@marc_54140 wrote:

…pencils to hand out as WGA PR stuff???

Yes, this was your idea from Romp in the Stomp, and we are pursuing it.

The basic idea is to have our name and web address on the pencil, give them to cachers to put into caches, and advertise the WGA in that manner. Pencils are cheap, and we are able use them to focus our advertising to potential members. It is seen as a membership growth program.

z

@Team Hemisphere Dancer wrote:

@zuma wrote:

@marc_54140 wrote:

…pencils to hand out as WGA PR stuff???

Yes, this was your idea from Romp in the Stomp, and we are pursuing it.

The basic idea is to have our name and web address on the pencil, give them to cachers to put into caches, and advertise the WGA in that manner. Pencils are cheap, and we are able use them to focus our advertising to potential members. It is seen as a membership growth program.

z

Will they be the little golfing kind? that might fit into the smaller caches easier.

yes, golf pencils.

z

I guess if I had clicked on the link and did a little searching I would have found out what WPRA is and why we are joining.

Quoted from board resolutions,

“The WGA shall obtain a 1-year membership in the WPRA (Wisconsin Park and Recreation Association) at an approximate cost of $200. This shall be considered a trial membership, and the WGA shall evaluate the benefits before renewing in 2010.”

Sounds like money well spent.

Zuma,
I have a real problem with the transparency, in fact I feel it was more towards invisibility.
There have been two lighting rod issues recently, one being the logo. Once the logo was rolled out the question became when could we have it for updating our cache pages and such. If we got an answer it was soon.
Several of the computer savvy types found work arounds but nothing for the average joe and the question would be asked again, which would be meet with hostility by members (Of the WGA and board) who were feed up or done with the issue. This went on for months (at least 6 maybe more).
During this time there was little response by the board, and what there was either riled up one side of the argument or the other. Finally one board member (you) comes out and indicates there is a one year plan for implementing the logo.
Fine, great, first problem is this was the first I had heard of it. Second problem is that if a board member had been watching those threads and post why did they elect not to mention the aforementioned plan. It would have stopped the hostility, provided an answer we were looking for.
It seems the transparency you are patting yourself on the back for accomplished little to nothing in my opinion. In fact I would say that that was the final straw for me in my decision to leave the WGA

@jerrys dad wrote:

@thepharmgirl wrote:

@hogrod wrote:

…This is just a social website nothing more, when people make and account and down return its because they have no reason to(nothing of value here) or don’t see the need for the social side of things.

…. for other “anti-social” cachers out there what does the WGA really offer?

The WGA hosts the Lonely Cache Game, which through the helpful spirit of other cachers, helps maintain caches in working order for you to find. It hosts Cache Rescue for to help minimize “geo-junk” out there in the world and lessen our impact on the environment.

The WGA hosts the picnic and campout. They are often present at other events to help educate new cachers about geocaching.

The WGA works with the WI DNR and other park officials to keep geocaching an accepted and allowed practice so that you can cache in our parks.

The WGA website has useful links such as cache hiding guidelines for certain areas. It also contains bookmark lists created by the “social network” to help find caches in a certain area or by a certain type that you may be looking for.

etc etc etc

The above came out of the canidates corners forum.

My question to that would be: If the WGA wasn’t doing these things, how much would it affect most geocachers?

Would there still be events to socialize at? (Thats rhetorical, YES there would be!)

Also how much work has been done by the WGA as a orginization, not members on their own inititive, with the DNR specifically? With what park systems? Was it done recently?

Are we anything but a social network?

Being a member, you are as much a part of this organization as anyone else is.

“The WGA is dedicated to promoting and protecting geocaching within the state of Wisconsin. The WGA organizes geocaching events, works with land owners/managers on geocaching policies, educates the public at large about geocaching, and facilitates communication between WGA members.”

I think the WGA does do all of these things well, either driven by individual members, small groups of members, the board, etc.

WGA members supporting a WGA event, worked with DNR in a state park to get permanent caches placed for ALL geocachers to find. None of these were WGA board members.

WGA members educated the public at the Cache Bash in West Bend introducing new people to the fun.

WGA members work on this website to allow you (and others) to post in the Thread Steelers forum daily to socialize and communicate with others who enjoy geocaching like you.

WGA members hold CITO events to cleanup our parks and trails helping our environment and our relationship with park and city officials.

WGA members volunteered to adopt a highway.

WGA members voluntarily review and approve your new cache listings on geocaching.com.

I would like to pose the question, Does the individual geocacher in the woods hunting a cache all by themselves HAVE to know what members of the WGA do?

Perhaps they just benefit from our organization existing because that cache they just hunted is at a State park, with permission. Perhaps that cacher is looking for a website to network and socialize and does stumble on the WGA banner when the go to log that cache. Perhaps when they log onto our website they find that there are geocaching events around the state and it is something that interests them. They may also learn that the forums provide them a place to find new friends and engage in conversations about geocaching.

I do think the WGA is much more than a social network.

Thanks for your post jerry’s dad.

(Minor edits made)

I guess I really don’t see us as an “orginization.” I’ll be the first to admit I come out here just to “socialize through the net.” I see us more as a group of individuals who do things on our own. How many of us say: Hi ____ with the WGA,” when we do things. I know I don’t. I’m representing myself and the benifits of talking to DNR wardens, the police, buisness owners and other people, benifit all but are not represented as the WGA.

I wonder if breaking the state into chapters would be the next step. The chapters could meet in their area. This would allow the chapters to meet to best asses how best to represent the WGA in its area of the state. This would also allow for more WGA events as each chapter could put on some and then the WGA as a whole could put on a event(s). I think you might be able to hold new players to the orginization as they could actually see themselves as a part of something. It would allow more help for new players who don’t have someone they know doing it by having local contacts. I know the forums are here but a new person doesn’t always want to go that route. Each area could vote a member to the Board so each part of the state could have representation. Etc…

Just throwing that out on the fly, and since my adreniline is coming down from the thought, I’ll end now!