General Membership Meeting of the Vernon Placer Miners Club Met February 4, 2020 at the Hall at 1204 30th Ave, Vernon BC.
President Gerry Morrison opened the meeting at 7:00 PM. Note-taker was Cal Olsson. 19 members and three guests from Vernon and area attended the meeting. The minutes of the last meeting were read and adopted by a show of hands.
 Old Business Arising out of Last Meeting’s Minutes:
 We still need some gold for this year’s BC Open Gold Panning Championships. Jerry Stainer has a list of the sizes and amounts; get in touch with him at 250-549-4395 or jerrystainer@shaw.ca if you have some to sell. Correspondence: by Donna Smith/Gerry Morrison
 Email from two fellows looking to pan on club members claims without claim owner present. Donna did answer this one!
Email asking if any members want to buy T shirts with Canadian flag on them if going to next year’s world gold panning championships in Dawson City Yukon.
Renewal notice from Capri Insurance. Due date is March 10, 2020. President Gerry is seeing if we can get it for fifteen hundred this year as they keep bumping it up every year even though we’ve never made a claim. Paid $1300 for few years, then we bumped up our value so it went to $1500, but this year they want $1800.  We perhaps should look elsewhere for insurance?
Reports:
Membership Report by Donna Smith.  22 families are currently paid up members in good standing.  15 Life timers in good standing  2 Honorary members in good standing.  There is a common dues due date of October first. Dues are $20.00 per year per family, Oct. to Oct.
Treasurer’s Report by Donna Smith………. $______________ Expenses………..$__________ Balance……..$_____________, Adopted by a show of hands
 BC Open Report by (Dream Team) Mike Spotten and Jonathon Paull
The gaming license is received.  Have a quote on 4000 raffle tickets. Jonathon’s wife (graphic designer) will try  to get pictures of the prizes printed on the tickets. Tickets will be ten per book and should have available by mid Feb. Once Jonathan has them, he will get them to Gerry Morrison and to Donna Smith so you can pick them up from them.
 Jonathon checking if lions are still going to flip pancakes for breakfast.
 The radio advertising contacts are still available if we want to do that advertising again this year.
 Enderby fire chief will fill the tubs if we remind him.
 The flat panning event is to be moved up near the big tents for all to see. These expensive flat pans seem to be a global trend in panning competitions (go figure?). we’ll need some more gravel, half inch to quarter inch round size to accommodate the flat panners, plus Jerry was running low for the competitions, so we definitely need gravel
 Following up on Dave Lanthiers suggestion there will be a new ”tykes” category where parents can help hold the gold pan but not do the panning. Kids hands must be on the pan.  Jerry Stainer is going to put a smaller scoop for loading the small fry pans.
 Mike is going to have a bulletin board made up with a site plan and rules for each of the events so people will know where to go and what to expect.
The dress up in gold rush period clothing prize will be awarded to the best dressed  both Saturday and Sunday. Participants will be wearing a number to help with the judging; hey a nice nugget is up for grabs!
 We‘ll still have a grudge match.
 Still looking for possible vendors and working on the advertising.
 Door prizes to be stored safely in c-can overnight.
New Business:
 Donna Smith moved we donate $200.00 to the Schubert Centre in Vernon who need it for repairs and upgrade Seconded by Bill Allen, discussed voted on and passed.
Presentation: We were regaled with a fascinating presentation on using geological maps from the Map Place website as a prospecting tool in conjunction with the gold pan. The whirlwind talk ended with a prospecting process exercise that could be applied in the upcoming season.
Announcements.
 President Gerry has us lined up to attend Lumby days on June 13th and 14th . We’ll do the learn to pan but not put a float in the parade this year.
 Let’s do the Vernon Sunshine festival again on the June 20th. The booth has already been paid for.
Social Convener’s Report by Donna Smith:
Best Wishes for a happy birthday for February 2019 go out to:
Attila Vasarhelyi   Alan Wood    Allan Walls and Elizabeth Wyndham
Jonathon Paull won the first nugget door prize, and Attila Vasarhelyi the second. John McFarlane won the 50/50 draw $19.50. The meeting adjourned at 8:55 PM.
Political Liaison and Information Committee. Report by Rick Petersen Rick’s incognito; report next meeting.