An Idea for the youth group

[+PaPaw64]

I have not been a cacher for long but am loving it. I would like to do a cache series based on the ten commandments for our youth group with a grand prize ($50.00 gift card to Barean Book Store)in the 11th. Each cache would give a piece of the solution for finding the 11th. After the youth are finished I would replace te gift card with a trackable or something and then post all of the caches for all cachers. Does anyone have any ideas or thoughts that I could learn from. God Bless!!

[+ocklawahaboy]

I really like the idea and, if I was still working with youth groups, I would be taking them caching, but I think you might run into a couple of potential problems. Based on the guidelines about caches with an agenda etc, getting a series like that together and cleared with the reviewers isn't something I'd attempt. There are plenty of caches out there with non-religous agendas but the religous ones always seem to draw more scrutiny (in my opinion). There is also the issue of having the prize. It's common to give a FTF prize on a series but I would assume that you would want one of your youth to win it so having the series published would give someone else the chance to get FTF and claim the prize. If this is for a youth group you lead/are involved in, I would probably just do this as your own scavenger hunt game without publishing it. Afterward, you could try to get the caches published and then if you run into trouble with them, you've already had your fun with your group and you can modify them however you need to in order to meet the requirements.

Cheers

[+niraD]

There is a series of caches around here that started as a series of private caches, with the series leading to a private bonus cache. IIRC, it was done as a birthday present.

 

Later, the cache owner (gift giver) published the series (several traditional caches, with a mystery/puzzle bonus cache). IIRC, he needed to make a few changes for the saturation guideline.

 

As long as it's a private series, you can do anything you want with them. To publish them here, you'll need to comply with the Cache Listing Requirements / Guidelines.

[+Coldgears]

There is a series of caches around here that started as a series of private caches, with the series leading to a private bonus cache. IIRC, it was done as a birthday present.

 

Later, the cache owner (gift giver) published the series (several traditional caches, with a mystery/puzzle bonus cache). IIRC, he needed to make a few changes for the saturation guideline.

 

As long as it's a private series, you can do anything you want with them. To publish them here, you'll need to comply with the Cache Listing Requirements / Guidelines.

Yessir, this guy knows his stuff. This site is just a listing site; albiet, the largest and pretty much the only one for many geocachers. But a geocache is not made from being listed on this site. You could have just as much fun doing that as a group only, the only thing you'd be missing is a smiley, and potential finders...

[+Walts Hunting]

Your series might be considered a violation of this guideline

 

Solicitation and Commercial Content

 

Geocaches do not solicit for any purpose. Geocaches perceived to be posted for religious, political, charitable or social agendas are not permitted. Geocaching is intended to be a light and enjoyable family-friendly hobby, not a platform for an agenda.

[+Coldgears]

Your series might be considered a violation of this guideline

 

Solicitation and Commercial Content

 

Geocaches do not solicit for any purpose. Geocaches perceived to be posted for religious, political, charitable or social agendas are not permitted. Geocaching is intended to be a light and enjoyable family-friendly hobby, not a platform for an agenda.

Depending on the reviewer and how the cache description is... It might not be an issue. I've seen a simailar series of aches based on the 5 different Boy Scout motto things. Though in the description it just said it was hidden as part of so and so event for the boy scouts merit badge, and talked about the location and the cache.

 

It didn't really have an agenda, referencing something != promoting something.

[Keystone]

It is quite possible to put together a puzzle cache based on looking up Bible verses, or a series of traditional caches with titles corresponding to Biblical concepts like the Ten Commmandments. The Bible is a reference source, available on the internet and searchable every which way. An atheist, Buddhist or Wiccan doesn't need to read, agree with or understand the Bible in order to solve such a puzzle or to find a cache with such a name. The same is true if someone based a cache on a searchable online Koran.

 

You can make a geocacher locate a discrete Bible verse. You can't ask them to give their thoughts about its meaning when logging their finds, and you can't use your cache page as a pulpit to explain your views, your church's views, etc. See the difference?

 

In the specific case of the Ten Commandments, a cache title like "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery" might not fly because it is phrased in the imperative tense. It might be better to give that cache a name like "Exodus 20:14" or "The Seventh Commandment" or "#7: The Ten Commandments Series." You could include simple statements of fact in the cache description itself, like "The Sixth Commandment states that 'Thou Shalt Not Kill'" and then go on to describe the cache container and location. Supplemental material for your youth group's contest can be provided as copied handouts, unseen by the general geocaching public.

 

What I think is especially cool is that the volunteer cache reviewer group includes everything from an ordained minister, Bible Study Group leaders like myself, and Sunday School Teachers, all the way across the spectrum to agnostics and atheists -- and any of us would give the same answer I just wrote above. If anything, I am stricter than the average reviewer when reviewing religious caches in order to avoid claims of bias - but like any other reviewer I will offer edit suggestions to get the caches published.

 

Good luck with your project.

[+PaPaw64]

These are all excelent replies. I think that after reading the insight that I will do it privately and when it is done, I'll replace the commandments with some historical facts about the area that the cache is located. A FTF trackable is a great idea for the posted game. Do I have to register the trackable or can I add the unregistered trackable as a FTF prize so that the FTF cacher can have a trackable to register as their own? I think that would be a pretty good prize with a personal twist so to speak.

[+ocklawahaboy]

These are all excelent replies. I think that after reading the insight that I will do it privately and when it is done, I'll replace the commandments with some historical facts about the area that the cache is located. A FTF trackable is a great idea for the posted game. Do I have to register the trackable or can I add the unregistered trackable as a FTF prize so that the FTF cacher can have a trackable to register as their own? I think that would be a pretty good prize with a personal twist so to speak.

It is very common/usually preferred, for the finder, for the trackable prize to be unactivated. That way the finder can activate it when and if they see fit.