Itrac Discussion & Development

[+rxzephyr]

This thread is dedicated to the development of ITRAC - the International Traveller Rescue & Assistance Coalition.

 

At the moment, I believe we should be working on the following:

 

We need a logo! People really identify with a picture, so I think that a logo would be very cool. Now that we have landed on a name that we're going to stick with, is there anyone with artistic ability who wants to take a stab at this? We've already had one attempt - which was very cool! Keep in mind the three themes we want our logo to contain: geocaching, travellers (bugs, coins, etc), and rescue. Maybe take a look at some SAR logos and use them as a concept? *shrugs*

 

We need a website & tracking method! We really need an online presence that we can point to when talking about who we are and what we do. The Frappr! site is a great start as is my 'excel' spreadsheet that I'm manually updating, but we need some place we can post policy, process, mission statements. I noticed that we have a DBA/DBD onboard - welcome! Now we just need some place we can put his talent to use.

 

Of Men and Websites, we also need to decide what we're going to do with the ITBRL Frappr! website. I sent the Frappr! folks an email almost 2 weeks ago now and haven't heard anything from them. Of course, it was Christmas so they may not have been around. However, anyone have a thought for a contingency plan?

 

Speaking of policies, processes, mission statements....this is something else that we need to start to put some words around. We've already had people expressing concern about "how we're going to do this", so I think that putting some words around this sort of thing would be a great start!

 

I know this stuff isn't the fun stuff. We'd much rather be "out there" hitting the geocaches and rescuing travellers, but I think that having all of the above will give the group credibility and begin to increase our visibility.

 

Thoughts? Comments? Questions?

And, most importantly, volunteers?

 

RXZ

[+rxzephyr]

No postings in 4 days? Am I to assume that people have lost interest in this endeavour?

[+GeoJunkie]

To be honest, this was the first I knew about it. Don't know when it was discussed before but I must have missed it. I was kind of taking a "wait and see" approach to see where it went.

[+ZackJones]

I think it's a great idea and I will do my part to help, etc but to be honest I could care less about logos and jazz like that. I'm located in central Georgia and will be willing to help rescue any stranded TBs in this area.

[+oldnavy59]

it only took a lttle asking to get "spotty" rescued

[+GEO.JOE]

Then name on the Frappr Map has been changed to "International Traveller Rescue & Assistance Coalition"

So if you had the page bookmarked it will need to be updated, here is the new link:

Frappr Map

[+blackjack65]

No postings in 4 days?  Am I to assume that people have lost interest in this endeavour?

It probably was because people were on vacation and away from their PCs.

AV Design, who is an ITRAC member, is also a Designer,

as his nickname implies. He might be able to help with the Logo.

[+KiwiGary]

Hi,

 

I see that no one is New Zealand has joined up for the ITRAC.

 

This may be because they use the http://www.gps.org.nz/ forum and not sure if there look much at the GC.com forum site.

 

Does the group have a standard message to get new members that could be posted on the NZ forum?

 

I could post it if you like as I have an account there.

 

Thanks

 

Gary (KiwiGary)

[+KiwiGary]

Hi,

 

In the sprit of the ITRAC this morning I led a mission to rescue two travel bugs that had been stuck in a local cache for over five weeks .

 

The mission was tuff, it involved climbing a large hill and then finding the captors hide out (A plastic container hidden in the woods).

 

Some of the team endured injuries during the mission (thorns in fingers ). But the rescue continued, we were thinking of the parents of two missing travel bugs.

 

Anyway the two stuck travel bugs are ok now after having a good breakfast and will be on the move soon.

 

Seriously I have started picking up bugs that haven’t moved in the last month from local caches. If all ITRAC members did this it would keep the bugs on the move. I know being a bug parent myself its good to see them on the move.

 

Have a look at our online log and silly photo of the rescue.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/track/log.aspx?L...8a-7aa8e5988e67

 

See ya…Gary (KiwiGary)

[+penguin44]

My TB has been stuck for over 4 weeks in a cache! It's in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Can anyone help?

[+ccindyybubb]

I just put our name on the map and would be happy to volunteer our services.

[+meatstack]

I've added my name for Central Ohio. Had been thinking of something like this for all the "missing" bugs in the area.

[+Eartha]

Four weeks is not really stuck. You can't force people to move travel bugs or to visit caches. What you can hope for is the right person to come along and want to move the bug and share stories and photos of it. How will the you get those stories if you send out a "rescuer" to move a bug because it sat for only a few weeks? 3 months, a full winter, then maybe your bug is stuck. I could see if the bug was in a race, then sure get help.

[+penguin44]

True enough but according to some users above they have decided to start moving bugs that have been sitting for 4 or 5 weeks to get them on their way. I believe KiwiGary was doing this in his area.