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NEWS FLASH
Saturday December 7th at 9:00am, We will be meeting at the park and ride in Friant for a clean up of the river banks, other non profit clubs will be joining us. Trash bags will be provided by River Tree Volunteer's. Afterwards we will be able to do some prospecting along the river.

Our club exists on volunteers...
Are you contributing?
We need more help. Come to a Board Meeting on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Yosemite Falls Restaurant,
Ashlan and 99.
Let us know -->HERE<--

COMMUNITY SERVICE

APRIL - BOY SCOUTS. We are headed to the Fresno Fairgrounds to teach the scouts about prospecting. School Programs are also coming. See EDUCATION in the right hand column for more information.

DECEMBER - FOOD BANK/PETS. We collected food/blankets/jackets for the less fortunate as well as food and supplies for homeless pets. Thank you!

SEPTEMBER - FOOD BANK.
We collected close to 250 pounds of food for the less fortunate. Thank you!

SCHOOL PROGRAMS - CVP went to six schools (nine total schools participated), bringing the field trips to them. Students learned about gold rush history and different means of prospecting with hands on stations in panning, detecting, and dowsing.

APRIL SERVICE PROJECT - THANK YOU to all that brought donations for the homeless dogs (and cats) in and around Fresno. I'm sure the dogs and cats are happy and are wagging tails or purring. Totals are roughly: $407 value; 250 lb dog food; 30 lb cat food; 50+ toys, collars, bowls; and 14 beds and blankets. Great job!
Remember there are continuous needs for all the homeless pets in the Central Valley. Foster parents are also urgently needed. Please contact any of several no-kill rescues such as ACT or Westside Rescue to help.

FRIANT CLEAN-UP - 40 members from CVP and Coarsegold filled a pickup bed with trash from along the river. THANK YOU

DECEMBER 2011:
CVP DONATED 572 LBS OF FOOD TO THE FOOD BANK!!! THANK YOU!!!

HEY, WE KNOW WHO THAT IS!

Nice article about Nancy Roberts that I found floating around in cyberspace...
Read it here.

HISTORY CORNER
submitted by a youth fan of ours.
Thank you Conner for finding this great site.

Intro from "Life of a 49er in the California Gold Rush" by James Walkerson.

The discovery of a gold nugget in 1848 resulted in what has become known as California's gold rush. This was the beginning of a period in California's history in which the state underwent drastic growth in terms of population and cultural diversity. This growth occurred over a very short period and by year's end in 1849, the population of non-native Californians rose from under 1,000 people to approximately 100,000. This phenomenal growth was due to the migration of people who came from all over the country and even the world. These gold seekers called themselves the Argonauts; however, they are most famously known as the "Forty-Niners."
Read more at: Life of a 49er in the California Gold Rush



History Corner Archive

CVP STORE

The store has many items available such as: shirts, hats, pans, classifiers, scoops, loupes, vials, snuffer bottles, and bags of dirt! Remember to visit prior to the meeting or during break.

Check out the neat article by Dominic about our Gold Show!

I Found PURE GOLD by Dominic Ricci

NEW MEMBERS

Please fill out the online application for membership. This speeds up the process and reduces errors. Print out the waiver form and bring it to the meeting. Processing of membership applications takes time, so please be patient. Some applications are not complete, so those will be held for correction at the meeting. Please check with Membership Director Allen Volpa Jr at the back table for any questions on membership.

NEW - CVP Rental Equipment
See Listing in members section under "Scheduled Outings"

IS YOUR BAD BACK
HURTING AT MEETINGS?

Don't forget to bring along a comfortable chair to the meetings. We would hate for you to leave early due to your back hurting from sitting on those hard school benches.

CAN'T LOGIN?

Maybe you missed signing-in at the last 3 meetings. Please sign-in and check with our membership chairman at the next meeting so that we know you are still active. Or, if you are new, maybe your email/password was input incorrectly (make sure you fill out your application legibly). Just send an email letting us know you are having problems with login.

About CVP

Central Valley Prospectors is an Official Chapter of GPAA. You do not need to be a member of GPAA to join CVP and we charge no dues. We are a non-profit (501-c-3) small mining and prospecting club. CVP is dedicated to providing education and increased public awareness of prospecting and mining, as well as lots of fun. We own our own claims and provide outside programs for various groups. We welcome all ages, including families with children.

CVP Mini-Miners

Kids are welcome at the meetings. But where did they all go! The kid's table has been suspended until the kids come back.

Fancy donkey by Ashley Cute donkey by Carli Patchwork donkey by Sam

COMMONS Groups Available

To help get everyone involved, we are going to offer "common" groups at the outings. This will allow those that have voiced that they can't prospect any more due to physical limitations to join in the fun. This also puts newbies with an experienced miner at hand to help them learn. All that participate will have a great time prospecting, as it should be. CVP has a place for everyone! (or at least we are trying) Groups will be formed from experienced and new members with different abilities to run a sluice box at the outings. Together, with each offering different abilities, they will form a team to run the sluice for the day. At the end they can split their gold any way they would like. They will have all brought something to the group. Let Nancy know if you are interested.

Come join us!

MEETING LOCATION:
River Bluff Elementary School
6150 W. Palo Alto Ave. Fresno, CA
TIME:
6:30 PM Every THIRD Tuesday
(Except during school conflicts,
or during July - when school is closed)

CLICK HERE for
Meeting Directions and Map

POSTAL ADDRESS:
Central Valley Prospectors
PO Box 25851
Fresno, CA 93729

SOME IMPORTANT RULES -
-No whining
-Sign-in at back table
-Wear your name badges
-Turn off your cell phones
-No smoking on the school property
-Lock your cars
-Help set-up and clean-up
-And always have fun!

CURRENT GOLD PRICES
[Most Recent Quotes from www.kitco.com]

Tired of seeing this same stuff? Have you seen interesting articles you think we should share with the rest of the members? Please send along any article suggestions and we will try to include them on the webpage. We can't share it unless we know about it. Just send it through the "Contact Us" page.

For the most current news and updates,
visit these links:

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/suctiondredge/

LINK PLP - Public Lands for the People

LINK ICMJ Mining News

LINK to New 49ers


Mining Safety

Prospecting can be a fun and rewarding hobby, but safe practices must still be considered. We all want to forget there can be dangers involved, but the tragic deaths of three young men near Fresno reminded us that it can happen. Some things might seem like common sense, but we should never take shortcuts when possible danger is involved. Below are just a few "common sense" items to remember when prospecting.
- Always take a buddy along
- Tell someone at home EXACTLY where you
   are going and when you plan to return
- Stay out of old mines and caves
- Don't venture into remote areas without
  another vehicle along
- Practice good water safety
- Avoid disturbing wildlife and know
  what to do if bit
- Bring basic supplies: water, snacks, first aid
- Keep a tool kit in car and cell phone/charger
- Chains in winter, fire extinguisher in summer
- Safety check vehicle before trip, air up spare
- Check the weather before departing,
  and prepare accordingly
Basic safety involves planning ahead and not taking chances. With a little forethought you can enjoy your trip prospecting, and if you run into problems you will be prepared to deal with them safely and with less frustration. The following link is geared toward industrial mining but has a lot of great safety information. There is even a kid's area with safety and interesting history. Mining Safety at www.msha.gov

Important government links

Support is still needed to avoid future problems for our freedom to use our public lands.

Office of the Governor

Gold Pan Animation

Take a look at this interesting animation of the dynamics of how a gold pan works.
Gold Pan Animation

Gold Weights

Here is an explanation of how gold is weighed.

Rules of Conduct

For all CVP members that are interested in using CVP mining claims or partaking in outings, please read our "Rules of Conduct".

Board Meeting Rules

For all CVP members that are interested in attending a CVP board meeting:
"Meeting Rules".

★NEXT MEETING★
Everybody is Welcome. See you TUESDAY December 17  
6:30 pm

Check the calendar often for updates. Come join us, and bring a friend!

Also, we are always appreciative of any donations for the raffle (please, in good condition and something others would enjoy...tools, mining related, gift certificates, rehomed Christmas gifts?)

Please bring any items for pets, such as food items and warm blankets. These item will be given to the SPCA Society.


CLUB RULES
#1 - There will be NO WHINING!
.

SEP - Pending Program
OCT - Pending Program
NOV - Pending Program

EDUCATION EVENTS

2013 Programs we provided
April 20 - Fresno Fairgrounds Boy Scouts
May 23 - Tulare Kohn Elementary (inc. Pleasant, Garden)
May 31 - Clovis Sierra Vista Elementary (inc. Cole, Dry Creek)
June 4 - Valley Arts
June 10 - River Bluff Elementary (inc. Liddel)


UPCOMING OUTINGS

Come to the next meeting for info on upcoming club outings and to connect with other members to plan your own prospecting trips.

For adventures between outings, check the members' area for info on our claims. See Outings and Maps.

Be sure to get required permits if you plan to fish.

Due to high fire danger, campfires may not be permitted, please use common sense.

Remember while prospecting to please
clean up any litter, even if it isn't yours :)

Monthly Outings

Due to some problems with insurance, some outings have been changed to "Adventures." These are non-CVP places to go and explore/prospect on your own or with other members. Don't forget to log in to the Members Area to find directions under "Scheduled Outings".


Check Out Our LINKS Page

Prospecting Reports

Club members are asked to take note of the new feature in the "Members Only" section of the Home Page entited, "Prospecting Reports." This is a great area for members to share some interesting spots where they have found gold or just good fun. Just sign into the "Members Only" section and click on the "Prospecting Reports" button. This will bring up a dialogue box that will ask you some pertinent information such as the date, location, and personal comments. This is a nice way of sharing information with other prospecting buddies who will do the same in return. It is a "win win" situation.

Need Someone to Prospect With?

CVP is all about friendship and sharing as well as finding gold. We have many new members as well as long time members who occasionally would like to go prospecting but want some company. Prospecting is not as much fun if you go by yourself and it is not always good from a safety point of view to not have a buddy with you. CVP has initiated a "Prospecting Buddy" Program where you will be matched with another experienced prospector who you can go prospecting with or maybe learn a few tips on new prospecting techniques or equipment.

If you are interested in either a "Prospecting Buddy" or carpooling, then contact our president, Nancy Roberts, her number is in the Officers Directory located in the members section of the web site.
So, now you don't have a car excuse to stay home!