General Membership Meeting of the Vernon Placer Miners Club
Met May 7 2024 at the Hall at 1204 30th Ave, Vernon BC. President Donna Smith opened the meeting at 7:05 PM. Note-taker was Cal Olsson. There were 20 members in attendance, and a new membership paid.
Donna opened up the meeting stating that Jerry and herself were completely retiring once BC Open was rapped up. They will still be lifetime members, so will come to the Oct/Nov/Dec meeting to see how she can make suggestion on whether or not the club can continue or not without volunteers. Donna says be prepared to volunteer.
Old Business Arising out of Last Meeting’s Minutes:
-Access center and Science center has reneged on getting us to put on a display at their locations. Donna tried unsuccessfully to be able to get permission for a display to help with advertising.
-Rick Petersen has enough garden hose for the lumby car show on the 11th ‘learn to pan event’; thanks for the use of them .
-Kim Creed brought in some pictures of members from last years BC Open. Thanks Kim ! Kim also volunteered to bring the trophys.
Correspondence: by Donna Smith
-none to table, except for some email .
Reports:
Membership Report by Brenda Morrison
-23 families are currently paid up members in good standing.
-14Life timers in good standing
-5 Honorary members in good standing.
-There is a common dues date of December. Dues are $20.00 per year per family, Dec. to Dec.
Treasurer’s Report by Donna Smith
Income………. $______________ Expenses………..$__________ Balance……..$_____________, Amounts reported at the meeting.
BC Open Steering Committee Report by ( Donna Smith, )
BC Open Gold Panning Championships to take place Saturday May 18, and Sunday May 19, 2024. Set up on Friday May17th.
-Metal detecting Sat. night in the dark and Sunday early morning
-Terry Regeir has volunteered to do the dirt toss and flat panning again
-Ken Montie is doing flat panning again as well.
-Bring the cutouts that Kim Creed made last year to this years BC Open. Kim will put them up again
We need volunteers for this year’s BC Open Gold Panning Championships. Please consider giving a hand to help?
New Business:
-Ken Montie moved we buy a membership in the Alberta Placer miners Association, Seconded by Rick Peterson discussed , voted and passed.
Presentation:
k-9 story
Kim Creed told us a fascinating story of how one of his sons , who is head of the RCMP k-9 dog training unit in Innisfail Alberta developed a training procedure for the drug sniffing dogs to alert on fentanal drug stashes so they wouldn’t be harmed. The dogs had been indicating the illegal drugs by a down stay, but that exposed the dog to a harmful amount of drug. Kim’s son came up with a safe sit stay that avoided harmful exposure to the dog . The American police service was going to get the son to teach them how to train their dogs to avoid the harm. However son had a horrible time crossing the border to do just that. However it all turned out well. Since a lot of prospectors have k-9 companions and partners we found the story riveting.
Announcements.
-Rick Peterson briefed us on the details of Lumby Car Show and ‘Learn to Pan event’ coming up next weekend. He will be at the Visitor center due to it being a source of water.
-On May 11 2024 attend car show in Lumby. Would be nice if you can dress for it, or at least wear your name tag. Kim Creed and Mike McKenzie have volunteered to help Rick with it.
Events calendar:
-Added outing to Monashee Creek on May10th. Be at Franks store 10:30
-March 24 prospecting outing to Monashee Creek area, weather permitting.For details call Rancid Crabtree (Cal) at 250 766-4071
June 6, outing to Kettle claim. For details call Rancid Crabtree (Cal) at 250 766-4071
June 15&16 Rick will need help for learn to pan on Lumby Days about 9 am.
July gold cleanup (TBA)
Social Convener’s Report by Brenda Morrison
Best Wishes for a happy birthday for May 2024 go out to: Bill Allan, Sherie LaValley, Sherry Knox, Ted Turner, Pat Yonkman. Happy birthday to those having a birthday in May.
-Louis Yonkman has just spent 5 days in hospital due to heart problems.
-Rita Dreier won the 50/50 draw $28.00
-1st gold nugget door prize won by Martin Hill-Lonergan
-2nd gold nugget door prize won by Bernie Klewchuck
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 PM.
Political Liaison and Information Committee. Report by Rick Peterson
Rick said that the Mineral Tenure Act reform committee is getting the BCPMA president to represent placer miners input at the meetings.but the suspicious thing is that they want him to sign a non-disclosure agreement!!!