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Hey I just met you and this is crazy, but...maybe someone could put a geocache in Grand Rapids, MI for me?


rwillenborg

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Okay, so here's the story.

I have friends who moved to Grand Rapids, and they are getting married there in a month. They are avid outdoor enthusiasts (he proposed while snowshoeing) and occasional geocachers (though they don't go on the forum, so I"m not worried about them seeing this). I am also an occasional geocacher (though I don't log my finds online), so I know some stuff about geocaching, but not alot. In lieu of wedding gifts, they have asked for a donation either to the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids (her preferred charity) or Engineers without Borders (His preferred cahrity). And, though a generous thought, I don't think it's terribly fun.

 

What I thought would be more fun would be to plant a cache, and, upon sending me a picture of them finding the cache, then I would donate to their charities. Like a treasure hunt! I have told our friends about this idea, and they love it, too, and they also want to have our friends find the cache before they make a donation. So, really, there could be a $1,500 donation to EWB or VAI if our friends find this cache!

 

So, here's what I am hoping for:

1. Is there anyone there who could plant a cache for me in the grand rapids area? I want it to be really clever, and challenging. I am willing to buy the cache container (One of those really clever type containers?) and the original set of contents, and I am willing to pay for someone ($50 sound okay?) to hide the cache and make it go live and all of that. I live in Southeast Michigan, and I can't easily get Grand Rapids ahead of their wedding day.

2. If there isn't a person who would be willing to do this, does anybody know any groups who I could reach out to in the Grand Rapids area who might be willing to do this? A GR geocaching group, or a scouting troop or something? I would then make a donation to their group, too, for their assistance!

3. And, barring that, does anyone have any suggestions for me as to where to put this cache? Thing is, I will be arrive in the grand rapids area four hours before the wedding - that would be enough time I think to hide something, but I know these things can take time to get approved, and I don't know any locations out there where I could put this and I don't want to be scrambling to figure out a place to do this at the last minute, and then only to find out it didn't get approved and put up online!

4. BTW, I wanted the cache to be medium size (not a micro! Those things drive me crazy!), enough for a small notebook and some decent size swag. And I want the go-live date to be their wedding date.

 

I know, this is out there, but any assistance anyone could give me would be appreciated!

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You could ask cachers who are familiar with the area to suggest an existing cache. Decide on some criteria. Impossibly tough puzzle (if the newlyweds go for that kind of thing), long hike, scenic view, cache that has never been found or infrequently found, whatever. This way the cache is already in place so there are no activation issues, and it's already in a suitable spot.

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You should read up on the restrictions regarding caches that promote an agenda. As worthy as your charities may be, GS has simply drawn the line, appropriately, at not supporting ANY cause.

 

Any cache that says "Log me and we'll donate $1 to XYZ" will not be approved.

 

In the event that it WERE to be published, are you ready to respond to 500 people in the general caching community sending you their confirming photographs? Are you willing to commit to supporting this for at least three months? That's the minimum cache life-cycle!

 

You can do what you're proposing without having it published on this website. Get a local cacher to help you set something up PERSONALIZED for the happy couple and create a set of instructions to be distributed to your friends and the wedding guests, WITHOUT the risk of it getting VERY expensive for you and the hassle of trying to shoe-horn your mission into Groundspeak's.

 

This is a very nice thing you're doing, but it might not be the best thing for the hobby, so do it on your own and make it perfect, not compromised for and by the official rules.

 

Please come back to this thread afterward and let us know how it goes.

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Relevant Guideline passage:

 

Cache listings perceived to be posted for religious, political, charitable or social agendas are not permitted. Geocaching is intended to be an enjoyable, family-friendly hobby, not a platform for an agenda. Cache pages cannot require, and should not strongly encourage, the placement of new caches. This is considered an agenda and the listing will not be publishable.

 

Might I suggest a Trackable? Much cheaper up front cost than what you propose, or you could buy multiple tags for the purpose and release a bunch of them:

 

Shop Groundspeak Travelbug page

 

The other advantage is that you wouldn't have to rely on someone else to place or take care of the cache. There's also the advantage of not having similar Guideline restrictions regarding charities and so forth.

 

However, to be honest, I think THIS has got to be one of my favorite stories regarding Wedding Gifts :)

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You should read up on the restrictions regarding caches that promote an agenda. As worthy as your charities may be, GS has simply drawn the line, appropriately, at not supporting ANY cause.

 

Any cache that says "Log me and we'll donate $1 to XYZ" will not be approved.

 

In the event that it WERE to be published, are you ready to respond to 500 people in the general caching community sending you their confirming photographs? Are you willing to commit to supporting this for at least three months? That's the minimum cache life-cycle!

 

You can do what you're proposing without having it published on this website. Get a local cacher to help you set something up PERSONALIZED for the happy couple and create a set of instructions to be distributed to your friends and the wedding guests, WITHOUT the risk of it getting VERY expensive for you and the hassle of trying to shoe-horn your mission into Groundspeak's.

 

This is a very nice thing you're doing, but it might not be the best thing for the hobby, so do it on your own and make it perfect, not compromised for and by the official rules.

 

Please come back to this thread afterward and let us know how it goes.

If I read the OP correctly, the donation thing would just be for when the newlywed couple finds the cache. That wouldn't have to be in the description. A nice cache with a title honoring the couple, and a description mentioning the occasion, would probably work. It would need to be a local hider, for maintenance reasons. What you suggested with not publishing it here would also be a workable plan.

 

I have found a cache that was hidden in honor of someone's wedding. It was a nice cache, specially painted ammo can, on a hike/bike trail.

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Yes, Kacher82 is correct. I would name the cache 'so and so got married' or 'love is in the air' or something like that, and that's it. (Also, the original cache contents would all be bird related, as I told them I planned to release 100 live doves on the blessed occasion.) The cache description would not mention either charity - the couple would know that their friends' donations would hinge on their finding the cache, but no one else would know that.

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Hmmm...but maybe I do hide it, and give them the coordinates, and THEN after they've found it, I see if it can go up on the official site? I just thought it would b a nice remembrance for them, too. Then, if it can't go up, no big, and if it can, so much the better. I thought they would enjoy checking back at people's comments, and the like.

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Relevant Guideline passage:

 

Cache listings perceived to be posted for religious, political, charitable or social agendas are not permitted. Geocaching is intended to be an enjoyable, family-friendly hobby, not a platform for an agenda. Cache pages cannot require, and should not strongly encourage, the placement of new caches. This is considered an agenda and the listing will not be publishable.

 

Might I suggest a Trackable? Much cheaper up front cost than what you propose, or you could buy multiple tags for the purpose and release a bunch of them:

 

Shop Groundspeak Travelbug page

 

The other advantage is that you wouldn't have to rely on someone else to place or take care of the cache. There's also the advantage of not having similar Guideline restrictions regarding charities and so forth.

 

However, to be honest, I think THIS has got to be one of my favorite stories regarding Wedding Gifts :)

 

Touchstone, I just clicked on that link, and holy smokes is that thing awesome!!!

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Don't let some of these members discourage you....It's a game...GEEEEZ!!! if you don't like what you see in the description don't do the Cache..I get a ton of help from this forum but sometimes I have to shake my head at some of the wide interpretation of the rules....

 

You were pretty clear in your OP what your intentions were and I don't see how it could be twisted into an Agenda.....Drive on and enjoy...Pretty cool idea if you ask me.....

 

Some guys from Michigan Geocaching may be able to help you out...I live on the Southeast side also....Check out this link..Michigan Geocaching

Edited by basscat5
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Try AddHam, MIBarrelMakers, or SpartanAlum. (look up their profiles on gc.com) All Grand Rapids cachers that are known for creative containers and good hides. There are many others, of course, in the area. Those come to mind first. Your idea sounds interesting, hope they can help.

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