Trade Associations

American Gem Society
Members of the American Gem Society define ethics as "doing what is right." The ethical jeweler will represent jewelry and values accurately and objectively. This includes the quality of metal, the accurate identification of colored gemstones, the natural or synthetic origin of a gem, the accurate quality of a diamond, the exact weight of all gemstones, whether or not a gem has been treated, the proper care and cleaning of treated and non-treated gems, and whether service or repair is genuinely needed. When shopping with an AGS member, you can be assured that you are doing business with jewelry professionals: a staff and store committed to on-going gemological training, customer service of the highest caliber, and above all, integrity.


Jewelers of America
Jewelers of America (JA) is the national association for the retail jeweler. JA is both a center of knowledge for the jeweler and an advocate for professionalism and high social, ethical, and environmental standards in the jewelry trade. The JA mission is to assist all members in improving their business skills and profitability. JA will provide access to meaningful educational programs and services, leadership in public and industry affairs, and encourage members with common interests to act in their and the industry's best interests.




Maine Craft Association
The Maine Crafts Association is a 501c3 organization dedicated to bringing understanding and appreciation to the art of fine crafts in Maine. Since 1983, The Maine Crafts Association has accomplished its mission through high quality programming that educates the craft artist, collector and general public.


Camden Rotary Club
2005 is a very special year in Rotary's history as well as our club. Respectively, Rotary International celebrates its 100th anniversary and Camden Rotary celebrates its 80th birthday. Throughout these many years Rotary has done much to make our world a safer and healthier place. In the last 10 years alone Rotarians around the world have completed over 1.8 million projects in communities all around the globe. The dedication of these Rotarians, all of who in their own modest way, fulfill Rotary's motto of "Service Above Self". Camden Rotary has been a willing and generous partner in these international endeavors for we have helped build homes for the homeless and disadvantaged, provided wells for clean water, assisted victims of land mines to walk again with custom made prosthetics. We have also contributed generously to Polio Plus, Rotary International's 20 year commitment to the eradification of polio and in this year, the 100th anniversary of polio there are fewer than 500 cases of polio left in the world and this is the year that polio will be eradicated thanks to the efforts of 1.2 million Rotarians in 168 countries. Closer to home, Camden Rotary provides financial assistance to 21 deserving high school students. Additionally, we also make grants to many worthwhile community groups such as the Camden Food Bank, Hospice centers, Meals on Wheels, Hope Little League, Animal Rescue League, Communities That Care, Salvation Army and many others. In total we raise $50,000 each year for these projects. We also are in our 15th year of the Camden-to-Camden project. This project brings a number of school children from Camden New Jersey to spend about 10 days with host families in Camden Maine. For many of these children it will be the first time they will go to sleep without hearing gunshots or ambulance and police sirens. It will be the first times they will have swum in the ocean let alone see it and for many it will be a life altering event. We are also proud of our student exchange program where each year we support 3 incoming foreign high school students as well as 1 outgoing student. These students will spend the full school year totally immersed in the host country's school, community and culture. Personally my joining Rotary has had a major impact on how I live my life. As often as I can I submit major decisions to Rotary's 4-way test and once I do that, more often than naught, I find the answers surprisingly easy. I have also found that when the news of the world seems overwhelming or foreboding I take solace in the fact that Rotary works hard to make the world a better place.

American Craft Council
The American Craft Council is a national, nonprofit educational organization dedicated to promoting understanding and appreciation of contemporary American craft. Founded by Aileen Osborn Webb in 1943, the Council has a distinguished history of innovative programming that has provided a vital base for the emergence of the contemporary craft movement in the United States in the decades since the Second World War. The Council is today the leading voice for the crafts in America, celebrating the remarkable achievement of the many gifted artists working in the media of clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood and other materials. Programs through which the Council supports the field include the bimonthly magazine American Craft, annual retail and wholesale shows, and a special library on contemporary craft, education grants, workshops, seminars and other services to the public. As a membership organization, the Council welcomes those with an interest in or curiosity about the crafts. Many institutions and individuals belong to the Council-not only artists, but teachers, scholars, collectors, gallery owners and professionals in several fields, in the U.S. and abroad.