 per person. Tickets must be paid
for in advance to facilitate planning. should an insufficient number register by
June 15th, refunds will be mailed to all who have purchased tickets.
This sounds like a wonderful way to see more of Nashville during your stay
in our city. We hope many of you will take advantage of it.

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