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Am thinking about organizing a geocaching event


nhramblinman

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Have in a past life been an event organizer and am interested in organizing a geocaching event for this fall...have five Chambers of Commerce interested in helping organize this and figure we should be able to pull together between $5000 - $10,000. Am figuring on prize money, individual and team events...making it a weekend event....does this sound reasonable...have done things like this for other pursuits of mine...but have never attended a geocaching event...looking for advice/suggestions!! Am planning to take part in events this year...but in the meantime want to get input from more experienced veterans about the logistics of putting together a successful event.

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does this sound reasonable...have done things like this for other pursuits of mine...

 

At the risk of being pointed, something I am acused of regularly.

 

It looks like you are running a commercial event, or an event for commercial gain. And personally (not speaking for others) I do not hike, bike, paddle, geocache because there is "prize money " attached.

 

I do it for fun and for the occassional opportunity to hike with others of like mind. Again that is my view.

 

Moreover, from your post --no one could remotely devine exactly what it is that you are proposing.

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It will be up to your local approver, but I think he will say it is a "commercial" event, as the Chambers of Commerce are involved...

They probably would take exception to cash prizes also, but that I am not sure of...

 

I would think that "individual and team events...making it a weekend event" would be fine...

That is done all the time for Caching Events...

But the involvement of The C of C & $5000-$10000, and cash prizes I think would be a show stopper...

You can have it further reviewed by Groundspeak if you have valid reasons, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that...

 

I have a cache, that was eventually approved...

But I had to remove references to the Harbor Master and his phone #

for docking at the Town operated Marina by the cache, simply because there is a nominal charge to dock there...

if docking was free, there would not have been a problem...

Because it made the cache a Commercial Cache...

Edited by Peconic Bay Sailors
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The events we've been to have generally involved a bunch of cachers sitting at decrepit picnic tables while eating potluck and talking about caching. Then we raffle off an ammo box and maybe a coin. No money or anything...just comraderie, tasty food, and (hopefully) a couple of new caches to find on the way to the park. I don't think we'd be interested in a glitzy, competition oriented event, though probably others would be.

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I'm interested in hearing more about the details of what you are proposing. Your post was vague but in general it sounds like kicking up a couple of notches our usual routine events. Could be a lot of fun!

 

 

Have in a past life been an event organizer and am interested in organizing a geocaching event for this fall...have five Chambers of Commerce interested in helping organize this and figure we should be able to pull together between $5000 - $10,000. Am figuring on prize money, individual and team events...making it a weekend event....does this sound reasonable...have done things like this for other pursuits of mine...but have never attended a geocaching event...looking for advice/suggestions!! Am planning to take part in events this year...but in the meantime want to get input from more experienced veterans about the logistics of putting together a successful event.

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The events we've been to have generally involved a bunch of cachers sitting at decrepit picnic tables while eating potluck and talking about caching. Then we raffle off an ammo box and maybe a coin. No money or anything...just comraderie, tasty food, and (hopefully) a couple of new caches to find on the way to the park. I don't think we'd be interested in a glitzy, competition oriented event, though probably others would be.

We have done some competition type events at NNJC...

Mostly like FTF's at event caches... First group to complete the event caches, etc...

That type of thing.... with prizes...

and we have had raffle type things...

BUT the prizes were never cash...

usually along the lines of a nice hiking stick, ammo cans, compas', a GPS'r or two, maybe a tent or geocaching coins...

That type of thing...

 

Now if the $5000-$10000 was going to a charity, that would probably be an acceptable exception...

I would think it would have to be carefully and well documented for approval...

But I cannot say for sure, as I am not an approver...

Good Luck!

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Got it...will withdraw my invitation...thought participants would be interested in a more organized event....but given the responses here and the desire to keep this sport strictly an amateur pursuit...will drop the whole idea. Thanks to those who offered the feedback...didn't want to spend a lot of time chasing something that didn't have a hope of getting off the ground...

 

no desire for commercial gain...the monies suggested would have gone only to promotion, prizes, t-shirts, lanyards, trophies, geocoins, etc. - budget hadn't even been worked up so the estimate was just a shot in the dark...since all of the Chambers are non-profit...any profits would have rolled over to sponsor the event for a future year...or...since this was a new project, one idea could have been that all those in attendance could have voted on a charitable organization for which the donation could have been made...certainly, the Chambers of Commerce are interested in bringing visitors to the area...and that was their primary motivation - was introducing people interested in this sport to the region.

 

A weekend event like this was hosted out in Illinois and was what I was thinking of recreating here in the Northeast.

 

For those interested in a more specific description of what I was trying to duplicate...check out

www.geostl.com/SLAGA/SLAGA_Event/2006_MOGA/MOGA%20Manual%20Final.html

Edited by nhramblinman
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For those interested in a more specific description of what I was trying to duplicate...check out

www.geostl.com/SLAGA/SLAGA_Event/2006_MOGA/MOGA%20Manual%20Final.html

 

That looks like an interesting event, though a bit more involved and structured (and BIG) than we would like to attend. We are kind of like the "Amish" version of geocachers...very low tech and low key.

 

Was that event published on gc.com?

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... but have never attended a geocaching event...looking for advice/suggestions!! Am planning to take part in events this year...but in the meantime want to get input from more experienced veterans about the logistics of putting together a successful event.
nhramblinman,

Attend a few events and get a feel for how things go. I am sure your event-planning skilz can be put to good use in some fashion.

 

Also, I notice you are from NH. You may find a few closer neighbors in the forum which includes New England.

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... but have never attended a geocaching event...looking for advice/suggestions!! Am planning to take part in events this year...but in the meantime want to get input from more experienced veterans about the logistics of putting together a successful event.
nhramblinman,

Attend a few events and get a feel for how things go. I am sure your event-planning skilz can be put to good use in some fashion.

 

Also, I notice you are from NH. You may find a few closer neighbors in the forum which includes New England.

 

I had noticed the "Northeast" Forum and totally missed that there was a New England Forum (located right above in the menu, can only claim a Senior moment to that oversight). I have since posted a similar notice on that Forum where the idea had already been initiated by another member...seems like the New England forum group is much more receptive to the idea of doing an event than the respondents to the posting on this Forum...thanks for the response...

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For those interested in a more specific description of what I was trying to duplicate...check out

www.geostl.com/SLAGA/SLAGA_Event/2006_MOGA/MOGA%20Manual%20Final.html

 

We are kind of like the "Amish" version of geocachers...very low tech and low key.

 

LOVE this!!! :D I'm putting this in my signature & giving you credit! Perfect!

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