??? For candidates- Equality for all parts of the state

[Mathman]

Equality for all parts of the state As a perspective candidate, how do you envision helping cachers in ALL parts of the state? Will you or have you visited areas outside of your home area so that you are accustomed to more than two or three areas of the state? Note: I do realize that everyone has a different amount of time and resources available to them.
Thank you for your input.
Mathman, SirCumference,The Better Half & Cutie Pi

[zuma]

Regarding equality for all parts of the state:

Excellent question, Mathman!

I agree with the premise of your question, that this is the WISCONSIN Geocaching Association, not the Chippewa Valley geocaching asssocioation, or the Southeast Wisconsin Geocaching Association, or the Fox Valley Geocaching Association.

We need to do everything that we can to support geocaching and geocachers everywhere in the state, whether they be north or south, urban or rural. This is one of the reasons that in my introductory bio I proposed a series of regional camping events, spread throughout the state.

And as to your numbers question, I have cached in 69 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. And if you look at the cool map on the It’s Not About the Numbers website, you will see that I have made more than a token appearance in most counties. I know that you are partial to Marathon County, so I can tell ya that I have found 28 caches there, and will be back in the spring.

zuma

[rogheff]

I enjoy caching while I travel as I personally like to see how cachers in different areas hide their caches. It inspires me.

I make it a point to geocache on my trips. I travel a lot. On Scouting campouts (where we geocache as well) and frequent family trips, I get to see much of the state as well as Illinois and Minnesota – so I’m up in the northwestern part of the state many times each year. I’ve made it to the southwestern part of the state line twice this year.

I am fully aware that I live in a geocacher-rich part of the state. I also realize that without representation, the cachers in the western and northern parts of Wisconsin can feel left out.

I plan to take a few more detours (this is where my wife would say, “Not again!”) on my travels to visit more caches away from my home turf.

[GrouseTales]

I’ve geocached in many corners of the state. I live in the S/E, so that area goes without saying. I’ve hidden and found geocaches in the Jackson county region. I’ve hidden and owned caches in the north central part of the state, in the Oneida and Vilas county area. I’ve organized the Northwood’s first event, a breakfast in Woodruff.

I’ve attended events/campouts in the N/E, S/W, N/C, Central, W/C areas.

I actually prefer to find geocaches outside the S/E Wisconsin area.

I think the WGA equally represents all areas of the state. I do admit that good chunk of the membership lives in the major metro areas.
We may see more postings and activity from those regions, but that shouldn’t take away from other areas of the state.

The WGA should be able to represent ALL geocachers in the state.

[Team Deejay]

To be honest, most of us don’t get to other parts of the state as much as we would like. I personally think the best way to ensure the board represents all the state is to have board members from all parts of the state. At one point, I would have suggested that we modify the bylaws to mandate a certain number of board members from each region of the state. This was before I nominated numerous people from northern and central Wisconsin, all of whom apparently declined to serve (except Zuma, of course). I still think it is vitally important that the board have representatives from across the state, but if no one from those areas is willing to serve on the board, changing the by laws would just paint us into a corner. I would love to say that someone from SE Wisconsin can fully understand all the issues faced in other regions, but none of can understand these as well as the geocachers from those regions. Northern Wisconsin people, its still not too late to nominate your friends to the BOD.

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

I have traveled around the NE, NC, SE and Central parts of the state as well as a number of Other states!! I find it important to see consistency in the quality and abidance to GC.com rules, on cache placement trends, but also look for the creativity in hides and containers. I have often assisted cachers in my home area and around the state, with questions and concerns that are sent to me via e-mail.

Having traveled to a number of other states, I have seen some interesting things, which I wonder how they even got approved. I HAVE found some awesome ideas on hides and containers also. I feel it’s important to bring in new ideas, while abiding by GC.com rules. Why is this important to me??? Well….I feel it helps to retain cachers, hence retaining WGA members. Doing the same type of hide over and over again, can become discouraging to some, especially new cachers, who then can become bored and quit caching all together.

Traveling around the state, if I see something in question, I am not afraid to make a friendly, non-threatening approach to a cache owner, via e-mail, and inquire about their placement or ask questions on why they chose to do what they have. I stress the importance of proper technique in an approach. Remembering that e-mail or PM’s have no emotion or body language and often times come across very threatening when one does not mean them to.

All in all…..I enjoy visiting new areas in state and will continue to do so. Looking forward to the SW corner of things. Have not ever visited that area in the 8+ yrs I have lived in this state!

Thanks for posting the question!!

[Timberline Echoes]

What percent of cachers are north of Hwy 8?
Timberline Echoes

[cheezehead]

I was very honored when I got my notification for the BOD. But at this time, I could not give the WGA the attention it deserves. With my job,building a new house, my wife’s flower business and trying to start a family, plus being on the local RGS banquet committee, my time is already spread pretty thin. I do what ever I can to help the WGA in this area. I would like to at some time hold some sort of camp-out/event up here.

So thanks again for whomever nominated me. Sorry that I could not fulfill your request.

Cheezehead
Chris

[Cheesehead Dave]

While I would like to say I cache all over the state, unfortunately most of my caching is in a corridor between Kenosha and Green Bay. Since I live in Kenosha, it’s not as easy to take jaunts to different areas as it would be for someone who lives in Steven’s Point.

That being said, I hope when people nominated candidates for the board, they took their local cachers into consideration, especially for those who live away from the SE corner of the state.

[LightningBugs Mum]

I could get behind zuma’s idea about having smaller campouts during the year in various regions. This will bring people to areas they haven’t been before. When individuals have hosted things like this, it has worked extremely well. Should the WGA host some as well? I don’t know, but it is worth exploring. We are limited in what parks we can use for the two big events. Having multiple, smaller events would allow us to visit some of the smaller parks as well. But the people on the board can only do so much. Perhaps this would be something where we could set up regional committees to actually run the things.

Personally, I try to cache in a new part of the state a few times a year. I hope to get way up north at least once next summer.

[GeoPink]

By its very nature, working successfully with the DNR has been an obvious benefit to geocachers throughout the state.

More specifically, I would like for the WGA to be able to offer our resources to help with Education, CITO and the like. A large organization like the WGA would be able to set up a GPSr Presentation kit with the often asked for GPSr’s to educate the public about geocaching. This could benefit folks from all over WI. As geocaching grows, we will need to be proactive in educating local police and municipalities and the entire state would benefit from any efforts we take in that direction.

[Mathman]

Timberline Echoes had a great comment. Is it possible to get a map indicating where geocache members reside within the state of Wisconsin? It would be interesting to see the visual representation on a map of cacher density.

[greyhounder]

@Mathman wrote:

Timberline Echoes had a great comment. Is it possible to get a map indicating where geocache members reside within the state of Wisconsin? It would be interesting to see the visual representation on a map of cacher density.

This has already been suggested as a possible new feature! Stay tuned!

Bec

[NSLP1]

I agree that the board should be try to be made up of members from a variety of areas. We would have loved to have made it to the campout in door county last year, but it was our niece’s high school graduation that sunday so we couldn’t make it. We frequently cache when we travel, though our travells have not ventured very far north lately, but we would love to 🙂

[AuntieNae]

Looking at my geocaching patterns, I have found geocaches and participated in events pretty much on the north and south eastern sides of the state. I have also found caches and participated in events in north eastern Illinois.

I had a great time last August the week I was in Rhinelander attending a class at Nicolet college. I spent the remaining daylight hours each night finding geocaches in the area. (Then spent the wee hours of the morning doing homework.) I am looking forward to returning this summer.

Geocaching is the same but the hides do vary across the state. It would be great if we could look at the numbers of geocachers across our state and where they are located. The WGA should represent all of Wisconsin. This could mean calling upon geocachers from other areas of the state to get involved more in the WGA.

AuntieNae
Renee

[Author]

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