MONROE - There is something unique about rocks, enthusiasts at the Badger Lapidary and Geological Society mineral show said Saturday.
"For me it's about where it came from, how did it form, why is it this color," Marv Hanner of Juda said, while attending the show at Monroe High School.
Since he was a little boy, Hanner has collected rocks. He would spend time in quarries in Iowa as a young boy, always looking for special rocks, ones that were unique. Among the rocks he collected as a boy were Lake Superior agates.
"They were 800 miles from Lake Superior," he smiled. "They were brought here by glaciers."
Years later, when hunting for rocks in southern Colorado he found some volcanic rocks.
Any rock collected can be unique and worth something to the person who found it, he said.
"If you keep it, then it must be worth something to you," he said.
Rock collections from across the area, people making jewelry and people showing fossils were on hand for the event that brought other collectors and people who just enjoy seeing the various colors, shapes and sizes of rock to the Monroe High School. The event was Saturday and Sunday.
Some of the collectors were young. Connor Trocke, 10, and his brother, Jayden, 7, and sister, Erin, 6, spend time with their own collections.
"We go to different places," Connor said. "We look in quarries, mines and in the driveway."
They collect rocks with family and friends, he added.
"It's a fun activity."
It also can lead to a little friendly competition.
"When you find an interesting rock, you can brag to your friends," he said with a smile.
People of all ages can enjoy the search for the perfect or most unique rock, collector Jack Hoxie, Whitewater, said. He's been collecting rocks for more than 35 years.
"It started when I was in third grade," he said of his collection, which includes more than 3,000 rocks from all over the world. "I never stopped collecting rocks."
He displayed rocks from China and Brazil, as well as the United States. Many of them he found himself or with his wife, Kim. Some of the rocks from other countries were sent to him from friends he's met through rock collection shows or through his research on the Internet.
"It's like treasure hunting," he said of his hobby. "You see the same minerals, but they can be so many different shapes and colors."
"For me it's about where it came from, how did it form, why is it this color," Marv Hanner of Juda said, while attending the show at Monroe High School.
Since he was a little boy, Hanner has collected rocks. He would spend time in quarries in Iowa as a young boy, always looking for special rocks, ones that were unique. Among the rocks he collected as a boy were Lake Superior agates.
"They were 800 miles from Lake Superior," he smiled. "They were brought here by glaciers."
Years later, when hunting for rocks in southern Colorado he found some volcanic rocks.
Any rock collected can be unique and worth something to the person who found it, he said.
"If you keep it, then it must be worth something to you," he said.
Rock collections from across the area, people making jewelry and people showing fossils were on hand for the event that brought other collectors and people who just enjoy seeing the various colors, shapes and sizes of rock to the Monroe High School. The event was Saturday and Sunday.
Some of the collectors were young. Connor Trocke, 10, and his brother, Jayden, 7, and sister, Erin, 6, spend time with their own collections.
"We go to different places," Connor said. "We look in quarries, mines and in the driveway."
They collect rocks with family and friends, he added.
"It's a fun activity."
It also can lead to a little friendly competition.
"When you find an interesting rock, you can brag to your friends," he said with a smile.
People of all ages can enjoy the search for the perfect or most unique rock, collector Jack Hoxie, Whitewater, said. He's been collecting rocks for more than 35 years.
"It started when I was in third grade," he said of his collection, which includes more than 3,000 rocks from all over the world. "I never stopped collecting rocks."
He displayed rocks from China and Brazil, as well as the United States. Many of them he found himself or with his wife, Kim. Some of the rocks from other countries were sent to him from friends he's met through rock collection shows or through his research on the Internet.
"It's like treasure hunting," he said of his hobby. "You see the same minerals, but they can be so many different shapes and colors."