If the WGA were to have a community service project what would it be?
There are many possibilites that we haven’t yet begun to explore. In addition to WGA CITO events like the one I organized and led (yes, it’s true, we held a very successful official WGA CITO event), we can reach out to introduce new segments of the population to geocaching.
For example, every Sunday evening during the winter months (except for Super Bowl Sunday), I volunteer as a ski guide for blind skiers at Sunburst. During the summer months, there are many blind and visually impaired people who would love to participate in outdoor activities, and I would like to see the WGA get involved in guiding them on geocache hunts. After all, most of us know that the best parts of geocaching are the walks in the woods and the social interaction, so the blind can take part in that as well. Additionally, GPS devices for the blind are available and the WGA could be a trend-setter among all geocaching organizations by reaching out to the blind to guide them on geocache hunts.
The WGA should consider leading groups of inner city kids on geocache hunts. These could be arranged as school field trips or through Boys Clubs and Girls Clubs. This would not only be great for the kids, it would also be educational and fulfilling for the WGA members who participate.
We can also take part in getting the WGA known as an environmental group by participating in “green” geocaching events such as those at the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee and with environmental groups in communities throughout the state. Such events would not only increase awarness of our organization, it might also help our members think about how they can practice more eco-friendly geocaching by car pooling, walking, or biking to find caches.
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