Sacramento area Volunteers are invited to join Amber Cantisano Interpreter 1 from Columbia for our interpretive workshop on Diggins Tent Town 1852.
Sat, April 26th from 10:15 to 11:45 at the Sutters Fort. As you check in at the kiosk they will direct you to the Distellert. No one will be allowed into the Fort before 10 am. They have a great History Live program that day if you want to stay around for the cannon firing. We must be out of the builidng by 11:45!! Please call 209-588-9128 for Questions on this training! This training will cover getting to know you and your part at diggins, roving interpretation and some of the new interpretive tools we will be using this year to brign the town to life. We hope to see you there. Fondly Amber
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Weapons at Diggins
We have been getting a lot of questions about weapons at Diggins, so we'll try to explain what exactly is going on:
State Parks has a draft weapons use policy in review. However, we are not currently implementing it until it is finalized. None of these comments are concerned with that policy.
However, last August, we received orders from HQ which stated that "Effective immediately, all staff, volunteers, and special event participants who have access to or possess a firearm or ammunition on Department property must be pre-screened for any of the convictions specified in the state's gun control statutes to comply with state law. California law does not contain an exception for antique firearms or ammunition use and possession."
It goes on further: "For the purpose of this memorandum a "firearm" is defined as "any device, designed to be used as a weapon, from which is expelled through a barrel a projectile by the force of any explosion or other form of combustion"
What does all of this mean? It means that if you carry a weapon at Diggins, you need to be pre-screened for felony convictions.
Now, that is where we have some trouble. Because we cannot afford to fingerprint all participants, (it works out to about $50 per volunteer) we are limiting the people we fingerprint to current, active volunteers at Columbia. This is defined as those folks who present programs here year-round, and contribute 96 hours a year or more.
We have been asked:
What if I pay for the fingerprinting? This doesn't work, because the reporting agency is also charged by DOJ, directly, for the criminal check.
What if I have been fingerprinted for another job? Also doesn't work, because your other job is the reporting agency, not us. The information is confidential and can't be passed between agencies.
What if I have been fingerprinted at another park in the state park system? This WILL work! Just give us the name of your docent coordinator, and we can coordinate. However, not everyone has been fingerprinted yet, and probably won't be in time for Diggins this year. But be patient, because in the future this will be a workable solution.
What if my gun is a designed to be non-operational replica? This is ok. Under the definition above, if it wasn't DESIGNED to be used as a weapon. . . it wouldn't fall under the definition of a firearm. However, please talk to us about this ahead of time. A firearm that doesn't fire anymore because you took out some of the parts, or has rusted closed, was still designed as a firearm so it is not exempt.
We thank you very much for your patience. Some of you who will not be able to carry this year, may be permitted next year, as things get smoothed out. We are trying the very best we can to keep the program at a professional level and meet all of the required rules and regulations that will allow us to continue.
Thanks for working with us!
State Parks has a draft weapons use policy in review. However, we are not currently implementing it until it is finalized. None of these comments are concerned with that policy.
However, last August, we received orders from HQ which stated that "Effective immediately, all staff, volunteers, and special event participants who have access to or possess a firearm or ammunition on Department property must be pre-screened for any of the convictions specified in the state's gun control statutes to comply with state law. California law does not contain an exception for antique firearms or ammunition use and possession."
It goes on further: "For the purpose of this memorandum a "firearm" is defined as "any device, designed to be used as a weapon, from which is expelled through a barrel a projectile by the force of any explosion or other form of combustion"
What does all of this mean? It means that if you carry a weapon at Diggins, you need to be pre-screened for felony convictions.
Now, that is where we have some trouble. Because we cannot afford to fingerprint all participants, (it works out to about $50 per volunteer) we are limiting the people we fingerprint to current, active volunteers at Columbia. This is defined as those folks who present programs here year-round, and contribute 96 hours a year or more.
We have been asked:
What if I pay for the fingerprinting? This doesn't work, because the reporting agency is also charged by DOJ, directly, for the criminal check.
What if I have been fingerprinted for another job? Also doesn't work, because your other job is the reporting agency, not us. The information is confidential and can't be passed between agencies.
What if I have been fingerprinted at another park in the state park system? This WILL work! Just give us the name of your docent coordinator, and we can coordinate. However, not everyone has been fingerprinted yet, and probably won't be in time for Diggins this year. But be patient, because in the future this will be a workable solution.
What if my gun is a designed to be non-operational replica? This is ok. Under the definition above, if it wasn't DESIGNED to be used as a weapon. . . it wouldn't fall under the definition of a firearm. However, please talk to us about this ahead of time. A firearm that doesn't fire anymore because you took out some of the parts, or has rusted closed, was still designed as a firearm so it is not exempt.
We thank you very much for your patience. Some of you who will not be able to carry this year, may be permitted next year, as things get smoothed out. We are trying the very best we can to keep the program at a professional level and meet all of the required rules and regulations that will allow us to continue.
Thanks for working with us!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Meeting this Saturday! Free Pizza!
Saturday will be a long day here at Columbia (Docent meeting, Gold Rush Days, then the meeting at 6pm), so we have decided to order several pizzas to ease into the Diggins Planning meeting.
Despite anything you've heard or read previously, we will meet at the Eagle Cotage at 6pm for food and the meeting, and end the meeting with an optional visit to the site.
Larry and Kim met with our representative with the State Fire Marshall's office today, and it appears that all of our requests for cooking fires will be able to be accomodated. Larry is to be thanked for his hard work on diagraming, clearing and working with everyone to make this happen!
Despite anything you've heard or read previously, we will meet at the Eagle Cotage at 6pm for food and the meeting, and end the meeting with an optional visit to the site.
Larry and Kim met with our representative with the State Fire Marshall's office today, and it appears that all of our requests for cooking fires will be able to be accomodated. Larry is to be thanked for his hard work on diagraming, clearing and working with everyone to make this happen!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Diggins Slideshow
View a brief slideshow from Diggins 2007. (If you are reading this via email, you will have to visit the site at www.columbiadiggins.blogspot.com in order to view the photos).
Monday, April 7, 2008
Change in Date!
Mary Helmich's presentation has been changed to this SUNDAY, the 13th at 10am, at the Wilson Store. We hope you can make it!
As a reminder, here are the other important upcoming events:
April 12th 6pm Planning Meeting- at the site, (pizza provided)
Venue development reports, themes and scenarios for web sharing
Staffing considerations
Construction
Publicity needs
Brainstorming- theme interactions between venues
April 26th-Sacramento area Diggins Interpretive workshop
May 10th- (Docent Meeting) 4PM!!
Columbia Diggins Interpretive Workshop
May 11th Canvas Up
May 17th
School Program guides & trailers planning meeting
Weekend tour guide meeting
May 27th- 7am-Diggins Move In
May 27th & 28th-Event set up, work days
May 28th- 6pm-Final Education Day walk-thru, including tour guides and venues
May 29, 30, 31, June 1-DIGGINS!
June 2nd-Clean up and packing
June3rd-Diggins Move Out
June 7th- 7am Canvas Down!
August 9th 10:00
Recap (survivors meeting)
October 11th- 6PM
Start planning it all over again!
As a reminder, here are the other important upcoming events:
April 12th 6pm Planning Meeting- at the site, (pizza provided)
Venue development reports, themes and scenarios for web sharing
Staffing considerations
Construction
Publicity needs
Brainstorming- theme interactions between venues
April 26th-Sacramento area Diggins Interpretive workshop
May 10th- (Docent Meeting) 4PM!!
Columbia Diggins Interpretive Workshop
May 11th Canvas Up
May 17th
School Program guides & trailers planning meeting
Weekend tour guide meeting
May 27th- 7am-Diggins Move In
May 27th & 28th-Event set up, work days
May 28th- 6pm-Final Education Day walk-thru, including tour guides and venues
May 29, 30, 31, June 1-DIGGINS!
June 2nd-Clean up and packing
June3rd-Diggins Move Out
June 7th- 7am Canvas Down!
August 9th 10:00
Recap (survivors meeting)
October 11th- 6PM
Start planning it all over again!
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