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Scouting Program And Geocaching


ScoutingWV

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Hi

 

I am a Scout Leader in the UK and hate to say it folks this thread has a American bias (only joking)

In the UK our Navigator Badge now has a section covering GPS/Geocaching use. Maybe thats the way forward for you as well.

 

On the Scout only Caches surely the aim of our hobby is to include everyone. We have placed a few of caches one to mark the 100th Birthday and a couple up in an area we camp. The Scouts love to see the feedback from folk who find them.

 

Am currently exploring ways of getting hold of a couple of GPS' for the Group at the moment we only use mine. So only 1 at a time able to use it, would love to be in a position to split the Troop and have a competition for them. Any ideas folks on how I can persuade companies to buy us one or two would be gratefully recieved.

 

On another note I have a coin that I won last year that originated in Oklahoma was made by the Tulsa Area Geocachers. I am now going to release this coin intot he big world and need a mission for it.

 

So any Scout Group that has a Cache in the Oklahoma Area and wants me to use it as this coins mission let me know via this forum and I will make that cache its mission and when/if it reaches the cache your Troop/Group can have the coin, as a gift from your fellow Scouters in the UK.

 

If more than one Group/Troop applies I will pick one at random.

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A new Leader Training Conference has been scheduled this January at the Fabulous Florida Seabase. We will be teaching the Geocaching to Promote Scouting course at Florida Seabase during the week of January 11 to January 17th, 2009.

 

This will be the same course we started at Philmont Training Center, but set in the warm climes of the Florida Keys. Come and have some FUN IN THE SUN!

 

For more details and to download an application go to geoscouting.com

 

Let's go geoscouting!

-scoutboy :ph34r:

Edited by scoutboy
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I think this project would almost have to have it's own site.

 

Scout property is (mostly) private. In my council, and I assume in others, my council leadership screams about the potential liability of having anyone on the property that has not checked in to participate in one of the current activities, and/or is not a member of the program.

 

If there was a ScoutCache site, caches located specifically on Scout property could be listed, membership could be allocated, and passwords ot access could be assigned, but you still have the need to get on the property. Those rules would vary by council and could be a tricky thing to navigate.

 

Lots of benefits for Scouts though - another reason to visit a new location, themed caches that relate to the program, maybe tie it to an award of some type (similar to Earthcache pins), cross-unit challenges, everyone - Tigers to adult - can participate. Could also be tied to advancement, merit badge, and recruitment activities. May work well with the Girl Scout activities, too.

 

I agree that this would be an awesome application. I believe it would have a broad application to any private group that wants to put up a private set of geocaches that are restricted to a groups membership and that have a set of process rules for access to them. This could be Scouting (girl and boy), church property, parks, conference centers, hotels, resorts and the like. Basically anyone that has a bunch of private land that they would like to have populated with private caches.

 

This could be a perfect project for Groundspeak if there could be developed a business model that would support it. Maybe a small maintenance fee could support the effort it might take to create the security front end. Wouldn't it require a moderator or admin to authorize membership and monitor usage. This is very similar to restricted forums or groups I presume.

 

We would need to come up with a security model for it however. What would be the rules and needed features?

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We have returned from Florida Seabase after having a great time putting on the Geocaching to Promote Scouting class in the Florida Keys. We setup a few themed games including "Pirates Booty" which had the participants finding Florida Seabase facts from around the campus. This info allowed them to cypher out the coordinates for the Final Treasure, arrrrgh!

 

The next course is set for Philmont Training Center in Cimarron, NM. The dates are July 19 - 25, 2009. It will be a fun time in the Rockies of Northern New Mexico. If you are interested in knowing how to use Geocaching to spark new interest in your Scouting youth group, you need to attend this conference.

 

You can get more info on the course at geoscouting.com

 

-scoutboy :bad:

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Ha! I remember camp Wisdom, I did OA there! I went there as a scout. I have been a scout leader in las vegas for 10 years in various postions. I hope a geocaching merit babge comes out of circle 10! I think a pre requisite of the orienteering badge should be required. Have fun!!! :(

 

Agree.. it will be a shame if we train a whole generation of boys that they need to have batteries to navigate.

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