Greetings Explorers!

Tonight is the night of Driveway Follies and I hope to see those of you seeking some Halloween magic there (remember to find me in my brimmed hat and say: “trick or treat” to receive your field guide). We’re also closing in on our nomination process for the board of directors. If you’re interested in either Driveway Follies or the board nomination process be sure to read to the end of this dispatch.

Our big news is about our next exploration to the Rosicrucian Museum, next week Saturday. I’ve been looking forward to this trip, so do read up and let us know if you plan to go.

Rosicrucian Museum - Saturday, November 8th

Down in San Jose stands a curious landmark, the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum. For years it’s been a place on the Explorers Guild’s radar, whispered about from returning adventurers. Each tale hints at fantastic artifacts, ancient wisdom, and mysteries that refuse to stay buried. With so much hubbub surrounding it, Guild HQ has decided it’s finally time to seek it out for ourselves.

So many questions wait to be answered: Who are the Rosicrucians? Why do they keep a museum of Egyptian artifacts halfway around the world? Is there truly a tomb buried beneath the building? And who exactly is the Keeper of Mysteries, Thoth? With so many mysteries afoot, we’re bound to uncover some extraordinary details together.

As with any great exploration, there are a few conditions to the quest. The museum limits groups of ten or more to Fridays only, which means we will need to act the part of strangers. If you wish to join the expedition, let us know on our Slack channel (#1108-rosicrucian-museum) or by replying to this message. The night before, I will send your rendezvous point and the Explorer leader to meet there. Each meeting point will be within a single block of the museum, so your journey will begin close at hand.

Since this is an undercover mission, please leave your Explorers Guild attire and jaunty hats at home. It is time to blend in as ordinary San Jose tourists. But do not worry. True Explorers always find one another when the moment is right.

Logistics

Where: At a rendezvous point near the Rosicrucian Museum

When: Saturday, November 8th - 12:30pm - 3pm

Cost: Admission is $15 for adults (though there’s a number of discounts if you’re a senior/student/child)

Carpooling: If you’re looking or are able to drive people, the Slack channel (#1108-rosicrucian-museum) will be the best place to coordinate.

Driveway Follies - October 30th - TONIGHT!

Driveway Follies is a marionette show created by masters of the craft and performed free of charge for the public. Each year, the show presents different vignettes of spooky and Halloween magic, and the public is encouraged to attend.

The show is kid-friendly and runs on both the 30th and 31st. As a group with many adults, we’ll be attending the final show on the 30th.

Logistics

When: Thursday, October 30th, 9pm.

Where: 3854 Greenwood Ave, Oakland

Extra Details:

• Parking can be hard in the neighborhood, do not drive down Greenwood near the venue as it’s blocked off. Carpool with other Explorers, park on Park Blvd, and plan to walk. You can also take AC transit bus 33.

• How do I find other Explorers? Look for Dr Professor. He’ll be the one in the brimmed hat and wearing a jacket with the Explorers emblem on the front. Tell him “Trick or Treat” and he’ll give you a field guide.

• We’ll be planning to watch the 9:30 show, but will need to congregate to be next at 9pm. This will make sense when we’re there, but just trust me there’s a lot of people all vying to watch the show.

If you have any extra questions, or you’re lost on the night of you’re welcome to ping the 1030-driveway-follies channel on Slack.

Board of Directors Nominations

Board of directors nominations are now open!

As a 501c7, the Explorers Guild has a responsibility to hold elections every year for our Board of Directors. We’ve chosen to do this to keep the directors inspired, engaged, and accessible for members. The board of director terms are for 2 years and staggered. What we’re looking for in board members are people with: 

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to think critically and contribute constructively to discussions.

• Fully capable of demonstrating a high degree of whimsy; yet also a high level of professionalism and confidentiality, especially in dealing with sensitive matters.

• Varying time commitment as needed by the organization and position requirements.

• Commitment to the values, mission, and vision of the Explorers Guild and its bylaws.

• Nominees must be 2025 Explorers Guild Members in good standing.

This year we have three positions up for election: President, Secretary, and a Board Member at Large. Specific role descriptions can be found in the nomination form.

Our election process is open to members and nominations will be accepted starting October 20th and ending November 3rd, 2025 at 9pm (PST).

You are allowed and encouraged to nominate yourself.

What an absolutely jam packed dispatch! If you got all the way down here I’m impressed. We are certainly in the midst of consecutive events but we will have some breathing room following the Rosicrucian museum. I’m actually looking forward to sharing our big plans for next year, which if you’ve been to an event recently you might have heard the rumors about. For now though, that’ll need to wait for another time.

Semper Explorandum Explorers!