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We are actively involved in working with the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation in teaching several hundred elementary school children, from numerous Eastern Oregon school districts, the proper panning techniques at the Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area in Sumpter, Oregon.

EOMP members participate in the education of the general public in a variety of recreational mining techniques at the Miner’s Jubilee in Baker City every July. The three day event draws tourists from all over the west. In addition, we teach panning classes at Sumpter, Oregon “Sumpter Days” every Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day Weekend. Members also attend Baker County Fair in Halfway, Oregon where panning classes are offered to the general public.

During summer months, we conduct rendezvous’ where individuals and families are taught the recreational (hobby) mining techniques in a “hands on” environment at on one of EOMP’s claims. These three day events cover the use of a wide range of small recreational mining equipment and processing of gold without using harmful chemicals. Classes are taught regarding mining history of Eastern Oregon, types of rocks (for the rock hunters), safety issues while on Forest Service or Bureau of Lang Management land. We also teach the proper use of small dredging equipment and outline state requirements for use of this equipment. We have families from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Arizona who travel to attend one of these “hands on” events.

EOMP is also partnering with the Eastern Oregon Miners Association (a non-profit organization) and the Blue Mountain Community College in establishing a recreational mining and reclamation class which will be initiated in June 2009.

Our claims committee, comprised of EOMP volunteer members, teaches those who find their own mining claims on how to file the proper paperwork with the Forest Service, Bureau of Lang Management, counties, bonding and reclamation requirements, and annual assessment of work forms required by the federal agencies.

In addition, we work closely with the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in reclamation of old mining claims.