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British Columbia Geocaching Association


dogbreathcanada

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Why are you a member (or not a member) of the BCGA? What exactly do you feel they offer (or do not offer) you as a geocacher in this province?

 

At last count, there were 33 members of the BCGA, 5 of those members being directors of the association. Nearly all of those members reside in the GVRD/FVRD area of British Columbia. Does this association really represent the province of British Columbia? Or would it be more accurate if they were to change their name to the Lower Mainland Geocaching Association?

 

When is the last time you heard from your association, either via a mass email or via their website? Looking at their website, they've reported no association news in the last month. And even when they do report news, it's more often of the back-slapping variety as they praise various friends and family on caching milestones. There are no communication pipelines that exist between the BCGA and the geocachers of British Columbia. Getting information out of the BCGA is like pulling teeth, you have to harangue a director hard enough and for long enough before they'll give an answer to any question.

 

Has the BCGA earned it's role as representatives of the province of British Columbia simply because it's organized a couple of events in the Lower Mainland? (Strangely, this representative association has never given thought to organizing events outside of the Lower Mainland, where a great deal of British Columbians do in fact live, for instance up around the Okanagon, or Prince George, or Vancouver Island).

 

For those people that are currently members of the BCGA, do you plan on renewing your membership in 2006? Do you feel you've received good value for your money out of the association?

 

In the words of another cacher, has the BCGA become irrelevant?

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Why are you a member (or not a member) of the BCGA? What exactly do you feel they offer (or do not offer) you as a geocacher in this province?

 

At last count, there were 33 members of the BCGA, 5 of those members being directors of the association. Nearly all of those members reside in the GVRD/FVRD area of British Columbia. Does this association really represent the province of British Columbia? Or would it be more accurate if they were to change their name to the Lower Mainland Geocaching Association?

 

When is the last time you heard from your association, either via a mass email or via their website? Looking at their website, they've reported no association news in the last month. And even when they do report news, it's more often of the back-slapping variety as they praise various friends and family on caching milestones. There are no communication pipelines that exist between the BCGA and the geocachers of British Columbia. Getting information out of the BCGA is like pulling teeth, you have to harangue a director hard enough and for long enough before they'll give an answer to any question.

 

Has the BCGA earned it's role as representatives of the province of British Columbia simply because it's organized a couple of events in the Lower Mainland? (Strangely, this representative association has never given thought to organizing events outside of the Lower Mainland, where a great deal of British Columbians do in fact live, for instance up around the Okanagon, or Prince George, or Vancouver Island).

 

For those people that are currently members of the BCGA, do you plan on renewing your membership in 2006? Do you feel you've received good value for your money out of the association?

 

In the words of another cacher, has the BCGA become irrelevant?

:anitongue: ...and from the "what have you done lately to contribute positively for your geocaching association?" category comes this ... just who's lapdog are you?

 

Boy, it's easy to snipe and post vitriol like this...and as such, I won't take too much more of my time to reply to it.

 

Let me post a few things though. Membership is voluntary, not mandatory. So is deciding to be an active and positive part of the BCGA (are you active?). For quite some time now, the consecutive groups of directors have "taken it on the chin" from others in the caching community who like to "serve notice" of how the BCGA is either not representative of them, or they take pot shots at them from the sidelines complaining of lack of this or lack of that. Last years executive took their fair share of heat and this year's executive continues to do so. Whether it's related to the initial body of directors that formed the BCGA, I do not know (although I presume the answer would be yes). The *carp* that gets flung toward those who step up to keep trying to "promote geocaching in BC by providing the resources which will allow local geocachers, the general public, provincial and municipal agencies and other related interest groups, to learn, communicate, and experience all geocaching has to offer" is absolutely uncalled for, as is your original post. Those who refused to run again after last year probably didn't because of it. Those who stepped up to the plate this year didn't just wake up one morning and decide, "Hey, I feel like I haven't taken enough abuse from people lately, I think I'll become a director of the BCGA so that I receive my fair share."

 

When is the last time you heard from your association, either via a mass email or via their website? Looking at their website, they've reported no association news in the last month.

 

:P GASP! Horrors of all horrors! We just decided to hold an event (the second one in less than 3 months I might add) and have a good time at the Halloween Howl instead. Were you there? Oh, BTW, there's a nifty little link on the left hand side of the BCGA website that says "submit news." Anyone can use it to submit newsworthy items to the BCGA website. Or perhaps we're just to busy having to deal with the garbage that some malcontents are intent to dish out repeatedly. Take for example the incident during the summer, when someone tried to give geocaching a bad name by planting a cache in Burnaby Foreshore Park and torching the area (gee...I guess the name we give that is called arson). Then there's the person who has deliberately been removing BCGA/geocaching information pamphlets from several outdoor/recreational stores in downtown Vancouver (gee, that's impersonating another person and stealing someone else's property). Then there's the BC Parks talks that some continually think are some clandestine cover-up because we all know the directors have ulterior motives :anitongue: Or perhaps there's having to deal with the resignation of one of the directors. Or perhaps it's just that this is a hobby and that we all have lives outside of this hobby as well. Of course, I'm pointing out the obvious to you......

 

You also say:

Has the BCGA earned it's role as representatives of the province of British Columbia simply because it's organized a couple of events in the Lower Mainland? (Strangely, this representative association has never given thought to organizing events outside of the Lower Mainland, where a great deal of British Columbians do in fact live, for instance up around the Okanagon, or Prince George, or Vancouver Island).

 

You know, we've continued to work toward more regional representation and it will eventually come. I have been in touch with a prominent geocacher in the Kootenays and have sent a geocaching event care package along with a year's free membership to the BCGA as an event prize earlier this year. I know that Chillibusher has been in touch with a prominent geocacher in Prince George to arrange to do the same. Other instances like this are open for the asking. It will take some work and some time to build representation. I would welcome some thoughts on this and how to grow a more representative model of all geographical areas. Perhaps a motion at a future general meeting is in order....but ya can't have a say if you don't get involved. Gee, now that I've got that out there, I think I better get back to planning the next "metro-centric" geocaching event :anibad:

 

You know dogbreath, the BCGA is not irrelevant, so long as the goal of the BCGA continues to be: to provide a portal to geocaching in and around BC; to promote geocaching in BC; and to provide the resources that will allow geocachers, the general public, and other related interest groups, to learn about geocaching, communicate with other geocachers, and to explore all geocaching has to offer. But more importantly, the association will only be successful if others decide to help out. Four people can't do it all. If it means that you now apply for membership for the sole purpose of electing an executive that is more representative of your concerns, so be it. If you join for the sole purpose to replace me, so be it. If you want to continue with this thread and add fuel to the fire, so be it. Most of those who belong to the association are members because: 1) they value geocaching as an activity, 2) value contributing to the hobby, or 3) feel that there's a need for the association to continue (whether it's for having an organization to have a voice for communicating to other bodies or for putting on activities in which cachers can get together and enjoy the company of other cachers). Which one of those three things do you not support?

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Most of those who belong to the association are members because: 1) they value geocaching as an activity, 2) value contributing to the hobby, or 3) feel that there's a need for the association to continue.

Concerning point #1. I do too. I have quite a few caches under my belt as proof. Probably more than average for the area.

 

Concerning point #2. I contribute back as well, with every cache that I've placed. With every trade up that I've made to a cache that I've visited.

 

One doesn't need to blindly pay into an organization to feel value for their support. A contribution to the hobby doesn't solely come through a BCGA membership.

 

-----

 

If the BCGA is involved in all those things you mentioned above, then you should convey that on the website. Explain the future plans. Explain where you plan to take the organization. You may not feel that the association is irrelevant, because YOU KNOW that you're moving towards all these admirable goals. But if you keep all that information locked up inside the organization, then from the outside you appear as nothing more than irrelevant.

Edited by dogbreathcanada
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As a minor aside concerning perceptions. I came across the following quote concerning the BCGA. It's not by anyone who frequents The Sandbox regularly. It's from a fairly well-known GVRD cacher, we've all seen his logs and visited a few of his caches.

 

I have no idea what the BCGA is doing. But I'm not a member. At the present time I can't see any reason to become a member. They don't sell themselves very well.

The person that made the comment is quite level-headed, not apt to outburts of any sort. And yet, that's the perception they have of the BCGA. And it's probably not an unusual perception.

 

You called my original post here "vitriol". I have to disagree. I didn't attack anyone in particular. No names were named. I just talked about The Association, and a reasonable perception of it. I asked a few pointed questions.

 

Supposedly the BCGA was to leave its dysfunctional stage with the new directors. Yet, more information about the association was forthcoming while it was dysfunctional. Next to nothing filters out of the BCGA now. It's plain odd.

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Or perhaps there's having to deal with the resignation of one of the directors.

Who resigned and who is the new director that took their place? According to the BCGA bylaws:

 

28 (1) If a director resigns his or her office or otherwise ceases to hold office, the remaining directors must appoint a member to take the place of the former director.

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Most of those who belong to the association are members because: 1) they value geocaching as an activity, 2) value contributing to the hobby, or 3) feel that there's a need for the association to continue.

Concerning point #1. I do too. I have quite a few caches under my belt as proof. Probably more than average for the area.

 

Concerning point #2. I contribute back as well, with every cache that I've placed. With every trade up that I've made to a cache that I've visited.

 

One doesn't need to blindly pay into an organization to feel value for their support. A contribution to the hobby doesn't solely come through a BCGA membership.

 

-----

 

If the BCGA is involved in all those things you mentioned above, then you should convey that on the website. Explain the future plans. Explain where you plan to take the organization. You may not feel that the association is irrelevant, because YOU KNOW that you're moving towards all these admirable goals. But if you keep all that information locked up inside the organization, then from the outside you appear as nothing more than irrelevant.

Well, you sort of made my point. It would be #3 that I was focussing on.

 

And again, no one needs to be a member. It is voluntary. Several have chosen to be a part of BCGA. Several will not. It takes many hands, and unfortunately (as evidenced with the geocoin thing) we can't reasonably do half of it without the helping hands of many. No one stepped up to assist within the BCGA to take on the project, so it was time to release it to those that had the time and the resources.

 

Agreed, those things could be posted to the BCGA webpage. I would invite you to submit your ideas to the webmaster. Better yet, become a director and pitch in :anitongue:

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Or perhaps there's having to deal with the resignation of one of the directors.

Who resigned and who is the new director that took their place? According to the BCGA bylaws:

 

28 (1) If a director resigns his or her office or otherwise ceases to hold office, the remaining directors must appoint a member to take the place of the former director.

Fireted resigned and as of yet, another director has not filled his shoes.

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Better yet, become a director and pitch in :D

You and the remaining three directors would have to appoint me to fill the new vacancy. :D

Uh, you would have to be a member.

A couple of the current directors weren't members when they were last elected ... they paid up their dues after the general meeting. :D

That's interesting. What does the BCGA Contistution say about that?

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Better yet, become a director and pitch in :D

You and the remaining three directors would have to appoint me to fill the new vacancy. :D

Uh, you would have to be a member.

A couple of the current directors weren't members when they were last elected ... they paid up their dues after the general meeting. :D

Incorrect DBC. All elected directors were members in good standing. What you said is a lie, plain and simple.

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Better yet, become a director and pitch in :D

You and the remaining three directors would have to appoint me to fill the new vacancy. :D

Uh, you would have to be a member.

A couple of the current directors weren't members when they were last elected ... they paid up their dues after the general meeting. :D

Incorrect DBC. All elected directors were members in good standing. What you said is a lie, plain and simple.

No, but I can't find the post to prove it, so a moot point now I guess. But I specifically recall reading someone's post, after they had been elected, laughingly saying that they'd better get around to renewing their membership since it was now expired.

 

EDIT: I finally found the thread in question. You're right, Chilli. All directors were members at the time of their election. The problem was that two of them had their memberships expire about a week after the elections and it took them about a week to renew. So in effect they were directors but not members for a short period of time after their elections.

 

So I wasn't purposefully telling a falsehood, just misremembered the exact facts. Sorry for the trouble.

 

But back to the topic ... if you want to appoint me a director, just shout and I'll pay up before that officially happens. :D

Edited by dogbreathcanada
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DBC - If you're gonna quote, then let's start with one or two of your own:

 

From here:

 

It's a shame how the past directors were treated by a very small VOCAL minority. Hopefully they'll be able to get in on the Parks Canada dialogues and start doing some good stuff for the province's many geocachers without being harangued by that vocal minority at each and every step.

 

That was a good idea you had. What happened?

 

Here's another from the same thread:

 

To the new directors ... each and every one of you have my utmost respect. Considering what previous directors went through, it takes a lot of guts to sign on to the directorship.

 

No kidding.

 

And yet again, from the same thread:

 

And a word of advice ... avoid you-know-who's website. You don't have to answer to him or his cronies. Keep to gc.com and the BCGA website, that's all you need do. Good luck to all of you!

 

Now ... where do I start paying? Does the BCGA accept PayPal? I have some eBay dollars sitting around doing nothing.

 

Funny thing is, you made good use of the you-know-who's website, and BTW - you never did join the BCGA.

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...I wasn't purposefully telling a falsehood, just misremembered the exact facts. Sorry for the trouble...

Time to take a week off methinks. Please. Gain some perspective. Trust me on this one.

 

*****

 

Edit: For clarification (Since I received a PM from DBC.)

 

Re: Trust me on this one.

 

Means: Taking a week off would be a good thing to do right now. I speak from personal experience. There is no conspiracy here.

Edited by canadazuuk
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Take for example the incident during the summer, when someone tried to give geocaching a bad name by planting a cache in Burnaby Foreshore Park and torching the area (gee...I guess the name we give that is called arson).

Umm, when was there a big fire at Burnaby Foreshore Park this summer? I'm kinda curious about this. And if there was a fire (I'm doubting this), why would you believe a geocacher to be responsible?

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But back to the topic ... if you want to appoint me a director, just shout and I'll pay up before that officially happens. :D

The top 10 reasons why DogBreathCanada will not be a Director of BCGA

 

10. No one will sponsor his membership application

9. he has DNF'd too many Difficulty 1 caches

8. he singlehandedly started the parking lot cache trend

7. he takes his dog on very tough mountain climbs (PETA please note)

6. confused "hitchhiker" with someone who solicits free rides

5. never been to a National Park

4. thinks SBA (Should Be Archived) should be used if you can't find a cache

3. after 5 successful finds of Skytrain final and his single DNF, he suggests hint changes to cache owner

2. has never read "How to Win Friends and Influence People"

1. he has dog breath

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8. he singlehandedly started the parking lot cache trend

Umm, that would have been Half-Canadian with the very first lower mainland parking lot cache ... her Ya Want Fries With That? McDonald's cache. Credit where credit is due. I don't want to take anything away from her accomplishments.

 

5. never been to a National Park

Huh? I've been to many.

Edited by dogbreathcanada
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Seeing as you have only posted a rebuttal to 2 of the 10 points... can we presume the other 8 points are accurate? Pareto's Law.

Who knows?

 

For instance, the mountain summit caches. What's tough for one person, might not be tough for another? Maybe geodug has difficulty climbing speedbumps, much less getting to the tops of mountains. All I know is that my dog enjoys the walks. It's good exercise for the both of us. And I appreciate the views.

 

As for the DNFs. Again, who knows? Granted geodug has never had a DNF, so I defer to his Caching Guru status.

 

Yes, I offered some tips on how to make the final clues clearer. Reading the logs, there was confusion from cachers other than simply myself. We had a very nice conversation about it and she thanked me for the suggestions. There was no acrimony involved.

 

As for the dog breath. Well, I told him not to get fresh with me after I'd had the garlic bread, but he was just so damned impatient. :D

Edited by dogbreathcanada
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