ROCK HOUND SURVEY

I took the survey too, same thing, not all applied but I answered the best I could.

Cher

It was a little long, but fun to take.

here's a follow up on it



Message:07

From: Kreigh Tomaszewski <Kreigh@Tomaszewski.net>
Subject: Rockhounds -- Who Are We? Survey Update
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 01:06:47 -0500

Results update:

The survey has had an unexpectedly large response so
far (425 respondants in less than a week); if you have
not participated, please see below how you can share
your input.

For those few of you who are itchin' to know, here are
a few quick interim results:
(note--these are likely to change to some extent in
the final analysis, which will be available at the end
of April)...

1. Average gap between first exposure to the hobby and
picking it back up again: 22.3 years
2. Average age of first contact with the hobby 13
3. Average age of getting serious about the hobby 35.3
4. Were your parents or a close family relative(aunts,
uncles, grandparents) involved in the hobby in some
way?
Yes--27.8%
No--72.2%
5. 79% of respondants reported going to 1-5 shows a
year
6. 36% are willing to travel more than 1000 miles to
collect specimens/material
7. Of those 154 who responded on the weight of their
collection/material question, the mean (average) was
3,878 lbs, the median 1500 lbs, with a range of
2-120,000 lbs.
8. 68% do not catalogue their collection

This survey began as a project to discover more about who Rockhounds
are, and it has attracted the interest of club officials and members who
are worried about declining membership and the future of our hobby. It
is our hope that by learning more about current Rockhounds we will be
better able to reach out to the next generation(s) to keep the hobby
alive.

Detailed responses to the survey will be kept confidential, and efforts
have been taken to make sure responses are anonymous. We ask that each
Rockhound only take the survey once, but please pass on the survey link
to other collectors you know so we can get more responses and better
results. When the survey is completed on April 15, 2005, the results
will be analyized, published, and shared with Rockhound Clubs around the
world.

The survey itself typically takes less than 15 minutes to complete and
must be done in one session. You may skip any question, but answering
them all will improve the results. You can start the survey by clicking
on the link

www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=96084916425

Thank you for taking a few minutes to tell a little about yourself, and
the hobby we share and enjoy.

Kreigh