[2 book lovers]

In my work with other organizations I have found that people respond best when asked to do a specific task for a set time frame. Last year the WGA implemented an online sign up to volunteer to work at the WGA booth running the PathTag game and for the pancake breakfast. From the volunteer side I liked the ability to sign up for a specific job and time frame. I look forward to finding out how well this worked at Cache Ba$h.

 

When expecting an unknown number of volunteers, I find it helpful to list all the various tasks and break them down into small bite sized pieces. Depending on the number of volunteers, people can work individually or in small groups to complete a task or tasks. If you have more tasks than volunteers, small groups could work on more than one together. Another option would be to have people pick a task and invite those who finish quickly to come pick another one.

 

Always, you need to thank volunteers for sharing their time and talents. People who know you genuinely appreciate their willingness to volunteer are more likely to volunteer again.

[2 book lovers]

Wow, is this a fun question to contemplate! No limits!

 

I dream of a geocaching park, centrally located in the state. In it there would be lots of trails with geocaches. (No micros in pine trees here.) It would be a place where members could place creative containers and gadget caches and know that lots of cachers would have the opportunity to find them. A shady campground would provide a resting spot for tents and campers. There would be a WGA headquarters building with a large meeting room and kitchen. Space for a store and TOTTs that could be borrowed so we don’t have to bring with our 24-foot poles or folding ladders. Next, add a makerspace with lots of tools and supplies to build gadget caches and creative containers. Classes in how to design and build gadget classes, puzzle solving and how to create earthcaches would be offered. Of course, geocaching 101 classes would be available for the public, youth groups and any other organization interested in finding out about geocaching.

 

On the more serious side, there are some things I dream about that are in the realm of possibility. Jacque Cody, of jacquendoncody, has created a great Geocaching 101 display and has traveled to many locations sharing her love of geocaching. Could this be expanded by a partnership with our State Parks to offer geocaching classes where folks get to try geocaching with an experienced volunteer? (We are currently working with the Friends of Interstate Park to host this type of event this summer for the 125th Anniversary of the park.) I would like to see more puzzle solving classes offered in different areas of the state. I have heard more than one cacher say they don’t do puzzle caches because they are too hard, or they are not good at puzzles. We have attended a couple of puzzle solving classes in Eau Claire and found them very helpful. A class on creating earthcaches is something I would love to attend. How about a gadget cache workshop at a makerspace? Then I wonder what you the WGA members dream about, what would you like to see the WGA try?

[2 book lovers]

I feel it is important to keep the rotation of events in the four quadrants of the state. This provides an opportunity for members to cache in parts of the state they may not have visited. For some traveling across the state might not be feasible, so having events come to their area in a rotation gives them the chance to attend. Having the events show up on Geocaching.com can encourage folks who are not familiar with the WGA to attend an event that is close to them and they just might join WGA.

[2 book lovers]

After settling in to the “new” routine of retirement I now have the time to devote to the WGA and it’s activities. While I will miss some of the caching time at Cache Bash, I look forward to getting to know more geocachers from around the state. I particularly enjoy getting to know folks that are new to caching. In the past we haven’t attended as many WGA events as we would have like to due to our travels and/or commitments my hubby had. I have decided I’m not sitting at home, while hubby is gone. I want to attend WGA events. I am cutting back on other volunteer activities to have the time needed to work with the WGA. I have benefited from the WGA and I feel it is time to give back to the organization that has enriched geocaching for me.

[2 book lovers]

I use Word and Excel on a daily basis for record keeping for my church as well as personal use. This includes thinges like creating spreadsheets, documents and mail merge. Teams is used multiple times a month. While I am most familiar with using them on my desk top Mac, once I have learned to navigate the log in procedures in the cloud to access the programs on the web, I don’t see that it will be much of a change. OneDrive is the only thing I am not familiar with, but hubby is and I’m happy to learn something new.

[2 book lovers]

As I mentioned in my bio I was involved with Girl Scouts for over 25 years. I worked as a leader, adult trainer, NASA Program leader and community organizer. In these various positions I learned to lead, empower others to lead and to delegate. I planned and ran programs for girls and their families for small groups to groups of over 100. In my professional life I was a librarian for over 40 years. I had to work with people from all walks of life, ages, backgrounds and skill levels. One of the skills I developed was the ability to ask questions in different ways  and then listen to their answers to determine exactly what the patron wanted or needed. I am very detail orientated.

I am an avid cacher and love geocaches of all types. We have placed over 150 caches and Adventure Lab stages. I have helped plan and host events from a coffee meet and greet, our Annual Woodland Wander event, to CITOs.

I would say my greatest weakness is delegating. Though I have learned how to delegate and ask for help, my personality type leads me to just do it myself. This can lead to taking on too much. I have to make a conscious effort to reach out to others to take on parts of a project.

I have a passion for geocaching and believe the mission of the WGA is vital to keeping geocaching vibrant and growing in Wisconsin.

[2 book lovers]

We use Teams, FaceTime and Zoom for remote meetings on a weekly basis, so I am very comfortable with this sort of communication. Same goes for email and texting. Remote communication is a very good use of time and resources.

[Author]

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