VPM Meeting Minutes for April 2026

Apr 13, 2026 | Club Meetings

Meeting Minutes: Vernon Placer Miners Club

Date: April 7, 2026

Time: 7:10 PM – 9:15 PM

Location: The Hall, 1204 30th Ave, Vernon, BC

Meeting Chair: Mike McKenzie, President

Note-taker: Cal Olsson

1. Call to Order & Attendance

  • President Mike McKenzie called the meeting to order at 7:10 PM.

  • Total in Attendance: 18 members.

  • Guests: 2 (Dave and Sheila from Enderby).

  • Motion to Accept Previous Minutes: To accept the minutes as distributed to members via email.

    • Moved by: Rick Peterson

    • Seconded by: Donna Smith

    • Status: Passed

2. Officer Reports

Correspondence Report (Mike McKenzie)

  • The President received a letter notifying the club that a report must be submitted to maintain the club’s non-profit society status.

  • Action Item: Mike will look into the report requirements. Donna suggested contacting Johnathon Paul (Salmon Arm) who has completed this report previously, and she can provide his contact info if needed.

Membership Report (Brenda Morrison)

  • Yearly Dues: $20.00 per year, per family (due in December).

Membership Type Current Count Status
Family Memberships 15 Paid up / Good standing
Life-timers 14 Good standing
Honorary Members 5 Good standing

Treasurer’s Report (Donna Smith)

  • Income: $[Amount Withheld]

  • Expenses: $[Amount Withheld]

  • Balance: Account is currently in the black.

3. Old Business

  • Upcoming Events: Discussion regarding the May long weekend Gold Panner’s Social Event and Lumby Days in June. The club has enough gold on hand to cover the “Learn to Pan” activities for both events.

4. New Business

  • Summer Outings & Maps: As some members missed the emailed maps for upcoming outings, they will be sent out again (See Appendix B).

    • July 18, 2026: Kettle River panning reserve.

    • August 8, 2026: Chili Cookoff at Rob Lu’s claim.

  • Motion: May Long Weekend Social Event: To hold a scaled-down Gold Panner’s Social Event on the May 16th–17th long weekend at Enderby Riverside RV Park.

    • Moved by: Brent Zvonarich

    • Seconded by: Karen McKenzie

    • Status: Passed

    • Details: Entertainment will include placer prospecting/mining activities (gold rush, non-virtual claim staking, dirt toss, Saturday night metal detecting, learn to pan, flat pan). There will be a Saturday evening potluck in the camp kitchen, and possibly live music.

  • Motion: Raffle Adjustments: To feature draw tickets for suitable table prizes (including gold nuggets) instead of the standard “coffee can raffle” variety.

    • Proposed by: Donna Smith

    • Status: Passed

  • Lions Pancake Breakfast: Louie offered to check if the Lions Club is hosting their pancake breakfast during the May long weekend.

  • Call for Volunteers:

    • Learn to Pan: Cal volunteered to assist Rick.

    • Metal Detecting: Donna requested a volunteer to help hide keys.

    • Flat Panning: Ken Montie has the gold needed for the May long weekend event, but requires a strong, energetic volunteer to help with setup and takedown.

5. Presentations

  • Karen McKenzie – Show and Tell: Showcased beautiful quartz crystals from the old amethyst deposit at Scottie Creek. She noted that the deposit was recently dynamited, leveled, and the material hauled to the creek for use as riprap. A horde of people descended on the site with picks, moils, and micro-blasters to collect material, much of which is already being sold online. (See Appendix C for location).

6. Social & Political Updates

Social Convener’s Report (Brenda Morrison)

  • April 2026 Birthdays: Happy birthday to Mike Bjerstadt, Vi Turner, and Ruby Brzic!

  • Gold Nugget Door Prize: Won by Don Shvsheskie’s son-in-law, Allan.

  • 50/50 Draw: Won by Louie Yonkman ($24.00).

Political Liaison & Information Committee (Rick Peterson)

  • Rick explained the legal processes for prospecting and mining overstacked legacy claims.

  • Members can contact Rick for pertinent Mineral Titles Act sections and example maps at 250-681-xxxx or via email at [Redacted].

7. Adjournment

  • President Mike McKenzie adjourned the meeting at 9:15 PM.

Appendix A: Mission Statement

Vernon Placer Miners Association

  • Promote placer mining and prospecting.

  • Use best practices available for placer prospecting and mining.

  • Respect nature; prospecting and mining in an environmentally sustainable way.

  • Support and encourage all those seeking a partial or complete living through placer prospecting and mining activity.

  • Promoting recreational placer prospecting and mining with good fellowship.

Appendix B: VPM Outings 2026

(Location details redacted to protect locations from public view)

Appendix C: Scottie Creek Deposit

(Referenced in Karen McKenzie’s presentation; location details withheld)