Hello all,

This is my first post and first time being a member of GPAA.  After watching Tom Massie for a very long time on the Outdoor Channel, and wanting to join this grand organization I was able to do so this year.  As I said I have been a fan of the Gold Fever show for a long time, but never really could afford to join the GPAA until this year.  Things have changed a bit for me over the years.  My oldest son is moving off to college this month.  My daughter is a senior in high school, and my youngest will be following in their footsteps in about four years.  Our church last September lost its pastor and the new pastor we hired is a lifetime GPAA member and an LDMA member.  In July I was able to go to the Swank property east in Ohio.  This was a life long dream for me as long as I have been watching the Gold Fever show.  Needless to say it was every thing that I hoped it would be.  We were able to work the stream for about 8 hours and when we did our clean up were not disappointed.  It wasn't a lot of gold but we did have color.  Guess you could say I am hooked, got the fever our any other analogy you could put to the fact that it was fun and much hard work and good exercise.