[BCMA] Fwd: It was a weekend filled with surprise and delight during Barkerville's 150th anniversary celebrations

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	It was a weekend filled with surprise and delight during 
Barkerville's 150th anniversary celebrations
Date: 	Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:50:01 -0700



*_For Immediate Release_*

**

*It was a weekend filled with surprise and delight during Barkerville’s 
150^th anniversary celebrations *

*August 13, 2012 (Barkerville, BC)*– All hail the Queen! A surprise turn 
of events in the 2012 Canadian National Gold Panning Championships saw 
the weekend’s “King of the Creek” grand prize contest rechristened 
“Queen of the Creek,” much to the delight of nearly 350 participants in 
eleven competition categories, and more than 2000 visitors to 
Barkerville Historic Town.

Karen St. John, local owner and operator of the Northwoods Restaurant in 
nearby Wells, British Columbia, bested professional gold-panners from 
across the country to claim the $1000.00 cash prize and a $1500.00 high 
bank sluice (courtesy of /Greywolf Highbankers/) at Sunday’s 
championship match. St. John found seven gold nuggets in quick 
succession, using a 14-inch metal pan laced with some of the toughest 
gravel, clay and dirt found anywhere on the competition circuit.

“If you want bragging rights to call yourself King or Queen of Williams 
Creek, you’ve got to know you’ll be dealing with some of the nastiest 
panning material around,” said event organizer Scott Rea, who is himself 
a six-time World Invitational Gold Panning Champion. “We don’t fool 
around in Barkerville; you’ve got to go through what the original 
prospectors went through here in the 1860s, using the same kind of gold 
pan… and no compromises.”

Presented by /Integris Credit Union/, the 2012 Canadian National Gold 
Panning Championships was the signature event at Barkerville’s 150^th 
anniversary celebrations August 11^th and 12^th . The two-day event drew 
hundreds of gold-seekers and thousands of spectators from all over the 
world, some of whom signed up for the competition themselves once they 
saw how much fun contestants were having.

“I have only gold-panned twice in my life,” said Stewart Cawood, a late 
entry in the Adult division. “Once before with a friend and this time 
just now.”

“I found three of my four flakes,” he added. “So even though I didn’t 
win… I feel pretty proud of myself.”

In addition to Karen St. John’s stunning “King of the Creek” victory, 
“Yukon” Dan Moore took first place in the Pro division, Dale Harkness 
swept the Seniors event, Vanya Plotnikoff scooped up top honours in the 
Adult division, Alex Ninow won the Children’s heat (and a brand new 
Razor electric scooter) and the Open competition went to Dave Coupland.

Special thanks to /Integris Credit Union/, Presenting Sponsor of the 
2012 Canadian National Gold Panning Championships, as well as Community 
Sponsor (and event organizers) /Eldorado Gold & Gifts/, Community 
Supporters /The District of Wells/ and /Wells Chamber of Commerce/, and 
Radio Sponsor /94X Prince George/.

For more information about the 2012 Canadian National Gold Panning 
Championships, or any of Barkerville’s 150^th anniversary events, please 
visit www.barkerville.ca/special_events.htm 
<http://www.barkerville.ca/special_events.htm>.

*- 30 -*

**

**

*ABOUT BARKERVILLE HISTORIC TOWN*

Barkerville Historic Town is the largest historic site in Western North 
America (www.barkerville.ca).  Barkerville is provincially, nationally 
and internationally recognized for its historic significance associated 
with its place in western Canada’s gold rush era and the role the gold 
rush played in BC joining Canada. Barkerville is widely known as a “must 
see” for travel itineraries in western Canada.  The historic town is 
also a significant contributor to the Cariboo regional economy and is 
widely regarded as a unique component of the regional identity.

The Barkerville Heritage Trust, as Barkerville’s operating and managing 
partner, works in conjunction with the Province of British Columbia, the 
owner and statutory guardian of Barkerville’s heritage resources, to 
ensure that Barkerville is efficiently managed, entertaining and 
educational to visitors, and financially stable as the premier heritage 
resource and tourism attraction for the Cariboo. The ultimate aim is to 
maintain and enhance Barkerville’s position as a nationally significant 
heritage resource and tourism attraction for British Columbia and Canada.

Barkerville is situated 80 km east of Quesnel, British Columbia in the 
foothills of the Cariboo Mountains, close to Troll Mountain Ski Resort 
and Bowron Lake Provincial Park. The nearby community of Wells (8 km 
from Barkerville) is the service and housing centre for the area 
(www.wellsbc.com) and is itself a dynamic cultural community, home of 
Island Mountain Arts, the acclaimed Toni Onley Artists’ Project, the 
International Celtic Harp School (www.imarts.com), the dynamic indie 
music festival ArtsWells (www.artswells.com), and the Sunset Theatre 
(www.sunset-theatre.com). Wells is also situated close to a wide variety 
of winter and summer outdoor activities.

**

*MEDIA INQUIRIES*

James Douglas | Manager, Visitor Experiences

B  A  R  K  E  R  V  I  L  L  E     H  I  S  T  O  R   I  C     T  O  W  N

Box 19 | Barkerville, BC | V0K 1B0

250-994-3302 ext. 41 | 888-994-3332 toll free | 250-994-3435 fax

james.douglas at barkerville.ca

www.barkerville.ca <http://www.barkerville.ca/>

barkerville.wordpress.com


------------------------------------------------------------------------
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and 
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are 
addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the 
system manager. This message contains confidential information and is 
intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named 
addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. 
Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this 
e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. If you are 
not the intended recipient you are notified that disclosing, copying, 
distributing or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this 
information is strictly prohibited.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.vvv.com/pipermail/bcma/attachments/20120817/0ee9774a/attachment.htm