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Looking for tips and ideas for running a great CITO event


JMCB15

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We are looking to conduct our first CITO event next spring. Having only attended one CITO event, we thought we would ask for some tips and ideas for putting together a great CITO event.  We would like to make this an annual event at this location, and want to make an impression at the first one.

 

We have selected the location, and we know the basics - a couple of tables, sign up sheet, trash bags and gloves, trackable trades, available caches in the immediate area, drinks and snacks etc. The CITO site is a small city owned park, do we need to contact the city for permission? How do we dispose of the trash at the end of the event? All tips and advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

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2 hours ago, JMCB15 said:

We are looking to conduct our first CITO event next spring. Having only attended one CITO event, we thought we would ask for some tips and ideas for putting together a great CITO event.  We would like to make this an annual event at this location, and want to make an impression at the first one.

 

We have selected the location, and we know the basics - a couple of tables, sign up sheet, trash bags and gloves, trackable trades, available caches in the immediate area, drinks and snacks etc. The CITO site is a small city owned park, do we need to contact the city for permission? How do we dispose of the trash at the end of the event? All tips and advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

By all means, contact the city and let them know your plans. They may provide for disposal of your refuse. They can also see that Geocachers are good for their town. 

As to your other list of things, available caches in the area are of zero importance to your CITO event. Trackable trades are also something not needed at a CITO.

 

I hosted a CITO in September at a State Park, and I only provided trash bags and grabbers for the attendees (actually provided by the State Park). The one perk for participants was that their park entry fee was waived. I provided bottled water, and we gathered at one of the picnic tables.

 

Good luck with your CITO.

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14 hours ago, JMCB15 said:

We are looking to conduct our first CITO event next spring. Having only attended one CITO event, we thought we would ask for some tips and ideas for putting together a great CITO event.  We would like to make this an annual event at this location, and want to make an impression at the first one.

 

We have selected the location, and we know the basics - a couple of tables, sign up sheet, trash bags and gloves, trackable trades, available caches in the immediate area, drinks and snacks etc. The CITO site is a small city owned park, do we need to contact the city for permission? How do we dispose of the trash at the end of the event? All tips and advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

 

All CITOs in parks we attended had at least the Park Manager there.  CITO is an event, and most parks have requirements to be met for events on their properties.  Organizing it with the PM gets your gloves, bags and sometimes grabbers supplied, and they'll haul off "their" trash.

 - You guys are supplying free labor...

One in particular, I guess the EO simply said he wanted to do a park cleanup "with a bunch of geocachers".  The parks director chatted with us about the hobby while cleaning,  found that the idea of CITO is more than just an event thing, then asked to tag around later, wanting to see what caching's about. 

He uses his phone, and now has quite a few finds.   :)

 

Some folks just wanna cache right after, but our favorite CITOs are those that have a lunch or something afterwards (with some way to clean up ; ) .

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Since part of my post was on archived caches, it got moved.  Here's what I had to say about the original topic:

 

As to the original question - absolutely contact the local park, they will likely be very happy to hear it and may point you to areas that could really use attention.  They may also be able to facilitate cleanup by opening gates for easier access to some areas, etc. 

 

The park where we hosted ours gave us bags, vests, gloves, and other equipment, and asked us to focus on some problem areas - and, as with K13's experience, they took care of hauling it all away.

 

I have always enjoyed CITOs that have a little contest for oddest piece of trash, and we did it for ours.  It's fun to see what teams come up with.

 

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12 hours ago, JMCB15 said:

Great advice, thank you everyone! I especially like the idea of a contest for the oddest piece of trash. Maybe a really nice Geocoin as the prize?

 

I've seen some logs on CITO events for some  pretty odd trash but make sure not to announce the contest prior to the even or someone may bring some odd trash with them just to win the contest.  

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