Allegheny Chapter of the GPAA’s August 8th 2009 Meeting
MEETING INFORMATION
There were around 60 people at the meeting, while bearing in mind, the 50% chance of rain (that went to 100% at the end of the meeting), the 85 degree temperature, and the Air Show that was going on during the weekend, which was still a pretty good showing.
OLD NEWS
Gold Rush Days (Aug 5-6, 2009 )- Several people from our club are going to attend Gold Rush Days, just letting everyone know, and that if others would like to go and camp next to each other and such. Gold Rush Days is an event held by the Buckeye chapter in Ohio at the GPAA’s Swank Claim. If you are a GPAA member you can attend for free. For more information see: http://www.buckeyegold.com/ , direct link http://www.buckeyegold.com/events.htm
Bainbridge – Several people, when they leave Gold Rush Days, will be going to Bainbridge for a few days of camping and gold prospecting. And, if anyone would like to join them, you are asked to call or email or send up smoke signals to Chris K. so that she can let the land owner know how many people to expect ahead of time. For cost and directions call Chris K.
Mercer County Youth Conservation Camp 2009 - Everyone had a good time teaching the kids gold panning. Attended: John Z., Carly R., George R.
Note: John Z. donated monies to pay for the gold bags that they used. During the meeting it was brought up for the club to reimburse him, which he turned down.
Below is a video of the MCYCC 2009 that shows what went on there this year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tol2Qkw7CCA (it’s a 7 minute video)
Carlisle Gold Show - We are looking into what it takes to do a raffle at the gold show.
Well for clean water – nothing stated during the meeting about where we are on the project.
Another Outhouse for the property – nothing stated during the meeting about where we are on the project.
Trailer – has been found and the Treasurer will order it.
Website – New home on the Internet will soon be done. The name that we use, goldinpa.com, will not change, and nothing on the surface will be noticed when things are all done. What is happening is that we will be moving from one computer to another computer on the Internet to free up the webmasters personal computer that he is using for his private items and we will now have our own computer that the website will be on.
Website – It was brought up as to adding some information on the website to make sure that new people and people that are thinking of coming know that we have a free class on panning after the meetings. So if anyone would like to lean how to pan be it a new person, or someone that wants to fine tune their skills, go to the panning troth that’s usually on the left hand side (when you are facing the pavilion) after the meeting. Which is a really good idea so I’ll be putting some space to advertise this in each newsletter as well as other frequently asked questions.
Store – It was brought up a few meetings ago and this is an update on it. The club may be getting silver and silver items to sell though the store. Not sure if it will be raw silver or what exactly- just going to try something new.
Store – Shirts. There were shirts to be sold at the meeting. I was told that when we get the trailer, they will be stored in there so we will have them at each meeting.
Pavilion – Ron G. is getting the specifics on the design and what will be needed to increase the size of the pavilion and how that’s going to affect the area around the pavilion such as the road will have to be moved and children’s area may also need moved and whatever else he sees that will be needed.
Looking for more land to prospect on – It was mentioned again that maybe we should be looking for other properties to prospect on. This was just a general discussion on the subject. No committee or anything was created to look into the idea, and no one had any areas that they know about. In the past it was mentioned we should look into Ohio, something close to this property, so that we could dredge, until the DEP finalizes how they want to make available of the dredging permits in PA.
Third Annual Membership Appreciation Outing - October 10Th, 2009 – We will be having a Pig Roast, yum!
New Business
Garbage and Clean up- It was brought up that people are not cleaning up after themselves. The example was cigarettes. If you smoke and you are down to the filter, please do not throw the butts on the ground. Take them with you and/or dispose of them in the proper place. We do not have clean up service. So remember also when you clean up your campsites to make sure you are taking out what you packed in. During the meetings we have 55 gallon drums to sort out meeting trash; plastic, paper, food scraps etc. Please utilize them during the meeting.
Gold Rush Days - It was brought up if we should take the club store to the event. The store manager said he is not able to go, but if we get the trailer before then and if a member is willing to run the store that it’s not a problem for the store manager to have the member take it for the weekend. If someone would like to take it, either call John or email the webmaster to get you the phone number if you misplaced it. Note: It was not voted on that we were going if someone was found who was willing to cover the store, but by everyone discussing it no one said it was a bad idea.
Elections
62 members voted at this year’s election.
President went to Rob S.
Vice President went to Chris K.
Treasury went to John Z.
Secretary went to Tina A.
Campfire Messages:
This will be a new section to the newsletter for people to have messages that they want posted for everyone to read. It could be that your selling something, or just a basic message, a birthday greeting,etc.
A campfire message from the webmaster goes out to Cortney M. who is expecting her first child on September 1st. May the child be healthy and strong.
A campfire message from Jim G to the members in general. He mentioned that we may want to get some signs to say to the effect of “take what you eat, eat what you take” since he noticed that it seemed that a lot of food was going to waste during the pot luck lunch. People please remember that there are a lot of people during a meeting, we just need to make sure everyone gets some first. You are always welcome to get seconds after everyone else has gone through the chow line.
From Dan B.- I love dogs. I love camping. But, I don’t like to come back to my campsite from a walk to find someone’s dog had left a present in the middle of my campsite. Please be courteous and pick up after your dog, or better yet-Keep it out of other people’s campsites in the first place. Thank you.
If you would like to leave a campfire message in the next newsletter email the webmaster at webmaster@goldinpa.com and he will set it up. Please note all campfire messages must go through an approval process to keep out spam and any item(s) that may be deemed non-printable.
From the webmaster
Newsletter – I’ve made arrangements with the Secretary to get me the minutes of the meeting, for the meetings that I’m not attending, so we can have a monthly newsletter of what is going on.
