Something different| Super secret NOT!

[Walkingadventure]

We have a fun new activity for the picnic this year.

Have your phones on and ready to receive notification of a new cache to be published sometime during the event.

Will you be one of the FTF hounds that drops what you are doing to go for it? What if you are at the top of the tower in the middle of Goldie’s Vertigo cache?

Who will run and who will stop and just watch and laugh at the frenzy. We hope everyone enjoys the first WGA “Dash for the Cache.”

Get those notifications set!

Could this be the largest FTF ever?

“Found with a group of 100 cachers” What a great log that would make.

Following the signals from space.

[Walkingadventure]

http://www.geocaching.com/notify/edit.aspx

Following the signals from space.

[Braid Beards Gang]

Devil’s Advocate hat is now on:

There have been rumblings that people avoid the WGA and its events because they have the feeling of a high school cafeteria where all that matters is the ‘cool kids’. There are some that feel that the WGA and its membership are not very welcoming. This idea of a group FTF may be really fun and exciting idea for the picnic to the “cool kids”. Those who do not visit these forums/facebook or have notifications sent to their phones may just feel more like an outsider.

[Walkingadventure]

Good thoughts BBG.

To combat that, I have been trying to talk it up on FB, the WGA Facebook page, and here.

My perfect idea? Everyone goes at once and it is a 100 person FTF.

I definitely would like to talk to those that have the those of “exclusiveness”. A place like that stinks.

To help combat the exclusiveness, I also posted an announcement to all that had logged a Will Attend so they too would receive the message. There is no “Inside Track” that I know of.

I know I have been reaching out to those that are interested in helping out (Team Gold Rush, rawevil, etc) to find new, fresh faces to shake up things and get new people involved.

The whole discussion came out of trying to find something new to do besides Geocacher Bingo and Cool Cache Containers.

Some of our ideas will be busts, some will be great (I think the campout’s photo scavenger hunt was a success).

Following the signals from space.

[Walkingadventure]

Everyone had their comfort group they spend time with and sometimes that is cliquish. All we can do is keep trying to talk to everyone and try to make a connection with them.

Each of the WGA members should be looking to met up not only with their old friends but search out those that are new to caching/the WGA and do what we can to make them feel welcome.

I hate meeting new people. Flat out, do not like that awkward first 5 minutes of meeting a new person because for me, approaching new people is very tough. If I have a mutual friend introduce us, then I am fine but otherwise I feel awkward and think this is how most others must really feel. Being on the BOD has forced me to engage conversations and it is getting easier.

I try to remember that this is how most people must feel, too. If it is any condolence to anyone out there that feels like the outsider at the WGA functions, then I know how you feel and as President, my wish is to not have anyone walk away feeling like there weren’t a part of the bigger group.

I usually leave these events hoarse from all the talking. I hope I get to spend time with each person that comes to the event this weekend. We all have commonality. I read each event log and I hate seeing realizing there were people there I didn’t get to talk to.

My 1st geosocial event I was so nervous and didn’t know how to start conversations but luckily Whisky33 was there and started the talking, after that it went smoothly.

Anytime, ANYTIME, anyone hears this from others about not being included WGA, put me in touch with them and I’ll welcome them directly into this big ol’ family.

Following the signals from space.

[Walkingadventure]

In an attempt to be witty and drive up interest I called this thread originally Super Secret…Shhh!!!

I was trying to drum up interest. Changed title to something more appropriate.

Following the signals from space.

[silyngufy]

I plan on asking anyone around me who does not have a smart phone to come with me to the FTF dash when it gets announced. If everyone who had a smart phone could just help one person, it would be a success.

[Walkingadventure]

THAT is a great idea Lisa and just what I think would b perfect.

Following the signals from space.

[silyngufy]

It’s kind of like a “moving buddy” in Toy Story. That way no one gets left behind. Except it would be a “caching buddy”.

[Mister Greenthumb]

Just to let everyone know, this was my idea. The only secret is where the cache that Sunshine and I hid is. No one else knows. I’m not sharing the location with anyone, but for enough money it probably could be yours. I offered to make this happen as a new fun event for those who attend. I assumed that because it was announced that it was happening so that those without smart phones could possibly team up with someone who did. The coordinates will be posted shortly after publication for everyone else at the event.

[JimandLinda]

There is a special FORM to meeting new people, in any circumstance. The easiest topic for everyone is themselves!

So try this FORM and see how it works:

F-Family – married?single? kids? siblings?

O-Occupation- where do you work? what do you do there? do you like it?
how long have you worked there? what do you enjoy in retirement?

R-Recreation-Do you have any other interests besides geocaching? what
are they?

M-Message- Share some info about yourself!

FAMILY-OCCUPATION-RECREATION-MESSAGE= F.O.R.M.

Give it a try!

[Todd300]

100 person FTF? Doesn’t that happen in the Appleton area on a regular basis? 😛

[Ckayda]

My big barrier to attending the events is geography. They all (Cache Ba$h, Picnic, CITO events, the upcoming “best beginner cache in the whole universe” event etc) are all in the same basic part of the state which I suppose makes sense since that’s where most of the poppulation is but it’s a 4 1/2 hour trip one way and that’s a long way for me and I just feel very removed from it all…Out of sight…Out of mind.

I can totally understand people gravitating toward who they know especially if it’s people that they don’t get to see very often. I would be the exact same way.

I’m hoping to make it to the “Cache Ba$h” next year and I do have one friend in the area who goes every year so I know I’ll have at least one person to cling to if the big scary popular people try to push me around. I’m trying to keep my schedule open for it but….we’ll see.

[sandlanders]

Ckayda, you just happened to get into geocaching at a tough time. The WGA campout (May) and WGA picnic (September) rotate locations around the state, and this year the picnic happens to be in the Milwaukee area. It was near Crivitz last year, and in the past it has been as close to Eau Claire as Lake Wissota SP and Brunet Island SP. Last year the campout was at Interstate SP northwest of you.

West Bend is not an official WGA event, although Sunday’s pancake breakfast held on that same weekend at that same location is. The fall and spring CITO events to clean up the WGA-sponsored section of Highway 10 happen to be in the eastern part of the state, but CITO events can be held anywhere at any time of the year, although most are around Earth Day in April.

Just keep checking for local events near you, or ones you can get too without too much hassle, and you will soon find that you will get to know people, and maybe quite a few more in those smaller settings than you would at a larger event. And by participating in the WGA forums, people are getting to know you (and you, them), so when you meet other cachers for the first time, you have common ground right away.

“Hey… Ckayda? I’ve seen your name in the WGA forums! Great to meet you in person!” … That will happen more than you think. 😉

[BeccaDay]

I’ve heard that devil’s advocate story a time or two and it really surprises me. I haven’t been around that long and I’ve always had good experiences with the WGA. My first WGA event I only knew 2 people there, and I barely knew them! I had a bunch of people talk to me, a few gave me plates because I’d forgotten some, I cached with a few people I’d never met before. Anyway, it’s too bad if people are feeling that way. Anyone who is feeling out of place can feel free to come and talk to me.

Thanks for the update on how we move around the big events, Sandlanders. This year’s events were in the southern two quad’s so next year’s events will be in the northern quads.

Not all who wander are lost. -J.R.R. Tolkien

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