Rankin Museum Fossil Fair 9-2012
Ruffin Tucker, Richard Chandler, Joy Herrington, James Bain and Mary Boulton visited the Rankin Museum's during their annual fossil fair. Ruffin Tucker is shown with one of four groups that had "reservations" to dig fossils at the Rankin Museum in Ellerbe, NC September 22, 2012. Gail Benson, Museum Curator, organized volunteers to prepare individual buckets of Aurora reject material for each child and provided guide sheets in a collection bag for treasures. James Bain and Mary Boulton, both former Presidents of the NCFC, taught the volunteers and children how to wash and search the dirt. Richard Chandler and Joy Herrington had tables of samples from the Aurora dirt to show and helped identify fossils that were found. There were many happy faces! Ruffin Tucker set up a large display from his collection inside and is recognized as the originator of cooperation between the Museum and members of the North Carolina Fossil Club. What he started has become a county-wide educational event at which members of the NCFC still contribute.