Mona Painter/Turnagain Times
Gary Mitchell is the center of attention as he demonstrates the art of gold panning during his program after the Cooper Landing Seniors business meeting at Helen Gwin Commons in Eagles View Nov. 10. Gary's enthusiasm, knowledge, and personal experiences impressed his audience. It didn't hurt that in one pan he ended up with seven little nuggets
By Mona Painter
Turnagain Times Cooper Landing Correspondent
Gary Mitchell Shares His Mining Experiences
Cooper Landing Senior Citizens Corp. Inc.'s Nov. 10 meeting began with a potluck lunch in Helen Gwin Commons in Eagles View senior independent housing. CLSCCI President Ronald Sloan chaired the business meeting going through a number of items quickly and smoothly. Gary Mitchell was on hand with all sorts of equipment for a program on his personal gold mining experiences.
Gary started gold mining on the Kenai Peninsula in 2004 after spending the previous summer prospecting creeks entering Kenai Lake. He has prospected and mined on tributaries of Kenai Lake, Canyon Creek, Quartz Creek, Johns Creek and Cooper Creek. He's a self-taught miner, studying many books on mining, but Gary says his mentor is George Zimmer. George Zimmer mined for many years and for some time earned his living by mining. He invited Gary to his claim near Jerome Lake and showed him enough to get Gary really excited about looking for gold.
Gary learned where he was likely to find gold by reading historic gold mining records and learning how gold is deposited. He has had a couple of partners including Clyde Holbrook who worked Canyon Creek with him. Gary described using 500-foot ropes and cables to lower equipment down into the canyon. He showed us his Hungarian sluice box and explained how it worked. He described what it was like to be 11 feet under water in his dry suit with 80 pounds of weights and suddenly have to get to the surface when his air supply was compromised. Gary's photos showed his camps, his dredge in operation, and a giant brown bear track. While bears have torn up his camp, chewed salt and pepper containers (Gary and his partners always stored their food high in trees and out of bears reach), absconded with his coffee, and left piles of fresh berries in the trails, he has not had a personal encounter.
Darwin Peterson remembered stopping to see Gary as Gary was ready to hike up the trail to his Cooper Creek claim. Darwin picked up Gary's pack and it was so heavy it threw Darwin to the ground! It weighed 120 pounds! Gary brought samples of gold, his dry suit, and items he found with his metal detector, and more. The crowd was thoroughly entertained.
Library Raffle Held
The community hall was packed Nov. 7 with the Cooper Landing Community Library's annual raffle party. Party-goers hoped to have a prize winning ticket and to sample some of Arden Rankin's delicious stuffed mushrooms, fruit and fudge kebobs, shrimp, and more. What they didn't expect was to be entertained by the “great-green-shiny-one!” That was none other than Phil Weber resplendent in emerald green sequins as he performed the master of ceremonies duties. One hundred fifty tickets are sold for $100 each with $7,500 given away during the raffle. Anne Engbers, a local girl, was the winner of the grand 2,000 prize this year. Thanks to Katie Green and the entire library volunteers for a super evening and a very well run library.
Community Club Lists Desired Projects
Community Club President Gary Galbraith chaired the Nov. quarterly CLCC meeting Nov. 5, aided by Veep Sandra Holsten and Secretary/treasurer Phil Weber. In addition to the capital projects priorities of the seniors garage and workshop and the Walkable Community program chosen at a community meeting in October, CLCC members voted to send letters directly to Alaska State Senator Gary Stevens and Representative Paul Seaton with the following projects of importance in the event funding sources become available: Community Health Clinic, Self-Help Housing, Community Trails, Snug Harbor Road paving, Ravens View paving, and Gun Club improvements.
Health Fair Bigger Than Ever
I would like to echo Yvette Galbraith's remarks that came out on the Community Crier email regarding the Health Fair Nov. 14, which reads in part: “On behalf of my family, Cooper Landing Community School, and those participants of the Health Fair, I'd like to publically thank Virginia Morgan for all her hard work and efforts in coordinating this very successful event. We are very grateful for the medical care, educational vendors and savings that were offered and available to all on Saturday.” When you thank Virginia she always gives credit to those who helped. Last year 30 people took advantage of the blood chemistry testing. This year I was the last one to have blood drawn and I was number 50. All the stations in the school gym were busy and the mobile mammography unit parked outside saw a lot of action, too.
Holiday Parties Planned
Looking ahead, Cooper Landing Museum's annual open house will be Dec. 4 and 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Expect refreshments, home made and hand made items for sale, and lots of Christmas ambience in both buildings with the wood stoves putting out some good heat. Cooper Landing Chamber of Commerce, C.L. Emergency Services, and Mary Louise Molenda are co-hosting a holiday party at Sunrise Inn Dec. 5 with a potluck dinner and the community is invited. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
