General Membership Meeting of the Vernon Placer Miners Club
Met October 1st, 2024 at the Hall at 1204 30th Ave, Vernon BC. Vice President Mike Mckenzie opened the meeting at 7:10 PM. Note-taker was Cal Olsson. Eleven members were in attendance. June verbal minutes summary accepted by show of hands.
Correspondence:
-Several emails from Donna to members
Membership Report by Brenda Morrison:
-23 families are currently paid up members in good standing.
-14 Life timers in good standing
-5 Honorary members in good standing.
-Yearly dues are due in December. Dues are $20.00 per year per family.
Treasurer’s Report :
Income………. $ Expenses…………….. $ Balance……………… (in the black)
Old Business Arising out of Last Meeting’s Minutes:
-Disscussion about why insurance costs so much nothing really resolved .
New Business:
Karen Mckenzie moved we pay $200.00 dues to the BCPMA at the BCPMA’s next general meeting this October. Seconded by Attila Vasarhelyi , Discussed, voted on, and passed.
Ken Montie moved that the club buy the chicken/ turkey for the December holiday party and seek volunteers to cook them. Seconded by Martin Hill-Lonengan.
Disscussion about December holiday party; Decided : on Dec. 3 here at hall, potluck like last year. Brenda will help organize so please call her to let know what you are bringing or what needs to bringing. Brenda’s phone number is 250-540-88xx.
Presentation
Mike Mckenzie Brought in some thunder eggs and geodes from his claim on the west side of okanagan lake to show us. He hasn’t cut them in half yet but they are quite large. I was mentioning to him the ring of fire tecnique for cracking geodes open , where you soak a cord in flammmable liquid , wrap it around the rock and set it on fire. Then you dump it in a bucket of cold water; it saves crystals from getting sawed. Mike also had some agates , and one especially clear one, bottle glass clear. It was an interesting talk Mike gave and hope he can regale us with some more prospecting reports. Oh, his wife Karen also showed off some of her metal detecting finds. Delightful!
Announcements.
Its getting close to the end of this seasons field work. Time to put the mining/prospecting outfit away until next spring. Replace and repair missing or damaged parts. Before putting your pumps away you may want to drain the gas out (plug screw on carburetor bowl). Go down to gas station and get 5 liters best grade gas they have and add 10 ml of seafoam additive for every liter gas. Take this enhanced gas and put it in pump gas tank. Run pump briefly then shut off motor and gas feed; store pump. This will keep gas staybalized for 2 years and should start on first pull. Don’t forget to be skilled with and keep your gps unit and phone camera in good order.
Now time for the dead work salvaging and cleaning gold, researching and planning next seasons prospecting/mining outings, writing up this years activities in your journal. Sure you did your work reports but this is your logbook for your eyes only so be reasonably honest and acurate. You’re not an ai robot so, maybe stay away from digitized (phone and computer) entries. If you are lucky enough use to have learned how to do it, use cursive writing only. Use ink instead of pencil as i found pencil fades over the years. I have known people who have bought these journals from dying prospectors and gotten hold of valuable information and maps that way. If you do prospecting for a big company they usually make you turn in your journal: as a free miner you can keep your own journal so keep it up to date and neat.
Social Convener’s Report by Brenda Morrison:
Best Wishes for a happy birthday for October 2024 go out to:
Ken Montie, Robin Jenner, Terry Regeir, and Donna Smith.
“May you all have continued success with your task in this life”
Our thoughts go out to Jerry and Donna now Jerry is in hospital for tests.
The nugget door prize was won by Louie Yonkman
Cindy Rachwalski won the 50/50 draw of $16.00
Vice President Mike McKenzie adjourned the meeting at 9:00 PM.
Political Liaison and Information Committee. Report by Rick Peterson
Rick reported that we are waiting with bated breath to hear from the BCPMA executive when and where the BCPMA , October Annuaal General Meeting will be. Any club members are welcome to attend along with our representative. Get in touch with Rick at; 250-681-0908 or email trimguy@live.ca for any questions, clarifications, comments.
Appendix A;
……Vernon Placer Miners Assoc.…Mission Statement
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.