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Dates of March 5-6, 19-20, 26-27 and April 9-10, 16-17, 30 – May 1 work. (if elected)
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
Thanks to everyone for taking measures to assist in this issue. Unfortunately loss of things like this do happen and following this policy will be good for everyone when handling money.
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
01/27/2016 at 10:41 am in reply to: Candidate Question | Enlisting the help of the Membership #2046539How do you view the members of the WGA general membership? To me, it’s a website driven membership which promotes opportunities for geocachers and geocaching.
How would you as a BOD member promote and utilize their talents to benefit the entire organization and its goals? In 2008 I joined the WGA, but did not really become involved until a few years later. Any organization is only as good as it’s members make it. It was an email/phone call from Walking Adventure to ask me to hide the Big Bay State Park Series cache that started me on the path to volunteering to assist the WGA.
Considering this question and keeping WGA “relevant” in the age of social media developments to me means an even greater emphasis on making personal contacts with face-to face meetings and contact through phone calls. Personal contacts with WGA members and potential members is the way to keep relevancy to spread the word and keep the WGA active in Wisconsin and our borders. We can view all of our WGA members to become potential volunteers or more active participants, just as we can view all “Muggles” as potential “Geocachers.” How do you convert a muggle to a geocacher? Don’t you have to take them under your guidance and take them caching? We can do the same for our fellow geocachers and give them some WGA guidance and listen to them to keep relevant to what they want the WGA to do for them.
After getting into the “Candidate Forums” on-line, I saw this was a great way to introduce me to another aspect of the WGA website and of course the future change coming to the WGA Board. So, an idea came to my mind, why not take the WGA Forums in person out to the state as a series of new events. Schedule special relevant events in each of the WGA regions, perhaps focusing where the concentration of WGA members lie within that area. This would take some early notification and talking it up for success. There could be several in a region hosted by a local BOD member of other WGA member and perhaps have “themes” to benefit the entire WGA. The following are only examples:
Social Media theme – Facebook in Person with the WGA
Listening theme – Meet and Greet Your WGA BOD
Recruitment theme – Bring a Muggle to the WGA?
Connecting with the WGA website – WGA Live on the WEB
The forum themes could be endless. It may also be beneficial to have a short write-up of the results posted to the WGA website to keep the energy going of these themes, and keeping them active with the on-line forum format.Surveys or personal interviews with cachers could be done at all WGA events for in-person response to these relevant themes as well. Especially at the well-established Spring and Fall events, West Bend Cache Ba$h, etc.
Another idea would be to circulate WGA Laminated Business cards in geocaches. Any WGA member could do this for the emphasis of promoting the WGA. WGA member cache hiders do this electronically with the WGA logo weblink on the cache page. Let’s take this another step to a contact through the hardcopy avenue. I have picked up the WGA card at an event, but the WGA could reach more cachers via the physical cache opportunity.
Is there another State type of series the WGA could promote similar to the State Park Series and ask members to hide caches? State Forests? State Trails? The WGA is becoming more visible and active with our state partner – the WDNR. This is just another way to promote the WGA and our partnership.
Can we develop other partnerships within Wisconsin Counties? Can we foster partnerships with Federal agencies –Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and the US Fish and Wildife?
Of course, any ideas are only as good as the WGA members have time to participate. However, an organization is only as good as it’s ACTIVE members. So let’s get ACTIVE – GET OUT THERE!
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
I had a regular cell phone then went to a smartphone, sharing a data plan to ease the monthly expense. When my GPS 450t Garmin went down and out, it was an excellent back up. These phones of course only work as well as the connection. They aren’t for everyone and for everywhere. However, in their favor, I see the WGA may have a greater chance of attracting new members who already have a smartphone as their only phone of choice, to encourage them to use the geocaching.com app and start their caching adventures. To cache with a smartphone would only be one major purchase, not both a phone and a GPS.
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
I’m not taking a position to choose either one at this point. I was thinking of adding Ted and Bernie and make it a 2016 Election Cache Series? LOL
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
I think the WGA website provides a great service to Wisconsin Cachers. The site had a makeover within this last year to improve the delivery to us. Volunteers who have undoubtedly spent many hours of their time to recreate this great tool are to be commended. I believe the WGA can not be the answer for all things. For better or worse, social media has certainly changed many ways of communication.
Perhaps members of the WGA can take a more active role to “talk up the WGA to other cachers.” It’s up to all of us to suggest new ways of doing things if the current format doesn’t meet our needs. As a potential Board Member, I don’t have the technical skill, but through synergy from all WGA members, perhaps new ideas could be found. Maybe some new social media is just around the corner?
However, can the WGA be a part of this? of course, and they are. Several of us had a discussion at the WGA Chili Feed last Saturday about this very topic. My understanding of this conversation was the WGA Facebook page is there and useable. From this discussion I learned the WGA cannot become a Group Facebook page. There are several Cacher Facepage Groups out there who seem to be using this media for the purpose of what was mentioned which WGA was doing in the past. Do we know if these Cacher Facepage Groups ignore the WGA website and just do their own thing? Do we know how to change the WGA website in other ways to accomplish what the Groups are doing? or use another social media form? Is it a function we want the WGA to be able to do?
Basically I’m answering the question with more questions! I think this topic needs more discussion and identification of what the members need and want from their WGA .
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
The final one would be a “Cemetery Cache.”
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
Green is my favorite color, so I favor being a Balsam Fir. I and the Balsam Fir live “Up North”. In winter the Balsam Fir are ‘capped’ with snow and I know my hair color would match the cap of snow on the balsam!
I hope my self – my tree can be bendable under a load, shake it off, and keep on standing strong. My self – my tree can also grow among others. A canopy and/or shadow of leaves does not deter the growth. My self – my tree are evergreen – color lasting no matter the season or reason.
I love the hike in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest to cut your own Christmas Tree which of course is the Balsam Fir – the most fragrant of trees and wreaths. The Balsam Fir – my spirit tree.
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
01/19/2016 at 9:05 pm in reply to: CANDIDATE QUESTION|What is your relationship with the WGA? #2046273I have been an member since 2008, but not too active until 2011. Love retirement with more time to cache and spend more time poking around the WGA webpage.
Since the April 2013 Campout at Interstate Park I have attended about 9 WGA events (3 spring campouts, 3 Pancake breakfasts at West Bend Cache Ba$h, and 3 others GIFF, Fall Picnic and the recent Chili Feed) I’ve volunteered to hide 3 State Park Series Caches. Good things must come in 3’s?
I have never used the forums until answering a forum on “selifies” and the numerous Candidate Questions! This is a new feature that has been a very interesting form of communication among WGA members. I just had to learn to use notepad instead of word. I’m going to be exploring the WGA Facebook page and prepare and answer to Trekkin and Birdin Forum soon.
Other WGA Things: I’ve played the Lonely Cache Game last year and found this an interesting challenge. Next, I would like to do a Cache Rescue. In the past I have contributed a few articles for the webpage. My 2015 Fall Picnic Racer is now in Paris, France and it was retrieved today. Race on!
The NEXT BIG WGA thing would be elected as a Board of Director member.
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
Last August I made a geocaching pligrimage to the Geocaching Headquarters and attended the last Block Party in Seattle, WA. It was a bit overwhelming at times with the number of people who converged together for this Mega Event, but on the other hand it was wonderful to see the fun created in a family friendly and open-armed welcome to the caching world. There were lines to do lab caches, lines for the booths, lines for the t-shirts, etc., without any discouraging words heard. Everyone was smiling throughout the weekend.
Although the WGA Events are much smaller in scale to this experience, there is the same family friendly, welcoming atmosphere. WGA Cachers have become a Family of friends for me. This is what the WGA has provided for me and I hope to continue this as a Board Member.
I appreciate the efforts of the WGA to reach out to all areas of the state to foster geocaching. I think this role in the future will become even stronger. Rotation within the state for events, was a purposeful way of outreach for the WGA to all areas of the State. Continuing WGA efforts like this in the future perhaps will be another part of what will continue to grow in new ways. I hear perhaps Wisconsin State Trails and/or Forests could be highlighted like our State Park Series. Keeping the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as a partner is also critical to these types of future ideas.
I also think efforts to reach out to the caching world through social media is part of the WGA role. Looking for future opportunities is critical to keep up with the trends, especially in the world of technology. I see the Geocaching.com educational videos on “How to Cache” are using data phones instead of GPS receivers. For us “older cachers” forums and presentations are helpful to keep us up-to-date. Although I know, just ask a 10 year-old or younger for help! Education is a role I see as a huge part of the WGA.
Cache On!
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
After receiving the nomination and thinking this over, the decision wasn’t too difficult. I was attending several WGA events over the last three years and decided I could contribute at least two years of my time and energy to “give back” to the WGA. Another reason for saying yes, was my location in the Lake Superior Northwoods Biome. My location may give a “statewide” perspective to the Board of Directors. That perspective was discussed at bit at the WGA Chili Feed last Saturday at Waukesha with some of the cachers I visited with. For example, to be able to find 10-20 caches “Up North” is at least over a 50 mile one- way drive, as compared to traveling 5 miles to get the same number of “city” caches. Definitely the number of cachers and cache hiders is concentrated in the city areas compared to rural areas. Not saying I would like to see the Northwoods concentrated with caches every .10 of a mile, but I’m trying to provide perspective that caching takes a bit of time and mileage that those of us “Up North” face when caching. I am also saying I am committed to make the drive and very willing to drive to serve on the Board of Directors. Perhaps by being on the BOD I can directly recruit more cachers to join the WGA and put out more caches “in da woods!” eh? (I’m almost a Yooper, you know being at Washburn, WI which is only 50 miles from Ironwood, MI and Da UP, eh?)
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
Well shoot! I took the old Giver – Taker and not the new spin of Hider – Finder. So I best submit a new response. I’m still a Libra, so I’m balanced as a Hider and Finder.
Hider — I do enjoy putting on an events from Flash Mobs, CITOs, and the regular types. It’s fun to see who comes and from how far away. It’s always a pleasure to meet new cachers and introduce ‘muggles’ to caching. It was fun to place and be trail/boss for 3 WGA State Park Hides in the Lake Superior North Woods Region and to put out over 20 new hides for the 2015 WGA Fall Picnic at Pattison Park and a Campfire Event. I felt a bit of self-pressure to meet high standards for caches similar to others I have found at other WGA Events by other WGA cachers. Not too hard, but not too easy with a variety of caches. It seems Pattison’s Easiest Multi became a hit with Team Northwoods who placed a picture of the cache on the Geocacher Hiders Facebook Page. Lastly, to my surprise, my first historic series was awarded a WGA Cache-of-the-Month and I barely knew what I was doing! I still need to update the historic cache pages with pictures, now that Timberline Echoes showed me how to post them.
Finder — I try to have “geocaching goals” every year. Last year I was finishing 365 calendar days (366 this year Feb. 29th!) and the Fizzy grid. This year I’ll work on challenges, Jasmer grid, finding some old state caches, a few other state finds, and all WGA State Park Series caches – only 32 more to go! Having goals keeps me focused and takes me to new places in and out of Wisconsin.
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
Last May, I was asked by the Cable Natural History Museum to fill-in for one of their departed naturalists who was scheduled to instruct an Intro to Geocaching class. It’s one thing to go geocaching, but quite another to explain and instruct others how to do it in 2 hours time! I had to coordinate with the Cable Natural History Museum and the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center at Ashland to put this together. Initially I sought the help of Wandering Tracks, as they introduced me to geocaching. (What goes around comes around!)
Then I set up an Event – “Muggle Minglings” before the class and used this as a vehicle to ask for help from other geocachers. Timberline Echoes and Kantender stepped up to assist. Putting out 8 new hides for geocachers was another incentive to attract other cachers to help with the class, as they could claim an event and potentially FTF on new caches.
As it turned out, there were about 20 students, including a group of Girl Scouts. After a classroom session, we all went out to locate 5 pre-set caches I put out using the GPS units the Cable Natural History Museum supplied. After working out some bugs with the receivers, we were actually making progress with finding the caches.
With the assistance of Wandering Tracks, Timberline Echoes and Kantender, it turned out so well, I was asked to coordinate another Intro to Geocaching. However, this next class will be through the Chequamegon Bay Birding Festival, May 19, 2016, once again at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center. Wandering Tracks will again be a huge help with this. I sure learned what works and what could be improved upon for this next adventure! If anyone else is interested in helping, give me a holler. I’m also planning on setting out new caches for the event.
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
Upon moving to Washburn quite a few years ago, I joined with three other active people to organize and incorporate an organization called the Bay Area Active Sports Alliance. The “rah-rah” idea was to hold a variety of silent sports outings in the Chequamegon Bay Area for year-round activities. This was for non-competitive and family-oriented silent sports activities for all levels of ability. Our activities included hiking, snowshoeing, xc skiing, canoeing, kayaking, biking, and having candle-light skis, snowshoes and hikes, to name a few. We provided an avenue for new people to the area to meet others and learn about the Bay Area. We developed a newsletter which later developed to email communication. We also supported other silent sports organizations monetarily and cooperatively. We put on an Expo for Silent Sports at Ashland’s Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center for three years.
I was involved for 10 years with this until I stepped down from a leadership role. My enthusiasm held up the group for 10 years. Sadly as sometimes happens with volunteer groups, the enthusiasm of others could not sustain the organization. I feel it was a great 10 years of activities, meeting new people, and many have expressed to me they really miss what the Bay Area Active Sports Alliance provided for themI’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
GIVER OR TAKER? I’m a Libra, so of course, I’m balanced between the two. My answer will be simple.
I see the opportunity as a Board of Director to “give” to a new dimension. The comittment of two years to the WGA is going to be my gift of time, leadership, teamwork, skills, and talent to the membership. I couldn’t think of a better way to express giving to the geocaching community.
I see the opportunity as a Board of Director to “take” away a rewarding life-learning experience.
I’d Rather Be Lost Geocaching, Than Found At Home!
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