Forums Geocaching in Wisconsin General A hypothetical Northern WI. situation (Superior event?)

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  • #1729443

    This is a copy and paste of HC’s question in the candidates corner. The candidates can answer the question there. Current board members can answer the question here, as the Candidate Forum is for candidates only.

    HC asked:

    A handful of WGA members form the Superior area has asked the WGA for help in organizing a WGA Regional Camp-out/ Pancake feed at Patterson Park,just south of Superior, WI.

    #1- Would you attend this event?

    Since the WGA is literally unknown in this part of the state.
    (Writer Guild of America,Western Governors Assoc.,Western Growers Assoc., WI Grocers Assoc., WI Golfers Assoc.) You ask a cacher if they know what the WGA is and they give you this look. Confused

    #2a- How would you help promote this event and educate local cachers non-geocachers of the WGA?

    #2b- The idea of placing a few small news paper ads in a few of the local papers was brought up to help promote this event. Should the WGA help pay for the ads?

    #3 Should WGA equipment (such as grills and such) be made available for this event?

    #4 Do you believe that a WGA regional event(camp-out/picnic) should be held at least once a year north of highway 64?

    Thank you for your answers.

    #1920673

    Ummmm ok…. I should have added that this just hypothetical. There are no plans that I know of.

    #1920674

    Hummm….nothing loaded about this question. It’s I guess a good thing I’m not “required” to answer this one.

    #1920675

    For reference purposes, here is a cut and paste of the Regional Event Policy:

    Whereas the Wisconsin Geocaching Association is interested serving the interests of geocachers everywhere within the state of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Geocaching Association would like to encourage the development of regional WGA events. Therefore the WGA has developed the following policy to define regional WGA events and outline rules regarding how they are approved and executed.

    1. All regional WGA events need to be approved by a majority vote of the WGA Board of Directors. Approved regional events shall be allowed to use the WGA name and logo in advertising and in the cache page listing. Regional events must include “WGA” or “Wisconsin Geocaching Association” in the event name, with the remainder of the name dependent on the event location and nature of the event. The words “campout” and “picnic” cannot be used in the name of the event.

    2. WGA regional events can be held any time during the year desired, except during the month of May and the month of September (to avoid conflicts with the existing state-wide WGA events).

    3. WGA regional events must include at least one Board of Director member in the planning of the event (a Board member sponsor). The chief planner does not need to be a member of the Board of Directors, but should be an individual trusted by the Board to plan an event in the best interests of the WGA and geocachers in their region.

    4. Regional events shall be allowed to use any and all existing WGA equipment for the event, with the event organizers responsible for transport.

    5. Regional events will be listed on geocaching.com using the Wisconsin Geocaching Association user account. The Board member sponsor will be responsible for creating the event cache listing and will handle all updates to it. Regional events shall conform to all the guidelines set forth for WGA events by the WGA Board of Directors.

    6. Requests for WGA regional events can be made by any WGA member by submitting a written proposal to the Board of Directors. (Submissions can be made electronically via email or private message to any Board member.) Required information in a WGA regional event proposal include:

    – Date of event
    – Location of event
    – Description of event
    – Estimated attendance
    – Board member sponsor(s)
    – Names of other WGA members helping with the event
    – Necessary equipment or promotional support (GPS download equipment, online registration system, nametags, mention in email newsletter, etc.)
    – A budget of all anticipated expenses for the event (see below)

    7. Those planning a WGA regional event will submit a proposed budget for the event as part of the written proposal. The budget should describe any anticipated use of WGA funds in detail. WGA funds may be requested for things like shelter reservations and supplies; however it is not necessary that this be done. Smaller regional events that have no expenses or do not wish to use WGA funds may note this in their proposal in lieu of a formal budget. All funds collected at any WGA regional event will be forwarded to the WGA Treasurer for placement in the general WGA fund.

    8. Proposals for WGA regional events must be made at least 4 weeks in advance, and ideally 8 weeks in advance, of the proposed event date. Proposals for events scheduled in less than 4 weeks from the submission date will not be considered for approval. The Board reserves the right to not consider proposals submitted less than 8 weeks prior to the date of the event.

    9. Organizers and planners of WGA regional events will be asked to submit a short summary after the event. This post event debriefing should include what went well, what could have gone better, how many people attended, what lessons were learned for next time, and how WGA goals were furthered by the event. The post event debriefing should also include a final accounting of expenses and revenue from all sources if WGA funds were used.

    #1920676

    Yes, of course the WGA would support a regional event in Superior, as long as it met the requirements of regional events as posted above.

    In fact, we have discussed having one of our big events at Patterson, since Patterson has one of the best shelters in the state and decent camping, and it may happen at some point. The biggest issue would be marketing the event, since it would be a 6 hour drive for the majority of our members.

    Take a look at the north coords for our 4 events of the past year:

    Lake Wissota N 44° 57.609

    High Cliff N 44° 09.899

    Wausau CITO N 44° 57.157

    West Bend N 43° 26.005

    If you look at the facts, 3 of our 4 events of the past year were quite a bit north of our population center, which is probably close to West Bend. So if anyone has a right to complain about the location of our events, it would be those folks south of N 43, which are quite a few. We do plan to move the events around the state, and the next event is way south, at Bong.

    There really is no way to make everyone happy with site selection, but we do try to take into consideration all members. Also, I should add the goal of having more smaller regional events was so that we could have events in the far corners of the state.

    zuma

    #1920677

    I’d be for a Superior event. In summer. 🙂

    In regards to WGA regional events, we contimplated turning our Great Northwoods Gathering event into a Regional event. Once we read all the guidelines and what we’d ahve to adhere too, we realized, it would no longer be our event – it would be a WGA dictated event and we would be merely the grunts doing the work. Needless to say, we dismissed the thought as quickly as it came and will not entertain the idea again.

    It might be great for an area like Superior that may not have the resources or experience or the people to pull off an event. I understand the need for the guidelines for hosting a WGA regional event, but I personally find them to be choke hold on an individuals freedom when it comes to planning and running their event if the want the WGA’s help.

    I’d be curious on others thoughts on this.

    #1920678

    AstroD,
    I just read and re-read the guidelines and I don’t see any stifling restrictions that might be considered a choke-hold.

    The sentence that states “The Board member sponsor will be responsible for creating the event cache listing and will handle all updates to it.” probably isn’t as restrictive at it sounds. I’m sure that the event host would be allowed to create the cache page description, but it would need to be OKed and submitted by the BOD sponsor. I hope a current BOD member will correct me if i’m wrong.

    There were BOD members in attendance at the Wausau CITO event. They not only helped set up everything at the shelter, at least one stuck around until the end to sweep and mop the shelter floor, wipe tables and clean up the food serving area.

    #1920679

    @zuma wrote:

    Yes, of course the WGA would support a regional event in Superior, as long as it met the requirements of regional events as posted above.

    In fact, we have discussed having one of our big events at Patterson, since Patterson has one of the best shelters in the state and decent camping, and it may happen at some point. The biggest issue would be marketing the event, since it would be a 6 hour drive for the majority of our members.
    Is it not that far of a drive to the southern events for those who live in this area?
    Take a look at the north coords for our 4 events of the past year:

    Lake Wissota N 44° 57.609

    High Cliff N 44° 09.899

    Wausau CITO N 44° 57.157

    West Bend N 43° 26.005

    I’m sorry, but that may seem North to you but that is central WI. N 45° & N 46° is NORTHERN WI.

    If you look at the facts, 3 of our 4 events of the past year were quite a bit north of our population center, which is probably close to West Bend. So if anyone has a right to complain about the location of our events, it would be those folks south of N 43, which are quite a few. We do plan to move the events around the state, and the next event is way south, at Bong.

    There really is no way to make everyone happy with site selection, but we do try to take into consideration all members. Also, I should add the goal of having more smaller regional events was so that we could have events in the far corners of the state.

    zuma

    #1920680

    In know this isnt Superior but what about Interstate Park, Its about an hour south of Superior and could be a great spot for an event.

    I dont know enough about Superior to suggest location. I have only done 1 cache in that area, but theere maybe great locations that could be suggested

    #1920681

    @kansas64 wrote:

    In know this isnt Superior but what about Interstate Park, Its about an hour south of Superior and could be a great spot for an event.

    I dont know enough about Superior to suggest location. I have only done 1 cache in that area, but theere maybe great locations that could be suggested

    Yes, this would also be a great park for an event.
    Patterson was used as an Example!
    ZUMA PLEASE CHANGE THE HEADING OF THIS THEAD!!!!!!!

    My original heading did not read Superior Event!

    And don’t forget Amnicon Falls State Park or Copper Falls State Parh

    #1920682

    i tend to agree with cheezehead on this one… you still have 160 miles from Wausau to Ashland and 150 from Lake Wissota to Superior. It’s also 160 miles from Madison to Wausau… so there still really hasn’t been a WGA event in the northern 1/3 of the state (and that’s being generous… technically Wausau is about 55% of the distance from the southern border to Lake Superior).

    I’d be satisfied with the BOD contacting members planning events in the northern half of the state and reach out with assistance in creating a WGA Regional Event instead of expecting them to come to the WGA for help. I grew up in the very northern part of the state so i tend to travel up there for family quite frequently, and the majority of the cachers up there don’t even realize there is a state association… those that do don’t participate due to it being a “southern thing.”

    #1920683

    what would you like the heading changed to?

    z

    #1920684
    Trekkin and Birdin
    Participant

      Well, you could keep the thread title, you know….there was an effort back in the 60s and 70s to break away and make the UP and northern Wisconsin “Superior, the 51st State.”

      Trekkin’ owned a t-shirt. Mr. TE might, too. 😉

      #1920685

      @uws22 wrote:

      …and the majority of the cachers up there don’t even realize there is a state association…

      You don’t need to live in the north for that….lots of folks right here down south in the geocache drop zone have never heard of the organization.

      #1920686

      When I read the thread name I thought it was a discussion on an event that thought it was better than the other events.

      Now back on topic.. to speak to zuma’s defense (something I don’t do all that often) he was just trying to show that this past year’s WGA events have not all been close to our calculated membership geographic “center” (like they were in the past) which I think has benefited many members out there. Now we just need to spread our wings a bit more…

      A regional WGA sponsored event would be a great start.

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