Placing a memorial cache - Yay or Nay?

[+flaffle]

I'm starting to turn into one of those people that only finds but doesn't hide (insert derogatory name here). I finally found a cool place where there isn't already a cache and it reminds me of an acquaintance that recently passed away. I'd really love to do the cache in her honor.

 

I haven't seen any caches like this yet. Granted, I've only been doing this for about 8 months, but I've been all over the place and found urbans/woods/hard/easy/micros/bigguns. I think I've somewhat covered the basic gamut and have yet to come across a memorial cache.

 

Here's a little more background - the friend died of diabetes at the age of 29 after falling into a coma by herself. She was a herpetologist and I'd love to do something clever at this creepy/crawly pond I found where there is no cache anywhere near by! It wouldn't be a sad thing - more of a celebration of her love of the outdoors and overall diabetes awareness.

 

Is this appropriate or too much of a downer?

 

If the consensus is no, I'll still place a cache there but change the theme. I just wanted some feedback from the community. I'm not trying to depress anyone - it just seems like a good fit and opportunity to raise awareness.

[+DragonsWest]

I think it's a wonderful idea. Hide something in a rubber snake or lizard?

 

Last year the Santa Cruz / Bay Area lost one of our great cachers, I know there's a memorial cache dedicated to him up in one of the parks (GC1HA8T) I just haven't made my way to visit it, yet.

 

There are also the Diabetes travel bugs, I recommend obtaining one and naming it in honor of your friend.

[Dinoprophet]

They're actually fairly common. Logs are generally very favorable and compassionate. Another example.

Edited August 11, 2009 by Dinoprophet

[AZcachemeister]

I have found more than a few caches hidden in memoriam to someone or other.

In some cases, it's a time for reflection.

In other cases it's a time to celebrate that person's life, and their accomplishments.

If the site speaks to you and asks for a cache in honor of your friend, there can truly be no better reason to put a cache there.

From your description, it sounds like a nice place to visit, regardless of whether a cache is there or not, which is my 'prime directive' for hiding.

 

DO IT!

[+flaffle]

Thanks everyone! I'm really surprised I haven't come across one of these yet since they seem common by your responses.

 

I've really been struggling with a good cache placement location since every place I think of, there already a cache within .1 mi. I WILL NOT place a piece of tupperware in a tree just because. It's not to say I don't enjoy these. I just will not go through the effort unless I think it's awesome. And yes, the container will certainly be a fake amphibian. Man, those are fun.

[+tozainamboku]

One thing you will need to watch out for. It's fine to honor the memory of your friend with the cache, but you will need to be careful as to how much you make this into a cache to promote awareness of Diabetes. Caches like this often run up against the caches that solicit guideline

Solicitations are off-limits. For example, caches perceived to be posted for religious, political, charitable or social agendas are not permitted. Geocaching is supposed to be a light, fun activity, not a platform for an agenda.

Even if you are not soliciting donations for a diabetes organization, the reviewer may feel you are promoting an agenda. Since geocaching is supposed to be a light, fun activity, the reviewers are already wary of a memorial cache. You will likely need to work with your reviewer to get the language right so you end up honoring the memory of your friend without sounding too preachy about her disease. This guideline is often controversial - in this case especially since Groundspeak did team with the International Diabetes Foundation to release Unite for Diabetes travel bugs and geocoins. One difference is that travel bugs and geocoins have a little more leeway in supporting a cause than a cache page has. Another is that Groundspeak makes the rules and they have the option to grant exceptions when they want. Your volunteer reviewer has to treat all agendas the same irregardless of whether or not they think this is a good cause.

 

Note that the Unite for Diabetes travel bugs and geocoins are already activated and owned by United for Diabetes so you cannot grab one and rename it for your friend. I'm sure that given the circumstances, many of the these travel bugs will end up passing through your cache.

[Tahosa and Sons]

I've placed about 6 of them, and this One was my most recent.

[+Casting Crowns]

I just completed one dedicted to a police officer that had lost his life during a bank robbery. The bank had placed a memorial plaque there and have it blocked off from foot traffic. I posted a pic of it in my log as well as others. I thought it was a cool idea.

[+mahini]

Could you place a couple of unactivated diabetes bugs in the cache for FTF prizes in her honor?

[+Castle Mischief]

Folks, I don't think you can obtain United for Diabetes TBs by request.

 

Or can you?

Edited August 11, 2009 by Castle Mischief

[LEAD DOG]

Yea.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...4a-67dd14ae7311

[+DragonsWest]

Folks, I don't think you can obtain United for Diabetes TBs by request.

 

Or can you?

 

My error. The GeoCoins you can, but not the TBs

 

I have seen the GeoCoins for sale. There's one on ebay, but I question why someone feels they need to profit by asking 17$ + 4$ shipping for one.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

A memorial may be OK but be sure you aren't pushing some kind of agenda.

 

"This cache is dedicated to my friend who died from cancer" would probably be OK

 

"To learn more about cancer, visit cancer.com. Be sure to donate lots of money to myfrienddiedofcancer.com because this is a really worthwhile cause and more people need to know the dangers and such, blah blah blah" would be pushing an agenda.

[+palmetto]

Let me reemphasize the points that Team GPSaxophone and Toz have already made.

 

You can write up a cache page about your friend. You can mention that she died of diabetes, although you might want to reconsider that.

Once you realize that the cache page cannot be about "raising awareness" why mention cause of death at all? Let the cache page be a celebration of her life.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx#solicit

A public health agenda, such as diabetes awareness, falls under the "social agenda" language.

 

Travel bugs and coins can have agendas. They aren't cache pages.

Edited August 11, 2009 by palmetto

[+baloo&bd]

I'm starting to turn into one of those people that only finds but doesn't hide (insert derogatory name here). I finally found a cool place where there isn't already a cache and it reminds me of an acquaintance that recently passed away. I'd really love to do the cache in her honor.

 

I haven't seen any caches like this yet. Granted, I've only been doing this for about 8 months, but I've been all over the place and found urbans/woods/hard/easy/micros/bigguns. I think I've somewhat covered the basic gamut and have yet to come across a memorial cache.

 

Here's a little more background - the friend died of diabetes at the age of 29 after falling into a coma by herself. She was a herpetologist and I'd love to do something clever at this creepy/crawly pond I found where there is no cache anywhere near by! It wouldn't be a sad thing - more of a celebration of her love of the outdoors and overall diabetes awareness.

 

Is this appropriate or too much of a downer?

 

If the consensus is no, I'll still place a cache there but change the theme. I just wanted some feedback from the community. I'm not trying to depress anyone - it just seems like a good fit and opportunity to raise awareness.

 

I wanted to respond simply because you spelled Yay and Nay right.

 

I have a couple "Memorials" or "Tributes". I am planning a couple here in the near future. For me, it will be a personal thing and the title will reflect it without much explanation in the text.

[+Unkle Fester]

Folks, I don't think you can obtain United for Diabetes TBs by request.

 

Or can you?

 

My error. The GeoCoins you can, but not the TBs

 

I have seen the GeoCoins for sale. There's one on ebay, but I question why someone feels they need to profit by asking 17$ + 4$ shipping for one.

I went to Groundspeak HQ back in February and they gave me about 15 of the Diabetes TBs to spread around. (couldn't adopt any of them)

[+Minimike2]

Here is a good one. GC19HPT

Edited August 11, 2009 by Minimike2

[+paleolith]

Nothing derogatory about someone who finds and doesn't hide. Some enjoy hiding, some don't. Some are not in a position to maintain hides, and it's far more commendable to avoid placing caches than to place caches you can't maintain.

 

And if the game continues to grow, at some point in the future, we'll all have to cut back on hiding, because the good locations will be taken.

 

Edward