Sec Form 13D Filing - Lepard Lawrence Ward filing for Rise Gold Corp. (RYES) - 2019-09-05

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No.   )*

            Rise Gold Corp.      

(Name of Issuer)

      Common Stock      

(Title of Class of Securities)

         76760R100        

(CUSIP Number)

Lawrence W. Lepard

211 Grove Street

Wellesley, Massachusetts 02482

          (617) 462-8224       

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

         August 19, 2019      

(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§ 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box.  o

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act.

SCHEDULE 13D

*   Includes 8,118,750 shares of Common Stock underlying currently exercisable options and warrants.

** Based on a total of 220,459,647 shares of Common Stock outstanding on August 29, 2019.

SCHEDULE 13D

*   Includes 4,300,000 shares of Common Stock underlying currently exercisable warrants.

** Based on a total of 220,459,647 shares of Common Stock outstanding on August 29, 2019.

SCHEDULE 13D

*   Includes 4,300,000 shares of Common Stock underlying currently exercisable warrants.

** Based on a total of 220,459,647 shares of common stock outstanding on August 29, 2019.

Item 1.

Security and Issuer.

The name of the issuer is Rise Gold Corp., a Nevada corporation (“Issuer”), which has its principal executive offices at Suite 650, 669 Howe Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6C 0B4. This report relates to the Issuer’s class of common stock without par value (“Common Stock”).

Item 2.

Identity and Background.

(a):

This Schedule 13D has been jointly filed by Lawrence W. Lepard, EMA GARP FUND, LP (the “Fund”), and EMA GARP GP, LLC (the “GP”). Each party filing the Schedule 13D is also referred to herein as a “reporting person.”  The GP is the general partner of the Fund. Mr. Lepard is the sole member and manager of the GP.

(b):

The address of each of the reporting persons is 211 Grove Street, Wellesley, Massachusetts 02482.

(c):

The Fund’s principal business is investing in securities. The GP’s principal business is providing investment management for the Fund. Mr. Lepard’s principal business is acting as manager of the GP and providing investment management for the Fund.

(d):

During the last five years none of the reporting persons has been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors).

(e):

During the last five years, none of the reporting persons has been a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction that resulted in their being subject, either currently or in the past, to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.

(f):

Mr. Lepard is citizen of the United States. The GP is a Delaware limited liability company. The Fund is a Delaware limited partnership.

Item 3.

Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.

On August 19, 2019, Mr. Lepard purchased a total of 4,000,000 units (“Units”) from the Issuer in a private placement for C$0.07 per Unit (the “Placement”). In the Placement, each Unit consisted of one share of Common Stock and one-half warrant to buy Common Stock, with each whole warrant having an exercise price of C$0.10 per share and a term of three years. The aggregate purchase price of the Units was C$280,000. Mr. Lepard used his personal funds to pay for the Units.

On August 19, 2019, the Fund purchased a total of 5,000,000 Units from the Issuer in the Placement. The aggregate purchase price of the Units was C$350,000. The Fund used its working capital to pay for the Units.

As a result of these purchases, the reporting persons each acquired beneficial ownership of more than 5% of the class of Common Stock.

Item 4.

Purpose of Transaction.

The reporting persons purchased the Units for investment purposes. Following the purchase of the Units, Mr. Lepard was appointed as a director of the Issuer on August 22, 2019. The reporting persons intend to influence the policies of the Issuer with a goal of maximizing the value of the Common Stock.

As of the date hereof, and except as otherwise disclosed herein, the reporting persons do not have any plans or proposals which relate to or would result in:

(a)

The acquisition by any person of additional securities of the Issuer, or the disposition of securities of the Issuer;

(b)

An extraordinary corporate transaction, such as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries;

(c)

A sale or transfer of a material amount of assets of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries;

(d)

Any change in the present board of directors or management of the Issuer, including any plans or proposals to change the number or term of directors or to fill any existing vacancies on the board;

(e)

Any material change in the present capitalization or dividend policy of the Issuer;

(f)

Any other material change in the Issuer's business or corporate structure;

(g)

Changes in the Issuer's charter, bylaws or instruments corresponding thereto or other actions that may impede the acquisition of control of the Issuer by any person;

(h)

Causing a class of securities of the Issuer to be delisted from a national securities exchange or to cease to be authorized to be quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system of a registered national securities association;

(i)

A class of equity securities of the Issuer becoming eligible for termination of registration pursuant to section 12(g)(4) of the Act; or

(j)

Any action similar to any of those enumerated above.

The reporting persons may purchase, sell or transfer Common Stock beneficially owned by them from time to time in public transactions depending on economic considerations. Any such transactions may be effected at any time or from time to time subject to any applicable limitations imposed on the sale of the Common Stock by applicable law.

Item 5.

Interest in Securities of the Issuer.

(a) – (b)

As of the date of this report, Mr. Lepard beneficially owns a total of 21,707,500 shares of Common Stock, which is 9.5% of the class of Common Stock as calculated in accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Fund

and the GP each beneficially own a total of 11,620,000 shares of Common Stock, which is 5.2% of the class as calculated in accordance with Rule 13d-3.

Rule 13d-3 provides, in part, that shares are deemed to be beneficially owned by a person if the person has the right to acquire the shares (for example, upon exercise of an option or warrant) within 60 days. In computing the percentage ownership of any person under Rule 13d-3, the amount of shares outstanding is deemed to include the number of shares beneficially owned by such person (and only such person) by reason of these acquisition rights. As a result, the percentage of outstanding shares of the person does not necessarily reflect a person’s actual ownership or voting power with respect to the number of shares actually outstanding. The Issuer currently has a total of 220,459,647 shares of Common Stock outstanding.

All of the shares of Common Stock listed in the table below are currently beneficially owned by Mr. Lepard. In the table, the 7,320,000 shares held by the Fund and the 4,300,000 sha res underlying warrants held by the Fund are also beneficially owned by the Fund and the GP.

(1)

Voting and dispositive power held solely by Mr. Lepard

(2)

Voting and dispositive power shared by Mr. Lepard and his children

(3)

Voting and dispositive power shared by Mr. Lepard, the GP and the Fund

(c)

During the last 60 days, the reporting persons acquired the following equity securities of the Issuer in addition to those described in Item 3:

On July 3, 2019, the Fund purchased a total of 1,000,000 Units from the Issuer in the initial closing of the Placement. The aggregate purchase price for the Units was C$70,000.

Between August 1 and August 20, 2019, Mr. Lepard purchased a total of 1,350,000 shares of Common Stock on behalf of the individual retirement accounts of his three children in open market purchases on the OTCQB Market at prices ranging from $0.05345 to $0.072 per share and at an average price per share of $0.0647. The total amount paid for these shares was $87,408.

On August 21, 2019, the Issuer granted Mr. Lepard options (the “Options”) to purchase 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock. The Options have an exercise price of C$0.07 and a term of five years. The Options were granted to Mr. Lepard as incentive compensation for his service as a director of the Issuer. Mr. Lepard did not give any separate consideration for the grant of the Options.

(d)

No person other than the reporting persons has the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the securities beneficially owned by the reporting persons.

(e)

Item 5(e) is not applicable.

Item 6.

Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships With Respect to Securities of the Issuer.

The information provided in Items 3, 4 and 5 is incorporated by reference in its entirety in this Item 6.

Item 7.

Material to be Filed as Exhibits.

The parties have entered into a Joint Filing Agreement dated September 3, 2019, which is attached as Exhibit “A” to this filing.

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this report is true, complete and correct.

Dated:  September 5, 2019

 /s/ Lawrence W. Lepard

   Lawrence W. Lepard

EMA GARP FUND, LP

By EMA GARP GP, LLC as General Partner

By:  /s/ Lawrence W. Lepard

Lawrence W. Lepard

Manager of EMA GARP GP, LLC

EMA GARP GP, LLC

By:  /s/ Lawrence W. Lepard

Lawrence W. Lepard

Manager

EXHIBIT “A”

JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

In accordance with Rule 13d-1(k) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the parties named below agree to the joint filing on behalf of each them of a statement on Schedule 13D (including amendments thereto) with respect to the shares of Common Stock of Rise Gold Corp., a Nevada corporation, and further agree that this Joint Filing Agreement be included as Exhibit “A” to such Schedule 13D. In evidence thereof, the undersigned hereby execute this agreement this 3^rd day of September, 2019.

 /s/ Lawrence W. Lepard

   Lawrence W. Lepard

EMA GARP FUND, LP

By EMA GARP GP, LLC as General Partner

By:  /s/ Lawrence W. Lepard

Lawrence W. Lepard

Manager of EMA GARP GP, LLC

EMA GARP GP, LLC

By:  /s/ Lawrence W. Lepard

Lawrence W. Lepard

Manager