This topic contains 70 replies, has 14 voices, and was last updated by 
hack1of2 9 years, 1 month ago.
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WGA is best because of their members. They are the heart and soul of this association and I like that we all share our thoughts.
Following the signals from space.
2nd that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
I have never aspired to be a BOD member, nor will I ever. It used to be that contributions from the general membership were solicited and welcomed, whether it be in ideas, planning, committees, service, or anything else. I have contributed to the WGA in many capacities in the past, but in recent years I feel that the BOD is content to do a lot of things by themselves. Even with nine dedicated and hard-working members on the board, I feel that there is still the need to include regular members in a lot of what goes on. There have been empowered committees in the past, there have been sign-ups for doing certain tasks at the events, there have been event committees with BOD oversight that were member-driven.
I am more than just a voice in the drivel forum. I feel that I am a contributor and a giver whose contributions and gifts have been left under-utilized in recent years. If I am the only one who feels this way, then I will bow out of the organization and let it continue on the path it has been traveling of late. If “the WGA is best because of their members”, then let the members have some ownership in the organization. We have many talents and much to offer… Put us to work!
By the way, as per the picnic article on the main WGA page, there are NOT 125 elk in the Black River Forest. As of the end of January, there were only 17 left. An additional 39 have come from Kentucky since then, but they are currently still in quarantine, as far as I know.
Pat, I’m sorry that you feel that the WGA isn’t soliciting and welcoming help from members. I would like to respectfully disagree, though. There is no way that we could carry on all that we do with just the 9 of us board members. All of us have families, jobs that pay the bills, and since we’re the type of people that volunteer for things we all have other activities that take up our time. We have had members helping out with many of our tasks that run the organization, we have help at every event planning and during, we get help with Geo 101’s around the state, speaking with local forest organizations, with our website, and so much more. Our members are awesome! Not sure when this shift happened but we have found that when we put out cries for help in the announcements section we have gotten very few responses from people other than yourself. We so much appreciate your enthusiasm Pat, thank you! But to include more people and get more of a response we have gotten in the habit of contacting individuals directly, as well as making announcements on the website and in different Facebook groups.
As to this particular forest, we chose it for a variety of reasons. This was discussed at much length at our board meeting and for several weeks beyond in our forums. We chose this location for several reasons, based on member feedback that we have gotten. I hope that you can trust that we have the organization’s best interests at heart, even if the choices we’ve made are different from your own. One of the reasons why we didn’t choose Buckhorn is that we would like to save that location for a campout, because of the nice new campground. And just like all WGA events, we will be forming a committee of hiders so that there are caches near the event. Our members always come through.
Not all who wander are lost. -J.R.R. Tolkien
Not sure when this shift happened but we have found that when we put out cries for help in the announcements section we have gotten very few responses from people other than yourself. We so much appreciate your enthusiasm Pat, thank you! But to include more people and get more of a response we have gotten in the habit of contacting individuals directly, as well as making announcements on the website and in different Facebook groups.
Try setting up committees for the events, and ask on the website for people to serve on that. Let the committee throw around some ideas as to what to have during the events. Don’t just contact individuals directly; they tend to be people who you know personally, not unknown cachers who may live in the area of an event who would be eager to serve if they saw the call go out. Not everybody is on Facebook, and if they are, they may not be in the Facebook groups. Too much goes on in those groups that does not get seen by all of the WGA membership, and the WGA website is where the main presence for involvement needs to be.
When people are asked to do something at an event, let them do it! Don’t take over just because there is now a BOD member free to do it. When people volunteer to help out, find something for them to do instead of just saying,”Thanks, but we have everything covered.” Get people excited about upcoming events by starting a forum thread on them… not an informational one, but one for discussion as to who’s coming, who’s looking forward to what, who’s staying where…
As to this particular forest, we chose it for a variety of reasons. This was discussed at much length at our board meeting and for several weeks beyond in our forums. We chose this location for several reasons, based on member feedback that we have gotten.
Someone feel free to PM me about the specifics. I keep seeing this mentioned, but no one seems to want to share exactly what makes the BRF so much more desirable than Buckhorn. All I have seen is that there is an enclosed shelter at BRF. Who sits in the shelter all day? I know who I saw and who I didn’t see in the shelter at the most recent campout when I stopped by…
One of the reasons why we didn’t choose Buckhorn is that we would like to save that location for a campout, because of the nice new campground.
After talking to her about the picnic possibility, no one from the BOD gave the property manager at Buckhorn the courtesy of notifying her that her property was not chosen. She had to read about the decision on the WGA website (she’s a cacher). No one contacted her to say, “We like what Buckhorn has to offer, but we are going with Black River State Forest for this event. However, we would really like to consider your property for a future WGA campout.”
(BTW, the group camp facility at Buckhorn is not the best… Great new family campground near the shelter and lake, though.)
We’re looking forward to Black River. It’s an area we haven’t been to and we will probably get a chance to meet cachers that we haven’t met before.
Getting off topic here so here’s gentle reminder that this is 2016 Fall Picnic near Black River Falls, Sept. 24th. Remember this is the Picnic thread but still good stuff.
How does the BOD pick a location? Many ways and pages of discussion and conversations. Discuss started for the picnic around the annual BOD meeting and continued for weeks.
If you review the Motions you can see another location was voted down. I highly suggest Members review how the BOD works, the monies they spend and all other things by checking the Motions. Anyone wants to chat, we are all glad to do so. My email as well as all BOD are open knowledge for members and we also have a great Personal Message system here within the website. Oh yeah, reviewing our By-Laws is also valuable so we can all be held accountable.
That being said, let return to our daily scheduled conversation about how great it will be to take the WGA and you all to a new location.
Following the signals from space.
So I noticed that Cranberry Fest in Warrens is the same weekend. I’m considering camping so that I can go to Cran Fest on Sunday after the picnic. Anyone else?
Not all who wander are lost. -J.R.R. Tolkien
So I noticed that Cranberry Fest in Warrens is the same weekend. I’m considering camping so that I can go to Cran Fest on Sunday after the picnic. Anyone else?
We’re camping in site #35. They only have 35 sites and almost half are already reserved for that weekend.
The WGA Member Map is the best resource for one-on-one contacts. The listed members have put their names out to the membership in a proactive way. Please don’t waste that resource.
The BOD is right about the amount of discussion that goes into decision making. However, there is a very important item missing from the new WGA Website… Member Survey questions. It was one of the only places we could get members to help make choices in picking locations. As it is now, we can only comment AFTER we read or hear about it.
If the BODs is representing the members that put them there, then the members input is VITAL to the decision making process. Transparency by the BOD Executives is also key to keeping members informed in a timely manner.I’m glad to see some serious discussion about WGA issues, no matter what thread they are in.
Thanks for speaking up, sandlanders.
You were heard!
Used the map just the other day to put a member in touch with a radio station for a geocaching interview after they called GC HQ.
If it would be helpful, I can move these comments to a different thread so we can discuss without losing the topic here. Let me know. Planning for events occurs about 6 months in advance. Feel free to start a thread or we can do it or give us a ring…we are always available. I have spoke with many of you.
Following the signals from space.
They only have 35 sites and almost half are already reserved for that weekend.
If the campground fills up there are other nearby campgrounds
They only have 35 sites and almost half are already reserved for that weekend.
If the campground fills up there are other nearby campgrounds
True, but then we would be too far away from all of the great board members. One of the main reasons for attending.
If you want to camp and can’t get a site at Castle Mound and have to stay at a nearby campground you can still spend your time at Castle Mound and return to the other campground later!!!!!! Hopefully everyone that wants to camp gets a site but there are options!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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