North Fork Economic Forum ~ 9/22/12

© Copyright 2012 North Fork News

NFCoC Business Mixer Dinner & Raffle

© Copyright 2012 North Fork News

February Business Events

Wednesday, Feb 15
Mariposa County Chamber Non-Profit Class
5:30pm, Miner's Inn Restaurant & Lounge, Banquet Room
5159 Highway 140 & Hwy 49 N, Mariposa

FREE to non-profit board members/staff
Info & RSVP: Kathy (209) 966-2456




Saturday, Feb 25
North Fork Chamber of Commerce Business Mixer Dinner & Raffle
5 -8pm, The Buckhorn Saloon, Main Street, North Fork
choice of Pork Loin or Vegetarian Stir Fry Dinner served at 6pm.

Music/Karaoke by Sierra DJ.

Presale Tickets $20 each,
purchase tix at North Fork Hardware, Slim's Koffee Shak, The Buckhorn Saloon,
Info: 877-6300, 877-2332




© Copyright 2012 North Fork News

NF Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner & Auction

Sunny Marigolds for Silent Auction

North Fork Chamber of Commerce

Annual Dinner/Auction Fundraiser

Saturday, July 25th 2009 5:30pm at Town Hall

Saturday evening July 25th, The North Fork Chamber of Commerce is hosting their annual fundraiser Dinner and Auction at the Town Hall. We have some fabulous items up for auction. Be prepared for a memorable evening of classy food and fun. Dinner is your choice of Tri Tip, Turkey or a delicious Vegetarian selection.

Pre-Sale Tickets are $13.00 each
(a limited number of tickets will be available for sale at the door, $15.00 each)

Buy your Tickets:

On Friday July 24th
in front of the NF Post Office

or any time during store hours at

North Fork Hardware
33029 Main Street

(559) 877-2332

See the North Fork Chamber Website for more information on this year's Dinner/Auction,

and click HERE to read an article about last year's 2008 Dinner/Auction.

© Copyright 2009 North Fork News

June & July Community Events

Main Street, North Fork

Jun 10
Special NF Chamber Meeting - Dinner/Auction Work Session, 5:30pm, at the NFCoC office (inside American Claims Service) on Main St, All Members & Volunteers welcome! Call Steve 877-3088 for more info

Jun 14

NF Recreation Center Clean-Up Day, 8am at the Rec Center, Info: 877-2237

Jun 14

Art in the Garden Tour, 1-5pm, Cascadel Heights Dr, North Fork, proceeds benefit North Fork Library, Info: 877-2387

Jun 20
Organic Stone Fruit Jubilee, 5-8:30pm, Mokichi Okada Assoc Oasis Garden, 5790 N. Indianola Av, Clovis, Adults $5, Kids under 12 FREE, Info: 324-0465

July 4
50th Annual Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree
Info: 877-7700, 877-2355, 877-2237

Pro-Am Contest, 11am, Recreation Center, Adults $4 at gate, under 12 Free
Horseshoe Pitching Contest, 12 noon
Grand Parade down North Fork’s Main St, 5pm
BBQ at Town Hall, 6pm, $8 adults, $5 kids under 12
Woodchoppers Ball & Queen Coronation, Recreation Ctr, 8:30pm, $8 ea, $15 per couple

July 5

50th Annual Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree
Info: 877-7700, 877-2355, 877-2237

Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, NF Town Hall, 7-10am
Jamboree Main Logging Events, Recreation Ctr, 12 noon, Gates open 10am, presale tickets thru July 3rd $2.00, $5.00 at gate, under 12 Free

July 25

North Fork Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner & Auction Fundraiser, NF Town Hall, Doors open 5:30pm, Dinner 6pm, Presale tickets $13.00
Info: 877-2410, 877-3088, 877-2332, Dinner/Auction Event Flyer

© Copyright 2009 North Fork News

Recent arrival at an intersection near you!

New Signpost at intersection of Rd 274 & 225

Over two years of collaboration and development between the North Fork Chamber of Commerce, Ponderosa Telephone Co, the Sierra Mono Museum, the Grizzly Century Bike Ride committee and the USFS produced this beautiful directional signpost that is a true work of art for our community.

The 14 foot tall statue is carved from a huge ponderosa pine log by master carver Giovanni Dalpogetto from the Coarsegold Carving Station. The original design was created by Lynne Wells of L&E Engraving. It depicts a majestic eagle, a Native American woman holding a gathering basket with a coyote standing next to her. All are symbols of our community's cultural roots.

Hanging from the "tree limbs" are signs showing the direction of local points of interest.

The signpost was installed at the intersection of Roads 274 and 225 in North Fork this past Monday May 12th. It was a true team effort!



© Copyright 2008 North Fork News

NFCoC Annual Dinner/Auction Fundraiser

Auctioneer Tom Wheeler in action

On April 19th 2008, the doors opened at the North Fork Town Hall promptly at 5:30 pm. Over 100 eager and hungry people, with $18 advance tickets in their hands, poured through the doors to experience the North Fork Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner & Auction. This fun and elegant event is the chamber’s largest fundraiser of the entire year. Practically all of the proceeds are used in support of the chamber’s town restoration program.

Evidence of the chamber’s contribution to town restoration can be seen throughout the community, sidewalks in the main commercial district, public trash receptacles, street lighting, and a newly upgraded information bulletin board located at the Crazy Y garden. New cement sidewalk approaches to the Information Bulletin Board and a lighting system were completed thanks to a generous donation from Frank Wyle, and the volunteer services of Hansel Kern, Zak Zakovski and several local youths. Frank Carpenter, owner of Carpenter Electric Co., offered his talents to install a lighting system that will make the information board visible at night.
Further enhancements are planned for the Main Street corridor and include signage for local services and attractions, and visitor Kiosks on the highway arteries to and from North Fork.

The Town Hall was decorated elegantly for a classy sit down dinner of superb prime rib, chicken, or a delicious vegetarian dish with all of the trimmings catered by Curtis Kirk of the Buckhorn Saloon. The efficient young servers were from the Destination Imagination students of Yosemite High School. Attractive candle & flower centerpieces adorned the dinner tables.


Dinner table service provided by YHS Destination Imagination

The dinner/auction attendees were served with garden salad, the main dish of their choice and delicious chocolate cake desserts in less than 30 minutes. Liquid refreshments were available, provided by the North Fork Squirrel Cage Theatre bar crew. Dinner music played by the Gene Larry Band added to the elegant ambiance of the evening.

From all accounts, the dinner by itself was a spectacular success, everyone commented about the delicious food, what a wonderful time they had visiting with all their friends, and not one person went home hungry.


Guests explore the silent auction table


Marigolds for silent auction

During dinner, attendees were browsing the silent auction tables anxiously writing their bids down for the various valuable gift certificates contributed by local mountain area shops, services, hotels & restaurants. A sampling of these includes Sierra Video, Raley's Supermarket, Sierra Lanes, Crab Cakes, Mountain House, and several service oriented gift certificates from local handymen, plumbers, locksmiths, and beauty salons. Other attractive items included hand painted art, gift baskets of bath & body products, model cars, bottles of wine, two cases of motor oil, sweatshirts & hats, and our now traditional flat of flowers from Western Sierra Nursery, marigolds this year instead of pansies. There were several $100 savings bonds donated by the local banks including Yosemite Bank, United Security Bank and Central Valley Community Bank. Bidding became very aggressive as Steve Cook, chamber president and the emcee for the event, announced that the bid cut off time was soon approaching.


Gift Baskets, Ceramic Pig and other Live Auction items

Live auction items were displayed prominently at the front of the stage for preview, and included a four day cruise to Baja from Cruise Adventures, three cases of CFL light fixtures and bulbs donated by North Fork Hardware, a beautiful handmade quilt by Muriel Lavelle, two original watercolor paintings by Phyllis Overstreet, a beautiful gift basket from Hair Care Plus, a River Creek golf membership from The Buckhorn Saloon, and of course the traditional ceramic pig crafted by local artisan Chris Stanley. The Pines Chalet and the Shilo Inn each donated a one night stay. Two night stays were donated by Lyn Mar Pond Guest Ranch and the North Fork Rancheria (for Sunset Station).

Tom Wheeler was again our fabulous and entertaining auctioneer as he helped make this 2008 auction a successful fundraiser for the chamber. His assistant, Steve Cook, gave us his version of Vanna White, which helped raise over $4000 by encouraging generous and active bids.

Many behind the scenes individuals help organize and put on an event of this magnitude. Thanks go out to everyone on the dinner/auction committee, including all of the chamber board directors and officers, for their contribution of contacting donors, collecting donations, organizing paperwork to manage the auctions, selling tickets and Town Hall set up and cleanup on the event day itself. Thanks also go out to all of our generous donors. Over 100 items were donated from North Fork, Bass Lake, Coarsegold, Oakhurst and Fresno businesses, as well as individuals throughout the community. All in all a fabulous evening of entertainment and dining pleasure.



© Copyright 2008 North Fork News

NFCoC Annual Dinner/Auction Fundraiser

Tom Wheeler, Auctioneer

North Fork Chamber of Commerce
Annual Dinner/Auction

Saturday, April 19, 2008 5:30pm at Town Hall

Saturday evening April 19th , The North Fork Chamber of Commerce is hosting our annual fundraiser Dinner and Auction at North Fork Town Hall. We have some fabulous items up for auction. Be prepared for a memorable evening of classy food and fun. The Buckhorn Saloon will be catering the sit down dinner with your choice of Tri Tip, Chicken or a delicious Vegetarian selection.

Pre-Sale Tickets are $18 each

(a limited number of tickets will be available for sale at the door, at $20 each)

Our Auctioneer for the evening, North Fork's own Tom Wheeler, will try his best to encourage you to dig deeply into your pockets to support the chamber's town restoration projects while entertaining you. All of your friends look forward to seeing you there.

Please put this special event on your calendar now!


Pre-sale tickets are available at North Fork Hardware and the Buckhorn Saloon on Main Street in North Fork.

Dinner/Auction Information: 877-2410




© Copyright 2008 North Fork News

Spring Forward & Dance

Almond Blossoms

Daylight Savings Time begins early this year. Remember to turn your clocks one hour ahead tomorrow at 2am….or you can change them before you go to bed tonight….

Joggin Jack attended last Thursday’s NF chamber of commerce meeting and reported back that their annual Auction Dinner Fundraiser has now turned into their annual Auction Dinner & Dance Fundraiser. So this is a new and interesting turn of events. Read about last year's Auction Dinner.

When is this new annual event going to happen this year? The date for the Auction Dinner & Dance Fundraiser has been set for Saturday April 19, 2008. I will post more details here in this blog space as the event date grows near. View the chamber of commerce Special Events list for this and other community events.



© Copyright 2008 North Fork News

Local Weather & Events Info

North Fork Foggy View

The photo above was taken last week at the 3000 ft elevation here in North Fork when it was cold, wet and foggy out there. The outlook for the coming week is predicted to be slightly warmer and slightly sunnier with sunny to partly cloudy weather predicted all week long.

I can only tell you about two community events this week as those are the only events about which I have information right now. The first one is the monthly North Fork Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting, which is scheduled for this Thursday, March 6th at 7am in the Buckhorn Saloon.

The second is the 4th Annual Young Masters Fine Art Gallery Show, which is scheduled for Saturday & Sunday March 8th & 9th in Kennedy Hall at North Fork School. Contact phone number for more information is 877-2996. From the flyer I saw, it looks like the North Fork Arts Council is supporting and/or sponsoring this event, but I am not sure of that.

Have a wonderful week everybody!




© Copyright 2008 North Fork News

North Fork News Space

Welcome to North Fork News!

This space has been created to provide our readers with information about community events, local news, business happenings, useful links, opinions and even a little gossip about our small rural town of North Fork, California.

There are three authors to this blog, all of whom have been active in local community organizations at one time or another. All three are local North Fork business owners and have served on the board of directors for the North Fork Chamber of Commerce in the past. None are currently members of that board. Please be clear that any of the postings and opinions that are written here in this blog are the personal opinions of the authors only, and are not a reflection of or associated with the community organizations in which the authors are currently members or have been members of in the past.

We welcome your visits and your comments.





© Copyright 2008 North Fork News